Bemidji State University admits high school students who rank in the upper 50 percent of their high school graduating class or score a composite of 21 or above on the ACT.
The ACT is required of all students who have graduated from high school within the past two years. A student receiving a GED certificate showing a passing status will also be accepted for admission. Please note, however, that a GED recipient will not be admitted as a regular undergraduate until after he or she would have graduated with their high school class. Transfer students (at least 24 semester credits) will be admitted if they have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00. Applicants who do not satisfy either requirement may be considered for conditional admission.
A student may be admitted to graduate study who has earned a bachelor's degree from a college or university accredited by the appropriate regional or national accrediting agency. Contact the School of Graduate Studies for graduate admission procedures and forms.
Students with an undergraduate grade point average below 2.75 may be admitted on a provisional basis. For students admitted provisionally, a "B" (3.00) average must be attained for the first eight (8) semester hours of resident graduate work attempted. Workshop grades will not be used to determine overall GPA during the first eight (8) semester hours.
Students who are within eleven (11) semester hours of satisfying undergraduate degree requirements may petition to take course work at the graduate level (i.e. 5000 level courses). Graduate course work cannot be applied toward satisfying undergraduate degree requirements. Approval must be obtained in advance of registration for a graduate course.
Fall semester and summer session applicants should apply by May 1 for early consideration. International students should contact the International Program Office to receive application materials and information.
If you do not plan to complete a degree or apply for financial aid, and want to be admitted to BSU to complete summer courses, you can apply online as an undergraduate Special Studet by selecting either "on campus" or "off site" as your type of major, "undecided" as your area of student and "not seeking degree" as your intended degree. Once admitted as a Special Student, individuals may register for courses. Undergraduate Special Student status allows qualified students to attend summer school. Students will be granted special status admission if they:
(1) have graduated from an accredited high school
OR
(2) have completed a GED certificate
OR
(3) are transferring from another post-secondary institution at which they are or left in good academic and financial standing.
An application fee and transcripts are not required. Students who later decide to pursue a degree program must apply for regular undergraduate admission to the University.
Students seeking graduate education for the purpose of personal or professional enrichment, and/or licensure without a planned master's degree objective, may also enroll with special student status. Admission as a graduate special student requires that a student has graduated from a regionally accredited college or university.
Graduate Special Student Application forms do not require an application fee, official transcripts, the Graduate Record Examination, or letters of recommendation. Students admitted as special students who subsequently decide to pursue a master's degree are required to complete a separate application for admission.