Admissions

Palm Beach Atlantic University is committed to serving the learning needs of adult and non-traditional students by offering the opportunity to earn a Bachelor’s degree by attending classes on campus in the evening and online. Some of the characteristics that define adulthood are age, employment, military service, or personal independence.

PBA strives to maintain a student body which represents a broad variety of abilities, backgrounds, and career goals. All qualified men and women are welcome to apply without regard to race, color, age, sex, handicap, religion, or national or ethnic origin. The Admissions Office is located in the Enrollment Services Center. The Admissions staff is available to meet with prospective students and help determine which program would fit their needs based on their educational goals, previous college coursework and work experience. Prospective students are welcome anytime, although appointments are advisable to ensure the best service possible. Schedule an appointment by calling 561.803.2122 for the West Palm Beach Campus or the Wellington Campus and 407.226.5955 for the Orlando Campus.

New students may begin evening classes on campus or online classes in the fall, spring, or summer. Students can be admitted unconditionally, conditionally and provisionally. For details, contact the Admissions Office.

Palm Beach Atlantic University offers the following undergraduate degree programs in both on-ground and online formats:

• Bachlor of Science in Organizational Management 
• Bachelor of Arts in Ministry 
• Bachelor of Science in Psychology 
• Accelerated Dual Degree Program - B.S. in ORM/M.S. in Leadership 
• Associate of Arts to Master of Science in Leadership (AA to MS) 

Admission Requirements*

1. Completed online application and non-refundable $35 application fee
2. Official transcripts from all colleges previously attended
3. Official high school transcript or GED Test Score Report for applicants with fewer than 12 transferable college credits
4. Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a scale of 4.0 with exceptions, on a case-by-case basis
5. Interview with an Admissions counselor
6. Writing Skills Assessment (75 minutes permitted) with an acceptable score*

* If test scores indicate a need for extra skill development, a student may be required to complete both Academic English I and II, even for a student who has already completed the two required writing courses (Composition I and II) at another university. These courses must be taken at the beginning of the student’s academic program at PBA. These two courses will apply to the student’s elective credit for the degree and a minimum grade of “C-” must be earned.

7. International applicants must also provide:
   • TOEFL score (in addition to Writing Skills Assessment)
   • Official course-by-course evaluation for transferable college work; and Document by Document evaluation for high school graduates by Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. All evaluations should include translation and GPA.

Admission Status

• Regular Admission: will be offered to a student with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on all attempted hours.
• Probationary Admission: may be offered to a student with a GPA of less than 2.0. An academic hold will be placed on the academic record of a student entering PBA with a GPA less than 2.0. A student on probationary status must earn a minimum GPA of 2.0 during their first semester of enrollment at PBA. A student who fails in their first semester of enrollment to achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 will be placed on academic suspension for one semester.
• Provisional Admission: Students may be admitted on a provisional basis if approved by the admissions committee. Missing documentation must be submitted no later than the middle of the first semester of enrollment or the student will not be permitted to register for classes for the following semester.

* Please review the Programs of Study  for additional program-specific admission requirements.

Applying to PBA

Applications for the evening and online programs are accepted throughout the year. Upon acceptance, a student should confirm his or her intention to enroll with a $100.00 tuition deposit (to be deducted from the cost of tuition). Admission deposits for evening programs are nonrefundable.

Articulation Agreement:

Undergraduate Evening and Online Program Students in the Bachelor of Arts in Ministry: Any student completing an Associate of Arts degree from Florida’s Community College System conferred after November, 1992, or any regionally accredited community or state college is guaranteed (1) junior standing with the application of a minimum of 60 credit hours toward the baccalaureate degree and (2) recognition of completion of the general education requirements, excluding MIN 2003 - Foundations for Christian Ministry , GBUS 2813 - American Free Enterprise ,  GCIS 1103 - Introduction to Technology I , GREL 1013 - Exploring the Bible , and GREL 4003 - Christian Values & Biblical Faith .

Undergraduate Evening and Online Program Students in the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management or Bachelor of Science in Psychology: Any student completing an Associate of Arts degree from Florida’s Community College System conferred after November, 1992, or any regionally accredited community or state college is guaranteed (1) junior standing with the application of a minimum of 60 credit hours toward the baccalaureate degree and (2) recognition of completion of the general education requirements, excluding ORM 1003 - Leadership for Academic Success , GBUS 2813 - American Free Enterprise , GCIS 1103 - Introduction to Technology I  , GREL 1013 - Exploring the Bible , and GREL 4003 - Christian Values & Biblical Faith .

International Students

A prospective student who is not a citizen of the United States and is applying to Palm Beach Atlantic University should make application at least four to six months in advance of the desired date of entrance, submitting all required materials two to three months prior to registration.

In addition, the following documents are required by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to be submitted in order that an I-20 may be issued for the student to enter the country:

Online students are exempt from items 1 through 3.

1. Financial statement assuming responsibility for annual costs.
2. Bank statement verifying adequate resources.
3. Completed VISA clearance form (if transferring from U.S. institution).
4. International transcripts must be evaluated by a company, which is a member of either the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers www.aacrao.org or the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. www.naces.org and an official report must be sent to PBA in order that foreign credit can be evaluated for transfer.
5. All Online students are required to take the TOEFL as a means of assessing level of placement in English course.

Non-Degree Student Status

Students may be admitted to PBA on a non-degree basis. An application for admission must be completed online. A student is usually limited to nine hours of study. Should additional study be desired, full documentation must be received and all entrance requirements must be satisfied.

Post-Baccalaureate Degree, Non-Degree Students

Students holding a baccalaureate degree may be admitted to PBA on a non-degree basis. An application for admission must be completed online. A student is usually limited to nine hours of study. Should additional study be desired, full documentation must be received and all entrance requirements must be satisfied.

Transfer Students

The Undergraduate Evening and Online Programs are designed to apply previous accredited college coursework towards your degree at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Transfer coursework accepted for credit toward the degree must be completed at an institution accredited as degree-granting by a post-secondary regional accrediting commission at the time the coursework was completed. Full credit will normally be given for courses transferred from such an institution if the student has earned a grade of “C-” or better.

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 of 30 credit hours at PBA, maintaining a 2.0 PBA cumulative GPA or higher. For planning purposes, an unofficial evaluation of credit will be provided at the time of enrollment. Only courses that approximately 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. Non-accredited coursework will not transfer to PBA.

For transfer of international credits PBA accepts evaluations from Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. A student may also request an evaluation from any of the evaluators located through the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) on the following website, http://www.aacrao.org/international/foreignEdCred.cfm.

Note: Telefaxed documents, both academic and financial, may be used during the admission process; however, they are not a substitute for official transcripts.