Requirements for Undergraduate Admission

Applicants to Inter American University at the undergraduate level must:

 

1. Present evidence of graduation from an accredited secondary school or its equivalent with a minimum grade point index of 2.00 or its equivalent.

 

2. Present satisfactory scores in the Aptitude and English Achievement Tests of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). Students whose first language is English may take the Scholastic Aptitude Test while those whose first language is Spanish may take the Prueba de Aptitud Académica.

 

a. For more information on the Spanish version of the test (Prueba de Aptitud Académica), please write to:

 

College Entrance Examination Board

PO Box 191275

San Juan, Puerto Rico 00919-1275

 

b. For more information on the English version of the test (Scholastic Aptitude Test), write or call the Admissions Office of any of the Campuses for the Educational Testing Service address and phone number.

 

3. Obtain a minimum admission index of 800. This is calculated by using the test results and the high school grade point index.

 

4. Be interviewed when it is deemed necessary. If an interview is necessary for distance learning students studying outside Puerto Rico, the interview may be conducted through means available to the student. The interview will be supervised by a proctor from the student’s locality, as determined by the University.

 

In cases where students have difficulty in obtaining their graduation certification, they may receive a conditional admission until they submit the certification. As soon as this requirement is fulfilled, their admission status will be changed from conditional to regular if they qualify. In any case, all required documents must be received within 30 days after the beginning of classes. If the documents are not submitted within the prescribed time, students will be dropped. Students may be admitted to special programs through norms established by the President of the University.

Undergraduate Admission Procedures

 

Applicants for admission to a specified Campus must:

    1. Obtain an application for admission from the Admissions Office of the Campus of their choice or from high school advisors or other authorized personnel. Application forms are also available through Internet.

      2. Submit the completed application to the Admissions Office of the chosen Campus, preferably by May 1, to apply for the fall semester, by November 15 to apply for the spring semester and by April 15 to apply for the summer session.
Students in their fourth year of high school are advised to submit the application as soon as they decide to study at this University. By applying before May, they will be able to receive greater orientation about the University and its financial aid programs.

For admission to the Trimester Program in English, application materials should be submitted to the Admissions Office at the Metropolitan Campus or to the Director of the Trimester Program in English.

All application documents for admission to the Trimester Program in English must be submitted no later than:

July 1 for Trimester I (August)
October 1 for Trimester II (November)
January 1 for Trimester III (February)

Applications from military personnel whose duty assignments prevent them from filing on time will be accepted after these dates.

     3. Arrange for a transcript of the high school record to be sent by an authorized representative of the secondary school to the appropriate Admissions Office.

    4. Arrange for the CEO test results to be sent to the appropriate Admissions Office.

    5. Submit an updated certificate of vaccination if the student is less than 21 years old, except students interested in taking courses in other countries through distance learning.

    6. Send a $25 deposit if planning to board at the San Germán Campus. This deposit will be applied toward the room fee. It will be refunded if the student is not admitted to a residence hall or if the student requests its return before August 1. (See section on Residence Halls).
 
Final decisions regarding applications will normally reach the applicant no later than three weeks after all application materials have been received by the University. If for any reason the University requires more time, the applicant will be notified. A personal interview of an applicant for admission may be required.

Early Admission to University Studies

 

The Early Admissions Program offers high school juniors the opportunity to apply for admission to undergraduate studies. These students will be selected on the basis of their achievements. The minimum requirements are an admission’s index of 1,175 based on the average of the achievement test of the College Entrance Examination Board and the student’s high school grade point average, a 3.00 high school grade point average, an average of 575 on the achievement tests of the College Entrance Examination Board. Evidence is also required of having passed two years of high school English, two years of Spanish, two years of a combination of science and mathematics, and written recommendations by high school principals and counselors describing student maturity and ability to perform intellectual tasks required of university students. These students may return to high school studies without prejudice to their future chances in higher education if they find they are unable to cope with the university curriculum.

 

University Credits Through Advanced Placement Testing

 

Entering students may obtain university credits upon fulfilling the following:

 

1. Have obtained 3 or more points on a 5 point scale on the College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement Test. Six university credits will be given for each test.

2. Have obtained scores recommended by the American Council on Education on College Examination Program tests.

 

3. Have taken in British areas the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level Examination and have obtained a grade of “Pass”.

 

Admission of Veterans

 

All programs of the University are authorized by both the Veterans’ Administration and the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Veterans intending to enroll and receive VA educational benefits should submit an application through the Office of the Registrar of the campus in which they intend to pursue studies.

 

Admission of Foreign Students

 

Foreign students should direct their inquiries to the campus they plan to attend. As part of the admissions requirement, Inter American University reserves the right to interview the applicants. If the applicants are approved for admission, the Admissions Office fills out the 1-20 Form A from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, which enables them to obtain student visas. Forms will not be filled out for students admitted to study outside Puerto Rico through one of the distance learning modalities.

 

Students from British areas must pass the Ordinary Level (“O”) in no fewer than five subjects for admission to the University. Those who have taken the Oxford and Cambridge Higher School Examinations may also be admitted to the University on the basis of those examinations. Admission may also be granted to students who have passed the French Baccalaureate, the Latin American “Bachillerato” or any other equivalent comprehensive examination.

 

Admission of Transfer Students

 

Candidates for admission by transfer from another university or college must submit the application form. In addition, they must complete and submit the corresponding medical examination form, except candidates for admission requesting to take courses outside Puerto Rico through the modality of distance learning. A copy of an official transcript of all university or college work previously completed must be forwarded directly from the registrars of institutions previously attended to the appropriate Admissions Office of Inter American University.

 

Students will be considered candidates for admission by transfer if they meet the following requirements:

 

1. Have at least twelve transferable semester credits with a minimum grade of C from another accredited institution.

 

2. Meet the minimum academic index indicated in Item A of the satisfactory academic progress policy of this University for which all courses taken will be calculated in determining the fulfillment of this requirement.

 

3. Are not under suspension for disciplinary reasons by their former institution.

The admissions requirements for transfer students interested in studying through the Adult Higher Education Program are included in that section in this Catalog.

Students who have passed fewer than twelve transferable semester credits at another postsecondary institution may request admission by following the procedures indicated in the section “Requirements for Undergraduate Admission” in this Catalog. Upon admission, such students will receive credit for transferable academic work completed at another postsecondary institution.

Before matriculation, a student may make a written appeal to any decision made regarding transfer credits. Such an appeal is to be submitted to the Office of Admissions. Once a student has been enrolled, no further consideration of previous credits from other institutions will be given.
 

Students who have been required to withdraw for academic reasons from another university are not eligible for one semester after withdrawal. Nevertheless, they are eligible for admission if they choose a major different from the one they were required to withdraw from.

 
Transfer credits may be allowed only for existing programs in the University, but credits may apply as electives provided that the courses are within the general fields of existing departments of Inter American University. No grade below C is acceptable for transfer. If the other institution uses a different grading system, the acceptance of the course will depend on that institution’s official clarification of its grading system. Inter American University will determine the corresponding equivalencies. The number of credit hours awarded for courses accepted for transfer will be the credit-hour value of the course at the institution of origin, so long as this value does not exceed the credit-hour value for the course at Inter American University. Generally, students obtaining scores of 3 or above on the CEEB Advanced Placement Tests will receive university level credit.
 

Students from British areas who receive a “Pass” or above in the GCE Advanced (“A”) Level Examinations may receive credit toward advanced standing.
 

All acceptable courses completed at Inter American University or elsewhere by students not regularly admitted to the University or in the Early Admission Program will be credited as soon as they have been admitted as regular students. Once students have been enrolled, no further consideration of previous credits from other institutions will be given, except for courses in progress.
 

If students take a course that is in their academic record as a transferred course and receive a grade or an administrative action symbol indicating an attempted course, the transferred course will be eliminated from the transcript.
 

All transfer student desiring to complete a second academic degree must comply with the section “Graduation Requirements and Information” of the General Catalog, for Bachelor and Associate Degree respectively. In addition, they must provide evidence of having passed a course in religion

Admission of Special Students

 

Special students are: (1) students in good standing at another institution of higher learning who, with due authorization of their home institution, wish to study at Inter American University to fulfill requirements of their home institution, (2) people who, for their professional improvement or personal fulfillment, want to take courses but are not interested in obtaining a degree, or (3) teachers from the Department of Education who want to take courses to satisfy requirements of that department. Students from other institutions of higher education should present an official certification from their home institution indicating the courses for which they will receive credit at their own institution. Teachers admitted as special students should present a letter from their Superintendent of Schools certifying that they are teachers with university degrees. Special students do not have to submit transcripts of credits to be admitted.