
UAA is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Institutional accreditation evaluates the university as a whole; it is distinct from approval or accreditation of an individual degree program.
That distinction matters for applicants entering licensed professions. Nursing, engineering, aviation, education, and other professional pathways can have separate accreditation, approval, examination, or state-licensing rules that vary by program and credential. Students should check the status of the specific program and the requirements of the state where they hope to practice. Institutional accreditation generally supports eligibility for federal student aid and may assist with credit transfer, but it does not ensure that another college will accept a particular course or that a graduate will qualify for a license.
First-year applicants generally apply through UAA's admissions process and provide evidence of high school graduation or an accepted equivalent, such as a GED. Requirements differ by credential: admission to a certificate or associate program should not be assumed to carry the same standards as admission to a bachelor's program.
UAA has reported an open-admission policy, but that designation should not be read as automatic entry to every degree or selective major. Applicants may need official school transcripts, and particular programs can require prerequisite courses, minimum grades, auditions, background checks, or a second application. SAT and ACT scores are not a universal prerequisite: among enrolled first-time students in the reported data, about 11% submitted SAT scores and 7% submitted ACT scores. International applicants may also need to document English proficiency and meet immigration-related requirements.
Applicants should select their intended credential and entry term before relying on a deadline or checklist. A program's deadline may precede the university's general admission deadline, particularly where places or clinical placements are limited.
UAA's application fee depends on the application and credential category. Applicants should use the amount displayed in the university's current application rather than assume that an undergraduate, graduate, or nondegree application carries the same charge.
The application fee is separate from tuition, housing charges, and any later enrollment costs. Students who may qualify for a waiver should ask admissions about eligibility and the required request process before paying or submitting; a fee waiver should not be assumed to be available retroactively. Applicants to a separately admitted program should also check whether that program requires an additional application or charge.
Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC opportunities are available to UAA students. Prospective cadets should confirm the current course location, enrollment arrangement, and branch-specific requirements with the relevant ROTC program; participation in a class and entry into a commissioning track are not necessarily the same step.
ROTC can combine college coursework with leadership and military training. Scholarships have separate eligibility rules and application processes, and accepting certain awards or commissioning normally entails a service obligation. A student interested in a particular branch should establish which activities are offered at UAA and whether travel or cross-enrollment is involved before planning a semester around ROTC courses.
UAA accepts transfer credit from other accredited institutions and admits transfer students for fall, spring, and summer entry. Transfer applicants should submit official transcripts from every college attended, even when they do not expect a course to count toward their intended degree.
Admission as a transfer student and acceptance of individual credits are separate decisions. UAA must evaluate course content and level, and a department may decide whether a transferred course satisfies a major prerequisite rather than an elective. UAA also recognizes some credit-by-examination and other evaluated learning, including CLEP, DSST, and certain American Council on Education recommendations, subject to its credit policies. Before enrolling, a student with substantial prior coursework should request an official evaluation and compare the results with the degree audit for the intended major. Competitive programs may have higher GPA standards, application deadlines, or limits on usable transfer credits.
UAA students interested in education abroad should begin with the university's international education advising and their academic department. The central question is not simply whether a destination is available, but whether its courses can be approved for the student's UAA degree.
Depending on current offerings, international study may involve an exchange, a faculty-led course, or an approved external provider rather than a program operated entirely by UAA. Students should obtain academic approval before departure and ask how registration, transfer credit, financial aid, travel documentation, insurance, and any additional program fees will work. Short-term and semester-length opportunities can have very different costs and prerequisite requirements.
Regular application deadline
August 15Early Decision
NoEarly Action
NoPercent of students submitting ACT scores
7.09%Percent of students submitting SAT scores
11.1%High school completions
General Educational Development (GED) requiredOpen admission policy
YesDual credit
NoCredit for life experiences
NoAdvanced placement (AP) credits
YesROTC-Army
ROTC branch unit on campusROTC-Air Force
ROTC branch unit on campusStudy abroad
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.