You are considered a first-year student if you have not yet graduated from high school or have not yet completed any college courses since high school graduation at the point of application for admission.

College credit earned while in high school — through Running Start, College in the High School, other accelerated programs, or coursework at a local college or university — does not place you in the “transfer student” category.

First-year students follow the application procedures below:

• Complete either the SPU Application or the Common Application on the First-Year application page and submit it to Undergraduate Admissions along with your $50 nonrefundable application fee and the required SPU member section.
• During the first semester of your senior year, arrange for an official transcript to be sent by your most recent high school and any high schools previously attended, unless your current high school transcript provides previous coursework, credits, and grades. If you choose to attend SPU, you must also request that a final transcript be sent to Undergraduate Admissions by August 1.
• If you have completed college coursework while in high school and the coursework appears on your high school transcript, you are not required to submit official transcripts from the institutions of higher education when you apply for admission. However, in order to receive advanced standing credit and to be placed in the correct first-quarter classes, you should request that all colleges and universities you have attended send official transcripts to SPU Undergraduate Admissions before registering for classes during New Student Advising. Final official transcripts will be required from all colleges and universities you attended, and must be submitted by the 10th day of your first quarter at SPU.
• SPU is test-optional. You are welcome to submit official SAT-I or ACT score reports, if available.¹ 
• You have the option to submit a Teacher Evaluation form through the Common Application. Additionally, your college counselor can add remarks to the School Report when submitting your transcript. Both forms are part of the First-Year applications.

Homeschooled Students

If you are a homeschooled student, submit application materials as stated for all first-year students. When applying to Seattle Pacific, you will:

• Complete either the SPU Application or the Common Application, including the school report, completed by your parent or homeschool teacher.
• $50 application fee.
• SPU is test-optional. You are welcome to submit official SAT-I or ACT score reports, if available.¹
• High School transcript², including all courses completed, a grade and number of credits for each course, a cumulative unweighted GPA (4.0 scale), signed by a parent or homeschool administrator.
• Official college transcripts, if you’ve received dual credit toward high school from a college. 

¹

SPU’s SAT code is 4694; the ACT code is 4476.

²

Some applicants may be asked to submit a summary of their homeschool curriculum and reading list.

English Language Proficiency

All students must have a good command of the English language to be academically successful at SPU. You are considered a native English speaker if English is your first language or if both your primary and secondary education took place in Australia, Canada (other than Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, or the U.S. (other than Puerto Rico).

Regardless of citizenship status, if you are not considered a native English speaker you may be required to demonstrate English proficiency through one of the means listed on the English Language Proficiency Requirement page. If demonstration of English proficiency is necessary, you will be notified by Undergraduate Admissions.

International students are required to demonstrate English proficiency through one of the means listed under English Language Proficiency in the International Students section of this catalog, unless they meet one of the criteria listed above for native English speakers.