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Southern Connecticut State University

#474 in US ranking New Haven, CT
Type:
Public
Programs:
4 years or more

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Southern Connecticut State University award
Southern Connecticut State University award

Cost

Cost / year
$31,315
Tuition & fees
$13,438
Avg. aid
$8,712
Receiving aid
91%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
91%

Outcomes

Graduation rate
50%
Median salary
$44,942
1 yr after graduation

What is the accreditation of Southern Connecticut State University?

Southern Connecticut State University holds institutional accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education, or NECHE. Institutional accreditation evaluates the university as a whole rather than certifying that every individual degree meets the requirements of a particular occupation.

This distinction matters most in fields with licensing or specialized accreditation rules. Nursing, educator preparation, and other professional programs may have additional approval or accreditation requirements that differ by credential. Students pursuing a license should confirm the status of their exact program and the rules of the state in which they intend to practice. Institutional accreditation is also relevant to federal financial aid eligibility, but it does not guarantee that another college will accept a particular transfer course or that a licensing board will approve a degree.

What are the admission requirements at Southern Connecticut State University?

First-year applicants generally apply to Southern Connecticut State University with a secondary-school record and proof of high school completion or an accepted equivalent. The university reviews high school GPA and transcripts; class rank and recommendations may be considered but are not generally required.

SAT and ACT scores are neither required nor recommended in the reported admissions criteria. Among enrolled first-time students in the reported entering group, about 23% submitted SAT scores, so a score-submission figure should not be mistaken for a testing requirement. Applicants should check whether their intended major has separate prerequisites or a later, selective admission stage.

Southern is not an open-admission institution. For the reported first-year cycle, it admitted 8,052 of 8,803 applicants, an acceptance rate of about 91%. That figure describes a past applicant group, not an individual applicant's odds. International applicants may need to document English proficiency; TOEFL appears among the reported requirements. Deadlines and the accepted forms of proficiency evidence can vary by applicant type and term.

What are the application fees and waivers at Southern Connecticut State University?

The reported standard application fee for Southern Connecticut State University is $50. It is an application charge, not a tuition payment or a deposit that reserves a place in a class.

Applicants who cannot afford the fee should examine the waiver options presented in the application process or ask admissions about eligibility before submitting and paying. High school counselors can also help first-year applicants identify applicable fee-waiver documentation. Graduate applicants and applicants using a specialized program process should check the fee attached to their specific application rather than assume every application costs the same amount.

What types of ROTC programs are available at Southern Connecticut State University?

Southern Connecticut State University students have reported access to Army, Air Force, and Navy ROTC through cooperating host institutions, rather than through ROTC branch units operated by Southern itself. Cross-enrollment means that military-science classes, training, or both may take place away from Southern's campus.

A prospective cadet or midshipman should establish which host unit serves their chosen branch, whether its classes fit a Southern course schedule, and how travel and registration work. ROTC participation and scholarship selection are separate processes from admission to Southern. Scholarship recipients and students who commission can incur military service obligations; the applicable branch and host unit can explain the current terms before a student commits.

What are the requirements for transfer students at Southern Connecticut State University?

Southern Connecticut State University accepts transfer applicants for fall and spring and generally considers college credit earned at other accredited institutions. Transfer admission and transfer-credit acceptance are separate decisions: a student can be admitted without every previous course counting toward the chosen degree.

Applicants should be prepared to submit official transcripts from each college attended and to check whether a high school record is needed for their circumstances. Connecticut community college students may be able to use statewide transfer pathways or course-equivalency guidance, but the receiving program's requirements still matter. Southern also reports accepting certain CLEP, DSST, and American Council on Education credit recommendations; eligibility and the way that credit applies depend on university and program rules.

For an accurate graduation plan, a transfer student needs more than a total number of accepted credits. An official evaluation should show which courses satisfy general education, major, and elective requirements, along with any credits that must be completed at Southern. Students considering nursing, education, or another sequenced program should seek a program-specific review before assuming previous coursework will shorten their time to graduation.

What types of study abroad programs are available at Southern Connecticut State University?

Southern Connecticut State University offers ways to pursue academic study abroad, including opportunities that may differ in length, destination, and sponsoring organization. A short faculty-led course and a semester through an approved partner are different commitments in cost, credit planning, and time away from campus.

Students should seek academic approval before committing to a program, particularly when a course must satisfy a major requirement or a tightly sequenced degree plan. They should also ask how tuition, program charges, housing, scholarships, and existing financial aid would apply. Availability can change by term, and admission to Southern does not automatically secure a place in an international program.

Southern Connecticut State University Admissions Factors

Acceptance rate
91%

Acceptance rate vs. median

This school
91%
Connecticut
76%
US
78%

14% of admitted students enrolled (1,096 of 8,052)

Southern Connecticut State University Admissions

Applicants
Total: 8,803
Admission
Total: 8,052
Enrolled
Total: 1,096
Women
Men

How to Apply to Southern Connecticut State University

Application fee

$50

Southern Connecticut State University First-Year Students

Where first-year students come from

In-state: 994
Out-of-state: 95
International: 7

Freshmen vs. transfer students

Freshmen: 1,096
Transfer: 817

Southern Connecticut State University Admission Requirements

Percent of students submitting ACT scores

0.73%

Percent of students submitting SAT scores

22.81%

High school completions

General Educational Development (GED) required

Computer required

No

Computer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution

No

Secondary school GPA

Required

Secondary school rank

Considered but not required

Secondary school record

Required

Completion of college-preparatory program

Considered but not required

Recommendations

Considered but not required

Formal demonstration of competencies

Considered but not required

Admission test scores

Neither required nor recommended

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language

Required

Other Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)

Neither required nor recommended

Open admission policy

No

Dual credit

No

Credit for life experiences

No

Advanced placement (AP) credits

Yes

Special learning opportunities

Orientation program

Yes

Disabilities services

Yes

Off-campus study

Yes

ROTC-Army

ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institution

ROTC-Navy

ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institution

ROTC-Air Force

ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institution

Study abroad

Yes

Weekend/evening college

Yes

Student can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization

Yes

Preparation at another institution required

No

Approved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher

Yes

Southern Connecticut State University Transfer Acceptance Rate

Generally accepts credits

Yes

Accept ACE recommendation for credit

Yes

Possible transfer

Fall, Spring

Data last updated on November 2, 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.

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