Required Documents

• Application for Undergraduate Admission and application fee, if required
• Official high school transcript(s), including first quarter senior grades (transcripts deemed official only when sent directly to the Admissions Office from the high school)
• Copy of SAT or ACT scores if required (Worcester State offers a test-optional admission policy). Test results can be submitted directly to Worcester State from the testing agency or self-reported on your admission application. If English is not the student’s language, the submission of official TOEFL, IELTS, or comparable test scores are recommended (Worcester State Codes: CEEB Code #3524 ACT code 1914).
• Personal essay: recommended, not required

Dual Enrollment

Students who have completed dual enrollment coursework must send a complete listing of all dual enrollment courses which include course number, title and the number of credits if not already provided on the high school transcript, along with an official college transcript from the college after courses are completed.

To ensure you are prepared to succeed in college and at a Massachusetts public university, the University determines first-year student admission eligibility in accordance with the published standards established by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (MDHE). However, meeting these minimum standards does not guarantee you admission to Worcester State.

High School Unit Requirements (College Prep)

You must complete a minimum of 17 college-preparatory courses (each course is equivalent to a year-long high school class) as outlined in the table below to be eligible for admission:

Minimum Grade Point Average in Required Courses

The admissions committee is looking for students with an average GPA of a 3.0 or better. Students below a 3.0 GPA will still be considered for admission by demonstrating college readiness via their letters of recommendation, college essay, and resume. No student with below a 2.0 may be admitted to a state university.

SAT or ACT Test Requirement

Worcester State is a test-optional institution, and SAT/ACT scores are not required for admission consideration. Some exceptions may apply (homeschool students, international students, and some majors such as Nursing and Occupational Studies).

For students with GPA below a 3.0 that select to submit test scores, the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education Scale (seen below) sets minimum GPA and SAT/ACT admission criteria for state universities. Students that meet the combination of GPA and test scores are considered eligible for admission.

Worcester State will accept unofficial SAT or ACT scores as part of the admission process from applicants who have attended high school in the United States. The essay/writing scores are not required. Students may self-report their test scores on the Worcester State admission application or by providing a screenshot of their score report. Official test scores, while not required, include those sent directly by the testing agency or by a school counselor.

Accepted first-year students attending Massachusetts public high schools must present evidence of passing the M.C.A.S. prior to enrollment. A final, official high school transcript conferring the diploma will suffice for this purpose.

Effective for first-year students applying fall 2018 and beyond, Worcester State will no longer require the submission of SAT or ACT scores. By eliminating test scores, the University supports closing the “entrance” achievement gap for those applicants typically at a greater disadvantage. The admissions department’s focus in making admission decisions for first-year applicants will be on academic work and grade point average in high school, which research shows is a better predictor for academic success.

Learn More

Students that self-disclose a learning disability on the admission application must submit educational testing and assessment completed within the last three years and a copy of their IEP. Students with learning disabilities must still complete the required 16 college prep units with a minimum re-calculated GPA of 3.0. First-year student applicants with a language-based learning disability may substitute two alternate college prep electives for the foreign language course requirements. Applicants on a 504 must meet all Department of Higher Education requirements.

Student Accessibility Services

English as a Second Language (ESL) applicants must complete the 16 required college preparatory courses with two exceptions:

1. ESL applicants may substitute up to two college preparatory electives for the two required foreign language courses
2. ESL applicants may substitute up to two years of college preparatory ESL English courses for college preparatory English courses

Vocational-technical students must complete 16 college preparatory courses, distributed in the same manner and with the same minimum grade point averages required of other high school graduates, with the following exceptions:

• Two vocational-technical courses may be used to fulfill the 2 required electives
• Vocational-technical high school graduates who do not complete the 2 required college preparatory foreign language courses must complete an additional elective college preparatory course for a total of three such courses, and satisfy 1 of the following options:
  • Complete at least one Carnegie unit of foreign language
  • Complete a fourth Carnegie unit of mathematics or science, which need not be a laboratory course
  • Complete one Carnegie unit of computer science

Note: A Carnegie unit represents a full academic year of study or its equivalent in a specific subject.

This requirement will remain in effect until the Department of Education implements its requirements regarding foreign language study for vocational-technical students. At that time, vocational-technical applicants for admission to Worcester State University will be required to meet DOE requirements for foreign language study.

Students applying for admission more than three years after high school graduation, or who have completed the GED or HiSet, must show their ability to succeed in college based upon their high school and/or college transcripts. Students who do not complete high school, earn a GED or HiSet, and apply to college within three years of when their high school class graduated, are subject to the same admission standards as students applying within three years of graduation from high school.