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How To Apply – First-Year Students

I am a First-Year* applicant because I can answer “yes” to all of the following statements:
  • I plan to enter Shenandoah in the summer or fall after graduating from high school.
  • I have dual enrollment college credits earned during high school.
  • I have never attended college since leaving high school, regardless of my age or if I ever graduated.

*Taking courses during the summer term immediately following high school graduation does not make you a transfer student.

Applying to SU is convenient! You only need to complete one:

Common App

Common App is an undergraduate college admissions application that applicants may use to seamlessly apply to any of more than 1000 member colleges and universities, including SU.

Start Your First-Year Fall 2025 Common App
term/classes begin August 2025

SU Application

Shenandoah University offers an application that can be accessed and submitted directly through our website. Students can begin and save their progress to return and complete at any time.

Start Your First-Year Fall 2025 SU Application
term/classes begin August 2025

Application Requirements

First-Year applications are reviewed holistically. SU invites applicants to supply all evidence to indicate their competence and eagerness to succeed in a demanding and exciting program of study.

Submit required items

  • Official high school transcript including senior year schedule. For transcripts to be considered official, they must be sent via:
    • A secure provider – i.e. Naviance, Parchment, SCOIR, etc.
      Shenandoah’s CEEB Code: 5613
    • Email from your School Counseling Office
    • US Postal mail—in a sealed envelope—from your School Counseling Office to the following address:
           Shenandoah University
           Office of Admissions
           1460 University Drive
           Winchester, VA 22601
  • Specialized requirements depending on the academic program of study 
  • Test scores are not required in the admission process at Shenandoah
Check out our Academic Program Booklets!
FY Booklets stack

Submit optional items

  • Activities Resume from high school – activities, awards, community service, work, and leadership positions
  • Letter of Recommendation
  • High School Counselor Recommendation
  • Personal Statement
  • Official Dual Enrollment transcripts

Application Deadlines

Shenandoah University practices Early Action and then rolling admissions for most undergraduate programs, which means that applications are accepted throughout the year, without specific application deadlines. After the initial Early Action deadline of November 4, when an applicant’s file is complete, an admission decision will be made within three weeks after all required admissions materials have been received. 

  • Priority consideration for Fall Semester Applicants: January 15
  • Priority consideration for Spring Semester Applicants: October 1

Academic Transcript

Applicants should complete a strong college preparatory schedule in high school including:

  • Three units of math, minimum (algebra I, algebra II, & geometry)
  • Two units of science (including one lab)
  • Students interested in health professions majors are encouraged to take four or more units of math and science
  • Two units of a foreign language, in the same foreign language. We encourage students to consider: those who complete four units of the same foreign language are exempt from foreign language requirements at Shenandoah University.

Other distributions of academics may be appropriate for some curricula and will be evaluated on an individual basis.

  • Average GPA for the admitted First-Year class of 2024 was 3.69
  • Middle 50% GPA for the admitted First-Year class of 2024 was 3.29-4.08

Home-Schooled Applicants

Home-schooled applicants are considered on the basis of:

  • Transcript/records of home-school curriculum including transcripts from any high school or community college work taken for credit
  • Optional: Official SAT or ACT test scores
  • Optional: Written documentation of local school district approval of the home-school arrangement

Based upon academic credential and test scores, applicants may be required to complete an interview or submit General Educational Development (GED) scores.

GED Applicants

Applicants may be considered for admission on the basis of the GED examination. To be considered, students must achieve a standard score battery average of 450 (total score of 2,250) or higher with no individual test score below 410. An admissions interview is also required.

Shenandoah University does not administer the GED examination. Interested applicants should consult the guidance department of a nearby high school for information about when and where the examinations can be taken.