If you plan to enroll in the admission semester courses for your major, please be sure to complete the online application as soon as possible. Students are encouraged to apply even if there are some requirements that have not yet been completed, as long as those items are on track to be finished before August 1, 2025.
If you applied for admission in a previous semester and were deferred or chose not to move forward, you will need to complete a new application.
Apply for the Fall 2025 Admission Semester
You will also need the following materials to track your progress and to complete the required background check and EPSB account:
Admission Semester Checklist Background Check Instructions
EPSB Account Creation Watermark Account Instructions
Students must create an EPSB account in order to be admitted. You can do so in a few short steps by visiting the link above. Before creating an account, please search to see if you already have an account. If you do not, follow the prompts to create your new account. Please use your NKU email address.
If you have questions or require assistance with a matter related to applying for the Admission Semester, please contact your COE advisor.
The Kentucky Education and Professional Standards Board (EPSB) sets minimum admission standards that must be met by students before they may enter a teacher preparation program. At NKU, that means that all students pursuing teacher education begin as pre-majors, and are only admitted to the program after meeting the admission requirements. All field experiences and most pedagogy courses for teacher education are restricted to students who have been admitted to the program, so this process is a vital step on the way to completing the bachelor's degree.
The entire semester-long process is referred to as the Admission Semester. As part of that process there are entrance requirements and exit requirements that must be met in order to proceed. These requirements are outlined below, and your advisor is equipped to serve as your expert guide to completing everything successfully, on-time, and in the correct order. We can help you to interpret and understand what's expected of you. We have resources to assist with raising your test scores or your GPA. We can help you plan courses for future semesters so that you understand when your admission semester should occur and what you need to accomplish between now and then.
*Minimum Praxis score is five (5) points lower for each subject exam if your overall GPA is 3.00 or higher.
*Passing ACT scores must be less than ten (10) years old at the date of admission to the teacher education program. Your date of admission occurs at the end of a successful admission semester, not at the beginning.
For the fall Admission Semester the deadline to meet the above requirements have have them on file with the COE is August 1
For the spring Admission Semester the deadline to meet the above requirements have have them on file with the COE is December 1
Registration for EDS 360, EDU 313 and Admission Field Experience (EDU 303, 307, 309, 311 or 334) may only be completed after all above requirements are met. Seats in the admission courses are limited. Therefore, to ensure the best course selection get your requirements completed early! Work with your COE advisor to ensure proper enrollment.
Northern Kentucky University
Mathematics Education Psychology Center
Nunn Drive
Highland Heights, KY 41099
Local: +1 (859) 572-6069
Email: coedean@nku.edu
