Admissions Requirements

These are the general requirements for applicants seeking admission. Visit the individual school sections for program-specific admissions requirements.

General Requirements

In order to present a complete application, you must:

  1. Be at least 18 years of age. If you are at least 16 years of age and meet all other criteria, you may seek the approval of the Dean of the school you wish to enter. 
  2. Complete an Enrollment Agreement and any other documents required for your chosen program and submit monies as outlined on the Tuition and Fees Schedule. The Enrollment Agreement must be signed by a parent or legal guardian if you are under 18 years of age.
  3. Complete the electronic Identity and Document verification process by providing a valid, government-issued identification, e.g., driver’s license, U.S./non-U.S. passport, tribal ID. The name in your student record must match your legal first and last name from your ID. If you are unable to successfully complete the electronic verification process, your enrollment may be denied. 
  4. Speak, read, and write English fluently (see English Proficiency).
  5. Complete financial arrangements prior to starting class, including any necessary financial aid documents. All required financial documents must be on file and approved at least 2 days prior to your scheduled start date.
  6. Fulfill any program-specific and/or international admissions requirements.
  7. Attest to certain technological competencies.
  8. Complete any required orientation course(s).

Deans or their designees reserve the right to approve all candidates for admission.

Address and Residency Verification

Upon signing your Enrollment Agreement, you are attesting to the accuracy of the current primary address you provided. The primary address in your student record must be the address where you claim current residency. If you are seeking a residency-based tuition discount, you must provide a copy of official documentation that includes your name and current address, e.g., driver’s license, voter identification card, recent utility bill, mortgage/lease agreement. If you are currently residing in a facility or are currently without permanent housing, a letter from the facility or homeless shelter where you receive mail may satisfy the proof of address requirement.

Should you relocate, you must update your address within the PG Campus Student Portal within the first 30 days of moving to have your primary address updated. You may be asked to provide a proof of residency document for your new address. You must review your program page in this catalog and the State Licensure and Certifications site in order to determine any applicable professional licensure requirements for your new primary address. Certain programs that are designed to meet professional licensure requirements in one state may have different requirements in another state. Once you have reviewed your program page and the State Licensure and Certifications site, contact your Student Advisor should you have further questions.

Criminal Background Check Requirements

For some programs, you may be required to undergo criminal background checks before starting classes; before you can be placed in an internship, externship, or at a clinical site; or before taking professional licensing, certification, or registration exams. If you have a prior felony conviction or serious misdemeanor, you may be denied the opportunity to take professional licensing, certification, or registration exams, or may be denied a license or certification to practice in some states, even if the exam is taken and successfully completed. Consequently, you may be denied admission to some programs.

If you are enrolling in a Purdue Global program that requires a criminal background check, you must submit a request for a criminal background check to the Purdue Global-approved vendor. If an approved background check is not on file with the University at least 2 days prior to your scheduled start date, you will need to defer your start date.

Additional Requirements for Undergraduate Programs

  • You must have earned a high school diploma or an approved equivalent. Complete one of the following to meet this requirement:
    • Attest to being a high school graduate. Acceptable attestation for the University may be the proof of graduation attestation included on an Enrollment Agreement, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or any other document deemed acceptable by the University.
    • Provide a General Education Development (GED) certificate or state-specific equivalency diploma test. Official transcripts must be received and processed by the Office of the Registrar. If the credential cannot be officially verified by 2 days prior to your scheduled start date, you will need to defer your start date.
    • Provide a home study certificate or transcript from a home study program that is equivalent to high school level, and recognized by your home state. You must also be beyond the age of compulsory attendance in that state. Proof of secondary completion must be received and approved prior to enrollment.
    • Provide the foreign equivalent of a U.S. high school credential. Official proof of secondary completion must be received and approved prior to enrollment.
    • Provide a transcript including the award of an associate’s degree or higher from an accredited U.S. institution. Official transcripts must be received and processed by the Office of the Registrar. If the credential cannot be officially verified by 2 days prior to your scheduled start date, you will need to defer your start date.

​​Special local and state programs allow current high school students to take individual courses at the University. You will be enrolled as a nondegree-seeking student until you have graduated high school and can complete the requirement outlined above.

If, for any reason, your evidence or attestation of high school graduation or its equivalent is found to be false, untrue, or otherwise unacceptable, you will be subject to immediate dismissal from the University, all credits earned will be invalidated, and the University will take all other appropriate actions. All aid disbursed on your behalf will be refunded to the appropriate source, and you will be responsible for payment of these funds to the original source or to Purdue Global, as appropriate.

  • A bachelor’s degree is required to enroll in a postbaccalaureate certificate program, and other select programs require proof of a prior degree. Refer to your program’s policies for any additional requirements of this prior degree. You must provide an official transcript to the Office of the Registrar that shows completion of the required degree from an accredited institution, though an unofficial copy may be provided during the application process. If by the deadline you are unable to provide an official college transcript showing your prior degree completion, Purdue Global will attempt to use an unofficial transcript you provided during enrollment, and compare it to other official record sources, to confirm that the degree completion requirements for your program have been met. If the degree cannot be verified by 2 days prior to your scheduled start date, you will need to defer your start date.
  • The state of Indiana requires residents who are under the age of 21 during their first term of enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program to have graduated from high school completing an Indiana Core 40 curriculum or equivalent. If you are enrolling as an Indiana resident under the age of 21, a copy of an official high school transcript showing completion of the Core 40 or equivalent requirements, or comparable documentation for a nontraditional curriculum, is required prior to beginning class. If the credential cannot be officially verified by 2 days prior to your scheduled start date, you will need to defer your start date. If your high school curriculum does not meet the requirement of the Core 40 curriculum, you can also meet this admissions requirement by providing an official college transcript showing completion of at least 12 college-level semester credits (18 college-level quarter credits) with a grade of “C” or better.
  • The state of Maine requires all students born after 1956 and enrolled in an onsite degree program to provide proof of specific immunizations at the time of admission. If you are seeking admission to a Purdue Global location in Maine, you must submit proof of immunization against measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, and tetanus. Proof of immunization must detail the administration of the following:
    1. A DT booster within the last 10 years
    2. An adult MMR vaccination for individuals who previously received an MMR vaccination prior to their first birthday.

If you fail to submit documentation of the required immunizations, you will be denied admission to the University.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Programs

A bachelor’s degree is required to enroll in a master’s degree or graduate certificate program, and a master’s degree is required to enroll in a doctoral or postgraduate certificate program. Refer to your program’s policies for any additional requirements of this prior degree. You must provide an official transcript to the Office of the Registrar that shows completion of the required degree from an accredited institution, though an unofficial copy may be provided during the application process. If by the deadline you are unable to provide an official college transcript showing your prior degree completion, Purdue Global will attempt to use an unofficial transcript you provided during enrollment, and compare it to other official record sources, to confirm that the degree completion requirements for your program have been met. If the degree cannot be verified by 2 days prior to your scheduled start date, you will need to defer your start date.

If you are applying to a graduate program, you must have achieved a 2.5 grade point average or higher in your bachelor's degree. If you do not possess a 2.5 CGPA, you may be considered for admission based on other evidence of academic potential.

Acceptance to the University

Upon completion of all admissions requirements, Purdue Global administration will review the information and inform applicants in writing whether they have been accepted for enrollment.

If you are not accepted, you will have no financial obligation to the University. If you are participating in the Purdue Global Commitment trial period, you become financially responsible for any charges that you incur on your student account if you remain enrolled after the completion of the trial period. Questions regarding the admissions decision should be addressed to the Dean of the academic program to which you applied.

Returning Students

In order to reenter the University, you must:

  1. Meet all admissions requirements for the program you wish to enter.
  2. Complete all standard admissions procedures.
  3. Supply all required documents.
  4. Have a clear student account.

Reentry to the University may require additional approval by the Dean of the school you wish to enter or the Dean’s designee if:

  • You have a history of conduct or behavior issues or a poor academic record.
  • You are returning to a graduate program and will be unable to complete the program within 7 years of completing the first class.
  • You were not in good academic standing when you last attended the University.

If you were not in good academic standing in your prior enrollment, you may appeal to the Dean of the school you wish to enter. Your letter of appeal should explain the circumstances that caused you to fall below the academic standards, what corrective actions you have taken to ensure success upon returning to your studies, and your desired start date. 

If your appeal is approved, the approval will indicate the conditions of your return, including your status upon return and academic plan goals. If extenuating circumstances (e.g., death in the family, illness or injury, or other undue hardship) hindered your academic performance, then you may be approved to return academically eligible for financial aid in Financial Aid Warning (Academic Probation) status or Financial Aid Probation (Final Academic Probation) status. If you had not yet begun your Financial Aid Warning period in the last term of your most recent enrollment, you will be eligible to return on Financial Aid Warning for one term and continue on to Financial Aid Probation if you need more time to meet the academic standards and have met the term progress goals defined in your appeal approval. If you already began your Financial Aid Warning period, then you will return directly on Financial Aid Probation. If you did not experience extenuating circumstances, your appeal may still be approved if you have demonstrated that you have the academic potential to succeed upon return, but you may only be eligible to return in a financial aid ineligible status (Extended Enrollment). The Dean of the school will either confirm your desired start date or require additional time before you are allowed to reenter.

A denied appeal is considered final and binding. You may not reappeal unless new information is presented for consideration.