Admissions

Palm Beach Atlantic University selects candidates for admission who display high academic quality and a solid commitment to faith. The following credentials are required to complete an application: academic transcripts, test scores (SAT , ACT and/or CLT). and an essay that details the intersection of the applicant’s faith journey with his or her collegiate goals.

PBA seeks to enroll a dynamic class of individuals with a variety of accomplishments, interests and attributes by evaluating each applicant’s academic record, essay, test scores, and extracurricular activities. Though a traditional entry term begins in the fall, PBA will accept applicants for spring and summer terms. The University will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, handicap, religion, or national/ethnic origin. The mission statement from the Admissions Office states: “As admission professionals, we will serve students in a holistic manner with integrity and truth, while guiding them towards the plans God has for them.”

Admission Requirements

Freshmen (Undergraduate)

Students may begin to apply for admission after their junior year in high school, and must submit the following credentials:

• A completed online application (https://www.pba.edu/apply-online) and a non-refundable $50 application fee
• A 300-500 word essay that details the intersection of the applicant’s faith journey with his or her collegiate goals
• High school transcripts
• Scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the American College Test (ACT) or the Classic Learning Test (CLT)

High school course work should include at least 18 units of college preparatory courses: English (4 units), mathematics (3 units at the level of Algebra I or higher), natural science (3 units with substantial lab work), social science (3 units of history, government, economics, psychology, or sociology), and academic electives (5 units from above areas and from computer science, fine arts, modern languages, and humanities). Some flexibility is permitted in choice of subjects. Students may be accepted for admission without the recommended number of courses in a particular field. The GED is acceptable as a substitute for a high school diploma. Final transcripts with graduation date must be submitted prior to enrollment.

The Admission Review Committee is concerned with the academic strength of a student’s program, grade point average (GPA), SAT, ACT or CLT scores, participation in extracurricular activities, and overall fit with the University.

Homeschooled Students

PBA welcomes applications from students with non-traditional high school experiences. We require a formal document, preferably from a third-party organization, that provides the curriculum studied and grades earned in each course. SAT, ACT and CLT scores are used to help assess a student’s college-level academic readiness.

Transfer Students

Transfer students must be in good standing with previous institutions attended and eligible to return prior to enrolling at PBA. All transfer students applying for admission must submit the following credentials:

• A completed online application (https://www.pba.edu/apply-online) and a non-refundable $50 application fee
• A 300-500 word essay that details the intersection of the applicant’s faith journey with his or her collegiate goals
• Official transcripts from all colleges previously attended (2.5 minimum GPA on at least 12 semester credit hours course work or equivalent). NOTE: Scanned or faxed documents may be used during the admission process; however, they are not a substitute for officials.

A transfer student who has been enrolled full-time for at least one semester and has attempted 12 or more college-level credit hours acceptable by PBA will not be required to submit ACT/SAT/CLT scores or a high school transcript.

Credit will be awarded for courses completed at regionally accredited institutions if they approximately correspond to PBA courses and if the student has earned a grade of “C-” or better. All official college transcripts must be submitted directly to Palm Beach Atlantic University from every institution previously attended prior to enrollment. This includes institutions where courses were attempted and credit was not earned (failing grades or withdrawals). If the transcripts are not submitted, financial aid and class registration will be frozen. We will make an effort to encourage official transcripts prior to the student enrolling for their respective term. For Financial Aid, FAFSA self-certify will verify high school completion. PBA reserves the right to research previous institutions attended through the National Student Clearinghouse database.

A student presenting transfer credit from an institution that was not accredited as degree granting by a post-secondary regional accrediting commission at the time the course work was completed may seek credit validation upon the successful completion (at least a cumulative GPA of 2.0) of 30 credit hours at PBA. For planning purposes, an unofficial evaluation of credit will be provided at the time of enrollment. Only courses that parallel those of PBA and for which a grade of “C-” or better has been earned will be considered. Upon the completion of the residency requirement and satisfaction of the academic progress requirement, the unofficial evaluation will be validated and the courses will transfer as noted on the official evaluation. The student must submit written notification to the Office of the Registrar upon successful completion of the residency requirement.

Articulation Agreement: Any student completing an Associate of Arts degree from a regionally accredited community college is guaranteed:

• Junior standing with the application of a minimum of 60 credit hours toward the baccalaureate degree; and
• Recognition of completion of the general education requirements, excluding Exploring the Bible, Christian Values and Biblical Faith, and Freedom in American Society.

International Students

International students applying to PBA should submit an application at least four to six months prior to the desired date of enrollment and must submit the following credentials:

Freshmen

• A completed online application (https://www.pba.edu/apply-online) and a non-refundable $50 application fee, US currency
• A 300-500 word essay that details the intersection of the applicant’s faith journey with his or her collegiate goals
• Scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), American College Test (ACT) or the Classic Learning Test (CLT)
• English language proficiency scores; For students seeking entry to PBA from a country where English is not the primary language, a minimum TOEFL score of 79 or IELTS score of 6.5 is required. This requirement is waived for students who have studied in the US or have enrolled at an English language school for at least one academic semester.
• Official secondary education transcripts equivalent to graduation from an American high school. Transcripts from schools outside the U.S. must include a course by course evaluation and GPA equivalent from an educational consulting firm that is an approved member* of the NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, www.naces.org). Recommended firms include Josef Silny and Associates (www.jsilny.com) or SpanTran (www.spantran.com). World Education Services, or WES, is no longer an acceptable firm as the organization no longer offers the course by course evaluation service. *with the exception of WES. 

Transfers

• A completed online application (https://www.pba.edu/apply-online) and a non-refundable $50 application fee, US currency
• A 300-500 word essay that details the intersection of the applicant’s faith journey with his or her collegiate goals
• English language proficiency scores; For students seeking entry to PBA from a country where English is not the primary language, a minimum TOEFL score of 79 or IELTS score of 6.5 is required. This requirement is waived for students who have studied in the US or have enrolled at an English language school for at least one academic semester.
• Official transcripts from all previous universities attended. Transcripts from universities outside the U.S. must include a course by course evaluation and GPA equivalent from an educational consulting firm that is an approved member* of the NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, www.naces.org). Recommended firms include Josef Silny and Associates (www.jsilny.com) or SpanTran (www.spantran.com), IEE Online https://myiee.org/university/palm-beach-atlantic-university). World Education Services, or WES, is no longer an acceptable firm as the organization no longer offers the course by course evaluation service.  *with the exception of WES.

Student Visa

International students who are not citizens or residents of the U.S. are required to apply for an F-1 student visa to study at PBA. Interested students should apply early to complete all admission requirements and allow sufficient time to process student visas. Contact your Admissions Counselor for additional information.

Non-Degree Students

Students may be admitted to PBA on a non-degree seeking basis. To apply, students must submit an online non-degree seeking application with the desired entry term listed (fall, spring or summer). Students will be notified when an application has been received, including the date in which applications will be reviewed. Once accepted, instructions will be provided for the student to search course times and availability. To proceed with registration, students must submit a $100 registration fee to Admissions, and then must contact the Registrar’s Office to request registration for the course(s) in which they wish to enroll. If a student desires to take a course at PBA that has pre-requisites, the student must supply official college transcripts demonstrating completion of those requirements. Non-degree seeking study is limited to nine credit hours only; if a student wishes to take classes beyond nine credits, they must apply as a full-time, degree seeking student. If a student is interested in living on campus, he or she must apply for housing and fulfill any requirements requested by Residence Life. The University reserves the right to deny housing to any student.

Non-degree seeking students also have the ability to audit a course. When auditing a course, the cost for the course will be less but the student will not receive credit. Should the student decide to audit a course, he or she must notify the Admissions Office.

Students who have completed a degree and are seeking to fulfill pre-requisites for graduate school may also apply for admission as a non-degree seeking student.

Due to the nature of our capacity constraints, non-degree students may need to wait on an application decision while the Office of Admission determines if there is space to enroll.

Transient Students from Other Institutions

PBA welcomes transient students who are currently enrolled in other colleges and universities. A non-degree application must be submitted, and the student must also submit a letter of good standing from the institution in which he or she is currently enrolled. Transient study is usually limited to nine credit hours and students should obtain approval from the institution in which they are enrolled. Transient students are subject to the same application process and policies outlined for Non-degree seeking students.

Supplemental Applications

Some programs require either an audition or a supplemental application prior to official major declaration:

• Art
• Cinema Television
• Dance
• Honors
• Music
• Nursing*
• Pre-Health*
• Theatre

Veterans Benefits

Veterans may qualify for educational assistance according to their length of military service. Widows and children of veterans who died or were disabled as a result of service, connected injury or disease may also be eligible for educational benefits. Information may be obtained from the Veterans Administration or from PBA’s Office of the Registrar. Veterans receiving benefits under chapter 31 and 33 have their tuition and fees paid directly to the school by the government.  Veterans enrolled under all other chapters receive their allowances directly from the government and pay tuition and fees as all students are required.

WARNING: Students who drop or withdraw from a course may not be paid for the course unless the circumstances for having to drop the course are considered to be mitigating circumstances by the Veterans Administration, i.e., circumstances beyond the control of the student.

VA Pending Payment Compliance

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e), Palm Beach Atlantic University adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA.  PBA will not:

• Prevent the student’s enrollment;
• Assess a late penalty fee to the student;
• Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;
• Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

However, to qualify for this provision, students are required to:

• Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the end of the first week of classes;
• Provide a written request to be certified;
• Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies 

WARNING: Students who drop or withdraw from a course may not be paid for the course unless the circumstances for having to drop the course are considered to be mitigating circumstances by the Veterans Administration, i.e., circumstances beyond the control of the student.

Vocational Rehabilitation

Physically disabled students may be approved to receive financial assistance to attend college for the purpose of vocational rehabilitation. Those who wish to consult with a representative regarding vocational rehabilitation should contact their local district office of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services.

NOTE: The Financial Aid Office coordinates the process for Satisfactory Academic Progress and Eligibility for Financial Assistance. Any student who receives financial assistance at PBA of any type (federal, state, institutional, or outside scholarships/grants) must demonstrate both qualitatively and quantitatively the ability to do satisfactory academic work and to progress measurably toward a degree. At the end of the spring semester of each academic year, the Financial Aid Office evaluates the academic progress of each student receiving financial assistance. This evaluation determines a student’s eligibility to receive financial assistance in the next academic year. In addition, at the end of both the fall and spring semesters, the Office of the Registrar reviews the qualitative academic progress of all degree-seeking students to determine the eligibility for continued enrollment at PBA.

Undergraduate students enrolled in any of PBA’s non-traditional programs, or graduate students or pharmacy students should note the refund policy stated in those sections of the Catalog.

Yellow Ribbon Program

Palm Beach Atlantic University has committed to a maximum Yellow Ribbon Program match of $3,650. This level of match will allow the fulltime undergraduate day student to receive aid equal to tuition and fees for fall and spring semesters only minus the Post 911 GI Bill of $24,476.79. If the student receives tuition restricted grants or scholarships, the match will be reduced so that the total package is equal to tuition and fees. Unrestricted PBA scholarships (Ex. PBA Academic Scholarships, PBA Assist, Res Life, and other PBA institutional scholarships) will be used as the 50% institutional match. If the unrestricted institutional scholarship does not meet the 50% institutional share, a PBA Yellow Ribbon scholarship will be awarded for the difference. For examples and procedures to apply contact the financial aid office. Offering this program each year is based on the approval from the VA.

To apply for Yellow Ribbon students must contact the Registrar’s Office.

Note: Yellow Ribbon doesn’t apply to additional bachelors or students in Professional or graduate programs. 

Deadline for Completing Applications

Applications are accepted throughout the year. The Admission Review Committee convenes weekly from September through August, and reviews files on a rolling admission basis. While there is no deadline, students are encouraged to apply early for housing, registration, and financial assistance.

A mandatory $300 reservation deposit is required for all first-time students. This deposit secures the student’s registration and applied to their bill in their first semester at PBA.

Admission Status

Capacity

The Admission Review Committee encourages early applications from those students who are interested in enrolling at PBA. Historically, PBA has reached capacity early in the recruiting cycle; therefore, prompt submission and completion of applications is strongly recommended. In the event that enrollment has reached capacity, a waitlist will form. As space becomes available, students will be removed from the waitlist and secured a space at the discretion of the Office of Admissions.

Accepted Students

Students who are selected by the Admission Review Committee are invited to enroll at PBA for the entry term for which they applied. Students must submit their $300 to secure their seat at PBA; the University only guarantees registration and housing to those students who have deposited while space is available.  Deposits are non-refundable after May 1 for the fall semester, and are non-refundable after December 1 for the spring semester.

Provisional Acceptance

On occasion, admitted students may be subject to specific academic course requirements at the discretion of the Admission Review Committee. Provisional courses may be either remedial or credit-seeking, and function as academic support for students in both the mathematics and English disciplines.

Waitlisted Students

If a student’s application is adequate for admission, but is lacking in one or more considered aspects, he or she may be waitlisted. While it is not necessary to provide updated transcripts or test scores, it is highly encouraged to demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence. The Admission Review Committee may accept or deny a waitlisted student at any time.

Denied Students

At the discretion of the Admission Review Committee, students who fail to meet the overall criteria necessary for admission may be denied. A letter of denial will be sent directly to the applicant after a decision has been finalized.

Specialized Programs

Dual Enrolled High School Students

Students may be eligible to enroll in college-level courses at PBA at a reduced rate while still attending high school. To be eligible, the student should exhibit maturity and superior academic achievement. PBA requires an online dual enrollment application with high school transcripts showing a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, and a letter of recommendation from the high school guidance counselor. Additional application materials may be requested by the Admission Review Committee. Dual enrollment is limited to 24 attempted credit hours; instruction beyond 24 credit hours requires payment of the full undergraduate tuition rate. Dual enrolled students may take only general education courses. On a case-by-case basis, dual enrolled students may enroll in upper-level courses if he or she receives approval from the Dean of that school. PBA accepts dual enrollment applications in the fall term only. Due to the nature of our capacity constraints, dual-enrolled students may need to wait on an application decision while the Office of Admissions determines if there is space to enroll. Interested students should contact the Admissions Office for details.

Readmission

PBA students who sit out one semester or more must apply online for readmission: http://www.pba.edu/admissions-forms. The Office of the Registrar advises all students who are pursuing readmission. If the returning student has completed college-level work since leaving PBA, official transcripts from all institutions must be sent to the Office of the Registrar.

*The Pre-Health, Nursing major applications must be completed post-enrollment.