Undergraduate Admission

Office of Recruitment and Admissions
Kansas State University
119 Anderson Hall
919 Mid-Campus Dr. North, Manhattan, KS 66506-0121
785-532-6250 

E-mail: k-state@k-state.edu
www.k-state.edu/admissions

General Admission Information

The Office of Recruitment and Admissions on the Manhattan campus supports all undergraduate students in the application process. Prospective undergraduate students interested in attending Kansas State University in Manhattan, Polytechnic (Salina), Olathe, or online may request information or receive communications from this office. 

Prospective undergraduate students may apply for admission by submitting an electronic application. 

To complete an application all necessary supporting documents and credentials must be sent directly to the Office of Recruitment and Admissions by mail, fax or electronically to be considered official. Official transcripts must be sent from each institution attended. Official test scores must be sent by the testing agency. 

All documents submitted become the property of the university and cannot be returned or copied. 

Various categories of admission are listed below which indicate specific academic admission requirements as established by the Kansas Board of Regents Qualified Admission regulations and university policy. 

Kansas State University prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex (including sexual harassment and sexual violence), sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, ancestry, disability, genetic information, military status, or veteran status, in the University’s programs and activities as required by applicable laws and regulations. 

The university may consider campus safety and the past conduct of prospective students when making admissions decisions. Prospective students who have person crime or felony criminal history, have been suspended or expelled from a previous institution, or are required to register with local law enforcement are required to be cleared by Admissions Conduct Evaluation Team before admission can be considered. 

Undergraduate Admission Application Fees

A non-refundable application fee of $40 is required for domestic applicants. Applications are not processed until the application fee is received.

Application fees for new students expire after one academic year if the student does not enroll and attend Kansas State classes. 

Exceptions to application fee 

• High school concurrent students: If a student has paid the fee AND attended class(es) at Kansas State during high school, they will not be required to pay it again.
• Readmission: If a student has paid the fee AND attended Kansas State as an undergraduate, they are not required to pay it again. 
• Waivers: Students with financial need can work with educators to provide a fee waiver. 
• Sponsorship: Various entities may sponsor application fees for students in special populations.

Glossary of Admission Terms

Apply for admission: The process of submitting the electronic application and supporting credentials so that an official determination of eligibility to attend the university can be made. 

Enrollment: The process of selecting courses and arranging a schedule of classes for the semester. 

Exception: A category of admission in which the student does not meet qualified or assured admission but is granted admission. 

Freshmen: High school graduates with no earned college credits after high school graduation. Students taking college-level work while in high school are considered new freshmen. 

Non-degree students: Students not pursuing a degree who have been admitted for specific purposes or at the discretion of a director. Generally, these students are limited to 15 hours of credit from K-State. Other restrictions may apply. Non-degree students are not eligible for financial assistance. 

Official test scores: Any results that are received directly from the testing service (ex. ACT, AP, CLEP, SAT, TOEFL). Scores noted on high school transcripts, personal reports, etc., are not official results. 

Official transcript: A transcript that is sent directly by mail, fax or electronically from the registrar of a credit-granting institution to the K-State Admissions Office. Personal grade reports or student copies of transcripts are not official records. 

Readmitted students: Any student who has previously been admitted and attended K-State courses at any time since high school graduation. 

Special students: Students not pursuing a degree but have indicated they intend to take more than 15 credit hours. Special students must meet all standard admission requirements. Special students may not be eligible for financial assistance. 

Transfer students: Students who have taken college-level courses after high school graduation. 

Freshman Admission Requirements 

Students categorized as degree-seeking freshmen may have different educational backgrounds. 

Students who attend/attended high school under the age of 21

Admission to the university is test-optional and requires achieving EITHER: 

• A cumulative high school GPA (weighted or unweighted) of 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale OR 
• ACT composite score/superscore of 21, or an SAT ERW+M score/superscore of 1060 or higher
• AND, if applicable, achieve a 2.0 GPA on all college credit taken in high school. 

Students who have completed a high school equivalency exam 

GED participants must meet the following based on when testing occurred: 

• Tested January 2014 or later: Have an overall score of 680 and minimum score of 150 on each subtest. 
• Tested between January 2002 and December 2014: Achieve a 2,550 overall GED score and at least 510 on each test. 
• Tested before January 2002: Achieve an overall score of at least 250 and a minimum score of 50 on each subset.  

HiSET participants who took the exam after January 1, 2014, must: 

• Achieve an overall score of 75 and a minimum score of 8 on each subtest. 

Homeschooled students 

Homeschooled students will be considered for admission on the same basis of ACT, SAT, or GED/HiSET scores. Students must submit scores and high school transcripts. Contact the Office of Recruitment and Admissions if you have questions about home schooling qualifications or requirements for admission. 

Adult students 

Students who will be 21 or older at the start of class and have graduated from an accredited high school or completed a high school equivalency exam (defined in preceding section), may be admitted to Kansas State University without meeting the state’s ACT/SAT score or high school GPA criteria. Adult students are required to have a cumulative college GPA of 2.0. 

Please note some majors use selective admission or have different requirements. See “Majors with Different Requirements” section.

Freshman application process

High school students are encouraged to initiate the application process early in their senior year by submitting a completed application and the nonrefundable application fee. Currently high school students are allowed to self-report academic information. But each student should also submit any official scores from the American College Test (ACT) or from the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). 

K-State accepts ACT results for purposes of making admission decisions. The ACT college code number for K-State is 1428. 

K-State accepts SAT results for purposes of making admission decisions. The SAT college code for K- State is 6334. 

Following graduation from high school, an official eighth-semester transcript showing the date of high school graduation must be submitted. High school equivalency exam results may substitute for a transcript. 

Transfer Admission Requirements

Students categorized as degree-seeking transfers may have different educational backgrounds. 

• Students who have earned college or university credit after high school graduation must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale from an accredited institution to qualify for admission to the university. 
• Students transferring fewer than 24 credit hours must meet the transfer and freshmen requirements for admission. 

Please note some majors use selective admission or have different requirements. See “Majors with Different Requirements” section.

Transfer application process

Application procedures require a completed application form, the nonrefundable application fee, and complete official transcripts from all previous colleges or universities. 

Transfer applicants who have earned less than 24 hours of transfer credit must also submit an official final high school transcript showing their graduation date and ACT or SAT scores. Information about institutions previously attended is required to be submitted upon application, and transcripts must be submitted regardless of the applicant’s preferences concerning use of previously earned credit. 

Applications that do not include all college work on the application for admission are considered fraudulent. See “Fraudulent Applications” section. 

All documentation must be sent directly to the Office of Recruitment and Admissions by mail, fax, or electronically from each institution attended. All documents submitted become the property of the university and cannot be returned or copied. 

The College of Arts and Sciences offers an option to enter the university without declaring a specific program of study. This Open Option program is limited to students who have earned less than 60 college-level credit hours. If you have earned 60 or more credit hours you must specify a major. 

Transfer Credit and Prior Learning

Most academic credits from regionally accredited community colleges and universities are transferable to K-State. Up to half of the hours required for a K-State baccalaureate degree can be taken at a two-year college. 

Official evaluation of transfer credit is part of the admission procedure. Application of transfer credit toward degree requirements is determined by each college and major department. See the complete transfer credit policy. https://www.k-state.edu/admissions/undergrad/manhattan/apply/transfer/transfer-credit-policy.html The university does not consider non-transferable work or transfer work from institutions that have not been regionally accredited in the admission decision. 

Kansas community college articulation

K-State has transfer articulation agreements with the 19 Kansas community colleges. Students who have received an associate of arts or an associate of science degree from a Kansas community college are guaranteed junior classification. 

All credits of an associate degree are not necessarily applicable toward a bachelor’s degree; additional freshman, sophomore, and general education courses may be required to meet degree requirements. 

The associate of applied science (AAS) and associate of general studies (AGS) degrees will only transfer into specific bachelor’s programs. Generally, these degrees will only apply toward bachelor degrees in areas related to technical occupations. 

Additional details

K-State implements decisions made by the Kansas Board of Regents’ Transfer and Articulation Advisory Council to ensure consistency of transferability. 

Specific information on college credit transfer, military credit transfer, and test credit transfer can be found on the university’s prior learning site. https://www.k-state.edu/prior-learning

Students with Unusual Academic Circumstances

Kansas State University realizes there are circumstances that may prevent students from meeting the freshman or transfer admission requirements. Students who have encountered unusual situations that may have kept them from meeting the requirements for admission should bring those circumstances to the attention of an admissions director. 

In some situations, a student who has not met the established admission requirements may be admitted. 

Admission by exception

Admission as an exception the freshman or transfer admission requirements is limited to 10% of the admitted pool for an academic year. Such offers of admission are based on past academic record (secondary and/or post-secondary GPA, test scores) and any other materials provided by the student for holistic review (personal statements or letters of reference). Exception admission decisions are based on space availability, past academic performance, and individual characteristics and achievements.  

Degree-seeking students admitted by exception are required to participate in special advising and retention programs. Students who do not meet these requirements may have admission revoked or be disenrolled. 

Readmission

Students considered for readmission are defined as any undergraduate student who has previously been admitted and attended K-State courses at any time since high school graduation, or any undergraduate student who was admitted to and attended classes after high school graduation. 

Students need to reapply and be readmitted if they have graduated from K-State and want to return for further undergraduate work, have not been enrolled at K-State for at least one fall or spring semester, or have been dismissed from K-State. There is no readmission application fee. 

A dismissed student will be readmitted only when approved for reinstatement by the academic standards committee of the college the student is attempting to enter; the application for reinstatement must be directed to the pertinent academic standards committee. In addition to the student’s application for readmission, the Dean’s office of the academic unit must submit a reinstatement form to the Office of Recruitment and Admissions. 

Graduate students who have attended graduate school at K-State or earned a K-State graduate degree but have never been an undergraduate student at K-State, must file an undergraduate application and pay the application fee. 

Special and Non-degree Student Admission 

Several categories of special and non-degree students exist at K-State. All students are subject to stated requirements and are responsible for payment of all fees, regular attendance at classes, and maintenance of satisfactory standing. Special and non-degree-seeking students are not eligible for financial assistance. Special and non-degree options are not available for international students on student visas. 

Non-degree-seeking student applicants

Some students may be admitted as non-degree-seeking students at the discretion of the Office of Recruitment and Admissions. Non-degree-seeking students must submit the admission application and application fee. These students will be allowed to complete a maximum of 15 semester hours in non- degree status. In order to pursue work beyond the 15-hour limit, students must notify the Office of Recruitment and Admissions of the selected degree program, meet all degree-seeking admission requirements as described above and may be required to sign an agreement specifying the terms of their admission as a degree-seeking student. 

Special student applicants

Students who do not intend to become candidates for a degree may apply for admission as special students. Such students must submit the admission application, application fee, test scores, and appropriate transcripts. Special student applicants must meet standard admission requirements. 

High school concurrent students

Outstanding high school juniors and seniors may be admitted to take courses while completing their high school requirements. High school students must submit an application, application fee, a recommendation from the high school, an outstanding high school academic record, and specify the courses in which they plan to enroll. 

Younger students may be granted admission under special circumstances. In addition to the documents mentioned above, students under age 16 must file a letter of consent from a parent/guardian and receive approval to enroll in the selected class from the K-State department offering the class. 

The university monitors the progress of all pre-college students very carefully. Students are approved for enrollment on the basis of space available in the selected class and success in prior university course work, if applicable.

International Admission

For purposes of admission, international applicants are defined as all persons who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States. 

Generally, international applicants seeking admission to Kansas State University must meet the same academic standards for admission as those required of domestic applicants. There are wide variations, however, between educational systems throughout the world that make exact comparisons of educational standards difficult. International applicants are selected on the basis of their prior academic work, probability of success in the chosen curriculum (as evidenced by prior work in the academic area involved), and certification of adequate financial resources. 

International applicants must submit a completed international application form; an $80 non-refundable application fee; translated secondary schooling records, or a credentials evaluation report and when applicable, translated college transcripts. 

In order to issue immigration documents (such as an I-20) for students, an affidavit of financial sponsorship and bank statement and also required. 

TOEFL/English proficiency

If you meet the academic requirements, Kansas State University may admit you with no proof of English proficiency. Once you arrive, you will be required to take the English Proficiency Test (EPT). The results of the English Proficiency Test (EPT) will determine if you have to study English, either full-time or part-time, or if you are ready to begin full-time university classes. 

English proficiency requirements for unconditional admission: 

1.Transfer students from a U.S. institution must have completed BOTH 

a. 24 credit hours at an accredited U.S. institution
b. English Composition I and II with grades of C or better 

2. IBT (Internet Based TOEFL) - composite score of 79 or higher
3. IELTS - composite score of 6.5 or higher
4. ACT - English part score of 21 or higher
5. SAT - verbal part score of 530 or higher
6. PTE - Pearson Test of English - overall score of 53 or higher
7. Eiken (Pre-1 Score)
8. DET - Duolingo English Test score of 110
9. Four years attendance in a U.S. high school with grades of C or better in all college preparatory courses

All standardized test scores must be submitted by the third day of class in order to waive English Proficiency Testing and English classes for the semester. 

***Score submission dates are NOT negotiable.*** 

Invalidation of Test Scores 

If a student does not have validated test scores or if the test score has been invalidated by the issuing institution, the student has the following options: 

1. Reapply for a different semester and submit other validated test scores prior to arrival. 

2. Take the English Proficiency Test upon arrival. 

Students will not be allowed to enroll in academic classes until validated proof of English proficiency has been shown. 

If the university determines a test score must be invalidated due to apparent fraud by the students, the student may appeal to the office of Honor and Integrity. 

Priority deadlines for international application 

• Feb. 1: Fall semester 
• Nov. 1: Spring semester 
• Feb. 1: Summer semester 

Advanced credit for international evaluation

The following methods are used by Kansas State University to validate the awarding of advanced standing credit for international students who have completed work in their home countries at the post-secondary level: 

1. Credit is granted based upon recommendation by recognized academic publications. For a credential evaluation to be accepted, the credential evaluation service must be a member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services). 

2. Validation by an academic department at Kansas State University. Students initiate validation of prior academic experiences through their college dean’s office. Validation by one of the following two options will be at the discretion of the credit-granting department: 

a. Course-by-course evaluation examination by comparable K-State academic department. 

b. The advisor and/or academic dean’s office makes a preliminary evaluation of the level a student has completed and begins the student at that level. Upon successful completion of that course, all related lower-level courses in that area, as determined by the department granting credit, would be validated and credit awarded. 

Enrollment requirements 

All new students whose primary language is not English must demonstrate English Language proficiency before completing enrollment for the first time at the university. This requirement applies to international and non-international, permanent residents, immigrants, transfer and non-transfer student alike. An assessment test of written and spoken proficiency is given by the English Language Program prior to each enrollment period. Based on results of the student’s proficiency, the director of the English Language Program may recommend one of the following enrollment options. 

1. Full-time study in the English Language Program until adequate proficiency is demonstrated. 

2. A combination of part-time study in the English Language Program and part-time study in the academic area until adequate proficiency for full-time academic study is demonstrated. 

3. Full enrollment in an academic program with no English language requirements.

Residency

Initial residency with regard to tuition categories is determined by the Office of Recruitment and Admission. Resident tuition classification is determined by criteria found in Kansas statutes and regulations of the Kansas Board of Regents. Students are responsible for providing information sufficient to support their applications for resident classification. 

Fraudulent Applications

An individual who intentionally withholds or provides fraudulent information on an application for admission or readmission may be subject to denial of admission, disenrollment, or immediate dismissal from the university. Such decisions will be made by the director of admissions or a designated admissions officer after a complete review and consultation with the appropriate academic unit. The individual has the right to appeal the decision within three business days by requesting a conference with the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management. The Vice Provost for Enrollment Management or a designee is authorized to hold the conference and issue a decision. 

Majors with Different Requirements

Admission requirements for different student types assure admission to the university but some majors and programs utilize selective admission or have established other criteria. 

K-State’s Global campus also offers online degree completion program which may have specific requirements including number of hours completed, pre-requisites completed, meeting application deadlines, etc. Please review each program’s admission requirements.