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Students Applying from Secondary School

All students currently in secondary school interested in applying for first-year undergraduate admission must apply online using The Common Application and complete the full application with personal essay.

There is no application fee for John Carroll associated with The Common Application. The essay is part of The Common Application form and is not a separate requirement.

In addition, the following credentials are required:

  • Official high school/secondary school transcripts.
    Copies/scanned emails from a school official will be accepted if they are original certified copies and scanned in color. Important: In cases where transcripts are in a language other than English, the original transcripts should be submitted along with a certified English translation.
  • Common Application School Report and/or Common Application Counselor Recommendation including grading scale.
  • Official test results
    International students are required to submit results of standardized tests from one or more of the following test(s):
    TOEFL (preferred minimum scores: paper-based 550, Internet-based 79)
    IELTS (preferred minimum score: 6.5)
    SAT (middle 50% range of old SAT: critical reading 500-600, mathematics 510-610, writing 480-590)
    ACT (middle 50% range: composite 22-27, average 25)
    TOEFL, SAT – JCU testing code: 1342
    ACT – JCU testing code: 3282
    Scores must be submitted directly from the test center or from a certified school official. We are not able to accept scores that are sent by the student.
    *Students not meeting our preferred minimum testing requirements may be asked to complete an additional in-person or Skype interview for admission consideration.

Students Applying from Another University

If you have already taken courses at another community college, college, or university since graduating high school/secondary school, you’ll need to submit a transfer application.

Deadlines for Application:

Fall (August) Semester

  • International Priority Deadline: February 1
  • Rolling Deadline: May 1

Spring (January) Semester

  • Apply by October 1

Admission Requirements

Admission to John Carroll University is competitive and based on many factors. We focus on what is known as a “holistic” admission process and consider all these factors in making our decision:

  • Your classroom performance and grades
  • Your written and verbal abilities
  • Your test scores

The sum of all these factors helps us make a decision about your admission to the University. The offer of admission to John Carroll comes with our confidence in your ability to succeed here.

At JCU, we are looking for well-rounded people who challenge themselves both in and out of the classroom and are ready to share their time, talents, and experiences with others.

The process of reviewing applicants for admission to John Carroll is not decided by any one factor. It is not based just on a test score or a certain grade point average. We have many qualified students that apply. We consider all of the credentials that you submit that make you a unique applicant to our University.

In many U.S. admission programs (especially private universities), you will hear the phrase “holistic review” often. This simply means that admission to the university is based on a large number of factors and that all of the materials you submit (grades earned, the curriculum you have taken, testing results, your writing ability, your activities and interests) impact our decision to offer admission. We try to find students that we know will succeed academically and socially at John Carroll. Our faculty teach courses that are very discussion-based and interactive, which requires you to form opinions and share experiences. We look for evidence of those abilities in each applicant.

Testing and grades clearly help us determine your success but many other factors are considered: the major/field of study you are considering or your outside interests and activities. We want to make sure you will add to the life of our campus, join organizations, and be a productive member of our community. This is typically called your “fit” to campus, like a hand in a glove, to make sure you will enjoy success in and out of the classroom.

GCE and IGCSE A-level Results – British and Cambridge Advanced Level examinations are well established and internationally recognized. At John Carroll University, credit is awarded for A-level examinations provided certain requirements are met. In order for students to be awarded credit, they must submit to John Carroll their official A-level score results accompanied by appropriate subject descriptions. Ideally a syllabus of the courses should also be provided. Credit is awarded on a selective basis.

For more information on how course credit is evaluated, including Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or college coursework completed, please visit our credit evaluation page.