Thomas Aquinas College

What is the accreditation of Thomas Aquinas College?

Thomas Aquinas College holds institutional accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission, commonly called WSCUC. That accreditation applies to the college as an institution; it should not be confused with a separate professional accreditation for a particular major.

Institutional accreditation is relevant to federal student-aid eligibility and is commonly considered when students apply to graduate schools or seek to transfer credit. It does not mean that another institution must accept a particular course, or that the liberal arts degree satisfies requirements for a licensed profession. Because the college offers a single liberal arts degree rather than professional programs such as nursing or engineering, applicants pursuing a regulated career should check that profession's educational requirements separately.

What are the admission requirements at Thomas Aquinas College?

Admission to Thomas Aquinas College is selective rather than open enrollment. Applicants should expect to submit a school record, information about their academic preparation, recommendations, and the college's application materials.

In its 2024-25 admissions reporting, the college listed a secondary-school GPA, school record, college-preparatory coursework, recommendations, and admission-test scores as required. Applicants should check the current application instructions before deciding whether to take or send the SAT or ACT, since testing policies can change between reporting years. The college reported a median SAT composite score of 1275 among enrolled students who submitted SAT scores; that is a description of one entering group, not a minimum for admission.

The same reporting counted 272 first-year applicants and 226 admits, an acceptance rate of about 83%. That rate does not tell an individual applicant whether their preparation fits the college's demanding, prescribed reading-and-discussion curriculum. Applicants with a GED or another high-school-equivalency credential should confirm which documents the admissions office requires. International applicants should also confirm the current English-language documentation rules rather than assuming that every applicant must take the TOEFL.

What are the application fees and waivers at Thomas Aquinas College?

Applicants should check Thomas Aquinas College's current application form for the applicable submission charge before filing. An application fee, if charged, is separate from any later enrollment or housing payment.

Anyone for whom a fee would be a hardship should ask the admissions office about waiver eligibility and the request procedure before submitting an application. That timing matters because a waiver may need to be approved before a payment is made; applicants should not assume that an application fee can be refunded afterward.

What types of ROTC programs are available at Thomas Aquinas College?

Prospective students should not assume that Thomas Aquinas College operates an Army, Navy, or Air Force ROTC unit on its Santa Paula campus. Participation through a host university would require a confirmed cross-enrollment arrangement, a workable travel schedule, and room alongside the college's prescribed classes.

Students considering a military commission should ask the college and the relevant ROTC host program whether cross-enrollment is currently permitted. ROTC admission, scholarships, physical and academic standards, and eventual service obligations are determined under the applicable military program's rules, not by admission to the college alone.

What are the requirements for transfer students at Thomas Aquinas College?

Thomas Aquinas College admits transfer applicants, but admission and credit toward its degree are separate questions. Its fixed, four-year sequence can make a course-by-course match with work completed elsewhere difficult.

Transfer applicants should be prepared to provide official records of previous college study and any secondary-school materials the admissions office requests. Before accepting an offer, they should obtain a written evaluation stating which courses, if any, count toward the liberal arts program and where they would enter its sequence. A previously earned total of college credits does not by itself establish sophomore or junior standing at Thomas Aquinas College.

What types of study abroad programs are available at Thomas Aquinas College?

Students should not assume that Thomas Aquinas College offers a conventional semester-abroad option that fits automatically into its required curriculum. An international trip and a credit-bearing study-abroad program are different arrangements.

Anyone hoping to study overseas during the degree should ask the academic office whether a proposed program is approved, how its courses would meet the college's requirements, and whether participation would affect the expected graduation date. They should also check how institutional aid and any outside aid would apply to costs away from campus.