Admission Requirements

ADMISSIONS
Admission requirements for non-degree and degree-seeking students are outlined below. Personnel from the Graduate and Adult Admissions Office assist students through the admission process. If you have questions or need further information, contact the staff by telephone at (800) 762-5990 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  

Non-Degree Student Admission
Some students take single courses at SGPS for purposes of personal enrichment, earning Contin-uing Education Units (CEUs), or completing degree requirements at another college or university. Such non-degree students complete a simple 1-page application form, enroll in the desired course, and pay the appropriate tuition fees. There is no separate application fee for non-degree students.

If students later decide to pursue a degree or credential from Hope, then they must complete the standard admission process (described below).

Degree or Credential Program Admission
Undergraduate Admission Requirements (A.A. or B.S.). Entrance into an undergraduate degree program is normally based on the following criteria:

Submission of a completed application form and application fee ($40 non-refundable). Along with basic information, the application asks students to provide:

• A 75-100 word response to the following question: “How will studying at Hope International University further my personal, professional, and educational goals?” This response is used for purposes of academic advising.
• Contact information for two persons familiar with the applicant’s personal character and professional experience, who may serve as references. For Christian Ministry Majors, at least one reference should be from a church or service organization.
• Submission of official high school transcripts indicating completion and a minimum cu-mulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4-point scale, a General Education Diploma (GED) indicating a minimum score of 47, or 12+ units of college coursework with a minimum 2.0 GPA.
• Submission of official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended.
  NOTE: Students may enroll in SGPS undergraduate programs without any prior college coursework. However, students may not start their Major Course Sequence until they have completed at least 24 college units, including English Composition. (SGPS recommends 49 units prior to the Major.) Students may earn such credits at the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, or they may complete the requirements elsewhere. For policies re-garding transfer credits and credit by examination, see below under “Academic Regula-tions.”
• SGPS does not admit students who have been placed on academic suspension, or disciplinary probation or suspension, by another educational institution (including Pacific Christian College) within the past 12 months.
  Any applicant not meeting the above-stated requirements may petition for special consideration by the SGPS Admissions Committee (see below under “Acceptance Process”).
  Graduate Admission Requirements (M.A., M.B.A., M.Ed., M.S.M. or Credential). Entrance into a graduate degree program is normally based on the following criteria:
• Submission of a completed application form and application fee ($40 non-refundable). Along with basic information, the application asks students to provide:
• A 250-500 word response to the following question: “How will studying at Hope International University further my personal, professional, and educational goals?” This response is used for purposes of academic advising.
  NOTE: Marriage and Family Therapy applicants must complete a faculty interview and a Comprehensive Career Statement.
• Reference letters from two persons familiar with the applicant’s personal character and professional experience.
• Submission of official transcript from a regionally accredited college or university, or other approved institution, confirming completion of a bachelor’s level degree with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4-point scale.
• Submission of official transcripts from additional schools if students wish to use transfer credits from those schools to fulfil SGPS prerequisite or degree requirements.
• Education students seeking the SB2042 Preliminary Single Subject Teaching Credential or SB2042 Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential must also meet the following admission requirements:
• Passing score on the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST)
• Passing score on all three sections plus the writing component of the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET)
• Fingerprint/Livescan
• CCTC Certificate of Clearance
• CPR/First Aid Certification

For further information and an application packet, please contact an admissions counselor by telephone at (800) 762-5990 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

• SGPS does not admit students who have been placed on academic suspension, or disciplinary probation or suspension, by another educational institution (including Pacific Christian College) within the past 12 months.
  Any applicant not meeting the above-stated requirements may petition for special consideration by the SGPS Admissions Committee (see below under “Acceptance Process”).
  International Students. In addition to the application materials mentioned above, international students must submit the following documents no later than eight weeks prior to the start of the Hope program: (For online forms and instructions, see http://apostolicschooloftheology.org/ast/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38&Itemid=53l.)
• Transcript Translation and Evaluation. Transcripts from colleges or universities outside the U.S. must be accompanied by an English translation and detailed evaluation completed by an independent agency specializing in foreign academic credentials (at the applicant's expense). Information and request forms are available from the Registrar and SGPS.
• English Proficiency. International students must submit proof of English language profi-ciency in the form of either the required TOEFL score (Test of English as a Foreign Lan-guage) or required IELTS score (International English Language Testing System) earned within five years of the admission date:

SGPS English Language Proficiency Standards
Full Acceptance Provisional Acceptance
TOEFL paper-based test 550 500-549
TOEFL computer-based test 220 181-219
TOEFL internet-based test 86 71-85
IELTS (other programs) 6.5 overall band score
6.0 sub-score 6.0 overall band score
IELTS (MFT program) 7.0 overall band score
8.0 speaking score 6.5 overall band score
7.5 speaking score

Students admitted on a part-time basis, may take one course per session, provided that they are concurrently enrolled in 4.5 units per week of English language instruction in Hope’s Institute for International Studies (IIS) and maintaining a GPA of 3.0. Students’ classifica-tion will change from provisional acceptance to full acceptance when they earn the required TOEFL or IELTS score, or when they fulfill the requirements of the exemption policy (be-low). All other requirements must be met, including the minimum GPA for the Hope degree program.

International Students may apply for a waiver of the English proficiency requirement if one of the following conditions is met:

• The student is from a country or region which has English as its official or educational language.
• The student has successfully completed higher education studies in an English- speaking country or institution.

Any waiver application must be approved by the Director of Graduate and Adult Admis-sions, the Department Chair, and the Dean.

• I-20.  International students must complete the I-20 Application for an F-1 student visa ob-tained from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
• Financial Arrangements. All costs for the trimester are due in full at the time of registration, including the $110 (first trimester) and $55 (second and subsequent trimesters) International Student Fees. Students must submit an Affidavit of Financial Support form and a corres-ponding official bank statement indicating a balance equivalent to one full year’s educational expense, including room, board, tuition, and fees.
  Hope reserves the right to require one full year’s tuition before issuing an I-20. At minimum, and as part of funding verification, the University requires an initial deposit totaling 50% of a full year’s tuition for the student’s chosen program. This deposit will remain on the student’s account until he or she arrives at Hope, and it will be used to pay tuition costs for the first year. The deposit will be refunded in full if the student is not issued a visa. If the student is unable to attend, the money will be refunded after the arrival date on the I-20 has passed and the I-20 has been returned to Hope.
  Monthly Payment Plan Option. Students may elect to pay academic expenses through an interest free monthly payment plan. The annual enrollment fee is $60 per year or $30 per trimester. There are no other fees or costs. However, late payment fees may be charged. Students should contact the Student Accounts Department to enroll, and they should com-plete enrollment by August 1st.
• Insurance. All International students are required to enroll in the Student Accident Insurance Plan, which provides medical coverage for sickness and accidents. Dependent coverage is available as an option. International students are automatically enrolled in the Hope student health insurance plan. A brochure listing the current year premium and extent of coverage may be requested from the Office of International Student Programs.
• Immunizations. Written proof of the following immunizations is required for all International students attending Hope: Tetanus/Diphtheria (current in the past 10 years), Measles/Mumps/ Rubella (two dates needed), Polio, Hepatitis A (two dates needed), Hepatitis B (three dates needed), Mantoux Tb skin test, Menomune (Meningococcal, one dose within the past year) within the past year. If records are not available, then these immunizations are required upon enrollment at Hope. Immunizations received after arrival at Hope must be obtained at the student’s expense.
  For further information concerning International Student requirements contact International Stu-dent Programs at 800-762-5990 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  Application Procedure. You may contact the Graduate and Adult Admissions Office at any time to receive further information about programs or to determine your eligibility (1-800-762-5990 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . For an online application form, instructions, and other materials, see http://apostolicschooloftheology.org/forms/application/sgs_app_pkt.pdf.
  Acceptance Process. Once applicants’ files are complete (application, application fee, references, and transcripts), the SGPS Admissions Committee (consisting of the Dean, the Assistant Registrar for SGPS, and the Director of Graduate and Adult Admissions) evaluates those files and notifies students of their Acceptance Status.
• If the Committee determines that applicants meet the admissions requirements, and that their chosen SGPS program is an appropriate fit for their educational and professional goals, then the Director of Adult and Graduate Admissions sends a letter granting “full admission.”
• If applicants meet all admission requirements except for the academic criteria, then the Committee may grant “probationary admission” according to the following policy:
• Applicants to undergraduate programs must hold a 2.0 high school GPA or a 1.75 college GPA based on 12+ units of study. Probationary status will be removed when the student has completed 9 trimester units with a 2.0 GPA. A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required for graduation with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
• Applicants to graduate programs must hold a 2.5 undergraduate or graduate GPA. Probationary status will be removed when the student has completed 9 units with a 3.0 GPA. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation with a master’s degree or credential.
  The Committee does not grant “probationary admission” automatically, but only when evidence indicates that students have the ability to succeed in their chosen program.
• For planning purposes (e.g. tentative enrollment counseling and academic advising, and fi-nancial aid estimates), the Director may grant “provisional acceptance” based on unofficial transcripts. In such cases, the student’s status automatically shifts to “full admission” or “probationary admission” if official transcripts confirm the information found in the un-official transcripts.
  Official transcripts are crucial for determining students’ academic classification (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior), the levels of financial aid for which they may qualify, and their remaining degree requirements. Without them, students may take courses they do not need, or they may pay more than necessary by losing financial aid. Accordingly, SGPS protects students by not allowing them to begin coursework until their application files are complete.