Undergraduate

Admission to MTSU for first-time freshmen is straightforward; there are two possible paths–guaranteed admission and admission by review:

For guaranteed admission, applicants must have completed the recommended college preparatory courses and must present one of the following:

• 3.0 GPA OR
• Minimum composite ACT score of 22 OR minimum SAT total score of 1100 (Evidence-Based Reading/Writing & Math)
• If you do not meet either of the above requirements you will need: Minimum 2.7 GPA plus ACT score of 19 OR SAT score of 990 (Evidence-Based Reading/Writing & Math)

*All students are required to submit an ACT/SAT score to be considered for admissions

The student’s diploma/ transcript must reflect a distribution of college preparatory courses, similar to the core elements of the Tennessee High School Diploma. A sample of suggested courses and units are displayed below:

Suggested Academic Units:

Subject	units
English	4
Algebra (Algebra I & Algebra II)	2
Geometry or higher	1
Additional unit of math	1
Natural Science	3
United States History	1
European; World History; or World Geography	1
Single Foreign Language	2
Visual & Performing Arts	1

U.S. History Requirement (T.C.A. 49-7-110)

Tennessee Code Annotated 49-7-110 requires that no person be granted a baccalaureate degree from a Tennessee public institution of higher education without having earned at least 6 semester hours of credit in American history (up to 3 of those hours may be in Tennessee history). This requirement is to be enforced for all students, including those seeking their first or any subsequent bachelor’s degree, regardless of whether their high school degree comes from a U.S. or international institution, and regardless of their citizenship status. This requirement does not apply, however, to students who have earned 1 unit of American history in high school.

High School Credentials

Graduates of public and nonpublic high schools (including private schools, home schools, and church-related schools) when recognized by the state’s Department of Education must submit an official transcript showing credits earned and date of graduation.  Applicants who cannot provide a satisfactory secondary school credential as defined by state law (T.C.A. 49-50-801) may substitute acceptable scores on either the HiSET (10 or higher) or GED (450 or higher) examination.  

Students under the age of 21 are required to submit a valid ACT or SAT test score.  Valid ACT/SAT scores are those earned within five years prior to the first day of the first term of enrollment.

Admission by review – Students who don’t meet the requirements for guaranteed admission can still be considered for admission through a review process. Students will be asked to submit a personal statement form. A review committee will assess the personal statement and take into consideration the student’s potential for success by evaluating factors such as high school course work or HiSET/GED credentials, honors or advanced placement, dual credit, and extenuating circumstances.  Admission by review will also include other special interests, skills, and non-academic factors as explained on the personal statement form. 

Regional Scholars Program

The MTSU Regional Scholars Program allows select non-Tennessee resident students who live within approximately 250 miles and meet specific academic requirements to attend MTSU at a greatly reduced rate and qualify for the Freshman Academic Merit Scholarships. 

Academic Assessment Placement Testing Requirements

• Freshmen applicants who will be 21 years of age or older at the time of admission are required to undergo assessment for each area or may elect to provide official ACT/SAT scores from tests that have been taken within five years prior to the first day of the first term of enrollment.
• Incoming freshmen will initially be placed in prescribed courses according to valid ACT/SAT scores. Students with ACT scores lower than 19 in reading or math or lower than 18 in English are required to register in prescribed courses. Students with SAT scores lower than 510 in mathematics or lower than 510 in reading and/or lower than 500 in English will have prescribed course requirements. Permissible test scores are less than five years old on the first day of class. A student may choose to verify their placement by utilizing university assessment offered through the Academic Assessment Placement Test . The test must be completed before attending CUSTOMS or before registering for classes and is administered through the University Studies Department. Please call (615) 898-2568 for an appointment.
• Transfer students who have not earned credits in college-level, algebra-based mathematics, reading intensive coursework, or college-level English have the option to take the Academic Assessment Placement Test, provide ACT/SAT scores that have been taken within five years, or be placed in the first level of the appropriate required prescribed courses.

The Academic Assessment Placement Test assists in course placement and will require some students to enroll in prescribed courses as additions to their degree programs.

The applicant is responsible for signing up for the Academic Assessment Placement Test prior to registration. For more information about the test’s content, please contact the MTSU University Studies Office, (615) 898-2568.

An undergraduate applicant who previously has registered at any college or university since high school graduation must apply as a transfer student. 

Undergraduate students previously enrolled at MTSU who are ready to return after an interruption of at least one semester (excluding summer term) will need to submit a re-enrollment application in order to be activated. Details for undergraduates continue below.

Graduate  students who wish to return to MTSU should contact the College of Graduate Studies at (615) 898-2840 or [email protected] for assistance with re-enrollment.

Eligibility standards

Re-admission is not automatic. Whether a person’s application for re-admission will be approved depends on whether that individual has attended another college or university since last attending MTSU, as well as the cumulative college GPA. 

The applications of those who have not attended any other college or university since last attending MTSU will be approved if any one of the following statements is true:

• The individual was not on suspension when he/she left MTSU.
• The individual was suspended at the end of the last MTSU term, but the term of that suspension has been served.
• The individual was suspended at the end of the last MTSU term, but has successfully appealed the suspension through the Records Office.

The applications of those who have attended another college or university since last attending will be approved if any of the following statements is true:

• The cumulative college GPA on all college work attempted is at least a 2.00.
• The individual was suspended at the end of the last MTSU term, but since then has completed a minimum of 12 hours at another college/university with at least a 2.00 GPA on those hours. If the cumulative GPA on all work remains below a 2.00, the individual will be re-admitted on probation.
• The cumulative college GPA on all college work is less than a 2.00, but the individual has not enrolled in any college/university for the twelve preceding months. If this is the case, you are eligible for re-admission on probation.
  

A student enrolled at another institution who intends to visit MTSU for one semester’s worth of coursework with intentions of transferring back to their home institution.

To meet Guaranteed Admission requirements, transient students must currently have a 2.0 or higher overall GPA. 

Applicants who do not meet the standards above, but who wish to be considered for admission to MTSU can fill out a personal statement form for consideration by the Admissions Review Board.

Make sure you complete the Transient Student Checklist to complete the enrollment process!

Notes

Students should check with their home institution to confirm transfer of credits.

Students wishing to seek an additional bachelor degree or take undergraduate coursework need to apply as transfer students. Previously enrolled MTSU students should apply as a Re-Enrolling student.

MTSU offers the largest Adult Degree Completion Program in Tennessee. You can finish your degree, go to college for the first time, and many more options through this program, as well as earning University credit for what you’ve already learned. 

Types of non-degree students include the following:

Adult Special

Students 21 or older who do not wish to seek a degree but do seek academic credit. Maximum of 16 hours; other restrictions apply; see catalog.

Audit

Any person over 18 years of age who wishes to take courses but receive no credit. 

Early Admission

High ability high school students (3.5 GPA & 27 ACT) and/ or on Individualized Education Program. 

Applicants who meet the conditions outlined below and are accepted into the University receive Honors Admission status and are eligible to enroll in classes through the University’s Honors College:

First Time Freshman

• ACT composite score of 25 or SAT total score of 1200 (evidence-Based Reading/Writing & Math AND
• A minimum GPA of 3.5.  

Transfer

• A minimum college GPA of 3.25 (minimum 12 hours)

Students who receive Honors Admission status may choose to register for special Honors courses or Honors sections of general studies classes. They may also choose to participate in the Honors Student Association and related extracurricular activities.

Students who are granted Honors Admission status are also eligible to file for formal status within the Honors College, which will qualify the student for priority registration and other privileges of the Honors College. To pursue this formal status within the Honors College, the student must file the Honors College Priority Registration Request Form, must participate in Honors Advising each semester, must complete two or more Honors Courses each term, and must participate in the writing of an Honors Thesis in the senior year. Formal admission to the Honors College does not automatically qualify out-of-state students a scholarship to cover their out-of-state tuition and fees.

For more information about the Honors College at MTSU and about Honors College scholarship opportunities, please contact the Dean of the Honors College, Box 267, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, or call (615) 898-2152.

MTSU offers a variety of resources and involvement opportunities for homeschool students to be successful in their college career.