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Applying for Admission

Applications for the Fall 2023 Admission Semester are now OPEN

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, 2023.

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 2023 Admission Semester

You will also need the following materials to track your progress and to complete the required background check:

Admission Semester Checklist   Background Check Instructions

If you have questions or require assistance with a matter related to applying for the Admission Semester, please contact your COE advisor.

About Admission

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 or 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.

Admission Semester Requirements
Entrance
  • 45 earned credit hours
  • 2.75 or higher overall GPA (all transfer & NKU coursework combined) - OR - 3.00 or higher GPA in your last 30 attempted credit hours
  • Meet the entrance exam requirement through an approved combination of passing scores on the ACT and/or Praxis I Core Academic Skills for Educators exams*
    • ACT Comp. 22 -OR-
    • Reading (ACT: 20 -or- Praxis I: 150) and
    • Eng./Writing (ACT: 18 -or- Praxis I: 158) and
    • Mathematics (ACT: 19 -or- Praxis I: 144)
  • EDU 104 (min. grade: C)
  • PSY 100
  • Successful completion of a recent FBI criminal background check
  • Completed Teacher Education Admission Application

    *Minimum Praxis score is five (5) points lower for each subject exam if your overall GPA is 3.00 or higher

    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

Exit
  • 60 earned credit hours
  • 2.75 or higher overall GPA (all transfer & NKU coursework combined) - OR - 3.00 or higher GPA in your last 30 attempted credit hours
  • CMST 101 (min. grade: B)
  • ENG 102 or equivalent (min. grade: B)
  • Any Culture & Creativity gen ed course (min. grade: C)
  • Any Natural Science, Math & Statistics, or Individual & Society gen ed course (min. grade: C)
  • Admission Semester field experience course (min. grade: P or equivalent)
  • Successful completion of all required foundations courses for your major (e.g., EDU 300, EDU 305, EDU 313, EDU 316, EDS 360, etc,; min grade: C)
  • Three positive Dispositions & Professional Behaviors evaluations by professional educators
  • An acceptable portfolio
  • Approval of the Teacher Education Committee