
Austin Peay State University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, commonly called SACSCOC, to award degrees. Institutional accreditation applies to the university as a whole; it is not a separate endorsement of every major.
That distinction is particularly important in fields leading to certification or licensure. Programs such as nursing, education, and business may have additional specialized accreditation or approval relevant to a student's goals. Applicants should check the current status of their specific program and, for licensed professions, the rules of the state in which they plan to practice.
Institutional accreditation is an important condition for participation in federal student aid programs. It can also matter when students seek to transfer credits or enter graduate study, but neither accreditation nor completion of a course guarantees that another institution will accept particular credits.
First-year applicants generally apply through Austin Peay's undergraduate admissions process and submit a high school transcript showing graduation, or an accepted high school equivalency credential. The university considers secondary-school academic records and GPA; it does not operate an open-admission policy.
Institutional admissions reporting characterizes SAT and ACT scores as considered but not required for general admission. Applicants should nevertheless check current rules for scholarships, placement, or a particular academic program before deciding whether to send scores. School rank, recommendations, and completion of a designated college-preparatory program are not listed as general requirements in the reported admissions criteria. Among enrolled first-time students who submitted an ACT score, the reported median composite score was 21; that is a description of score submitters, not a minimum for admission.
Austin Peay admitted 6,104 of 6,331 first-time applicants in the reported admissions cycle, an acceptance rate of about 96%. A high admission rate does not remove transcript, eligibility, or program-specific requirements. International applicants may also need to document English proficiency; reported criteria identify TOEFL as a required measure. Application dates and document deadlines can vary by term and applicant category, so applicants should use the admissions instructions for their intended entry term.
The reported undergraduate application fee for Austin Peay is $25. An application fee is paid to process an application; it is distinct from tuition, housing charges, and any later enrollment costs.
Applicants who may qualify for a fee waiver should determine how to request one before paying or submitting an application that requires payment. Eligibility and procedures can depend on applicant category or a designated application promotion, and a paid fee should not be assumed refundable. Transfer, graduate, and international applicants should check the instructions attached to their own application rather than assume every category uses the same fee.
Austin Peay has an Army ROTC unit on campus. Reported ROTC arrangements also identify an Air Force ROTC opportunity through a cooperating host institution, rather than an Air Force unit operated on the Austin Peay campus.
That difference can affect travel, class scheduling, and where leadership training takes place. Students considering Air Force ROTC should confirm the current host arrangement and cross-enrollment process before building a semester schedule. ROTC participation, scholarship eligibility, and commissioning are separate decisions: scholarships have their own selection requirements, and accepting one or entering the commissioning track can carry a military service obligation. Applicants should obtain the applicable branch's current terms before committing.
Austin Peay accepts transfer applicants and generally considers college credit from other accredited institutions. Transfer students can enter in fall, spring, or summer, subject to the deadlines and course availability for their intended program.
Applicants should submit official transcripts from each college attended and check whether their previous credit history also triggers a high school transcript requirement. Admission to the university and acceptance of individual courses toward a major are different decisions: a course may transfer as elective credit without replacing a required course. GPA standards and additional admission rules can apply to particular programs.
Austin Peay reports accepting several forms of assessed learning for possible credit, including CLEP, DSST/DANTES, and credit evaluated under American Council on Education recommendations. Tennessee transfer pathways may also help students moving from participating community colleges, but students should compare a pathway against their intended major's current degree plan. An official credit evaluation and a degree audit provide a more useful answer than a general assurance that credits transfer.
Austin Peay offers routes to study abroad through international education programming, including opportunities that may involve faculty-led travel or study arranged with partner programs. The length, destination, and academic credit available depend on the particular offering.
Students should obtain academic approval before paying for a program: the important question is not simply whether a trip awards credit, but whether that credit meets a major, general education, or elective requirement. A short faculty-led course may be easier to fit around a tightly sequenced degree than a semester abroad. Financial aid, scholarships, passport and visa costs, and program fees should be reviewed separately because ordinary campus expenses do not necessarily describe the cost of studying overseas.
27% of admitted students enrolled (1,677 of 6,104)
Regular application deadline
August 5Application fee
$25Early Decision
NoEarly Action
NoMedian composite ACT score
21Percent of students submitting ACT scores
53%Percent of students submitting SAT scores
1%High school completions
General Educational Development (GED) requiredSecondary school GPA
RequiredSecondary school rank
Neither required nor recommendedSecondary school record
RequiredCompletion of college-preparatory program
Neither required nor recommendedRecommendations
Neither required nor recommendedFormal demonstration of competencies
Neither required nor recommendedAdmission test scores
Considered but not requiredTOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language
RequiredOther Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)
Neither required nor recommendedOpen admission policy
NoDual credit
NoCredit for life experiences
YesAdvanced placement (AP) credits
YesDisabilities services
YesROTC-Army
ROTC branch unit on campusROTC-Air Force
ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institutionStudy abroad
YesWeekend/evening college
YesStudent can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
YesPreparation at another institution required
NoApproved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher
YesGenerally accepts credits
YesAccept ACE recommendation for credit
YesPossible transfer
Fall, Spring, SummerData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.