Admission Policies and Procedures

Application Process

Adler University takes pride in its diverse student body, representing a wide range of professional interests, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and academic and work histories. The University admits individuals with a record of outstanding academic achievement and a commitment to social responsibility. Ideal candidates for admission are those who will make a difference in their communities and in the lives of the individuals and families they plan to serve upon graduation. Applicants nearing completion of a baccalaureate degree may apply for admission contingent on successful completion of the undergraduate degree.

Applicants must submit the following:

• Adler University Application for Admission
• Application fee ($30.00)
• Statement of intent
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Transcripts from all colleges or universities attended. Official transcripts are required from all degree-granting programs
• Letters of recommendation and accompanying recommendation form*
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores**

*See minimum admission requirements under each program for specific program requirements around letters of recommendation.

**The GRE general test is required for applications to the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology program.

Application for admission is completed online. Students submitting U.S. or Canadian transcripts should have official transcripts sent directly to the Office of Admissions. Other international transcripts must be evaluated by a transcript evaluation service. Please contact the Office of Admissions for specific transcript evaluation requirements.

The Office of Admissions does not maintain student files for students who do not enroll by their intended start date. Supporting admission documents without a submitted application will be kept on file for one year.

Application Deadlines

Priority Deadlines

While applications are accepted throughout the year, the following deadlines ensure students receive full consideration. Programs fill early, and applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the application process at least six to 12 months before their desired term of entry.

Applicants seeking admission to the Doctor of Psychology (PSY.D.) program should submit all application materials by the priority deadline of February 15 in order for interviews to be scheduled and notification of acceptance to be completed by April 1. Those who are admitted must notify the Office of Admissions and submit their tuition deposit no later than April 15, indicating their intent to matriculate for the subsequent fall term.

Space permitting, applications submitted after the deadline will be accepted subject to the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology (COGDOP) criteria. These criteria state that acceptance of an offer of admission that is given or left in force after April 15 commits students to not solicit or accept an offer from Adler University, without first obtaining a written release from any institution to which a commitment has already been made.

Chicago Campus

Evaluation of Applicants

Completed applications will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Applicants who are approved by the Admissions Committee will then be scheduled for an interview with a member of the Adler University faculty.

Applicants are evaluated on many factors, including the following:

• Academic performance.
• Content and clarity of written and verbal communication.
• Strength of recommendations.
• Personal and professional presentation throughout the admission process.
• Community service interest and/or experience.
• Professional and/or prior work experience.
• Integrity, motivation, and personal ethics.

Acceptance of Admission

Students who have been fully admitted into a degree program may be able to defer their admission for up to one year from their original term of admission. To defer admission, students must sign their statement of acceptance, submit the appropriate tuition deposit, as well as a $500 nonrefundable deferment fee, and a statement indicating why they would like to defer their admission to the Office of Admissions. Students who are approved to defer their admission will be notified in writing and will be subject to program requirements in effect at the time of the new application. Students who defer forfeit their scholarship award and are not eligible for scholarships the following year. Students who defer admission but do not matriculate must reapply for admission as outlined in the Application Process - Chicago Campus section of the current catalog.

International Applicants

In addition to submitting a completed application, all transcripts from outside Canada or the United States must be evaluated by an acceptable transcript evaluation service such as World Education Service (wes.org) or Educational Course Evaluation (ece.org). A course-by-course international credential evaluation must be submitted. Students must send in all of their transcripts for the course-by-course analysis.

English Language Proficiency Assessment

Applicants whose first language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Pearson Test of English (PTE). Students who have earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree in an accredited program in Canada or the United States may not be required to take an English Proficiency Exam. Applicants should request that language proficiency test scores be sent directly to the University by the testing service. These test results are valid for two years only.

TOEFL (ETS.ORG/TOEFL)

Adler University-Chicago Campus’s code number for receiving test scores is 1147. Applicants who take the paper-based TOEFL must receive a minimum score of 580. Applicants who take the computer-based TOEFL must receive a minimum score of 240. Applicants who take the internet-based TOEFL must receive a minimum score of 92.

IELTS (IELTS.ORG)

Applicants who take the IELTS must receive a minimum Academic score of seven overall with no band score lower than seven.

PTE (PEARSONPTE.COM)

Applicants who take the PTE must receive an overall minimum academic score of 62.

International applicants must also submit documentation of sufficient financial resources to complete the program and provide for living expenses while attending Adler University. Once enrolled in the program, students must pay tuition and fees according to the University’s payment schedule. Current international students will not be allowed to register for classes if they have an outstanding balance that jeopardizes the student’s ability to remain in the United States under their F-1 student visa.

Students who have been accepted into a degree program at the University will be issued an I-20 upon receipt of their financial verification paperwork. Students should allow enough time for securing an F-1 student visa in their country for travel to the United States. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the Office of Admissions with a current foreign address and mailing address, if different, along with the intended U.S. address. I-20s cannot be mailed to post office box numbers.

Once students arrive on campus, they must notify the Office of Compliance of their arrival and update their U.S. address. This information is required by Homeland Security, and student I-20s cannot be updated until we receive this information.

International students must have their I-20s updated each year they are in attendance at Adler University. Students must maintain full-time status each term as outlined by the University for their program. If the student has extenuating circumstances that require less than full-time enrollment, the student can work with the Office of Compliance to obtain an exemption from the Federal Government.

Students should not attempt to enter the United States without their current and updated I-20. Although the University does not provide financial assistance for international students in the form of financial aid or tuition reduction, students are eligible for Adler University scholarships and on-campus employment unless otherwise noted.

Students-at-Large / Non-degree Seeking

Students who wish to take classes for personal pursuit not related to a degree program at Adler University, or qualified graduate students and mental health professionals, may be admitted as students-at-large/non-degree- seeking (SAL/NDS) students. Qualified professionals may take courses as SAL/NDS students for continuing education credit or professional enrichment as long as they meet the minimum eligibility for admission. Graduate students in degree programs at other regionally accredited institutions bear the responsibility of verifying with their home institutions whether Adler University courses will be transferred back and accepted for credit.

SAL/NDS applicants must submit a completed application, nonrefundable $30 application fee, statement of intent, a resume or curriculum vitae, and official transcripts from all degree-granting undergraduate and graduate schools attended. Applications will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee and applicants will not be allowed to register until they have been approved for admission as SAL/NDS students.

If admitted as SAL/NDS, a student may complete a maximum of nine credits within one academic year and must comply with all prerequisites and course requirements as given in the Adler University Catalog.

Graduates of Adler University degree programs who are approved as SAL/NDS students may take up to 18 credits within one academic year. SAL/NDS students are not eligible for financial aid and may not enroll in courses that are reserved for students fully admitted to particular degree programs. Appropriate courses taken for credit may apply toward completing a degree for SAL/NDS students, who are admitted to a degree program within one year of completing SAL/NDS courses. Successful completion of coursework, however, does not guarantee admission to a degree or certificate program. A student-at-large whose application to a degree or certificate program has been denied may not enroll in further courses or continue as a student-at-large.

Because students-at-large are limited to a total of nine credit hours of coursework within one academic year, persons who plan to pursue a degree or certificate program should apply for admission at the earliest opportunity.

Students-at-large who have completed nine credit hours of courses may not register for additional courses until such time as they have been formally admitted to a degree or certificate program. Those who seek admission to a degree or certificate program within one year of completing their last course as SAL/NDS students will not be required to pay an additional application fee for the admission application, but they will be required to submit additional information as is required to make that degree program application complete.

Changing or Adding Programs

Doctoral students may apply to add a master’s degree program, and master’s degree students may apply to change from one Adler University master’s degree program to another by submitting the appropriate application forms. Students must satisfy admission requirements for the degree or certificate program at the time of application to the new program. Acceptance into and/or successful completion of one degree or certificate program does not guarantee admission to another program.

Master’s degree students who wish to apply to a doctoral program are required to apply for admission as outlined in the Application Process - Chicago Campus section of the current catalog. The application deadlines for doctoral applicants also apply to Adler University master’s students who are applying to a doctoral program. Once all materials are received, the Admissions Committee will review the application and determine whether the applicant will be scheduled for an interview with doctoral core faculty as the final stage of the application process. Students from master’s programs who have been accepted to a doctoral program must complete all requirements for their master’s degree no later than one year after acceptance.

Readmission

Students who were previously enrolled at Adler University but withdrew from their degree program, or were administratively withdrawn, may submit a new application for admission no less than one year from the date of withdrawal. Applications will be evaluated according to current admission requirements. If readmitted, applicants are subject to the program requirements in effect at the time of the new application. This also applies to students who seek to return to Adler University following a withdrawal in good standing.

When previously withdrawn students are granted readmission to the University or when alumni apply for admission to a different program, a case-by-case review of the student’s prior academic record will be done to determine whether credit can be granted for formerly completed coursework. Many factors are pertinent to the University’s determination to give credit for previously completed coursework, including but not limited to:

• The length of time that has passed since the coursework was originally completed.
• The grade earned in the course.
• The performance evaluation completed by the student’s faculty advisor/ supervisor.
• Curriculum changes that may have occurred and been formally instituted since the student’s withdrawal from the University. There are no fixed and absolute rules regarding granting credit for previously completed coursework. Instead, a formal review of the unique academic and training history of each applicant will occur, and a determination will be made at the discretion of the Admissions Committee in consultation with the program director. A formal audit of previously completed coursework will be undertaken only after enrollment in a degree program.

Transfer Credit

Students accepted for admission may be granted transfer credit for graduate-level courses previously taken at another accredited institution within the last five years. Upon enrollment into a degree program, a review of the student’s unique academic history will occur, and a determination about granting transfer credit will be made at the discretion of the University. Requesting transfer credit is an extensive process that involves a review of previous academic work, including syllabi and grades earned. It is Adler University policy that transfer credit must be requested with all supporting documentation received by the end of the second semester of enrollment.

Transfer of credit is subject to the following conditions:

• Transferred course credit is restricted to graduate-level courses from recognized and regionally accredited degree-granting institutions.
• Completed course matches 80 percent of the content of the course requirement.
• Number of credits earned for the completed course matches or exceeds number of credit hours for the requested course.
• Transfer of credit is not granted for practicum or internship.
• Transfer of credit is granted only for courses in which the grade earned was a B or higher. Pass/fail or credit/no credit courses are ineligible.
• No credit will be transferred for coursework that is more than five years old

A maximum of 12 credit hours from other accredited institutions may be transferred into a master’s program; a maximum of 24 credit hours may be transferred into  doctoral programs. Students will be charged a transfer of credit fee for each course evaluated for transfer consideration. Please reference the current schedule of fees and tuition for transfer of credit fee information.