Contents
Catalog Links

First-Year Admission

Early Decision I and II

Prospective students who view The Catholic University of America as a top choice for their undergraduate education and are comfortable with a binding admission decision may consider applying Early Decision I or II. The application deadline for Early Decision I is November 1 and Early Decision II is February 1.

Early Decision I candidates will learn of the decision prior to January 1. Early Decision II candidates will receive their decision by March 1.

Applicants not admitted under the Early Decision I or II programs are denied, and that decision is final; they will not be deferred to the Regular Decision Pool.

Students admitted through our Early Decision I and II programs are expected to attend Catholic University and must submit their non-refundable enrollment deposits by January 15 for Early Decision I and March 15 for Early Decision II.

Early Action

Prospective students who are confident in their academic profiles in early fall of their senior year, and would like to learn of their admission decision earlier in the admission process while still retaining the time to make an enrollment decision by May 1, have the option of applying Early Action. Students should submit their completed Common Application by November 1 and will be notified of a decision by January 1. Early Action students may be admitted, denied, or deferred. Applicants who are deferred will be reviewed with updated mid-year grades along with Regular Decision applicants and will hear a final decision by April 1.

Regular Decision

Students applying to The Catholic University of America for fall admission should submit a completed Common Application for Admission by the February 1 deadline. Applicants will receive their decision by April 1 and have until May 1 to decide if they would like to enroll at Catholic University. Students can also be denied or placed on the waiting list after Regular Decision. Students placed on the waiting list may not hear about potential admission until after May 1, should any space in the incoming freshman class be available.

Required Credentials for Freshman First-Year Candidates

An application is complete when the Office of Undergraduate Admission has received the following:

  1. A completed and submitted Common Application with all required essays;
  2. A completed Secondary School Report and recommendation from the student’s college or guidance counselor;
  3. An official high school transcript;
  4. A letter of teacher recommendation;
  5. Official TOEFL or IELTS scores if the candidate’s native language is not English.

Secondary School Record

Successful applicants to Catholic University pursue a combination of college preparatory, Honors, and AP/IB courses that fit their interests and strengths. All students are reviewed within the context of their high school, with course offerings and schedules, and class rank taken into account when appropriate.

It is recommended that secondary school preparation consist of 17 academic units, including four years of study in English, History/social studies, and mathematics, three years of science (including at least two years of laboratory science), and at least two years of study in a foreign language.

In addition, the School of Engineering, the Conway School of Nursing, and the physical science departments recommend prospective students take additional science and math courses. This includes a mathematics curriculum through pre-calculus, and a minimum of three laboratory sciences.

A detailed description of curriculum taken each academic year, which should include course titles and descriptions, skill levels completed, and grades received. If the curriculum has been supplemented by coursework either at the secondary or postsecondary level, official transcripts from the school(s) or college(s) are required to be submitted. Students who are part of an official home-schooling program, should have transcripts submitted directly.

Test-Free Policy

Beginning in the 2020-2021 application year (spring 2021 and fall 2021 enrollment terms), the Committee on Admission at Catholic University will not consider standardized tests as part of the review for admission, the University Honors Program, the Cornerstone Scholars Program, and for all merit scholarships.

Merit scholarships are awarded based on each student’s academic performance over the course of the high school career and not on testing ability.

This policy applies to all undergraduate applicants, including home-schooled and international candidates.

Home-schooled students are encouraged to submit detailed course descriptions and/or syllabi to assist the Committee on Admission with the assessment of the depth of their high school curriculum.

International students whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate English proficiency through the TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo examinations.

The University will continue to request that first-year students submit SAT or ACT scores after enrollment as part of ongoing academic assessments.

Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Dual-Enrollment Credit

Advanced Placement (AP) Credits are awarded based on the qualifying score achieved by a student on the AP Exam; typically a score of 4 or 5 is required to receive credit. The required exam score and corresponding credit hours awarded can be found on this chart. (For more information on Advanced Placement requirements, please visit the Undergraduate Studies website (http://undergraduatestudies.cua.edu/transfers/AP-IB.cfm).

International Baccalaureate (IB) Credits are likewise awarded based on the qualifying scores earned by students on the IB examinations; corresponding exams and scores can be found here. Credits are only awarded for students who complete the full IB Diploma program and take the Higher Level (HL) exam. For more information on International Baccalaureate requirements, please visit the Undergraduate Studies website.

Dual-Enrollment Courses and college classes taken while in high school are subject to specific requirements. In order to qualify for credit, the courses must be taken at a regionally accredited institution — classes taught at a high school by a college instructor do not qualify. In addition, these classes must be substantially similar to their corresponding course here at Catholic University, and applicants must complete a transfer credit evaluation form prior to enrolling in order to receive credit. For more about Dual-Enrollment requirements, please visit the Undergraduate Studies website.

Auditions for Applicants to the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art

Acceptance into the music programs in the School of Music, Drama, and Art is a two-fold process. Students must apply for acceptance into the University, as well as audition for the program of interest. Auditions can be done before, after, or concurrently with the application to the University. An application does not necessarily need to be submitted before auditioning, except in the case of Early Admission, but it is highly encouraged.

Admission to the performance and music education academic areas requires both admission to the University and passing the audition. All applicants who audition (either in person or online) are considered for a music scholarship.

Applicants for the undergraduate degree program in music composition must audition and submit original compositions for review by the music faculty. Those considered for the program in music history and literature are not required to audition unless they desire advanced standing in performance study.

Faculty recommendations for admission are based upon the audition. Specific requirements may be obtained at https://arts.catholic.edu/admission/apply-audition/index.html

University Honors Program

A separate application is not required for The University Honors Program. Selection for participation is made based on the materials submitted in support of the application for admission. The University Honors Program offers students of high caliber a special curriculum that is oriented towards the liberal arts and designed to complement individual majors with an integrated world view. Full details of the program can be found at https://www.catholic.edu/academics/undergraduate/honors-program/index.html.