Admission, Enrollment and Graduation Requirements
A dmission , E nrollment and G raduation R equirements Admission to Biola University is on a selective basis. Only those most likely to profit from Biola University’s educational program and its distinctively Christian emphasis are admitted. Because it is the purpose of Biola University to educate maturing followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, the applicant should have been a Christian for at least one year. Biola University has a strongly evangelical Christian commitment and requires that to be accepted, the applicant must be an evangelical believer. However, Biola does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability in the admission of students, employment, and the educational programs or activities it conducts. The University prohibits sexual harassment. Inquiries regarding this nondiscrimination policy and the policy prohibiting sexual harassment may be directed to the Office of the Dean of Students in the Student Services Building for further information and procedures. Students interested in attending Biola should request an application from the Office of Admission or submit an online application (undergrad.biola.edu). Because enrollment is limited and admission is selective, applications should be made as early as possible. Decisions are made only on completed applications. Visits to the campus are encouraged. It is recommended to email or phone the Office of Admissions well in advance of the visit. Each semester, visitation days (University Day, Spring Preview Day and others) help acquaint prospective students with the programs on campus. Admission information—including applications, visitation days and appointments—is available at undergrad.biola.edu or by phoning 1-800-652-4652. Admission to the University does not guarantee admission to the art, business administration, cinema media arts, education, music, nursing and psychology programs, nor to on-campus housing. Application forms for these programs are available from the department offices. Undergraduate/Graduate Programs See the specific program for additional admission, enrollment and graduation requirements in the appropriate undergraduate/graduate sections of the catalog. Enrollment Deposit Applicants All applicants who are accepted to the University are required to submit an enrollment deposit. The deposit is non-refundable if the student does not enroll in and complete the term for which he/she applied. Accepted applicants, whether or not they have selected courses, must inform Biola of any change in their plans regarding enrollment. Biola undergraduate students accepted into a Biola graduate program must submit a graduate deposit to ensure a place as a Biola graduate student. Enrolled Students As a student continues his/her enrollment at Biola, the enrollment deposit is retained as a continuing deposit, ensuring a place in the student body. When enrolled students who have completed the term for which they applied, officially withdraw, their enrollment deposit will be applied to any balance owed at the time of departure, or will be refunded if their account is paid in full. Re-Admission A Biola student who has dropped out for one semester or longer is required to file an application for re-admission ($15 fee). A pastor’s reference will be required if the student’s leave of absence exceeds two years. A student who enrolls after an absence of more than a year is required to follow the current catalog requirements upon
readmission. An undergraduate student who re-admits after an absence of five years may be required to complete a full application for entrance, whereas, graduate students will be required to file a new application, and a pastor’s reference. Depending on length of absence, other requirements may also be necessary. Please contact the Office of Admission for more information.
Admission of Non-Native English-Speaking Students English Proficiency
It is essential that non-native English speaking students are able to understand lectures in English and also are able to express their thoughts clearly in both written and spoken English. Biola University has determined English proficiency to be demonstrated by the following scores on the Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT): a general score of 79 or higher with a minimum subtest score of 22 in speaking and a minimum subtest score of 19 in writing required for undergraduate admissions; and a general score of 88 or higher with a minimum subtest score of 22 in speaking and a minimum subtest score of 20 in writing for graduate admissions. Admission into academic programs at Biola University is based upon the understanding that students already have an equivalent to 79 iBT (undergraduate) or 88 iBT (graduate) or higher on the TOEFL or are actively making progress in obtaining this level of English proficiency. Please know that the minimum scores listed above represent the general university-wide guideline. Any academic department or programs may set their minimum scores at a higher level. Applicants who have not reached an English proficiency equivalent to a score of 79 iBT (for undergraduate admissions) or 88 iBT (for graduate admissions) on the TOEFL, may enter Biola University’s academic programs in one of two ways: Biola’s English Language Studies Program (ELSP) Non-native English speakers without TOEFL scores or a TOEFL score below 79 iBT (for undergraduate admissions) or 88 iBT (for graduate admissions) may enter most Biola degree programs if they have met all the other requirements for admission * . Every non-native English- speaking student with a TOEFL score below 79 iBT but above 71 (for undergraduate admissions) or 88 iBT but above 80 (for graduate admissions) is required to take the Biola English Placement Exam (BEPE) during orientation week of their first semester at Biola. Students are assigned English courses in ELSP based on their test results, which may affect their tuition. Courses assigned may range from one semester part-time to three semesters full-time plus three semesters part-time. * See TOEFL/BEPE requirements for specific programs. Take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and score the minimum requirement for the intended academic program. Non- native, English-speaking students may be admitted in an academic program with the minimum TOEFL requirement for their program while taking required English courses. The minimum TOEFL score requirement for most undergraduate programs is 79 iBT with a subtest score of 22 in speaking and a subtest score of 19 in writing; and most graduate programs is 88 iBT with a subtest score of 22 in speaking and a subtest score of 20 in writing (See TOEFL/ELSP requirements for specific programs). TOEFL contact and registration information is as follows: Test of English as a Foreign Language, Box 6151, Princeton, New Jersey, USA 08541 (Phone: 609-771-7100, Fax: 610-290-8972, Website: ets.org/ toefl). Since this test is administered only at certain times, the candidate for admission should inquire about testing dates well in advance of the date of anticipated school term in the U.S. TOEFL/BEPE Requirements for Specific Programs Undergraduate Programs The minimum TOEFL score for admission is a total of 79 iBT with a subtest score of 22 in speaking and a subtest score of 19 in writing for the undergraduate student (Exception: Education majors must have a score of 100 iBT). A student may submit an SAT I score for
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