Undergraduate Admissions

Click on a link to be taken to the entry below.

• Advanced Academic Work for Credit
• Early Admission/ Dual Enrollment/ Probationary Admission/ Readmission
• Test Requirements/ Placement Testing
• International Student Admission
• Veterans and Dependents of Veterans
• Transfer Student Admission
• Non-Degree Seeking Student Admission
• Statements of Compliance

Admission to Lee University is based on evidence that the applicant possesses the qualities needed for satisfactory achievement in terms of character, ability, academic foundation, purpose and personality. The university admits students regardless of race, color, national origin, religious preference or disability.

To be eligible for admission the applicant must have graduated from an approved high school or satisfactorily completed the GED test. All persons who register at Lee University are required to file an application. Acceptance of students is based upon discernable qualities and potential without reference to any perceived notion of an ideal class.

Procedure

Application forms are mailed on request to all prospective students or can be obtained from our website, www.leeuniversity.edu. All students expecting to enroll at Lee University for the first time must submit the following:

1. An application for admission on a form provided by the university.
2. An official high school transcript mailed directly from the high school.  All students must graduate with a 2.0 GPA, and a composite score of 17 or above on the American College Test (ACT) or 860 (Math and Critical Reasoning only) or above on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Students transferring with more than 15 semester hours are not required to furnish a high school transcript. Students who are Tennessee residents and transferring 24 or more semester hours will not be required to furnish a high school transcript.
3. An official test score report from ACT or SAT. (Applicants are not required to take the new writing component of these exams.) Transfer students with more than 15 semester hours are not required to submit ACT or SAT test scores. Students who are Tennessee residents and transferring 24 or more semester hours will not be required to furnish test scores. Applicants who have not already taken the entrance examination (ACT or SAT) will be required to take it prior to acceptance. The ACT/SAT should be taken on a national test date. Exceptions to this policy may be forwarded to the Vice President for Enrollment for consideration. To be eligible for Academic Scholarships, ACT/SAT exams must be taken on a national test date.
4. An application fee of $25 (non-refundable, non-transferable). The application fee may be applied to the account of the student  for a period of two semesters following the date of payment.
5. An advance housing fee of $200. (This is refundable up to 30 days prior to registration.)
6. Any applicant born after January 1, 1957, must provide documented proof of receiving two MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccinations after 12 months of age. (Submitted after acceptance.)

When the above requirements have been fulfilled, a student will be notified of his/her acceptance or rejection by the Office of Admissions. The university may refuse admission and registration to students not meeting the minimum requirements or may admit them on probation for limited work. Admissions policies are reviewed annually by the Admissions Committee.

GED Equivalency Certification

Applicants who have not completed high school will be required to take the General Education Development test. These tests cover english, natural science, social sciences, literature and mathematics. The tests are given in many major cities throughout the nation. One may apply for admission with an average score of 450 or above.

Superior students with advanced work in high school are encouraged to work at more advanced academic levels.

All university academic credit will be granted on the basis of acceptable documentation under the following conditions.

1. At least one semester of work (12 semester hours) must be completed at Lee University before credit earned by testing will be included on the transcript.
2. Credit earned by testing will be designated on the transcript by a grade of “P” (Pass).
3. A maximum of 32 semester hours can be earned by advanced testing.

Advanced Placement (AP Courses)

The university recognizes the validity of Advanced Placement Tests of the College Entrance Examination Board and awards credit. Lee will accept a score of three or above on AP exams for all categories except Music Theory and Statistics, which require at least a score of four.  Students should request that original documentation (courses/scores) directly from the College Board be submitted to the Office of Records for evaluation at the time of application for admission to Lee. It is critical that these scores be sent to Lee as quickly as possible for placement purposes. (See corresponding chart in this section for pre-approved course/credit details.)

Additional information regarding AP may be obtained by contacting The College Board at www.collegeboard.com.

Cambridge International Exams (CIE)/University of Cambridge

The university recognizes the excellence of the CIE program and awards university credit. The student should request that original documentation (courses/scores) directly from CIE be submitted to the Office of Records for evaluation at the time of application for admission to Lee. It is critical that these scores be sent to Lee as quickly as possible for placement purposes. (See corresponding chart in this section for pre-approved credit details.)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

The university awards academic credit for select CLEP courses. Students should request that original documentation (courses/scores) directly from the College Board be submitted to the Office of Records for evaluation at the time of application for admission to Lee. It is critical that these scores be sent to Lee as quickly as possible for placement purposes. (See corresponding chart in this section for pre-approved course/credit details.)

Additional information regarding CLEP may be obtained by contacting The College Board at www.collegeboard.com.

International Baccalaureate Programme (IBP)

The university recognizes and awards academic credit for IBP coursework. IBP credits will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  The student should request that original documentation (courses/scores) directly from IBP be submitted to the Office of Records for evaluation at the time of application for admission to Lee. It is critical that these scores be sent to Lee as quickly as possible for placement purposes.

NOTE: If a student has a question regarding a course for the above-mentioned programs (AP, CIE, CLEP, IBP), the student should personally contact the Dean of the Department in which the course is located to discuss the course in question. (See the listing of Departmental Deans at the back of the university catalog.)

United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI) Credits

Original transcripts containing college credits acquired through USAFI should be submitted directly from the testing agency to the Office of Admissions at the time of application for admission to Lee. It is critical that these scores be sent to Lee as quickly as possible for course placement purposes. Transcripts will be reviewed to determine the number of hours and specific courses acceptable for university credit.

Advanced Placement Credit Policy AP Credits Awarded

Cambridge International Exams (CIE)/University of Cambridge Credits Policy 

CLEP Credit Policy

Early admission to the university may, under strict conditions, be granted to students before graduation from high school. The student applies for early admission with the advice and approval of his/her principal and guidance counselor. To be eligible for this early admission program, the student must have a minimum 3.5 high school grade point average and must score at least 22 on the ACT or 1070 (Math and Critical Reasoning only) on the SAT. A letter of recommendation from the parents and high school principal must accompany an application for early admission.

Dual Enrollment

The Lee University High School Dual Enrollment Program’s purpose is to provide local high school students a means of beginning their college careers while simultaneously earning high school credits. Students must be high school juniors or seniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and have an ACT score of 19 or higher in the subject to be taken (if applicable). They must also complete an admissions application and provide approval from a parent or guardian and high school principal or counselor. Grades are provided upon completion of college classes to the respective high school guidance counselors. The dual enrollment cost per credit hour is $107.

Probationary Admission

Applicants who are accepted as first-time freshmen whose high school grade point average is below C (2.0) or with an ACT score lower than 17 are accepted on probationary status. Such persons will normally be limited to a 12-14 hour course load and may be required to enroll in special sections for the first semester. Enrollment of such students at the university will serve as proof of each student’s acceptance of his/her probationary status.

Transfer students who have earned more than 15 semester hours with a grade point average less than 2.0 will be accepted on academic probation.

Readmission

Students who are in good standing will be eligible for readmission. However, readmission after suspension is never automatic. The student must apply for readmission and be approved by the Admissions Committee. Any student who is suspended for academic reasons is ineligible to apply for readmission until one full semester has elapsed. The summer session is not considered a semester. Readmission requires new application and a written letter explaining the reason for returning to Lee. Application fees are required at the time of application.

All freshmen are required to submit scores on the American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). High schools should have registration forms for these tests. If these registration forms are not available in your high school they may be obtained on the Internet at www.act.org or www.collegeboard.com, or by calling ACT at (319) 337-1270 or SAT at (609) 771-7600. The registration form is accompanied by a Student Information Bulletin which describes the test, gives the dates and places for test administration, and the procedures for registration. Test centers are located throughout the United States and tests are administered on five specific dates established in advance by the testing service each year. Scores are reported to colleges and universities as requested by the student.

Applicants are advised to take the ACT or SAT as early as possible in the junior or senior year of high school. Test results are used as an aid in predicting the applicant’s potential for a successful college career, financial aid opportunities and as a basis for planning the student’s program of studies. Registration for ACT or SAT should be made at least one month in advance of the test date. (Applicants are not required to take the new writing component of these exams.)

Placement Testing

In order to effectively place entering students in certain courses, we require some students to take additional placement tests prior to enrollment. These tests help to determine which students may need additional help in the areas of reading or mathematics.

Nelson-Denny Reading Test

Students with the following scores are required to take this test: ACT English sub-score of 12 or below; SAT Verbal sub-score of 330 or below. Students scoring below the 11th-grade level on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test will be required to take READ-101 during the first semester at Lee University. This course carries two hours elective credit.

Math Placement Test

Students with the following scores are required to take this test: ACT Math sub-score 17 and below; SAT Math sub-score 439 and below. Transfer students who are not required to submit ACT or SAT scores prior to admission will be required to take the Math Placement test unless transferring a college-level math class from another institution.

Music Major Auditions

All students who wish to major in music must be formally accepted into the School of Music by audition in addition to acceptance to the university. Students must contact the School of Music to schedule an audition during  Frontline, Lee Day, Music Camp or at the beginning of a semester. In addition to an audition on the principal instrument/voice, each student must complete a piano proficiency exam and music theory placement exam.

Qualified international students are considered for admission as freshmen and transfer students. Applicants with a native language other than English are required to submit scores earned on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), designed to ascertain proficiency in English and administered in many overseas testing centers. Students who wish to take the test should write directly to: TOEFL, Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, New Jersey 08541. For further information, go to www.toefl.org. The SAT or ACT are accepted in place of the TOEFL.

All international applicants must submit official transcripts from all previous colleges and/or secondary schools. An estimate of expenses and Sponsor’s Guarantee Form must be submitted with the application. These forms are available upon request. All these must be received and approved before a student can be accepted to Lee University and issued an I-20 form.

An international advisor works with all students in matters relating to admission and residency at Lee. Arrangements can be made for meeting a student upon arrival provided complete information is sent in advance to the Vice President for Enrollment.

In order for the transfer work of international students to be applied to the Lee transcript, the transcript from the previous educational institution(s) must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES). Information concerning submitting a transcript for review can be found at www.wes.org. The cost of this service is the responsibility of the student. If the transcript has not yet been evaluated by WES upon arrival at Lee for registration, an advisor will place the student in courses deemed appropriate. Upon Lee’s receipt of the WES evaluation, the student’s placement will be re-evaluated if during the registration period. If received after the registration period, the student will remain in the class as placed.

Full Course of Study Requirement for International Students

Immigration regulations require students in F-1 status to complete a full course of study during each fall and spring semester.  Students are not required to register for classes during the summer session.  A full course of study for an undergraduate student is at least 12 semester hours.  All students must complete General Education core classes including a minor in Religion.

Lee University is approved for veterans and dependents of disabled or deceased veterans under existing public laws. Eligible persons should contact the Veterans Administration regional office of the state in which they maintain a permanent residence. One must have authorization for VA or vocational rehabilitation training before registering. If in doubt about the procedure, check with your local VA office (800-827-1000 or 888-442-4551). All questions concerning VA benefits at Lee University should be put in writing and sent to the Vice President for Enrollment.

Transcripts containing college credits acquired through USAFI courses and the College Level Examination Program (CLEP tests) or through colleges in the various branches of the military should be submitted with application. The transcript will be reviewed by the Registrar to determine the number of hours and the specific courses that are acceptable.

A student from an accredited college or university will be admitted without examination, provided he/she withdrew in good standing and has completed at least 16 hours of college work.  Transfer applicants must present an official transcript showing evidence of at least a 2.0 average in all academic work previously taken. If the student has fewer than 16 hours, he/she will be required to submit ACT or SAT scores and a high school transcript.  The student should request that ACT or SAT scores and transcript be sent to the Admissions Office. Transfer students who have less than a 2.0 grade point average can be accepted on academic probation.

Students who are Tennessee residents that are transferring fewer than 24 semester hours are required to furnish a high school transcript and ACT or SAT scores.

An official transcript must be sent from each institution attended, regardless of whether credit was earned or is desired. A student who fails to acknowledge attendance in any college or university where he/she has been previously registered is subject to dismissal from Lee University.

The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) has authorized each institution to review and decide for itself how much, if any, credit will be accepted from other educational institutions. Therefore, Lee University has adopted the following policy regarding the review process for transfer work from post-secondary schools that are accredited, non-accredited and outside the United States.

Transfer of credit shall not be denied solely on the basis of the agency or association that accredited such other institution of higher education if that agency or association is recognized by the Secretary of the Department of Education pursuant to Section 496 to be a reliable authority as to the quality of the education or training offered. Transfer of credit is the result of an academic review process which may include the registrar, the dean and/or chair of respective departments and the Vice-Presidents for Academic Affairs and Enrollment.

Requests for transcript review will be submitted to the university registrar in a timely manner. During non-registration periods, at least one week will be allowed for review. However, during peak registration periods, at least two weeks will be allowed for the complete review process. Furthermore, if transcripts from multiple institutions are being reviewed, original transcripts from each institution will be required and all coursework will be reviewed separately and individually.

No credit or transcripts from Lee will be issued until all previous transcripts are on file in the Office of Records.

A student in good standing at an accredited college or university who wishes to enroll in the summer term only may be considered for admission as a non-matriculated (transient) student. Such admission will terminate at the end of the summer term and does not presuppose acceptance by the university. A non-matriculated student may submit, in lieu of official transcripts of college credits, a statement of good standing from the Dean or Registrar of the last school attended. This statement must include the total number of semester or quarter hours previously earned.

All work from previous schools is reviewed and evaluated for acceptance. The cumulative grade point average includes credit hours attempted on all accepted courses.

Except in special cases, any student who has failed in another institution and who cannot remain in that institution will not be admitted to Lee University.

Removal of entrance conditions must be accomplished by the end of the first year.

Credit may be awarded for prior learning at an unaccredited institution provided Lee University has sufficient evidence of the quality of the prior learning experiences. Such credit will be placed on the Lee transcript only after the successful completion of a semester at Lee and will be subject to an evaluation of the appropriate application of such prior learning credits to the specific program of studies chosen by the transfer student.

All of the courses completed at an accredited junior college by a transfer applicant may be accepted provided the courses are submitted at the time of the original application. A junior college graduate, however, must complete a minimum of 60 additional hours at a senior level institution with the last 33 hours required to be taken in residence at Lee.

Once a student has reached junior status at Lee University he/she must have special prior approval to take any courses at a two-year college to be transferred toward a degree program at Lee.

From Accredited Institutions

For schools accredited by agencies recognized by the Council for Higher Education and Accreditation (CHEA) or the Secretary of the Department of Education, Lee University will review and accept all coursework and the corresponding letter grade earned for courses which are comparable to those offered by Lee. For courses for which Lee does not offer an equivalent, credit for related electives will be considered. A review committee which may consist of the registrar, respective deans/chairs and the Vice-President for Academic Affairs will make the final decision on credit awarded. If accreditation cannot be established, the transcript will be treated as if from a non-accredited institution.

From Non-Accredited Institutions

For schools in which accreditation cannot be established, Lee reserves the right to examine coursework requested to be transferred to the Lee transcript. Each transcript will be considered individually and separately. Letter grades will not be given; only pass-fail status will be recorded on the transcript. Documentation required for transcript review is the following: (1) original transcript, (2) a school catalog (for course comparison), (3) a description of faculty credentials (if not included in the catalog), (4) proof that the school is post-high school, (5) a research means, such as web-site and/or phone number. Securing this documentation is the responsibility of the student. If the above criteria are met, a review committee which may be composed of the respective deans/chairs in conjunction with the Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs and Administration will make the final decision as to whether transfer work is accepted and how much credit is awarded.

From Institutions Outside the United States

Grading systems and coursework vary greatly outside the United States. Therefore, in order for international transfer students to receive full credit for their post-high school educational experience, they will be required to submit all transcripts from international education institutions to World Education Services (WES) for credit review for a course-by-course academic credit evaluation.  The fee for this service is the responsibility of the student requesting the services.  Instructions for submitting a transcript for review can be found at www.wes.org.  This website provides specific submission instructions for each country.  The transfer work will not be added to the Lee transcript until the official academic credit report is received from WES.  Lee University reserves the right to further review all courses that are being transferred to Lee. International transfer credits with a WES evaluation will be recorded on the Lee transcript with letter grades as reported by the WES analysis. International transfer credits without a WES Evaluation will be recorded with a pass-fail status (if the courses are deemed transferrable to the Lee transcript).  Therefore, academic qualifications of new international transfer students may be reviewed in order to determine if they qualify for the Lee University Honor Scholarship. The Honor Scholarship is awarded to any transfer applicant or returning undergraduate student who has passed a minimum of 30 semester hours, whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.70, and who is currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student.

Associate of Arts/Associate of Science Transfer Agreement

Any student entering Lee University for the first time in Fall 2009 or later is eligible to be considered for the A.A./A.S. Transfer Agreement. Under this agreement, any student who has completed an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from an accredited post-secondary institution will be considered to have met all general education requirements at Lee University, with the following exceptions:

1. Students will be required to take one religion course each semester for up to 4 semesters.  [The student teaching semester for education majors will be excluded.] This includes the capstone course which is offered within the discipline.

2. Students will be required to complete 10 clock hours of service for each non-summer semester they are enrolled at Lee up to 40 hours.

3. Students will be required to complete the Global Perspectives Requirements of ANTH-200 Global Perspectives Seminar and either GNST-251/2/3 (a study abroad experience offered through Lee) or GNST-250 (an individually arranged and approved experience).

4. Students will be required to complete any pre-requisites for upper-division courses.

5. Students enrolled in Bachelor of Arts (.BA) academic programs will be required to complete the Foreign Language requirement of two semesters at the intermediate level or higher. The intermediate level is the 200-level for French, Spanish, and Chinese, and the 300-level for Greek.

6. Students enrolled in teacher licensure programs (.BST, .BAT, .BME) will be required to complete all courses necessary to meet state licensure standards, even if some of those courses are general education requirements that would otherwise be waived for students in non-licensure degree programs who have completed an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree.

NOTE: This agreement does not apply to students who have been awarded the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree.

Transfer Agreements with Other Institutions

Lee University has entered into transfer articulation agreements with the following institutions and organizations:  Cleveland State Community College (TN), Chattanooga State Community College (TN), Church of God School of Ministry (TN), SIAS University (China), and The National Academy Foundation (NY).  Students planning to transfer to Lee University from these institutions should contact the Director of Academic Services for details about course equivalencies.

Lee University has also entered into collaborative study agreements with The University of Strasbourg (France), Tokyo Christian University (Japan), and other institutions and organizations associated with the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).  Further information concerning collaborative study agreements is available from the Office of Special Academic Projects or the Office of Academic Services.

Under certain circumstances an applicant over twenty-one years of age and not qualified for admission may be admitted as a special student by permission of the Vice President for Enrollment.

Lee University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1961 and Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, disability, status as a veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law in any of its policies, practices or procedures. The Vice President for Student Life is the campus coordinating officer for Title IX and all inquiries should be made to the Office of Student Life.

In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Lee University does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the recruitment and admission of students, or in the operation of any of its programs and activities, as specified by federal laws and regulations. Persons with questions about the Rehabilitation Act may contact the Office of Academic Support Programs.

Lee University complies with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. This Act assures students attending a post-secondary educational institution that they will have the right to inspect and review certain of their educational records and, by following the guidelines provided by the university, to correct inaccurate or misleading data through informal or formal hearings. It protects students’ rights to privacy by limiting transfer of these records without their consent, except in specific circumstances. Students also have the right to file complaints with the Family Policy Compliance Office; U.S. Department of Education; 440 Maryland Avenue S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20202-4605. Information concerning this legislation is available via the web at www.ed.gov and from the Lee University Office of Records. A statement of Lee University policy relating to the maintenance of student records is also available on request from the Office of Records or online at www.leeuniversity.edu.

Lee University also complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Print-friendly page.