
Norfolk State University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or SACSCOC, to award degrees. Institutional accreditation applies to the university as a whole; it is distinct from accreditation that a particular professional program may hold.
This distinction matters in fields such as nursing, education, engineering, and social work, where program approval or accreditation can affect licensing, certification, or employer requirements. Applicants should verify the status of their exact program and intended credential with the relevant department and licensing authority. Institutional accreditation is also relevant to federal financial-aid eligibility and transfer-credit review, although another college decides whether individual credits satisfy its own degree requirements.
First-year applicants to Norfolk State generally apply with evidence of high school completion or an equivalent credential and a secondary-school transcript. Admissions reporting identifies the secondary-school record and GPA as required information. Recommendations are also identified as required, so applicants should check the current application instructions for who may submit them and how.
Norfolk State is not an open-admission institution, but its reported first-year admission rate was about 88% for the referenced admissions cycle. SAT and ACT scores were considered rather than universally required in that reporting. Only a small share of enrolled first-year students submitted either test, so score statistics describe test submitters, not the entering class as a whole. English-proficiency documentation may apply to international applicants, and certain majors may impose additional requirements. Applicants should use the requirements and deadlines for their own entry term and applicant category.
The reported undergraduate application fee for Norfolk State is $25. Applicants should confirm the charge displayed for their specific application before submitting it, since fees and application routes can change.
A fee waiver is different from financial aid awarded after admission. An applicant who cannot afford the fee should ask admissions about eligibility and the required waiver documentation before paying or submitting an application that requires payment. Transfer, graduate, and special-program applicants should check the instructions for their own application rather than assume the undergraduate fee or waiver procedure applies to them.
Norfolk State reports on-campus Army ROTC and Navy ROTC opportunities. Students considering either branch should confirm the current course and training arrangements with the respective ROTC staff, especially where activities are coordinated with other Hampton Roads institutions.
ROTC participation is not the same as receiving an ROTC scholarship. Scholarship eligibility, medical and fitness standards, citizenship rules, and any eventual service obligation depend on the branch and the student's participation or contract status. A prospective cadet or midshipman should review those terms before committing and ask how ROTC courses fit into the intended degree schedule.
Norfolk State accepts transfer applications and generally considers credits earned at other accredited institutions. Transfer students may enter in fall, spring, or summer, subject to the applicable admissions calendar. Applicants should expect to provide official transcripts from every college attended and check whether their circumstances also require high school records.
Admission and transfer-credit acceptance are separate decisions: a course may transfer without satisfying a particular major requirement. Norfolk State also reports accepting AP credit and certain examination credit, including CLEP and DSST/DANTES, under its credit-award policies. Before enrolling, transfer applicants should request an official evaluation showing how previous work applies to general education, major requirements, and the total credits needed for graduation. Program prerequisites and any minimum number of credits that must be earned at Norfolk State deserve particular attention.
Norfolk State students interested in studying abroad should begin with university international-program advising and their academic department. The central planning issue is whether courses taken elsewhere will receive advance approval and count toward the student's degree.
Options may differ in length, destination, provider, and availability from year to year. Students comparing a short-term experience with a semester abroad should ask who operates the program, how credits will appear on the transcript, what travel and insurance costs apply, and whether their financial aid or scholarships can be used. Advance planning is especially important in tightly sequenced majors or programs with required clinical and field placements.
13% of admitted students enrolled (1,305 of 9,871)
Regular application deadline
May 31Application fee
$25Early Decision
NoEarly Action
NoMedian composite SAT score
972Median composite ACT score
18Percent of students submitting ACT scores
1%Percent of students submitting SAT scores
9%High school completions
General Educational Development (GED) requiredComputer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution
YesSecondary school GPA
RequiredSecondary school rank
Considered but not requiredSecondary school record
RequiredCompletion of college-preparatory program
Considered but not requiredRecommendations
RequiredFormal 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
YesOrientation program
YesROTC-Army
ROTC branch unit on campusROTC-Navy
ROTC branch unit on campusStudy 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.