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Montclair State University - Undergraduate Admissions - Apply Now

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Freshman Admissions

Who is a Freshman Applicant?
Most students enter Montclair State University as freshmen after graduating from high school. If you have not attended another accredited college or university, you should apply as a Freshman. (Note: This does not apply to high school students who have taken courses at a college or university as part of their high school coursework.)

Freshman Application Requirements

In order to be considered for Freshman admission to Montclair State University, you will need to submit:
  • A completed application. Apply now at www.montclair.edu/applyinfo.html.
  • A $55 application fee.
  • An official high school transcript (to be sent by your guidance counselor).
  • A letter of recommendation from your guidance counselor. (Additional letters of recommendation will be considered, but are not required)
  • Official SAT or ACT scores. To send your scores directly to Montclair State University, fill out our CEEB Code (002520) in the designated area of the SAT or ACT form.
  • A Personal Statement (instructions for the Personal Statement can be found in the application).

Additionally, if you are applying for any of the programs in the College of the Arts (such as Fine Arts, Music, Theatre, Dance, Communication Studies, or Broadcasting), you are required to complete an interview, audition, or portfolio review in order to be considered for admission into these programs. However, if you are applying for Fashion Studies or Art History, no interview, audition, or portfolio review is required.

You will receive information about scheduling an interview, audition, or portfolio review once your application for admission is received. Please note that admission to Montclair State University does not guarantee acceptance into the program of your choice.

Please send all materials to:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Montclair State University
1 Normal Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07043

Important information:

Application Deadlines:
Fall 2008 (September enrollment): Extended to April 1st
Spring 2009 (January enrollment):November 15th


Freshman Admission Standards
Montclair State University considers a number of factors during the admission process. These factors include the rigor of high school curriculum, the overall grade point average (GPA), standardized test scores, and additional factors that contribute to successful degree attainment. These standards are subject to change depending on the demand for programs and the number of students that can be accommodated.

In preparation for the academic rigor of Montclair State University, you should have followed a challenging high school curriculum. As a Freshman Applicant, you are required to have completed the following high school courses with satisfactory grades:
  • 4 units of English
  • 3 units of math (in the Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II sequence)
  • 2 units of the same foreign language
  • 2 units of lab sciences
  • 2 units of social sciences
  • 3 units of academic electives (which may include additional units of math, languages, sciences or social sciences.)

We review each application individually; however, when considering an applicant for Freshman Admission, certain minimum standards are followed. Strong candidates for admission generally meet the following criteria:
  • A GPA of 3.0 or greater in the required curriculum
  • A combined SAT score of 1425 (Math, Critical Reading, and Writing) or ACT composite score of 20

Education Opportunity Fund (EOF) Admission

Who is an EOF Applicant?

The Education Opportunity Fund (EOF) program at Montclair State University extends an opportunity for admission to students who show potential for academic success, yet lack the educational and financial resources to gain admission to the University. Provided you meet the criteria, you can be an EOF student as a Freshman or a Transfer applicant, depending on your particular academic background.

EOF Application Requirements

As an EOF Freshman Applicant, you must apply for the Fall semester. EOF Transfer Students may apply for either the Fall or Spring semester.

In order to be considered for EOF admission to Montclair State University, you will need to submit:

EOF Freshmen:
  • A completed application. Apply now at www.montclair.edu/applyinfo.html.
  • A $55 application fee or appropriate fee waiver.
  • An official high school transcript (to be sent by your guidance counselor).
  • A letter of recommendation from your guidance counselor. (Additional letters of recommendation will be considered, but are not required.)
  • Official SAT or ACT scores. To send your scores directly to Montclair State University, fill out our CEEB Code (002520) in the designated area of the SAT or ACT form.
  • The Montclair State University EOF questionnaire (available in the application).
  • A copy of your family’s income tax return for the previous year and/or any other relevant financial information.

EOF Transfer Students:

Follow the Transfer Application Requirements and have your current institution submit a “Transfer of Aid” form, establishing your eligibility for the program. Please note that in order to be an EOF Transfer Student at Montclair State University, you must be an EOF student at your current institution.

Transfer Admissions

Who is a Transfer Student?
A Transfer Student is anyone who has been enrolled in an accredited college or university after graduating from high school. Even if you withdrew from the institution and received no credit, you should still complete the application for Transfer Admission.

Transfer Application Requirements
In order to be considered for Transfer admission to Montclair State University, you will need to submit:
  • A completed Transfer Student application. Apply now at www.montclair.edu/applyinfo.html.
  • An official transcript from ALL colleges and/or universities previously attended. (Students with less than 24 completed college credits must submit a high school transcript with SAT/ACT scores)
  • A $55 application fee.
  • A Personal Statement and listing of any courses in progress (to be submitted online in the application).

Additionally, if you are applying for any of the programs in the College of the Arts (such as Fine Arts, Music, Theatre, Dance, Communication Studies, or Broadcasting), you are required to complete an interview, audition, or portfolio review in order to be considered for admission into these programs. However, if you are applying for Fashion Studies or Art History, no interview, audition, or portfolio review is required.

Please note: BFA Musical Theatre & BFA Acting auditions are conducted for the Fall semester only.

Please send all materials to:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Montclair State University
1 Normal Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07043

Important information:

Application Deadlines:

Spring 2008 (January enrollment): December 4th
Fall 2008 (September enrollment): June 15th

Transfer Admissions Standards

In order to be considered for admission as a Transfer Applicant, you should have achieved an overall GPA of 2.5 from a regionally accredited college or university. If you have attended more than one college or university, the cumulative GPA from all schools will be considered. We will also consider additional information, including the academic rigor of the coursework you have completed.

In addition to our general Transfer Admissions Standards, certain programs have their own specific standards for admission. These programs include:

College of Humanities & Social Sciences
  • Jurisprudence: completion of 24 college-level credits and 3.0 GPA
College of Science & Mathematics
  • Computer Science: 3.0 GPA
  • Science Informatics: 3.0 GPA
College of Education & Human Services
  • Early & Middle Childhood Education/Teacher Certification: 2.75 GPA
School of Business
  • Business Administration (all concentrations) & Economics: 2.75 cumulative GPA AND 2.75 GPA in the following four (4) courses:
  1. Composition I (equivalent to  ENWR105 at Montclair)
  2. Composition II ( equivalent to ENWR106 at Montclair)
  3. Macro or Micro Economics (equivalent to ECON101 or ECON102 at Montclair)
  4. Math for Business: Calculus (equivalent to MATH114 at Montclair)
College of the Arts & School of Music
  • Broadcasting: 3.0 GPA & Interview
  • Communications: 2.75 GPA & Interview
  • All other College of the Arts & School of Music programs: Interview, audition, or portfolio review
NJ STARS II Transfer Admission

Who is an NJ STARS II Transfer Applicant?
Students eligible for admission to Montclair State University as an NJ STARS II Transfer Applicant are those who are already enrolled in the NJ STARS I Program at a New Jersey Community College. You are an NJ STARS II Transfer Applicant if you meet the eligibility requirements in accordance with the law. To learn more about NJ STARS I and II, visit http://www.njstars.net/

NJ STARS II Transfer Application Requirements
In order to be considered for admission to Montclair State University as an NJ STARS II Transfer Applicant, you must submit:
  • A completed NJ STARS II application. Apply now at www.montclair.edu/applyinfo.html.
  • An official transcript from ALL colleges and/or universities previously attended.
  • A $55 application fee.
  • A Personal Statement and listing of any courses in progress (to be submitted online in the application).

NJ STARS II Transfer Admission Standards

To be eligible for admission as an NJ STARS II Transfer Applicant, you must be eligible for NJ STARS II in accordance with the law.

In addition to our general Transfer Admissions Standards, certain programs have their own specific standards for admission. For a complete listing of programs with specific standards for admission, please see the Transfer Admission Standards.

Visiting Student Admission

Who is a Visiting Student Applicant?
If you are an undergraduate student (i.e. you have not been awarded a bachelor’s degree) who is currently enrolled and in good academic standing at a regionally accredited college or university, you are eligible to enroll as a Visiting Student. Enrollment as an undergraduate Visiting Student is a temporary status that Montclair State University makes available to students who are matriculated at other institutions.

Visiting Student Application Requirements
In order to be considered for admission to Montclair State University as Visiting Student Applicant, you must submit:

Important Information for Visiting Student Applicants:

The status of “Visiting Student” is limited to a maximum of two semesters, excluding summer sessions. After two semesters as a Visiting Student, you must file an application for admission to a degree program and be accepted before further enrollment will be permitted. If you have been denied regular admission to Montclair State University, you are not eligible to be a Visiting Student during the semester for which you applied. The Visiting Student Information Form is valid for one semester only. A new form must be submitted each semester.

The Visiting Student application becomes available approximately 2 months prior to the start of a semester. Once processed, you will be eligible to register for open courses during the online registration periods. If you are intending to enroll in the Fall or Spring semester, you can register for classes approximately two weeks before the start of the semester. If you intend to register for classes during the summer, you will be able to register in April, after completing the application. As a Visiting Student during the summer, you will be charged a one-time, $25 processing fee for the entire Summer Session upon your initial registration for one or more courses. For more specific information regarding Summer Sessions please refer to, http://www.montclair.edu/Summer/eligibility.html#visiting .

Registration may be completed up to and including the first meeting of the course as long as the course is open. It is advised that you register early to decrease the possibility of being closed out of classes; however, the University cannot guarantee that your preferred schedule will be available.

Registering For Classes:

If your application status is listed online as "QA" then your application has been processed. You may then register for classes two weeks prior to the start by logging in to student services.

Adult Student Admission


Who is an Adult Student Applicant?

An Adult Student Applicant is someone who is at least 25 years old and who has never attended college or has not taken college-level courses in at least two years. An Adult Student Applicant is someone who is interested in working toward a Bachelor’s degree, either full or part-time. After an Adult Student is admitted to the University, s/he will receive additional support from the Center of Academic Advising & Adult Learning (CAAAL).

Adult Student Application Requirements

In order to be considered for admission to Montclair State University as an Adult Student Applicant, you must:

  • Follow the requirements for either Freshman or Transfer Students (depending on your educational background) and submit all necessary documentation. Choose the "CAL Freshman" or "CAL Transfer" type of application when applying online: www.montclair.edu/applyinfo.html.
  • Submit a Personal Statement that demonstrates what you have learned through formal education and/or life experiences.
  • Submit two letters of recommendation from someone familiar with your previous academic work or from someone who can comment on your background, experience, capacity to succeed and motivation (i.e. an employer, co-worker, former professor, etc.).
Adult Student Admission Standards
As an Adult Student Applicant, your application will be considered based on a holistic review of the required credentials. In order for the Office of Undergraduate Admission to make an informed decision on your admissibility, you should submit the following credentials in support of your application:
  • Official transcripts (high school and/or college, depending on your level of study)
  • 2 letters of recommendation
  • Personal Statement
  • Standardized test scores (SAT or ACT) if available.
  • Additional supporting documentation such as your résumé, awards, certificates, etc.
Though we take all factors into consideration when reviewing an Adult Student application, the Personal Statement is a particularly integral part of the admission process. Your ability to describe your activities and intentions in a clear, concise and thoughtful manner will be evaluated during the application review process; therefore, full consideration and thought should be given to the Personal Statement. When crafting your Personal Statement, you should demonstrate what you have learned both from formal education and from life experiences. The Personal Statement provides you the opportunity to demonstrate the educational value of your experiences and how they should be evaluated against a college curriculum.


International Student Admission


Who is an International Student Applicant?

An International Student Applicant is someone who requires an F-1 student visa to enter the United States or is currently studying in the United States on an F-1 or J-1 visa. More information on obtaining a visa and additional services for international students can be found through our Global Education Center: http://www.montclair.edu/international/prospectivemain.htm

International Student Application Requirements
In order to be considered for admission to Montclair State University as an International Student Applicant, you must submit:
  • A completed application. Apply now at www.montclair.edu/applyinfo.html.
  • A $55 application fee.
  • A TOEFL score of at least an 80 on the Internet-based test, a 213 on the computer-based test or a 550 on the paper-based test. (NOTE: The TOEFL requirement is only waived if the you are a native English speaker or have completed a college-level English Composition course in the US with a grade of "C" or better).
  • An academic evaluation & English translation of all coursework completed in another country. (For potential Freshmen, this is High School equivalent work. For potential Transfer Students, this is a course-by-course evaluation of college-level work.
The evaluation must come from an organization affiliated with the National Association of Credit Evaluation Services (NACES). For a listing of NACES member organizations, please visit www.naces.org/members.htm

International Student Admission Standards

International students should have similar academic preparation as indicated in the Freshman and Transfer Student admissions standards. In addition, demonstrated English language competency is required for admission.

Non-Degree Admission

Who is a Non-Degree Applicant?
You are a Non-Degree Applicant if you are not interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree but are interested in taking one or two credit bearing courses. To qualify for Non-Degree admission, you must have received a high school diploma or its equivalency at least 2 years prior to you submitting your application.

Non-Degree Application Requirements
In order to be considered for admission to Montclair State University as a Non-Degree Applicant, you must:
  • Complete and submit the Non-Degree Application. Download the application at http://www.montclair.edu/admissions/pdf/nondegree.pdf
  • Submit documentation showing proof of successful completion of your secondary education (a copy of your high school or equivalency diploma).
  • Submit the non-refundable application fee of $10.00 in the form of a check or money order drawn from a U.S. bank made payable to Montclair State University.
Submit all materials to:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Montclair State University
1 Normal Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07043

Important Information for Non-Degree Applicants
Admission to the non-degree classification does not guarantee acceptance into a Montclair State University undergraduate degree program. A maximum of 12 credits may be applied toward the degree if you should choose to matriculate. As a Non-Degree student, you are not eligible for credit evaluations or academic advising. A Non-Degree application is valid for one semester only. If you wish to retain Non-degree status for more than one semester, you must resubmit the Non-Degree application.

Second Bachelor’s Admissions

Who is a Second Bachelor’s Applicant?
If you have already receive a Bachelor’s degree and your interests or goals have shifted, you may pursue a Second Bachelor’s degree at Montclair State University.

Second Bachelor’s Application Requirements
Second Bachelor degrees are not available in Teacher Education or Business Administration programs.

In order to be considered for admission to Montclair State University as a Second Bachelor’s Applicant, you must submit:

  • A completed Second Bachelor’s application (Select "Transfer Student" and indicate degree completion from your previous school). Apply now at www.montclair.edu/applyinfo.html.
  • An official transcript from ALL colleges and/or universities previously attended.
  • A $55 application fee.
  • A Personal Statement

Second Bachelor’s Admission Standards
In order to be considered for admission as a Second Bachelor’s Applicant, you should have completed a Bachelor’s degree at an accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Please note that certain degree programs at Montclair State University have specific standards for admission. For a complete listing of programs with specific standards, please reference the Transfer Admission Standards.

Please note: Teacher Education programs and Business Administration are not available as Second
Bachelor programs. Please see the Graduate School for information regarding coursework in these areas.


Graduate Admission

Who is a Graduate Applicant?
You are a Graduate Applicant if you have completed a Bachelor’s degree at an accredited college or university. For more information about Graduate Admission, please visit the website for the Office of Graduate Admission and Support Services: http://www.montclair.edu/graduate/