FAQs About Admissions

Yes! Financial assistance includes grants and loans as well as work study and fellowship opportunities. Approximately 95% of Radford University undergraduate students who apply for financial aid receive some form of financial assistance. Our priority FAFSA deadline is February 1; however, we will continue to award aid after this date as we are able. Visit the Financial Aid website for more information.

We offer campus tours daily Monday-Friday and many Saturdays. In addition to our in person tours, we offer a virtual tour that you can participate in from the comfort of your own home. To schedule your in person tour or walk through our virtual tour, check out our visit page.

We will release decisions for fall applicants beginning November 15. After this date, decisions will be reviewed on a rolling basis and applicants can expect a decision typically 2-3 weeks after their application is complete. 

Admission notifications are posted in our Highlander Portal and sent through postal mail. If your address has changed since you applied or you need us to resend instructions on how to activate your applicant portal, please contact us at admissions@radford.edu to update your information. 

The University Registrar's Office provides information for all Veteran benefits, including Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) benefits. We encourage prospective students to contact the Registrar's Office for information about the application of benefits. Please note: All Active Duty Service Members (including Guard and Reserve) must contact their Education Service Officer (ESO) or Education Counselor within their branch of service prior to enrolling in any college or university.

Fall Entry

We recommend freshmen applicants complete our free application during the fall semester of their senior year, prior to November 1. This will ensure the student is the most competitive for admission, scholarships and financial aid. 

• November 1 - Early Action (non-binding) Deadline for Freshmen Applicants
• February 1 - Regular Deadline for Freshmen Applicants
• March 1 - Priority Deadline for Transfer Applicants

Freshmen and Transfer applications are reviewed for Spring entry through December 1 as space allows. Freshmen and Transfer applications are reviewed for Fall entry through June 1 as space allows

Enrollment deposits for fall entry are nonrefundable after May 1 for new freshman and June 1 for transfer students.

Spring Entry

• November 1 - Regular Deadline for all Spring Applicants (Freshmen and Transfer)

Yes! Radford University offers an Honors College that students are invited to apply for based upon meeting certain criteria. You are automatically reviewed upon applying to Radford University. If you meet the admissions criteria, you will receive a follow-up email with application instructions. You can find out more information about Honors College here.

In addition to the Honors College, we offer several other optional academic programs that students can apply for such as Research Rookies and Living and Learning Communities.

Several of our performing arts majors- such as music and dance-require an audition in order to be accepted into the major. These audition dates can be found on their webpage by choosing the specific program in which you intend to major. 

Both the Accelerated Nursing and Medical Laboratory Science programs require faculty review of admission applications in addition to review by the admissions committee. Any additional documents required will be added to the application checklist in your Highlander Portal.  

Other academic programs do not require an additional application before enrolling but do require certain pre-requiste classes and an application later on in your education at Radford. 

After submitting your application to Radford University, you will receive an email within three business days that includes instructions on how to activate your Highlander Portal in order to check your application status, update your information, or submit documents. You can find more information on how to access your portal and check your application status here.

If it has been more than three business days and you have not received this email, please contact us at admissions@radford.edu or 540-831-5371

Radford University does offer direct admission to students who meet certain criteria. See the freshmen application requirements or transfer application requirements pages for more information about direct admission, as well as application guidelines. 

In addition to the application, freshman applicants should submit:

• High school transcript
• Test scores (optional)

Radford University does not require test scores for admission or merit-based scholarship consideration. You do not need an SAT or ACT to be considered for admission and will not be at a disadvantage if you choose not to submit test scores.

In addition to the application, transfer applicants should submit:

• Transcript from all colleges attended

Please note that we can use unofficial college transcript(s) for transfer application review, but an official copy directly from issuing institution is required prior to enrollment and for transferable credit review.

Freshman applicants are automatically reviewed for our merit-based scholarships through our Highlander Distinction Program. Students do not need to submit any additional information beyond what is required for their admissions application. Review for the Highlander Distinction Program is done year-round. Notification of a Highlander Distinction scholarship will be included in your admissions acceptance letter. 

Transfer students are automatically reviewed for the Virginia Transfer Grant and our Transfer Excellence Scholarship. More information can be found on our Transfer Application Guidelines page.

In addition, Radford University offers Foundation Scholarships that incoming students are eligible to apply for after being accepted to Radford University.

Learn more about what is waiting for you at Radford University!  Our admitted students page is the perfect place to get started. Here, you can find more info about how to confirm your enrollment as well as opportunities to connect with campus and other incoming students.