

The University of Akron is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Institutional accreditation applies to the university as a whole; it is distinct from accreditation or approval of an individual degree program.
That distinction matters in regulated fields. A student considering nursing, teacher preparation, engineering or another licensed profession should verify the exact program's current professional accreditation and the licensing rules in the state where they intend to work. Institutional accreditation is relevant to eligibility for federal student aid, but it does not guarantee that another college will accept a particular course for transfer or that a graduate will qualify for a professional license.
First-year applicants generally apply through the university's undergraduate admission process and document high school completion or an accepted equivalent, such as a GED. Academic performance matters: secondary-school GPA is an admissions factor, and applicants should be prepared to submit the school records requested for their application type.
Akron is not an open-admission institution. In the reported admissions cycle, it admitted 10,755 of 18,025 first-time applicants, an acceptance rate of about 60%. That university-wide figure is not a prediction of admission to a selective major. School rank is not generally required; recommendations and test scores may be considered without being universal requirements. Applicants should check the policy for their intended entry term before deciding whether SAT or ACT results would help their application.
International applicants may have additional documentation and English-language proficiency requirements. Programs with clinical placements, portfolios, auditions or other specialized components can set separate standards or deadlines. An applicant should use the current admissions checklist for their applicant category rather than assume that admission to the university automatically provides admission to a chosen program.
Application charges and waiver procedures should be checked in the University of Akron's current application portal before submission. A fee for an undergraduate application, if charged for the selected route, is separate from tuition, an enrollment deposit and orientation costs.
Applicants facing financial hardship should ask Undergraduate Admissions about fee-waiver eligibility before submitting or paying for an application; waiver options and the steps for using them can depend on the application method. Transfer, graduate, law and international applicants should check their own application instructions rather than assume the first-year undergraduate process applies to them.
Army ROTC is available on the University of Akron campus. Air Force ROTC participation is available through a cooperating host institution, so its classes and training arrangements may differ from those of an on-campus unit.
ROTC combines college coursework with officer-training requirements. Participation, scholarship eligibility and an eventual service obligation are separate questions: taking an introductory ROTC course does not, by itself, establish the terms of a scholarship or commission. Students should confirm cross-enrollment logistics, commuting requirements, medical and citizenship rules, and contract terms with the relevant ROTC unit before building a semester schedule around the program.
Akron accepts transfer applications and generally considers credit from other accredited institutions. Transfer students can enter in fall, spring or summer, subject to the admission and course-availability rules of their intended program.
Applicants should expect to provide official transcripts from every college attended; the university may also request earlier academic records depending on the applicant's background. Admission as a transfer student and acceptance of a course toward a specific degree are separate decisions. Akron also considers certain forms of exam or evaluated learning credit, including CLEP, DSST/DANTES and applicable American Council on Education recommendations.
The most useful pre-enrollment step is a program-specific credit evaluation. A course might transfer as elective credit without replacing a required major course, and professional programs may impose additional grade, prerequisite or residency requirements. Students moving from an Ohio community college should compare established transfer pathways with their intended Akron degree plan and obtain a written evaluation of how remaining requirements will be met.
University of Akron students can explore study-abroad opportunities, including options that vary by destination, length and academic sponsor. A semester abroad, a shorter faculty-led experience and a partner program can have different eligibility, credit and payment arrangements.
Students should secure academic approval for planned courses before departure, particularly if they need the credits for a tightly sequenced major. They should also ask the university's international-program advising staff how scholarships or federal aid would apply to the specific option under consideration. Travel, insurance and housing costs can change the price substantially even when a program carries Akron credit.
18% of admitted students enrolled (1,967 of 10,755)
Regular application deadline
August 1Early Decision
NoEarly Action
NoPercent of students submitting ACT scores
65.15%Percent of students submitting SAT scores
13.14%High school completions
General Educational Development (GED) requiredComputer required
NoComputer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution
YesSecondary school GPA
RequiredSecondary school rank
Neither required nor recommendedSecondary school record
Considered but not requiredCompletion of college-preparatory program
RequiredRecommendations
Considered but not requiredFormal demonstration of competencies
Considered but not requiredAdmission 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
YesDisabilities services
YesOff-campus study
NoROTC-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.