Requirements for admission to Columbus State University are designed to admit and place students in a manner that will ensure them a reasonable chance of success in college. The Office of Admissions reviews all examination scores and academic records. Applicants are notified if an interview is required. A student is considered for admission without regard to race, creed, sex, marital status, age, or national origin. Application forms may be obtained online at http://admissions.columbusstate.edu/.

When more applicants are eligible for admission than can be accommodated in programs with limited instructional space, such as nursing, applicants with higher probabilities of success are given preference. In addition, admission to some degrees or programs, such as Theatre, Music, or Teacher Education, is based on criteria beyond those stipulated for entrance to the University. Refer to the catalog section covering undergraduate academic programs for admission to specific programs.

Acceptance or denial of admission for each application is determined by the Office of Admissions and is subject to the right of appeal as provided in the bylaws of the University and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

Applicants must submit a formal application to the Admissions Office and a $40, non-refundable, application fee. Georgia residents 62 years or older and soldiers serving on active duty are exempt from this fee. Documentation to support the exemption will be required when the application is submitted. All applicants, with the exception of foreign nationals, must provide Social Security numbers (social security numbers are required for institutional purposes only) that can be obtained at any Social Security office. As required under the University System of Georgia policy, a completed certificate of immunization must be received before enrollment. Forms are available online at http://admissions.columbusstate.edu/forms/.

Admission credentials for priority processing must be filed on or before April 15 for the fall semester, September 15 for the spring semester, and April 15 for the summer term.  Official consideration is given to an applicant only after all credentials are received. Ordinarily, application processing requires three to four weeks. Applicants who wish to defer their entry date to the University should submit an Admission Application Change Form found at http://admissions.columbusstate.edu/forms/. After a year, a new application and all official transcripts must be resubmitted if the transcript is not already on file.

Students furnishing Columbus State University with false, incomplete, or misleading information relating to their application or academic record will be subject to denial or dismissal.

Entrance Examinations

• An applicant with fewer than 30 semester hours of transferable credit from a regionally accredited college or university must submit either an official SAT score report produced by the College Board or an official ACT report produced by the American College Testing Program. An official score report is secured by placing the Columbus State University code (5123 for the SAT and 0807 for the ACT) on the appropriate section of the SAT/ACT registration form.

Optional Examinations

• Applicants who are placed into pre-requisite learning support English/Math course(s) have the option to take the ACCUPLACER exam.  The test results will determine whether students can be exempt from the required learning support courses.  The exam must be taken before registration.   These exams are administered by the Columbus State University Testing Center, (706) 507-8020, students can register at https://www.columbusstate.edu/testing-center/contact.php. 

Official Transcripts

• Official transcripts of previous academic work are required. Applicants should request that the registrar of each college and university attend mail transcripts to the Admissions Office, Columbus State University. Applicants seeking admission as entering freshmen and transfer students with fewer than 30 semester hours of transferable credit (excluding non-traditional sources) must also request an official transcript from their high school verifying the date of graduation and the type of diploma awarded. Transcripts received from other institutions become the property of Columbus State University and will not be released to the student or a third party.
• General Educational Development (GED) A General Educational Development (GED) test certificate will be considered in lieu of a high school transcript for non-traditional applicants. Applicants whose high school class graduated fewer than five years before the semester of enrollment must meet additional requirements (such as completion of College Prep or Required High School Curriculum courses) as a traditional entering freshman.