Admissions and Regulations
High School Preparation
Completion of a college preparatory program in high school is expected for admission of freshmen. Minimum high school unit requirements are as follows:
| Subject Area | Units Required |
| English | 4 |
| Algebra | 2 |
| Geometry | 1 |
| Laboratory Science | 2 |
| American History | 1 |
| World History or World Geography or European History | 1 |
| A single foreign language | 2 |
| Visual/Performing Arts | 1 |
| Total Hours | 14 |
Applicants who have deficiencies in any of the above areas may be denied admission. Those who are admitted with deficiencies will be required to take courses which will not apply toward their college degrees. For further details, see the section entitled “Conditional Admission” below.
In addition to the minimum high school unit requirements listed above, students should plan high school courses of study that will prepare them for their specific areas of interest. In particular, four years of college preparatory mathematics are recommended for students considering majors in science, medical technology, engineering and other mathematics related fields. Engineering majors are also advised to take 3 units of science including physics.
After admission, UTC freshmen take placement tests in reading, writing and mathematics to determine whether they will need to enroll in developmental courses prior to college level courses. Taking a strong college preparatory curriculum in high school will help students do well on these placement tests.
Types of Admission
Two categories of admission for applicants under 21 years of age are described below. Special requirements for adult students (21 years of age or older) are described in the section entitled “Adult Freshman Admissions.”
Regular Admission
Regular admission will be granted to graduates of approved high schools* who meet one of the following two descriptions:
1. A high school grade point average of at least 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) and a minimum score of 17 on the Enhanced ACT (810 SAT) and completion of all 14 high school units listed above.
OR
2. A high school grade point average of at least 2.00 (on a 4.0 scale) and a minimum score of 21 on the Enhanced ACT (980 SAT) and completion of all 14 high school units listed above.
*Approved high schools are those approved by the State Department of Education or by the regional accreditation association. In the case of graduates of high schools that have not been so approved, regular admission will be granted to applicants with a high school grade point average of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, and a score of 21 on the Enhanced ACT (980 SAT) and completion of all 14 high school units.
Conditional Admission
Students who do not qualify for regular admission are eligible for conditional admission if they meet the following minimal requirements:
- Completion of the 14 high school units listed above;
- Minimum high school grade point average of 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale);
- Minimum score of 17 on the Enhanced ACT (810 SAT);
- High school graduation or acceptable high school equivalency diploma (45 on the General Education Development test).
Applicants with extenuating circumstances who fail to meet conditional admission requirements will be considered for conditional admission on a case-by-case basis by the Faculty Admissions Committee. Students who wish to be considered for conditional admission should do so in writing to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Students admitted with high school unit deficiencies will be required to remove their deficiencies by taking specified courses within their first 42 hours of enrollment. Credit earned in such courses does not apply toward any degree requirements, including general education, major or elective requirements. Students admitted with a high school deficiency in American history are required by Tennessee law to complete 6 semester hours of college-level American history (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 549-3253).
Freshmen admitted on condition must earn at least a 1.0 GPA during their first semester at UTC or suspension will result. If a student is placed in developmental courses, the institutional grade point average will be used to determine continuation. The cumulative grade point average will be used for continuation standards of all other students. In addition, they may be subject to one or more of the following conditions:
- reduced course credit load;
- specific course requirements;
- specific academic advisor;
- specific program of developmental studies;
- enrollment in summer programs designed to improve academic skills.
Adult Freshman Admission
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga encourages applications from adults who are 21 years of age or older. Adult freshmen applicants are expected to submit official high school transcripts, including type of diploma and date of graduation, but do not need to submit ACT or SAT scores. Applicants may be asked to take UTC placement examinations to help demonstrate their academic preparedness for college. Applicants with high school equivalency diplomas are expected to present a score of at least 45 on the General Education Development (GED) test.
Admission decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis by either the director or designate of the Admissions Office using all available evidence, including applicant’s post-high school experiences. In addition, students may be subject to one or more of the following conditions:
- Reduced course credit load;
- Specific course requirements;
- Specific academic advisor
- Specific program of developmental studies.
