Admissions Requirements

Clark University welcomes applicants for undergraduate admission regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, handicap, national origin or financial condition. Selection is competitive and based primarily on academic promise as indicated by secondary-school performance, recommendations, writing ability and extracurricular involvement. Standardized test (SAT, ACT) scores are considered when an applicant chooses to provide them, but are not required for US Citizens and Permanent Residents. Admissions decisions may also reflect consideration of the individual experience and particular circumstances unique to each candidate.

Entrance Requirements

A diploma from an accredited secondary school or G.E.D. equivalency is required for admission to Clark. The suggested academic preparation for successful candidates includes four years of English; three years of mathematics; three years of science; three years of social science; and two years of a foreign language (or American Sign Language); and other credit electives recognized in the secondary-school curriculum.

First-Year Admission

First-year applicants must submit their applications through the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Official transcripts for all secondary and post-secondary coursework must be submitted by the student’s high school or college. First-year applicants are also required to submit two letters of recommendation, one from an academic teacher and one from a school counselor.

International Admission

International students applying to Clark must submit their applications through the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Official transcripts covering the student’s prior three (full) years of education must be submitted by the student’s school. Two letters of recommendation are required, one from an academic teacher and one from a school counselor.

All applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit evidence of English proficiency either through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Duolingo, regardless of the length of time they have spent in the United States. The Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) necessary to obtain a student visa will be granted only after full admission and receipt of complete financial documentation (in the form of an official bank statement reflecting the student’s family’s financial resources).

Early Decision

First-year applicants who are certain that Clark is their first-choice institution are strongly encouraged to apply Early Decision (ED). Students who submit their complete applications by the November 1st (ED I) or January 15th (ED II) deadline will receive early notification of their admission decision in mid-December (ED I)/Mid-February (ED II). Because Early Decision is a binding agreement, any student admitted in the ED round must commit to enrolling at Clark by submitting a nonrefundable deposit and withdrawing any remaining applications to other schools by January 15 (ED I)/February 28 (ED II).

Early Action

First-year applicants who are ready to start their college applications at the beginning of senior year are encouraged to apply Early Action (EA). Students who submit their complete applications by the November 1 deadline will receive early notification of their admission decision in mid-January. Early Action is a nonbinding agreement, allowing admitted EA students to submit their enrollment deposits no later than May 1.

Regular Admission

First-year students who wish to apply for fall semester enrollment under our regular decision deadline must submit their applications and supporting credentials by January 15. (November1 for January admission.)

Transfer Admission

Clark welcomes applications for admission with advanced standing from students attending two-and four-year institutions. Transfer applicants must submit their applications through the Clark website. Applicants for fall-semester enrollment should submit their applications by May 1; spring-semester enrollment by November 1. All transfer candidates are required to submit evidence of good standing, complete transcripts of all previous academic work (secondary and post-secondary), a recommendation from a faculty member, and any other information requested by the Admissions Committee (e.g., course descriptions).
Normally, credit is given for academic courses in the liberal arts previously taken at regionally accredited colleges and universities and by advanced standing procedures, described above. No credit is given for grades lower than C. Evaluation of credits for college courses is made at the time of admission or upon receipt of final transcripts and is used in planning a program of study at the University. Up to 50 percent of Clark’s degree and major requirements may be awarded on this basis, and a minimum of two academic years at Clark is necessary for completion of degree requirements.

Standardized Test Scores

All US Citizens and Permanent Residents applying for first-year or transfer admission have the option of submitting standardized admissions test scores to be included in their admissions applications, but these results are not required. Students who choose to submit test scores may send either SAT or American College Test (ACT) scores for consideration.
All applicants whose first language is not English (regardless of citizenship or amount of time spent in the United States) are required to submit evidence of English proficiency, either through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Doulingo.

Admission Notification and Deposits

All notifications of admissions decisions are released electronically. Upon receipt of his or her application, the applicant will be given access to an online account for this purpose. First-year, fall-semester applicants who applied under the Early Action or Early Decision deadline will be notified of their decisions in December or mid-January; first-year applicants who applied under the Early Decision II deadlines will be notified in February; all other first-year, fall-semester applicants will be notified in March. All first-year, fall-semester admitted students who wish to enroll must submit a nonrefundable deposit to be paid no later than May 1, with the exception of Early Decision admitted students, who must deposit earlier. The deposit is credited toward first-semester charges. First-year, spring-semester applicants can expect to receive their admission decisions in late November with the deposit due within two weeks of notification. Transfer applicants are notified of their admission decisions on a rolling basis following submission of their applications, and will be notified of their deposit deadline when they receive their admission decisions.

Deferred Enrollment

An admitted student who wishes to postpone his or her enrollment for up to a year must submit a request through the defer request form available through Admissions by May 1. A nonrefundable deposit (credited toward first-semester charges) is required. A student who enrolls in a degree-seeking program in the interim may not defer enrollment but must reactivate his or her application and submit official transcripts for review.

Graduate Admission Policies and Procedures

Graduate Application Requirements

The first step in starting an application to a Clark graduate program is to review the program requirements for the degree the student plans to pursue.

Every program requires the submission of an online application and several supporting credentials (recommendations, resumes, writing samples, etc.). All applicants are required to hold a bachelor’s degree. We encourage all applicants to familiarize themselves with the requirements of the program they plan to pursue prior to starting their online application.

Required Materials (Master’s and Certificate Programs)