Adult Applicants
Students who have not previously attended a college or university after high school graduation, and graduated high school more than two years ago or are age 20 or older.
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Learn about the application process
Before you begin the application process, review what materials you need to submit, the optional application essay and other helpful information.
Are you transferring? If you have previously attended a college other than UofL (not including dual credit completed during high school), please apply to UofL as a Transfer Applicant.
Quick admissions decisions
The University of Louisville admits students on a rolling basis, so once you submit your application, you can expect to hear about our admission decision within a week.
Applying to UofL
The first step is to apply to UofL, which requires an application and a non-refundable $30 application fee.
There are two ways we categorize students: degree seeking and non-degree seeking. Based on your goals and reasons for returning to school, we will first want you to decide if you are seeking a degree.
I want to pursue a degree
If you have decided to pursue a degree, your first route may be to apply as a transfer student. This means you have never attended UofL, but have previous college work.
- Transfer student: you will need to complete a transfer student application and request all official transcripts from every institution you have attended.* For directions on how to request your transcripts, please see our Senior Citizen FAQs.
- Once admitted, you will be required to complete orientation and academic advising before you can register for classes.
If you previously attended UofL, you will want to apply as a returning student.
- Returning student: as a returning student, you will not need to request your UofL transcript. There are two applications for returning students:
- If you last attended courses within less than 2 years, you will want to complete a request to reenroll.
- If you have previously attended courses as a senior citizen and sat out a semester, please complete a request to reenroll as well.
- If you last attended courses 2+ years ago, you will need to complete a new application for undergraduate admission.
- If you last attended courses within less than 2 years, you will want to complete a request to reenroll.
I do not want to pursue a degree
If you have decided not to pursue a degree, you will want to complete one of the two applications:
- Continuing Studies: this only requires an application (no transcripts needed). While the admissions process is much quicker, you will be restricted to registering for 100-level courses only. If you decide to pursue higher level courses, you will need to seek the permission of your professor and the department before you can register.
- To apply, please complete a Continuing Studies application.
- Post-baccalaureate: students who are looking to take higher-level courses (200+) may want to apply this route. We require an application as well as your official transcript showing your bachelor’s degree, meaning it could take minimum 7 business days before you are admitted. The benefit of providing your transcript is that we can use it to show you have completed the pre-requisites for your intended courses; the disadvantage of this status is that you will be charged an additional Arts & Sciences fee each semester.
- To apply, please complete a Post-baccalaureate application.
- For directions on how to request your transcripts, please see our Senior Citizen FAQs.