Admission to the University

As the state’s largest and most comprehensive university, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, seeks to provide high-quality educational programs for all students who have the academic ability and motivation to pursue and profit from a baccalaureate education. Similar opportunities are available at the graduate level. While the majority of students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are residents of the State of Tennessee, the university welcomes qualified students from other states and from other countries. Students from a variety of cultures add richness and diversity to the total educational experience for all.

Undergraduate Admission

https://admissions.utk.edu

Admissions decisions for degree-seeking students are based upon several factors, most important of which are the applicant’s grades in high school and college courses and the applicant’s scores on the ACT or SAT exams. Anyone interested in attending the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as an undergraduate student is encouraged to visit the website of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for information and application forms at https://admissions.utk.edu.

Important information for undergraduate admission applications is available on the web at https://admissions.utk.edu/apply/. All applicants must create a free VIP account at https://admissions.utk.edu/vip/ to gain access to applications for undergraduate admission, which should be submitted electronically. UT is a member of the Common Application, and all interested students may apply online through that portal (www.commonapp.org), and will monitor the status of their applications through their VIP accounts. Official copies are required for all transcripts and test scores, and these must be sent directly from schools or testing agencies to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Academic credits earned in a country outside of the United States must be submitted for evaluation by a company that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, and the evaluation report will be an important factor in the admission decision. For additional information, see the section on International Student Applicants. Official test reports that are part of a high school transcript are accepted. For additional information, please contact the following offices.

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
320 Student Services Building
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Knoxville, TN 37996-0230
Knoxville – main office
E-mail admissions@utk.edu
Phone (865) 974-1111
West Tennessee Regional Office
E-mail admit2utk@utk.edu
Phone (901) 448-8289

Freshman Admission

The University of Tennessee calculates a core GPA based upon a four-point grading scale in high school courses in sixteen areas.

Courses in the list above that were taken as Honors are given an additional half-quality point, and courses that were taken as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or Dual Enrollment are given an additional quality point in the calculation of the core GPA. The core GPA is used as a factor in determining eligibility for admission, scholarships, and participation in the Honors and Scholars programs.

UT Knoxville accepts either the ACT or SAT (CR + M prior to March 2016; EBRW + M after March 2016) examination and does not require the ACT or SAT essay. 

Dual Enrollment Students

A high school visiting student or dual enrollment student is currently enrolled in high school and seeks to enroll part-time at UT, based on his/her academic ability and educational need. High school visiting and dual enrollment students should have a minimum 3.0 high school grade point average. Applications are subject to review, and admission is not guaranteed.

• A student who is a Tennessee resident will complete and submit online the Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant (TDEG) form instead of the Application for Admission. The TDEG form is available at the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) website: https://www.tn.gov/collegepays/money-for-college/tn-education-lottery-programs/dual-enrollment-grant.html. For questions or information, please contact Norma Harrington at 865-974-1111. The dual credit verification form (https://admissions.utk.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/09/9698dualcredit-Copy.pdf) must also be completed and mailed to the UT Knoxville Office of Undergraduate Admissions, to the attention of Norma Harrington.
• A student who is not a Tennessee resident must submit the Application for High School Visiting Students, accessible from https://admissions.utk.edu/vip/, along with the application fee, written permission by his/her parents and the school principal or counselor, and the dual credit verification form (see above).

Campus Change Policy

Students who wish to transfer from one University of Tennessee (UT) campus to another campus within the UT System are known as “campus-change” students. UT campuses welcome and seek to accommodate campus-change students as they go through the transfer process.

Campus-change students who apply for transfer within the UT System will have completed general education requirements for the UT campus to which they are transferring, provided that the student:

1. has previously earned an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree from a TBR institution, or
2. has been certified by the institution from which they are transferring as having completed all the general education requirements of that institution.

If a campus-change student transfers from one UT campus to another within the UT System before completing general education requirements, then the student will receive credit for having completed general education blocks or categories that correspond to those at the campus to which they are transferring. Campus-change students who meet these specifications will not be required to take any additional coursework to meet general education requirements at the campus to which they are transferring; however, specific general education courses may be required to satisfy the requirements of the major or degree program. As such, transcripts of campus-change students will be evaluated on an individual basis.

General Transfer Admission Policies

A transfer applicant is a student who has attended any postsecondary institution and has earned at least one transferable credit prior to matriculation at UT Knoxville and following high school graduation (excludes dual enrollment, early/middle college program enrollment, prior learning credits, and similar credit). High school graduates who earn summer credit prior to their first fall term of enrollment are still considered first-time freshmen. 

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has a competitive admission process for transfer applicants and utilizes a holistic application review process considering all parts of the transfer student’s academic record. Transfer applicants who have earned 24 or less transferable college level hours will be reviewed holistically based on college level and high school level academic performance, transfer GPA, ACT/SAT scores, intended major field of study, and other factors. Applicants are required to send in all scores and college level transcripts in order to be reviewed for admission. Transfer applicants who have earned more than 24 transferable college hours will be reviewed primarily on transfer GPA, however, other holistic factors will be considered as needed. 

Any transfer applicant who has been academically suspended or dismissed by the last institution they attended will not be considered for admission, regardless of the hours earned and transferable GPA.

UT is required to have a transcript on file from each college or university an applicant has attended, even for courses taken during summer school or dual enrollment. For admission purposes, students are required to have official transcripts sent directly from each institution attended to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. For financial aid purposes, students are required to submit a final, official transcript from the last institution attended.

Transfer applicants should have a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in transferable academic-level coursework. All courses attempted and grades earned, including repeated coursework, in college-level and non-remedial courses are considered in holistic review. Grades earned at other colleges and universities are used only for admission, course placement, and other academic decisions. They are not included in the UT Knoxville GPA.

College-level academic credits earned in a country outside of the United States must be submitted for a course-by-course evaluation by a company that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), and the evaluation report will be an important factor in the admission decision. A detailed or course-by-course evaluation including a calculated college grade point average (GPA) is required for all college work completed in a country other than the US. We will only be able to process an application after receiving the necessary report from the evaluation company. For additional information, see the section on International Student Applicants.

Undergraduate Admissions recommends that all transfer applicants that are active or former military send in Joint Service Transcripts, DD214, or any other record of service to be considered in the holistic review process if necessary.

Academic units play an important role in the holistic review of transfer students. Some majors have capacity limits which result in very few transfer admissions into those majors – even for well-qualified students. For such majors, those academic colleges or departments may require greater than a 2.0 GPA for acceptance into certain programs. Students should be aware that many UT majors and/or colleges require additional coursework and enforce performance standards beyond what is required by other universities and colleges; this may include an intermediate level sequence of a foreign language, more advanced math and science requirements, and courses in non-U.S. history.

Details on majors and special academic requirements by certain colleges are available from the Transfer Center website: https://transfer.utk.edu/admissions/.

To apply as a transfer student requires the completion of a minimum of one transferable credit hour. There is no maximum number of credit hours needed to apply as a transfer student; however, prior to graduating from UT, transfer students must have completed their last 30 semester hours of credit at UT Knoxville and at least 60 semester hours of credit at a four-year college or university. During the final 30 hours, up to two courses outside a student’s major may be taken at another institution as long as the student has 25% of coursework for the degree completed at UT Knoxville.

Transfer students’ academic progress is monitored using uTrack – a tool that identifies milestones that are designed to keep students on track for timely graduation. Transfer students and counselors should review the UT catalog (https://catalog.utk.edu/) to make sure that they are completing milestones that will facilitate transfer into specific majors.

Students Applying for Transfer Prior to Associate Degree Completion

Transfer applicants from institutions in the University of Tennessee (UT), or Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) systems, or from one of Tennessee’s public universities who have not earned an associate degree but who have been certified by the institution from which they are transferring as having completed all the general education requirements of that institution will have completed Volunteer Core (general education) requirements for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. They will not be required to take any additional coursework to meet Volunteer Core (general education) requirements at UT Knoxville. Similarly, transfer applicants from institutions in the UT or TBR systems or from one of Tennessee’s public universities who have been certified by the institution from which they are transferring as having completed sub-section(s) of general education (e.g., Natural Sciences) at that institution will be credited for completing the same section (if it exists) at UT Knoxville. The acceptance of certified Volunteer Core (general education) completion does not imply that the student has met any other admission or degree requirements at UT Knoxville.

Certification of general education completion must be provided by the institution at which the courses were taken. Certification must occur at the time the student transfers to UT Knoxville. No retroactive certification will be accepted. Acceptance of certified completion of general education began at UT Knoxville in Fall 2011.

Transfer students who complete a minimum of 45 transferrable credit hours prior to matriculation at UT Knoxville and earn an associate degree through the Tennessee Reverse Transfer Program will have fulfilled the Volunteer Core (general education) requirements established by the faculty at UT Knoxville. This policy does not apply to completion of an Associate of Applied Science degree.

Students Applying for Transfer with Completion of an Associate Degree (AA, AS, AFA, AST)

Students who have completed an associate degree in Tennessee or a Tennessee Transfer Pathway will be given priority consideration. International transfer students completing an associate degree under an articulation agreement will be given International admissions priority consideration. However, the admissions process is still competitive and still holistic. Completion of an associate degree or a pathway is not a guarantee of admission to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, or to a specific program. More information is available at www.tntransferpathway.org or www.international.utk.edu for international students.

Transfer applicants who have earned an Associate of Arts (AA) degree or Associate of Science (AS) degree from institutions in the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) system will have fulfilled the Volunteer Core (general education) requirement established by the faculty at UT Knoxville. This policy began Fall Semester 2009 and applies to any student who completed their AA or AS Tennessee Board of Regents degree in 2009 and entered the University of Tennessee Fall Semester 2009 or later. This policy does not apply to completion of an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree.

Beginning Fall Semester 2019, transfer applicants who have earned an Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degree or Associate of Science in Teaching (AST) degree from institutions in the TBR system will have fulfilled the Volunteer Core (general education) requirement established by the faculty at UT Knoxville.

College Visiting Student Applicants

A visiting student is one who is actively enrolled in a degree program at another accredited college or university but who desires to enroll temporarily at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Applicants are required to complete the Application for College Visiting Students, accessible from https://admissions.utk.edu/vip/, pay the application fee, and submit to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions a letter of good standing or a transcript showing good academic standing from their college or university.

Advanced Credits - Credit By Exam

Freshmen or transfer students admitted to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, may receive course credit on the basis of performance through Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program, College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), Cambridge International A/AS-Level, Statewide Dual Credit, and State of Tennessee Specific Industry Certification examinations. All scores must be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions Transfer Center directly from the testing agency. Information is available at https://admissions.utk.edu/apply/college-admission-requirements/.

See the Academic Policies and Procedures section on “Credit By Examinations” of this catalog for additional information 

Tennessee Transfer Pathways

Tennessee Transfer Pathways are programs developed between institutions in the University of Tennessee and Tennessee Board of Regents systems. While at the originating institution, students take a specified curriculum that usually leads to the Associate of Arts or the Associate of Science degree and also prepares students for the corresponding baccalaureate degree. Students who complete a pathway will be given priority consideration for admission. However, the admission process is still competitive and still holistic. Completion of a pathway is not a guarantee of admission to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, or to a specific program. 

For information on the transfer pathways and process for students from a public Tennessee community college, visit Tennessee Transfer Pathway at https://www.tntransferpathway.org/.

Residency Classification for the Purpose of Paying University Fees and for Admission Purposes

Initial residency classification is determined by admissions staff from information submitted on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Application for Undergraduate Admission. Classification is indicated at the time of admissions on the student’s profile on-line. Undergraduate students who would like their residency classification reconsidered may submit an appeal to the residency classification officer listed at http://registrar.tennessee.edu/residency/residency.shtml. The application for reclassification with all supporting documentation must be filed no later than the last day of final registration for a full session course in order to have the reclassification effective for the semester. Classification will be determined and the applicant will be notified by email. Additional information regarding the State of Tennessee regulations for classification may be found at the Office of the University Registrar website https://registrar.utk.edu/student-residency-classification/.

Academic Common Market

The Academic Common Market is an agreement among selected states for sharing unique programs. Participating states can make arrangements for their residents who are fully admitted to specific programs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to enroll on an in-state tuition basis if these programs are not available in the state of residence.

Cooperating states, at the undergraduate level, in the Academic Common Market are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Selected bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs at UT Knoxville are approved by the Academic Common Market for residents of these states to enroll at in-state tuition rates.

For additional information, visit the Southern Regional Educational Board at https://www.sreb.org/ or contact Norma Harrington, Office of Undergraduate Admissions 865-974-1111.

Re-Entry Student Applicants

A re-entry student is one who has not been enrolled in high school or college for three years or more prior to making application for admission to UT. Re-entry applicants must complete and submit the Application for Freshman or Transfer Students and answer the re-entry question, accessible from https://admissions.utk.edu/vip/, including the re-entry essay, and the application fee. If a student has been enrolled at UT Knoxville as a degree-seeking student at any time, that person is considered to be a Readmission Student. For additional questions, contact Norma Harrington, Office of Undergraduate Admissions 865-974-1111. Students who are granted readmission to the University, but not their intended program of study, will be placed in the University Transition major.

Veterans

The Veterans Success Center at the University of Tennessee (https://veterans.utk.edu/) is grateful to be able to serve students who have served in the United States Armed Forces and who wish to attend or are now attending college using VA educational benefits. We are also available to assist dependents and/or spouses of deceased or disabled veterans who wish to use VA educational assistance. For more information, please contact the Veterans Success Center at 865-974-5420 or utkva@utk.edu.

Non-Degree Student Applicants

A non-degree student is one who has previously earned a bachelor’s/baccalaureate degree at another accredited college or university, but who wishes to take additional undergraduate courses, without pursuing a degree, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Applicants are required to complete the Application for Non-Degree Students accessible from https://admissions.utk.edu/vip/ and pay the application fee.

Non-Degree Students Seeking Degree Status 

A student who previously attended UT Knoxville as a non-degree seeking student and wishes to seek a degree must complete the Application for Transfer Students, accessible from https://admissions.utk.edu/vip/, pay the application fee, submit required official transcripts, and meet admission criteria for the requested major.

Readmission Student Applicants

Any student who has previously enrolled at UT, but who has not continued enrollment for at least one semester (excluding summer) or has withdrawn from the university, and wishes to re-enroll must complete and submit the Application for Readmission, accessible from https://admissions.utk.edu/vip/ and pay the readmission application fee. A student who has attended another college or university since attending UT must have an official transcript sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Readmission applicants who had previously declared a major at UT should carefully review the readmission requirements of their declared college and major. In many cases, students who are on probation will only be admitted as University Transition students and will be advised in the First-Year Studies department, irrespective of their previous college and major. Most readmitted students who have been academically dismissed will only be admitted as University Transition students and will be advised in the First-Year Studies department. Additional information is available at https://admissions.utk.edu/other/readmission/.

For specific readmission application deadline dates, students should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions or visit https://admissions.utk.edu/other/readmission/.

Students applying for readmission following a second academic dismissal must contact the Student Success Center two semesters prior to their proposed semester of readmission to discuss the second dismissal requirements (see below) and their required meeting with the Undergraduate Council Appeals Committee.

Readmission after Academic Dismissal

Students who have been academically dismissed from UT Knoxville must apply for readmission by June 1 for fall, November 1 for spring, and April 1 for summer. Submitting an application does not guarantee admission.

• First Academic Dismissal
  A student dismissed for the first time may not be readmitted until after a full semester (not including summer) has elapsed.

• Second Academic Dismissal
  A student dismissed for the second time will be considered for readmission after one calendar year has elapsed and after completing a minimum of 12 semester credits of academic coursework with at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average from accredited institution(s) of higher education. Students who have been dismissed twice are required to meet with the Undergraduate Council Appeals Committee. Students may be readmitted only when they present evidence that they are capable of performing at the level required to meet university academic standards and completing all degree requirements within a reasonable length of time.

• Third Academic Dismissal
  After a third dismissal, a student is ineligible to attend the university and may not apply for readmission.

Students who have been dismissed and are readmitted will be required to participate in a special program that emphasizes academic success skills and strategies.

Students who have been academically dismissed and who are readmitted will be dismissed again if they fail to earn a 2.0 minimum term GPA at the end of the first semester after readmission and every semester thereafter until the cumulative GPA reaches a 2.0.

Senior and Disabled Applicants

Persons 60 years or older or totally disabled persons who are residents of Tennessee may audit a course without payment of fees if space is available in the individual class. Interested persons should contact the One-Stop Express Student Services Office for additional information. Persons 65 years or older or totally disabled persons who are residents of Tennessee may enroll in courses for credit at reduced fees. Interested persons wishing to enroll for academic credit should contact the Office of Undergraduate of Admissions for application information and requirements. More information is available online at https://onestop.utk.edu/discounts/.

International Student Applicants

All foreign nationals on non-immigrant visas are classified as international students whether they are applying to The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as freshmen or transfer students. In addition to the information below, important information for applicants is available from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (https://admissions.utk.edu/international/) and for admitted students from the Center for Global Engagement (http://international.utk.edu).

To apply for admission as an undergraduate student, each international student is required to provide the following:

1. A completed application for undergraduate admission, accessible from https://admissions.utk.edu/vip/ or https://www.commonapp.org/, and application fee. www.apply.utk.edu.

2. An evaluation of the applicant’s academic records by an agency that is a member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services). Information concerning these agencies is provided on the web page for international applicants – https://admissions.utk.edu/international/. Review of an application will be possible only after receiving the necessary report from the evaluation company.

   1. Entering First Year Students: An agency evaluation of the secondary school degree earned, with a statement of equivalency to study in the United States, is required. A calculated Grade Point Average (GPA) is required. Note: Students applying for admission to the UT Tickle College of Engineering must also submit an official ACT or SAT score to The University of Tennessee, Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

   2. Transfer Students: A “detailed” or “course-by-course” evaluation” including a calculated college Grade Point Average (GPA) is required for all college work completed in a country other than the United States. Applicants who have completed fewer than 24 transferable college credit hours may also be required to submit a secondary school or high school transcript.

   3. Readmission Students: A student who has previously been enrolled at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and has subsequently left campus and enrolled in college coursework at a college or university in a country other than the United States must submit a “detailed” or “course-by-course” evaluation through one of the organizations previously mentioned on this page in order to receive credit toward graduation at UT. Readmission applicants who enrolled in a United States college are required to have an official transcript of that work sent by the college to the UT Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

3. Evidence of English proficiency for students whose native language is not English. This can be done in one of the following ways:

   1. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 523 on the paper-based test, 193 on the computer-based test, 70 on the internet-based test (IBT), or 523 on the ITP Plus.¹UT’s code is 1843.

   2. Completion of the University of Tennessee English Language Institute’s (ELI) core intensive curriculum with recommendation from the ELI faculty.

   3. Two semesters or three quarters of college-level English composition with a grade of C or better at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States.

   4. ACT (English sub-score of 21 is required) or SAT (critical reading or EBRW score of 540 is required). Scores must be received from the testing company (copies are not acceptable).

   5. IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or IELTS Indicator – a minimum score of 6.5.

   6.  ELS - completion of the ELS 112 intensive program.

   7. Duolingo – a minimum score of 100 out of 160.²

   8. Pearson PTE (Pearson Tests of English) Academic – a minimum score of 53.²

   9. Proof of citizenship of a country from the approved list of official English language nations.

   10. Approved high school, college, or university transcript validating English was the language of instruction.

       Note: Prospective undergraduate students who meet all admission requirements except for English proficiency requirements will receive a CONDITIONAL ADMISSION to the University. Students who receive a conditional admission will be issued Form I-20 by the UT English Language Institute (ELI) to apply for an F-1 visa. Students who receive a CONDITIONAL ADMISSION must meet English proficiency requirements before being admitted to a degree program, and before being allowed to enroll in non-ESL courses. Conditionally admitted students who wish to enter the U.S. using UT’s I-20 must attend the University of Tennessee’s English Language Institute (https://eli.utk.edu/).

4. For international students, completed application forms and the application fee must be received in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions not later than the following application dates. Official evaluations of academic records and official reports demonstrating English proficiency must be received in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions not later than the following completion dates.

5. Articulation Agreements: International transfer students completing an associate degree under an articulation agreement will be given International admissions priority consideration.

¹ Use for admission and placement, EPE will be required.

² Use for admission, but not placement, ELI 110 placement with option for EPE.

Admitted International Students

After an international student has been offered admission, the student’s records will be transferred to the Center for Global Engagement, which will issue the I-20 form for the admitted student’s visa application. The Center offers many other important services to international students including mandatory student orientation programs (https://international.utk.edu/).

All F-1 and J-1 visa status students must submit financial documentation. After an offer of admission is made, the Center for Global Engagement (CGE) will provide information concerning the submission of financial documentation, including a completed Financial Support Statement and an official bank statement. If the student is being sponsored by the student’s government, an official letter is required from the government stating that it will cover all expenses during the student’s academic studies at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

A copy of the photo page of the applicant’s passport must be sent with the applicant’s financial documentation, if it was not submitted with the application for admission.

Admitted international students must take the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, English Placement Exam prior to course registration. This test will determine whether the student needs to take more English courses and, if so, at what level. The English Placement Exam grants no credit. Students assigned to special English courses must enroll the first semester of attendance and stay continuously enrolled in assigned courses until completion of all requirements. A student who has completed 6 credits of college-level English composition with grades of C or better at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States is exempted from taking the UT English Placement Exam. 

Fees for Sponsored International Students

An administrative management fee will be charged to sponsoring agencies of international students whose programs require special administrative or management services beyond those normally provided. Fees are $250 per semester and $100 per summer session.