Admission to the University

Los Angeles Pacific University is committed to the principle of lifelong learning and accessibility to higher education. LAPU invites applications from students who have a passion to learn and to make a difference in the world. Applicants must abide by the policies, standards, and regulations at LAPU and respect the ideals, principles, and traditions it upholds as a Christian institution of higher learning.

To be eligible for admission to LAPU, students must submit a graduate application, and an official transcript that demonstrates evidence of completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale from a college or university accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. If the cumulative GPA is less than 3.0, the most recent 30 graded semester credits (or 45 quarter credits) will be evaluated to satisfy the graduate entrance requirement. These 30 graded credits completed will be utilized for a GPA calculation which must equal or exceed 3.0. The last 30 graded credits from an accredited university must be baccalaureate, post-baccalaureate, or credentialed courses. Provisional admittance may be granted to individuals who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement.

There may be additional admissions documents required specific to the student’s graduate program of choice. Please refer to the program’s section in the LAPU Academic Catalog or speak to an enrollment counselor.

Students completing an undergraduate degree at LAPU may be admitted as a graduate student no earlier than the start of the semester following their degree conferral.

For all programs, admission is not guaranteed, and LAPU reserves the right to deny admission.

LAPU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, disability, or status as a veteran.

Admissions Petition

There are two circumstances that require applicants to submit an admissions petition: applicants dismissed from LAPU or from another school, and applicants whose GPA falls significantly below the admission minimum (3.0).

• Applicants dismissed from LAPU or other academic institutions are required to submit an Admissions Petition addressing the dismissal(s).
• Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 are required to submit an Admissions Petition if requested.

The Admissions Committee will review the petition and may ask for additional documentation before reaching a final decision; the student will be notified of the committee’s decision to approve or deny the request.

Please contact your enrollment counselor for specific instructions.

Admission Status

• Regular
  Applicants who are granted regular admission to the university are fully accepted without restriction and are considered to be in good standing. They are permitted to continue in this classification as long as they maintain a satisfactory grade-point average (3.0) and continue to meet the general standards established by the university for admission and graduation.
• Provisional
  Applicants who are granted provisional admission are fully accepted, but are required to achieve a status of good standing by the end of their first semester of enrollment in order to continue to take courses in the program. Good standing status is achieved by maintaining a cumulative local GPA, or most recent semester GPA, of 3.0 or better.
• Conditional
  Applicants who are granted conditional admission are accepted through Friday of Week 1 of the session. This status is revocable if all remaining admission requirements are not completed by Noon PT on Friday of Week 1.

Policy Regarding False Information

Students are advised that admission is contingent upon the truthfulness of the information contained in the application. Discovery of false information subsequent to admission is, at the university’s discretion, grounds for immediate dismissal at any point in the student’s course of study. Such dismissal shall result in forfeiture of all charges paid and academic credits earned. The full fraudulent records policy may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar.

Transcripts

Applicants are responsible for submitting an official transcript from the accredited college or university from which they received their most recent baccalaureate or higher degree. An official transcript is one that LAPU receives through the authorized electronic transcript submission process or unopened in an envelope sealed by the issuing institution(s) that bears the official seal of that college or university. LAPU reserves the right to request that the transcript be sent directly from the issuing institution(s). A final transcript, including the conferral of the degree, must be sent following graduation for final acceptance to occur. The transcript and other documents submitted as part of the application remain the property of the university and cannot be returned to the student or forwarded in any form to another college or university.

Evidence of Proficiency

There are no required pre-admission tests for applicants to Los Angeles Pacific University. However, STAT 280 or its equivalent may be a prerequisite course for specific programs. Please refer to the program or speak to a program representative for additional information.

If required by the program, students must present evidence of completion of STAT 280 with a grade of C- or higher, or its equivalent. Such evidence may include an official college transcript verifying successful completion of the prerequisite course (Applied Statistics), or an Advanced Placement Exam (AP) statistics score of at least 3. Official documentation must be received by the Office of the Registrar before registering for PSYC 670, PSYC 690, or PUBH 520.

International Admission

Currently, Los Angeles Pacific University only accepts international students (1) through formal partnerships with other universities or organizations or (2) who are eligible to receive U.S. federal student aid and have a social security number. See Partnerships for a list of current partnerships. An international student is defined as any individual not holding permanent U.S. residency or citizenship. 

All applicants who are not participants in a formal LAPU international partnership and are not U.S. citizens are required to submit current and unexpired documentation of permanent U.S. residency to determine admissions eligibility. In order for an admission and acceptance decision into a particular session to be made, the verification documents submitted must be valid (not expired) for the full duration of the semester. Please contact your enrollment counselor for specific instructions and a full list of approved verification documents.

Notification of Admission

Los Angeles Pacific University follows a procedure of rolling admission, which means that a prospective student may submit a completed application at any time. Submitting an application for a specific start term does not guarantee admission or acceptance for that term.

Los Angeles Pacific University accepts academic credits transferred from other colleges or universities according to the following criteria:

• The college or university must be an institution of higher education accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. These accrediting bodies mandate assessment and other quality control systems that give LAPU a high level of confidence in their programs.
• Students must have completed the transferred courses within the past seven years and earned a minimum grade of B-. Courses taken more than seven years previously may be considered.
• LAPU can give credit for up to one-third of the total program credits for previous coursework toward a graduate degree.
• The transferred courses must apply to a LAPU graduate degree program as the equivalents of required courses (i.e., providing a similar knowledge base and/or competencies).
• Enrolled LAPU students who would like to transfer coursework from another university into LAPU must submit a Transfer Inquiry Form to the Office of the Registrar and receive approval before registering for a class at another institution
• An official college transcript must be submitted to LAPU via an authorized electronic transcript submission process or unopened in an envelope sealed by the issuing institution in order for such coursework to be evaluated for transfer of credit.

The registrar in consultation with the assistant dean will evaluate previous college work to determine its relevance to the requirements of LAPU. A credit summary will be sent to the student showing those courses that have been accepted on transfer and those courses that still need to be taken to fulfill the applicable program’s graduation requirements. Only courses where a grade of B- or above has been earned can be considered for transfer of credit.

International Institutions

All international transcripts must be translated by an agency that is a member of either the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE) which will provide a Degree/Transcript Equivalency Report.

Veterans’ Education Benefits

Los Angeles Pacific University is an approved degree-granting institution recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Eligible veterans and their dependents seeking educational training may qualify to use Title 38, chapters 30, 31, 33, 35, and 1606/1607. Refer to the Department of Veterans Affairs for eligibility criteria.

Veterans’ Information Bulletin

Responsibilities of a Veteran or Other Qualified Recipient:

1. To attend class
2. Understand that benefits may terminate due to Unsatisfactory Progress.
3. When you stop attending a course, you must notify the campus Certifying Official of your last day of attendance.
4. Understand that if you do not notify the campus Certifying Official that you stopped attending a class, the first day eligible for a “W” will be used as the reporting date to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
5. Report to the campus Certifying Official when you receive an “F” if the “F” was earned or because you stopped attending class. If you stopped attending class, you must report the last day of attendance to the campus Certifying Official.

Loss of Veteran Certification Due to Dismissal or Excessive Probation

A veteran shall be subject to the loss of certification and the cessation of future funds from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs if the veteran’s cumulative academic work falls into one of the following categories:

1. The veteran has been academically dismissed.
2. The veteran has had more than 50% of credits attempted with a “W,” “I,” NC,” or “No Pass” for three consecutive semesters.
3. The veteran has been on academic probation (below a 2.0 cumulative GPA) for three consecutive semesters.

Veterans who are in any of the three above categories will be subject to dismissal as well as loss of certification. Veterans who receive all W grades for one semester will be issued an unsatisfactory progress warning. Veterans who receive all W grades for a second subsequent semester will be administratively withdrawn from the university.

Re-Application Process

Re-application after Academic Dismissal

A Veteran who has been dismissed for academic reasons may petition to return to Los Angeles Pacific University after a one-semester break. The petition must state:

1. Intentions to maintain acceptable academic standing.
2. Strategies for probable success.

Veterans’ Student Bill of Rights and Considerations Prior to Enrollment

This document is provided for enrolling veterans and eligible persons when using GI Bill education benefits at a private postsecondary institution approved for training of veterans by the California State Approving Agency. This is provided for informational purposes only and is intended to give you guidance in order to optimize the use of your VA education benefits:

• You have the right to investigate training alternatives. Be aware that tuition charged by institutions offering similar training programs can vary greatly. You may also seek payment of GI Bill benefits for other types of training or career objectives, including Apprenticeship/OJT and Entrepreneurship.
• You have the right to fully explore a program prior to enrolling. You may check out the school’s facilities and equipment, inquire about instructors’ qualifications and class sizes, observe a class, and talk to current students. You may also ask to contact recent graduates to learn about their experiences with the school.
• You have the right to check with the Better Business Bureau, or other consumer protection agency, to find out if complaints have been filed against the school. You also have the right to verify the school’s standing with any accrediting association and/or licensing agency.
• You have the right to clear information about the value of the training. Are the credits transferable to other institutions you may attend in the future? Will the training satisfy requirements for employment, or is it necessary for the position you are seeking?
• You are entitled to clear data about the program’s success rate. The institution will provide you with the completion and placement rates for the most recent years for which data is available. You will be given the definition of a “placement,” including the length of time in the position. You will also be provided with the average starting salary.
• You are entitled to a clear statement of the total cost for completion of the program, including tuition, equipment and fees.
• You are entitled to a clear explanation, without coercion, of all financial aid options, before you sign up for any student loans.
• You are responsible for paying off a loan whether or not you complete the program. Failure to pay off a loan can lead to financial problems, including inability to get a future loan or grant for another training program, inability to get credit to buy a car or home, or garnishment of wages through the employer. You must begin repayment of the loan in accordance with the terms detailed within the financial aid documents.
• You have the right to read and understand the contract, and all other materials, before signing up.
• You are entitled to a clear explanation of the school’s cancellation/withdrawal policy and procedures, to understand how to withdraw or cancel, and be informed of any financial obligations you will incur.
• You are entitled to a clear explanation of the school’s refund policy, which can vary greatly. If you withdraw from a course after the first day of class, an overpayment of VA benefits can result. It is not uncommon for schools to charge the entire tuition cost at the point when you have completed just 60 percent of the program. If an overpayment is assessed, the VA will send you a debt letter for the cost of the training you did not receive. For example, you may drop at the 60 percent point, and be asked by the VA to repay 40 percent of the cost of the tuition. A debt related to payment of the housing allowance may also be assessed. Ensure that you review the school’s refund policy to understand the consequences of withdrawing before the end of the term.
• You have the right to contact the California State Approving Agency at www.calvet.ca.gov/csaave or the state consumer protection agency if you are unable to resolve a complaint with the school.

Non-Degree-Seeking Graduate-Level Learners

LAPU offers access to non-degree-seeking students, allowing them to take up to four courses, based on availability. Prerequisites for the courses must be met.

• Post-baccalaureate degree-holders
• Degree-seeking students at other institutions on official visiting or exchange status
• Those wanting to take a course for professional development or a separate certification or license

• Those considering graduate education

Financial Aid

The only type of Financial Aid available for non-degree seeking options is Alternative/Private Loans.

Re-admission and Re-enrollment

In the event that a student withdraws from Los Angeles Pacific University or leaves for any reason for more than one year (three full semesters), that student must reapply to the university. Students who are dismissed are eligible to reapply after being away for one full semester. Any student re-enrolling in LAPU after an absence of more than one year (three full semesters) will be subject to new catalog requirements. Military members who are called to active duty or fulfill other uniformed service obligations will be readmitted to the university with the same academic status from when they last attended.