As a Christian institution providing higher education in the liberal arts and selected professional areas, Point Loma Nazarene University offers admission to qualified applicants of moral character, personal maturity, and intellectual ability. Preference is given to those who share the ideals and objectives of the university, and whose self-directive capabilities might enable them to profit in an optimal way from its total program of learning and developmental experiences. The Enrollment Management Committee of the faculty has ultimate responsibility for admission and readmission to the university. The university maintains a policy of non-discrimination in the admission of students.
All necessary forms in the process of application may be obtained from the Admissions Office. In preparation for initial entrance or readmission, applicants are encouraged to file the appropriate forms early in the process. Admission to the university does not in itself assure the student of housing, financial aid, or other necessary arrangements. It is the responsibility of the applicant to make such arrangements with the appropriate office. February 15 is the priority deadline for admission to the university for the fall semester.
Admission to Freshman Standing
Students may apply as early as the fall semester of their senior year in high school or one year prior to transfer from another college or university. First-year applicants may apply for early action or regular admission. Early action is an option reserved for students who have made Point Loma Nazarene University one of their top-choice institutions providing notification by December 20. The deadline for early action is November 15 and requires receipt of all admission materials, including transcripts and test scores. Applicants for the February 15 regular admission priority deadline and those deferred from Early Action may receive notification between mid-March and the first week of April. Students seeking admission to the university following their secondary education must file the following with the Admissions Office:
- a formal application for admission;
- two recommendations;
- official SAT and/or ACT score reports;
- an official high school transcript or its equivalent; and
- a formal interview (strongly encouraged but not required).
The university expects applicants for admission to follow a typical preparatory course of study during their high school years. This should include the following program:
| English |
4 years |
| One foreign language |
2 years |
| History |
1 year |
| Algebra |
1 year |
| Geometry |
1 year |
| Laboratory science |
1 year |
Note: Students who plan to major in mathematics or any of the sciences should include at least three years of mathematics and laboratory courses in physical or biological sciences in their high school programs.
Students who are admitted with any deficiencies in the above preparatory pattern may be required to make up such deficiencies either by taking certain courses or by demonstrating a minimum level of proficiency through acceptable scores on standardized achievement tests.
Freshmen entering Point Loma from accredited high schools have an aggregate GPA of above 3.68 and an average score of 1125 on the SAT examination.
Admission of Transfer Students
Students seeking admission from accredited colleges and universities must file the following with the Admissions Office:
- a formal application for admission;
- two recommendations;
- official SAT and/or ACT score reports and an official high school transcript (for students with less than 36 completed semester units at application);
- official transcripts of all college/university course work; and
- a formal interview (recommended).
Students from accredited colleges and universities may be considered for admission provided a GPA of 2.000 has been maintained in all previous course work. Transfer applicants who have met all priority deadlines will receive notification between early February and mid-April. The university has developed articulation agreements with a number of community colleges. Transcripts submitted from non-accredited institutions are evaluated on an individual basis. Transcripts from universities outside the United States must be evaluated for the student by an independent evaluation service approved by Point Loma. Transfer students who do not have all official transcripts on file with the Admissions Office before initial registration may be admitted but will not be allowed to register for the following semester until all transcripts are on file. Issues related to proper placement are addressed below under "Advanced Placement."
Students from community colleges may transfer in a maximum of 70 applicable units toward the baccalaureate degree at Point Loma. All courses taken at a community college transfer as lower-division units only.
Admission of International Students
Point Loma Nazarene University welcomes students from all over the world. Students for whom English is not the native language must demonstrate English language proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), available through the Educational Testing Service, Box 955, Princeton, New Jersey 08540. A score of 550 on the paper-based TOEFL is required, or 216 on the computer-based exam, or 80 for the TOEFL Internet Based Test (iBT). International students seeking admission to the university must file the following documents with the Admissions Office:
- a formal application for admission;
- two recommendation letters;
- official evaluated transcripts (high school or university) ;
- SAT/ACT scores if the student's native language is English or official TOEFL scores (for non-native speakers);
- an affidavit of support; and
- a formal interview (strongly recommended).
Students seeking to receive credit at the university from an institution outside the United States are required to have their foreign transcript evaluated by a service that is accredited by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (
NACES). A detailed or course-by-course report is required. Official foreign transcripts are submitted to the service of choice and the evaluations subsequently submitted directly to the Office of Records. For further information, students may contact the Director of International Student Services/International Admissions Counselor.
Readmission to the University
Students who leave the university must apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions, meeting calendar deadlines and making deposits as required. Students whose continuous enrollment is not interrupted by more than two consecutive semesters may remain under their declared applicable
Catalog. Those who are readmitted after three or more semesters of non-attendance return under the
Catalog in effect at the time of readmission.