Required Documents

Each freshman applying to Murray State...

• must submit an application for admission with a $30 application fee.
• must have a high school transcript mailed directly to Admissions Services from the applicant’s high school counselor; (If currently in high school, the transcript must include a list of courses being taken in the senior year.)
• must have an official ACT score report sent to Admissions Services
• and must provide any documents requested by Admissions Services to verify residency for tuition purposes.

(Transfer applicants who have earned fewer than 30 semester hours of degree credit must also submit the documents indicated above, and official college transcripts. To be admitted, an applicant must have a minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.00 on a 4.00 scale and meet the criteria indicated on this page.)

To be considered for admission each applicant must have received or be receiving a high school diploma or a GED certificate before the term for which he/she is applying. Those individuals who were not graduated from accredited high schools may be required to have a GED.

Note: The state of Kentucky requires each freshman to enroll in a subject-specific developmental course if the student’s ACT score in English or mathematics or reading is 17 or below. Additional developmental courses may be required by MSU before a student will be permitted to advance to entry-level courses.

Admission Criteria

The following criteria will be used in making an admission decision:

A. Completion of the following pre-college curriculum:

• English I, II, III and IV (or AP English)
• Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry
• 1 life science, 1 physical science and 1 earth/space science (one of these must have a lab)
• any 3 of the following:   US History, economics, government, world geography or world civilization
• ½ unit of health
• ½ unit of physical education
• 1 unit of history and appreciation of visual/performing arts
• 5 electives
• For students graduated from high school in 2004 or later, two units of one foreign language

Note: Kentucky residents under the age of 21 must complete the state-mandated pre-college
            curriculum. All other applicants must complete a comparable college-preparatory curriculum.

B. Ranking in top half of graduating class or cumulative GPA of 3.00 or above.

C. ACT composite of 18 or above.

Admission Status

An applicant who meets the requirements in A, B and C will be admitted.

All other applicants will be reviewed for possible admission as follows:

• An applicant who meets A, has a minimum ACT composite of 14, and meets the requirement in either B or C will be "admitted with conditions," which include a course-load limit of no more than16 hours a semester and a requirement to complete the following before becoming a sophomore:

• Pass FYE 098 Orientation and ENG 101

• Complete any required developmental courses or any courses required due to pre-college
  curriculum deficiencies.

• For spring and summer terms only, a resident of Kentucky or the Tennessee counties of Henry, Obion, Stewart or Weakley who has a minimum ACT composite of 14, but who does not meet the criteria for "admitted" or "admitted with conditions" will be considered for "admitted with restrictions" status. Students admitted with restrictions will be limited to 16 hours each semester and will be required to do the following:

• Satisfactorily complete an 8-hour required block of classes (FYE 098, ENG 095, REA 095 and COM 161) with no more than two (2) attempts. (If a student enrolled in these block courses completely withdraws from MSU for that term, that attempt will not be counted as one of the two attempts.) These block courses are only available during summer and spring terms, on a limited basis.

• Be recommended for advancement by the director of MSU’s Community College.

• Complete the requirements for "admitted with conditions" as stated above.

 Approved by the Board of Regents 9-27-02

Admission Application

• Freshman Online Admission Application (On-line Fee Payment)

• Admission Application (download .pdf)

• High School Transcript Request (download .pdf)

Other Important Applications

• Housing Application

• Scholarship Application

• Financial Aid Application