University of Tennessee, Knoxville: A Comprehensive Guide to Undergraduate Admissions

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), as the state’s largest and most comprehensive university, aims to provide high-quality educational programs for students demonstrating the academic ability and motivation to pursue a baccalaureate education. Similar opportunities extend to the graduate level. While a majority of students are Tennessee residents, UTK welcomes qualified students from other states and countries.

Admission Criteria for Degree-Seeking Students

Admissions decisions for degree-seeking students are based upon several factors, most important of which are the applicant’s grades in high school and college courses and the applicant’s scores on the ACT or SAT exams.

How to Apply

Applicants for undergraduate programs may apply online at www.apply.utk.edu. UT is a member of the Common Application, and freshman applicants may apply online through that portal (www.commonapp.org), and will monitor the status of their applications through their VIP accounts.

Required Documents

Official copies are required for all transcripts and test scores. These must be sent directly from schools or testing agencies to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Official test reports that are part of a high school transcript are accepted.

Academic Evaluation

Core GPA Calculation

Courses in the list above that were taken as Honors are given an additional half-quality point, and courses that were taken as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or Dual Enrollment are given an additional quality point in the calculation of the core GPA.

Contact Information

For questions or information, please contact Norma Harrington at (865) 974-2184.

Transfer Students

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has a competitive admission process for transfer students. Students will be reviewed holistically on factors such as high school and transfer GPA, ACT/SAT scores, and intended major field of study. Some majors have capacity limits which result in very few transfer admissions into those majors - even for well-qualified students.

General Requirements for Transfer Students

In order to be considered for admission to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, a transfer applicant must have a minimum of a 2.00 grade point average (on a 4-point scale) in college credit courses eligible for transfer credit. Academic colleges or departments may require greater than a 2.00 for acceptance into certain programs. Transfer grade averages are calculated by UT and frequently differ from averages calculated by other institutions. Only those courses in which at least a grade of C was earned will be eligible for transfer credit. 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.

Transferring with an Associate's Degree

Transfer applicants with a 2.0 college GPA (on a 4-point scale) in college-level, transferable courses who complete the Associate of Arts (AA) or the Associate of Science (AS) degree from the TBR community college system will be admissible to the university. Academic colleges or departments may require greater than a 2.00 for acceptance into certain programs. Transfer grade averages are calculated by UT and frequently differ from averages calculated by other institutions. AA and AS graduates will have fulfilled the general education requirement established by the faculty at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. If an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree is not obtained, transfer of general education courses will be based on a course-by-course evaluation.

Transfer from UT or TBR Institutions

Transfer applicants from institutions in the University of Tennessee (UT) or Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) systems who have not earned an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science 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 general education requirements for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. They will not be required to take any additional coursework to meet general education requirements at UT Knoxville. Similarly, transfer applicants from institutions in UT or TBR systems 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.

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Priority Consideration

Students who have completed an associate degree in Tennessee or a Tennessee Transfer Pathway will be given priority consideration. However, the admission process is still competitive and still holistic. Completion of an associate’s degree or a pathway is not a guarantee of admission to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, or to a specific program.

Transfer Pathways

Tennessee Transfer Pathways are programs developed between institutions in the University of Tennessee and Tennessee Board of Regents systems. While at the originating institution, students take a specified curriculum that usually leads to the Associate of Arts or the Associate of Science degree and also prepares students for the corresponding baccalaureate degree. Students who complete a pathway will be given priority consideration for admission. However, the admission process is still competitive and still holistic. Completion of a pathway is not a guarantee of admission to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, or to a specific program.

Transfer Credit

Only those courses in which at least a grade of C was earned will be eligible for transfer credit. Grades earned at other colleges and universities are used only for admission, course placement, and other academic decisions.

uTrack

Starting in Fall of 2015, transfer students will have their progress tracked with uTrack - a tool that identifies milestones that are designed to keep students on track for timely graduation.

Residency Requirements for Transfer Students

Prior to graduating from UT, transfer students must have completed their last 30 semester hours of credit at UT Knoxville and at least 60 semester hours of credit at a four-year college or university.

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Important Considerations for Transfer Students

Students should be aware that many UT majors require completion of an intermediate level sequence of a foreign language, and some majors require more advanced math and science requirements than required by TBR community college majors. Transfer students should review the detailed transfer information on major/degree requirements for their prospective UT major.

Visiting Students

A visiting student is one who is actively enrolled in a degree program at another accredited college or university but who desires to enroll temporarily at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Credit by Examination

Freshmen or transfer students admitted to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, may receive course credit on the basis of performance on Advanced Placement Examinations (AP), International Baccalaureate Examinations (IB), College Level Examination Program tests (CLEP), and A/AS-Level Examinations.

Residency Classification

Initial residency classification is determined by admissions staff from information submitted on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Application for Undergraduate Admission. Notice of classification is sent at the time the applicant is notified of admission. The application for reclassification with supporting documentation must be filed no later than the last day of registration in order to have the reclassification effective for the semester.

Academic Common Market

The Academic Common Market is an agreement among selected states for sharing unique programs. 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. 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.

Re-Entry Students

A re-entry student is one who has not been enrolled in high school or college for three years or more prior to making application for admission to UT. Re-entry applicants must complete and submit the application for undergraduate admission, the application fee, and the re-entry essay.

Readmission Students

If a student has been enrolled at UT Knoxville as a degree-seeking student at any time, that person is considered to be a Readmission Student. A student who previously attended UT Knoxville as a non-degree seeking student and wishes to re-enter as a degree-seeking student must complete an application for undergraduate admission.

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. A student dismissed for the second time may be readmitted after one calendar year has elapsed and after completing a minimum of 12 semester credits of academic course work with at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average from accredited institution(s) of higher education. Students who have been dismissed twice are required to meet with the Undergraduate Council Appeals Committee.

Readmission Restrictions

Readmission applicants who had previously declared a major at UT should carefully review the readmission requirements of their declared college and major. In many cases, students who are on probation will only be admitted as University Exploratory students and will be advised in the College of Arts and Sciences, irrespective of their previous college and major. Most readmitted students who have been academically dismissed will only be admitted as University Exploratory students and will be advised in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Non-Degree Students

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.

Special Programs

We are also here to assist the dependents and/or spouses of deceased or disabled soldiers through Dependents Educational Assistance.

Senior Citizens

Persons 60 years or older or totally disabled persons who are residents of Tennessee may audit a course without payment of fees if space is available in the individual class. Interested persons should contact the Office of the University Registrar for additional information. Persons 65 years or older or totally disabled persons who are residents of Tennessee may enroll in courses for credit at reduced fees.

International Students

All foreign nationals on non-immigrant visas are classified as international students whether they are applying to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as freshmen or transfer students.

Required Documents for International Students

Authenticated copies of all secondary and post-secondary academic records. These records should describe courses of instruction in terms of years spent in school, types of subject matter covered, and grades earned in each subject.

Evaluation of Academic Records

Academic credits earned in a country outside of the United States must be submitted for evaluation by a company that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, and the evaluation report will be an important factor in the admission decision.

Entering First Year Students: An agency evaluation of the secondary school degree earned, with a statement of equivalency to study in the United States, is required.

Transfer Students: 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.

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 Knoxville.

English Proficiency

All undergraduate applicants regardless of citizenship whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate proficiency in one of the following ways.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam - minimum score of 193 (computer-based), 523 (paper-based), or 70 on the iBT TOEFL (internet-based)
a minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam
a minimum score of 21 on the English portion of the ACT or a score of 510 on the critical reading portion of the SAT
college credit or AP credit received for English Composition 101 and 102 or the equivalent
completion of the University of Tennessee English language Institute’s (ELI) core intensive curriculum with recommendation from the ELI faculty

Conditional Admission

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.

Financial Documentation

All F-1 and J-1 visa status students must submit financial documentation. After an offer of admission is made, the Center for International Education (CIE) will provide information concerning the submission of financial documentation, including a completed Financial Support Statement and an official bank statement.

English Placement Test

Admitted international students must take the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, English Placement Test 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 Test 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.

An undergraduate student whose first language is not English is exempted from taking the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, English Placement Test and from presenting a TOEFL or IELTS score provided that the student has satisfied all requirements for freshman composition with a grade of C or better at an accredited college or university in the United States.

Administrative Management Fee

An administrative management fee will be charged to sponsoring agencies of international students whose programs require special administrative or management services beyond those normally provided.

Important Dates

Tennessee Early Action will be released the evening of December 8.
Out-of-State Early Action will be released the evening of December 15.

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