Freshman Applicants

Apply via Samford Application Apply via Common Application

Our admission team wants to provide you with the most helpful information and resources during this process. Samford University will give freshman applicants the option to be evaluated without a test score for the 2024-25 application cycle. Learn more about our application options for fall admission.

Successful freshman applicants to Samford University are encouraged to provide the following:

Application

Samford offers an online application and also accepts the Common Application. The application fee is $40. We do not have a preference on which application you choose. All applicants receive the same review process.

Essay

Your essay should be 250 words minimum (one to two pages preferred). Students who apply via the Common Application do not need to submit an additional essay.

High School Transcripts

Official high school transcripts should be sent directly from your school. We will accept transcripts electronically via Common App, Docufide, E-script and Scoir. Applicants are also encouraged to submit a high school profile with their transcript.

Academic Recommendation

An academic letter of recommendation should come from a school counselor or teacher from your high school.

Official Test Scores

Samford currently superscores both the ACT and SAT for admission. However, we only superscore the SAT for scholarship eligibility. Please contact the testing agency to have your ACT and/or SAT scores sent directly to Samford.

Samford’s Code: ACT: 0016 SAT: 1302

Because Samford’s admission and scholarship process is holistic, we do not have set minimum scores for admission or scholarships. However, our middle 50% scores are 23-29 for the ACT and 1150-1380 for the SAT.

Beginning fall 2024, Samford will also accept the Classic Learning Test (CLT). If you have taken the CLT and wish to submit your scores for review, please do so via the CLT website

Important Note: Students will have an opportunity to choose a test optional application for fall 2024. You can make this choice on the online application or the Common Application.

Regardless of your choice, you will have to submit an appeal if you wish to change your initial response to the test optional question. No appeals will be granted once a student has received an admission decision for fall 2025. If a student has a test score on file but chooses to apply test optional, test scores will not be used in the evaluation process for admission or scholarships. Visit our apply options page for more information on our test optional criteria.

Transfer Students

Apply as a Transfer Student Birmingham-Southern Transfer Info

Transfer Application Timeline (Fall)

Transfer Application Timeline (Spring)

Admission Criteria & Requirements

Transfer students generally receive favorable admission review when they present a minimum cumulative 2.50 grade point average on all college-level course work, provided they have attempted at least 24 semester credits, or 36 quarter credits, at institutionally accredited colleges or universities. If you have fewer than 24 semester credits, please see High School Information below. Please contact the transfer admission counselor with questions.

In addition to the application, essay, and letter of recommendation, Samford also requires the following for transfer students:

College Transcripts

High School Information

Important Dates and Deadlines

We welcome transfer students at the beginning of any term. Although there is no formal admission deadline, applicants are encouraged to complete the process as soon as possible. Delays in the admission process could adversely affect other processes important to eventual enrollment, including advising, registration and financial aid. For application dates and deadlines, please see the transfer application timeline above.

Transfer students seeking to begin coursework in May, June or July should select "Summer" for their intended enrollment period.

For Students Entering Fall Term:

During the summer, Residence Life will assign housing—as available—on a first-come, first-served basis for traditional transfer students entering fall semester who have paid an enrollment deposit and requested on-campus housing.

The earlier you pay your enrollment deposit, the higher on the list you will be. Samford is committed to finding on-campus housing for every new traditional student who requests it, depending on availability.

For Students Entering Spring Term:

Housing assignments are made beginning in December as available on a first-come, first-served basis. The earlier you pay your enrollment deposit, the higher on the list you will be. Samford is committed to finding on-campus housing for every student who requests it, if available, but at this time, we can not promise that all transfer students will receive it.

Additional Information for Transfer Students

• Check Credit Equivalency
• Transfer Credit Information
• Transfer Scholarships

International Students

Apply via Samford Application Apply via Common Application

Undergraduate Applicant (Freshman)

• • Completed International Undergraduate Application
  • $40 application fee
  • Official government documentation (passport, visa)
  • Documentation for financial support (bank statement, minimum balance $50,260)
  • Translated and notarized transcript
    • If your high school courses were not taught in English
      • WES Course by Course Evaluation
      • ECE Course by Course Evaluation
  • Personal essay
  • Letter of recommendation
  • ACT/SAT scores (student may request waiver)

English Proficiency

• English proficiency tests required if your high school courses were not taught in English
  • Favorable admission will be offered to students with the following recommended scores
    TOEFL/TOEFL iBT: Samford’s test code for TOEFL is R1302.
    • iBT: 90 or above
    • Computer: 232 or above
    • Paper: 575 or above
  • IELTS: 6.5 or above
  • Duolingo: 120 or above

Undergraduate Applicant (Transfer)

• Completed International Undergraduate Application
• $40 application fee
• Official government documentation (passport, visa)
• Documentation for financial support (bank statement, minimum balance $50,260)
• Transcripts
  • Students who intend to transfer 24 or more credit hours are not required to submit a high school transcript.
  • Students with less than 24 college level credit hours are required to submit a high school transcript. Should any high school study be done abroad, a translated and notarized high school transcript is required.
  • If your high school courses were not taught in English
    • WES Course by Course Evaluation
    • ECE Course by Course Evaluation
• Personal essay
• Letter of recommendation
• ACT/SAT scores (student may request waiver)

English Proficiency

• English proficiency tests required if your high school courses were not taught in English
  • Favorable admission will be offered to students with the following recommended scores
    TOEFL/TOEFL iBT: Samford’s test code for TOEFL is R1302.
    • iBT: 90 or above
    • Computer: 232 or above
    • Paper: 575 or above
  • IELTS: 6.5 or above
  • Duolingo: 120 or above

Special Opportunities for International Students

Online Student Application

Continuing Studies Students

Students attending Continuing Studies programs have generally been out of high school for three years and have an average cumulative transfer GPA of 2.7 (2.0 minimum).

Continuing Studies Programs

Other Application Options

Transient Students

Transient students are students who are regularly enrolled in other colleges and universities yet desire to take courses at Samford. A transient student must submit a transient application and have all coursework authorized by the student’s primary institution.

Apply as a Transient Student

Readmit Students

Readmit Students are students that have previously attended Samford at any point in time and wish to re-enroll. You must submit the following in order to be reviewed:

• A readmission application along with official transcripts from each college attended since last attending Samford
• A letter of intent addressing why you left Samford, why you are looking to return and what transpired in the interim
• A phone interview in some instances

Apply for Readmission to Samford

Dual Enrollment

Dual enrollment courses are college classes taken in high school which might satisfy high school requirements and also earn college credit. Incoming freshmen may transfer up to 12 hours of dual enrollment credits that satisfy high school requirements. Additional dual enrollment courses that are not needed to satisfy high school requirements, and are taken above and beyond high school requirements, may be considered beyond the initial 12 credits, but not to exceed the maximum of 30 credits allowed.

Dual enrollment courses require a minimum grade of B- or higher to be accepted for credit.

An official transcript from an institutionally accredited college or university is required for dual enrollment credit to be evaluated and applied. Dual enrollment credit will not be evaluated from a high school transcript.

Additional documentation is required from the high school guidance counselor for dual enrollment credit that is taken above and beyond high school requirements. Contact the Office of Admission for more information about providing that documentation.

Students who take courses with both Advanced Placement (AP) exams and dual enrollment credit must meet the minimum requirements in either area to receive credit.

Dual Enrollment Evaluation Steps

1. Request that an official transcript from the college/university where you took course(s) be sent directly to the Samford Office of Admission. Send updated transcripts reflecting final grades for any coursework completed prior to enrolling at Samford (i.e. spring and summer coursework).
2. If the dual enrolled courses are not clearly notated on your high school transcript, you are required to send the Dual Enrollment form to your high school guidance counselor. On the form, he/she will need to note which courses were also needed to fulfill high school graduation requirements. Ask him/her to send the completed form to admission@samford.edu. Only e-mails sent from an official school account will be accepted!

Credit by Examination

AP, CLEP, DSST, and IB credit is awarded with the minimum exam score reported from the College Board, Prometric, or International Baccalaureate. Please refer to the Credit by Examination Policies section in Samford University’s Catalog for more information.

Credit earned with the minimum score required will be applied with a grade of “P” for Pass; no letter grade is applied. Credit hours are earned, but no grade or quality points will be included in the GPA calculation.

*AP=Advanced Placement; CLEP=College-Level Examination Program; DSST= DANTES Subject Standardized Tests; IB=International Baccalaureate

Enrollment

Once students have been notified of admission to Samford, a $250 nonrefundable enrollment/housing deposit must be submitted before May 1 to the Office of Admission. This can be done by either calling their admission counselor or logging into their Application Status Page.