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 Tennessee, the university welcomes qualified students from other states and from other countries.

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 high school and college grades reported via the Self-Reported Academic Record and the applicant’s scores on the ACT or SAT. 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 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 Go Vols account https://govols.utk.edu/apply/ to begin an application for undergraduate admission. UT is a member of the Common Application, and all interested students may apply online through that portal (www.commonapp.org). Final high school transcripts and verified ACT/SAT scores are required for enrollment. More information for submitting these items can be found at https://admissions.utk.edu/admitted-students/transcript-instructions/ .Academic credits earned in a country outside of the United States must be submitted for evaluation. For additional information, see the International Student Admission Requirements at https://admissions.utk.edu/undergraduate-application/international-students/. For additional information, please contact:

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
320 Student Services Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-0230
E-mail admissions@utk.edu
Phone (865) 974-1111

First-Year Admission

UT calculates a weighted core GPA based on your grades in the courses listed below. Completion of all sixteen core courses is not required for admission but strongly encouraged.

In the core academic subjects, the UT Core GPA will be weighted by UT to reflect honors courses (0.5 quality points added), Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge AS and A Level, International Baccalaureate (IB), and dual enrollment courses (1.0 quality points added). UT calculates the UT Core GPA on a 4-point scale. UT uses unweighted high school course grades as the basis for adding these weightings for the UT Core GPA calculation. If students attend a high school that does not weight courses, UT will also not weight them. However, the academic rigor of the curriculum is important and will be valued by our admissions review team. UT does not round the GPA.

UT Knoxville accepts either the ACT or SAT 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 not a Tennessee resident must submit the application  for High School Visiting Students, accessible from https://admissions.utk.edu/apply and the dual credit academic verification form (see above).

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-year students.

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. Applicants are required to submit the application for Transfer, accessible from https://admissions.utk.edu/apply, pay the application fee, submit required official transcripts, and any other material(s) being requested. 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  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. Additionally, college level academic credits earned in a country outside of the United States must be submitted for evaluation. We will only be able to process an application after receiving the necessary report from the evaluation company. Information is available at https://admissions.utk.edu/undergraduate-application/transfer-student/ and the International Student Applicants section of this catalog.

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.

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://admissions.utk.edu/undergraduate-application/transfer-student/.

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 (https://www.tn.gov/tnreversetransfer.html) 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.

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 enrolled full-time 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/apply, pay the application fee, and submit to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions a letter of good standing or a college transcript showing good academic standing from their college or university.

Advanced Credits - Credit By Exam

First-year 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/prior-learning-credits/.

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

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 Sandra Mahlman, Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 865-974-1111

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/apply 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 Transfer application , accessible from https://admissions.utk.edu/apply, 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 as an undergraduate degree seeking student, 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/apply/ 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.

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 Academic 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. 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.

International Student Applicants

All applicants who are not a US citizen or permanent resident are classified as international students whether they are applying to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as first-year 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/apply or https://www.commonapp.org/, and application fee. https://apply.utk.edu.

2. Submit official international transcripts

a. International First-Year Applicants:

Every country has different educational systems with differing means of evaluating student progress toward completion. Students should submit their official secondary school transcripts, certificates, or exam results whichever would be used in their home country to determine entry to higher education. If submitting transcripts, students should submit all transcripts that show their time in lower and upper secondary school.

b. International Transfer Applicants:

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. The evaluation of an applicant’s academic record(s) must be completed by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Information concerning these agencies is provided on the web page for transfer applicants at https://admissions.utk.edu/undergraduate-application/transfer-student/#admission-requirements. Review of an application will be possible only after receiving the necessary report from the evaluation company.

c. International 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. Applicants must submit proof of English language proficiency by submitting one of the approved exams listed on the international admission site, https://admissions.utk.edu/undergraduate-application/international-students/#admission-requirements. An English exam is not required if a student meets one of the following exceptions:

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

b. 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.

c. Proof of citizenship of a country from the approved list of official English language nations accessible from https://admissions.utk.edu/undergraduate-application/international-information/#english-nations.

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

Admitted International Students

After an international student has been offered admission, the student’s records will be transferred to the Center for Global Engagement (CGE), which will issue the I-20 form for the admitted student’s visa application.  CGE 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, 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.