


UNLV holds institutional accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Institutional accreditation evaluates the university as a whole; it is distinct from accreditation or approval of an individual degree program.
Selected professional programs have their own oversight. Examples include accreditation relevant to business, engineering, nursing, law, and medicine, with the applicable organization and status varying by program. Students entering a licensed profession should verify the specific degree or track they intend to complete, since a school-level claim does not automatically cover every concentration or delivery format.
Institutional accreditation is important for eligibility to participate in federal student-aid programs. It can also matter in transfer and graduate applications, although another institution decides which credits it will accept. Professional licensure may impose additional program, examination, and state-specific requirements.
First-year applicants generally apply to UNLV with evidence of high school graduation or an accepted equivalent and an academic transcript. UNLV is not an open-admission institution: applicants must meet its published first-year admission criteria, and some majors set additional requirements.
Academic preparation and grades are central to review. UNLV publishes a route based on a weighted GPA in specified high school core courses, alongside qualifying test-score routes; applicants should check the current course list and thresholds for their entry term. SAT and ACT scores are considered when submitted but are not required of every applicant. School rank and recommendation letters are not generally required. An applicant whose record does not meet a standard route should review the university's current alternative admission provisions rather than assume that its overall admit rate resolves individual eligibility.
English-language proficiency requirements can apply to applicants whose prior education does not meet UNLV's exemption criteria; an accepted test such as TOEFL may be required. International, homeschooled, graduate, and professional applicants can face different documentation rules. Fall admission is the main planning point for many first-year students, but deadlines for applications, scholarships, housing, and restricted majors may differ. In the reported first-year admissions figures, roughly 96% of applicants were admitted; that university-wide rate does not describe selection into every program.
UNLV's reported standard undergraduate application fee is $60. Applicants should confirm the amount displayed for their application category and entry term before paying; international and graduate applications may follow different fee schedules.
An application-fee waiver is not the same as a waiver of tuition or an enrollment charge. Applicants with financial need should ask UNLV Undergraduate Admissions about currently accepted waiver routes and required documentation before submitting payment, because a paid application fee may not be refundable. Students applying through a special admission program should check that program's instructions rather than assume its fee and waiver process matches the standard undergraduate application.
UNLV students can pursue Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC through units associated with the campus. ROTC combines college coursework and leadership training with a possible pathway to a military commission.
Participation in introductory ROTC classes is not the same as receiving a scholarship or accepting a service obligation. Scholarship eligibility, medical and fitness standards, enrollment procedures, and the point at which a commitment applies are branch-specific. Interested students should discuss those terms with the appropriate UNLV Army or Air Force ROTC unit before building ROTC into an academic or financial plan.
UNLV admits transfer applicants and generally evaluates college credit earned at accredited institutions. Transfer admission and the application of credits toward a particular degree are separate decisions.
Applicants with substantial transferable college coursework are assessed under transfer criteria, including a minimum transferable-credit amount and college GPA; those with fewer credits may also need to satisfy first-year admission requirements. UNLV's published transfer route commonly uses 24 transferable semester credits and a 2.5 cumulative GPA as key thresholds, but applicants should verify the current rules for their term and major. Official transcripts are required from colleges attended, and additional high school records may be necessary for applicants with limited college credit.
Transfer applicants can seek fall, spring, or summer entry, subject to program availability and deadlines. Nevada community-college students can use published transfer pathways and course-equivalency resources to plan ahead. UNLV also reports accepting certain examination or recommended-credit types, including CLEP, DSST, and ACE credit, under its policies. An official credit evaluation determines what transfers; a departmental degree audit then shows whether accepted credit meets general education, prerequisite, or major requirements. Restricted majors and residency rules can still affect the time needed to graduate.
UNLV offers study-abroad advising and opportunities that can include semester programs and shorter faculty-led experiences. Destinations, academic subjects, and program formats change, so students should choose an option that fits their degree requirements rather than assume any overseas course will count automatically.
Participation may involve an approved exchange, a university-arranged program, or an outside provider. Those arrangements can differ in tuition, housing, supervision, and how grades or credits appear on a UNLV record. Before paying a deposit, students should obtain academic approval for intended courses and ask how scholarships, federal aid, travel documentation, and any major-specific sequencing would apply. Short programs may be easier to fit around a tightly structured degree, but they can have substantial travel costs.
36% of admitted students enrolled (4,430 of 12,242)
Regular application deadline
June 1Application fee
$60Early Decision
NoEarly Action
NoPercent of students submitting ACT scores
62%Percent of students submitting SAT scores
10%High school completions
General Educational Development (GED) requiredComputer required
NoComputer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution
NoSecondary school GPA
RequiredSecondary school rank
Neither required nor recommendedSecondary school record
RequiredCompletion of college-preparatory program
Considered but not requiredRecommendations
Neither required nor recommendedFormal 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
NoAdvanced placement (AP) credits
YesOrientation program
YesDisabilities services
YesROTC-Army
ROTC branch unit on campusROTC-Air Force
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.