Successful candidates complete the following minimal program in high school (each unit is equivalent to one academic year of study):
Seattle University offers the distinct advantage of considering freshman applicants for direct admission to specific majors. Accordingly, there are specific additional requirements for admission to certain majors.
* Applicants to the College of Science and Engineering must complete 4 units of college preparatory mathematics for admission to any of its specific majors. (Students who have only completed three units may be considered for pre-science). Applicants to the College of Nursing must complete three years of college preparatory mathematics to be viable candidates.
Applicants to the Albers School of Business and Economics must complete 3 units of college preparatory mathematics to be considered for admission. Please see below for test score requirements.
Applicants to the Sport and Exercise Science program must have 4 units of college preparatory mathematics, including the equivalent of precalculus. Applicants must also complete laboratory biology and chemistry to be considered for direct entry.
Applicants to the Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science program must have 4 units of college preparatory mathematics, including the equivalent of precalculus. Applicants must also complete laboratory biology and chemistry to be considered for direct entry.
** Applicants for engineering majors and Diagnostic Ultrasound must complete laboratory physics and chemistry. Please see below for test score requirements.
**Applicants for Biology, Biochemistry and Chemistry must complete laboratory biology and chemistry to be considered for admission. Please see below for test score requirements.
***Applicants to the College of Nursing must complete a full year each of laboratory biology and laboratory chemistry. Please see below for test score requirements.
First time in College Applicants to the MRC Humanities program who do not currently attend a consortium school must show assessment in one of five academic areas: English, mathematics, U.S. History, fine arts, or laboratory science. The following options note the methods through which these assessments may be met:
Applicants should submit their college transcripts or exam scores to Seattle University with their application materials. Prospective students should indicate coursework or exams that are in progress under the "Additional Information" section of the Common Application.
Please note that the Humanities in Teaching and Humanities for Leadership majors are available to all applicants without any additional requirements.
Please refer to the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate policies in our policies section.
If an applicant has a gap in education of 5 or more years, they may be asked to establish a current academic record at another college or university prior to applying for admission at Seattle University. In addition, recent prerequisite coursework may be needed to apply to specific majors. Please contact your Admissions Counselor for more information.
Applicants whose native language is other than English must demonstrate English proficiency regardless of length of residency in the U.S., their citizenship or their immigration status. For information on how to demonstrate proof of English proficiency, please visit our policy page.
Seattle University uses the highest sub-scores on both the ACT and SAT Reasoning test when making admission and scholarship decisions and in the advisement and course placement of first time freshmen. Since we use the highest separate scores from different test administrations (e.g., the highest evidenced-based reading and writing and the math scores from the SAT; the highest English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning sub-scores from the ACT) we strongly encourage students to provide Seattle University with all their results from all administrations of the ACT and or SAT.
Although it is not required for international students to submit the SAT or ACT, the Admissions Office recommends international students take either exam and submit their scores. SAT or ACT scores are also required for international students to be eligible for merit scholarships.
Test scores must be received from first-time freshman applicants no later than November 15 for those applying for early action and no later than January 15 for those applying for regular admission consideration.
Seattle University offers Direct Entry for students who have selected a major at the time of application. For instance, if a student indicates “Nursing” on the Common Application, that student will be considered for admission to Seattle University in the Nursing program. If admitted, that student will be eligible to begin taking classes—or pre-requisites—in the Nursing program from the start of their enrollment at SU. Students who have not yet selected a major should contact the Admissions Office to learn more about our Premajor, Pre-Business, Pre-Science and Pre-Engineering programs.
Some programs require minimum test scores for Direct Entry consideration. Those majors include:
| Redesigned SAT Math Score Minimum | Old SAT Math Score Minimum | ACT Math Score Minimum | |
| All majors in the College of Science and Engineering* | 570 | 540 | 24 |
| Nursing | 570 | 540 | 24 |
| All majors in the Albers School of Business and Economics | 540 | 520 | 23 |
| Sport and Exercise Science | 570 | 540 | 24 |
| Business and Law | 640 | 620 | 27 |
| Business (all other majors) | 550 | 520 | 23 |
| Forensic Science (B.S.) | 570 | 540 | 24 |
*with the exception of Pre-Science and Pre-Engineering
Please note that students who do not meet the qualifications listed above may still be admissible to the university and ultimately able to pursue majors listed above (with the exception of Nursing). Please contact the Admissions Office for more information (admissions@seattleu.edu).
