Admissions FAQS

Yes! The Focus-2 career assessment tool is designed to evaluate your strengths, interests, values, skills, and personality traits in order to provide you with a listing of careers relevant to your unique characteristics and a degree pathway. 

• If you are a prospective student use this access code: apus123.
• If you have a student ID number, please go to the student/user log-in page.

Within this section are career resources, affiliations, and employers recommended by our career services team in conjunction with academic deans and program directors in the School of Humanities, including English, Psychology, Public Policy and Political Science, Sociology, Religion and Philosophy.

Click here to learn about careers in Arts and Humanities.

Within this section are career resources, affiliations, and employers recommended by our career services team in conjunction with academic deans and program directors in the School of Business, including Accounting, Business Administration, Marketing and Non-Profit Management.

Click here to learn about careers in Business.

Within this section are career resources, affiliations, and employers recommended by our career services team in conjunction with academic deans and program directors in the School of Education, including Child and Family Development, Early Childhood Education, Teaching, Educational Leadership, School Counseling, Infant and Toddler Care and Family Studies.

Click here to learn about careers in Education.

Within this section are career resources, affiliations, and employers recommended by our career services team in conjunction with academic deans and program directors in the School of Management in areas such as Hospitality, Human Resources, Military Leadership, Real Estate, Transportation & Logistics, Sports and Health Science and Retail.

Click here to learn about careers in Management.

Within this section are career resources, affiliations, and employers recommended by our career services team in conjunction with academic deans and program directors in the School of Public Service and Health, such as Criminal Justice, Security, Correction, Fire Science, Forensics, Paralegal and Legal Studies, and Public Health.

Click here to learn about careers in Public Service and Health.

Within this section are career resources, affiliations, and employers recommended by our career services team in conjunction with academic deans and program directors in the School of Science and Technology, such as Information Technology, Space Studies, Environmental Science,

Click here to learn about careers in Science and Technology.

Within this section are career resources, affiliations, and employers recommended by our career services team in conjunction with academic deans and program directors in the School of Security and Global Studies, including Intelligence Studies, Intelligence Analysis and Homeland Security.

Click here to learn about careers in Security and Global Studies.

Our APUS Career Services team is here to help you. Please explore the Career Services Center; where you can find out about our Virtual Job Fairs, the Job Board, Internships, Fellowships, and learn the basics of job searching, resumes, interviewing and the tools and resources we offer.

You may apply for admission to the university any time by clicking on the "Apply Today" link form located at the top of each page on the website, or you can Apply Now.

There is no fee for completing the admission application.

Students enrolling at our university are accepted into most academic programs at the time of application. Some programs have special admission requirements not listed below, to check on your program, please click on the following links:

• First-time Students will self-certify that they have completed high school or an equivalency program during the application, and are accepted upon submission of the application.
• Undergraduate Transfer Students are accepted at the time of application. Their Admission packages are complete once their previous official college transcripts have been received and reviewed for transfer credits towards their programs. They may enroll in their first courses before the evaluation is complete and must submit all necessary documentation within 15 weeks of registering for their first courses.
• Graduate Students are accepted at the time of application. They may enroll in their first courses before their official Bachelor’s or Master’s transcript(s) is received and must submit the transcript(s) within 15 weeks of registering for their first courses. Graduate Transfer Students are not required to undergo the transfer process, but are highly recommended in doing so if credits may apply to their degree plan.
• Undergraduate Non Degree-seeking Students are accepted to our university upon completion of the admission application and self-certifying during the application that they have completed high school or an equivalency program.
• Graduate Non Degree-seeking Students are accepted to our university once they have submitted the admission application. These students must send in an official copy of their Bachelor’s transcript to complete their Admission package and to receive copies of their university transcripts upon completing courses.
• International Students must submit certain documents upon applying for admission. These documents change depending on each student’s academic goal, citizenship, and educational background.

Students will be prompted to review a 5-10 minute Orientation to the university upon completion of the admission application and accept the Enrollment Agreement. The Orientation reviews important enrollment and policy information for new students. The Enrollment Agreement is verification that students understand the enrollment policies and accept the arbitration agreement set forth for students enrolling at our university. Please note: it is essential that you read both completely and thoroughly, the Enrollment Agreement is a legally binding document.

You will be able to access the e-campus immediately upon completing the admission application, reading through the Orientation, and accepting the Enrollment Agreement. The myCampus Open House is a recorded tour of the myCampus and its features.

Beginning students will see an admission time line along the top of their e-campus. Students can also download a printable Undergraduate Checklist and Graduate Checklist.

Students register for courses by clicking on the “Register Now” tab at the top left of myCampus or by clicking on the “My Academic Plan” option under the Records Menu. Then students select the course, professor and session, and payment type they will use for each course. Students will receive a “Registration Confirmation” upon successfully enrolling in a course, which they may wish to print and retain for future reference. Download How to Register for a Class for a step-by-step walkthrough of the registration process.

Undergraduate students taking courses for academic credit will have their course materials provided at no charge via the APUS Book Grant once their tuition is paid. Graduate students may order their books via our preferred distributor, which is linked under Student Services on the right of the e-campus, or by purchasing the materials elsewhere online.

Students may register for courses as soon as they have applied for Admission and completed the Orientation. Students using some payment types may want to ensure their funding is in place as they register.

• First time college students and military service members without previous college experience may register for courses upon completing the admission application. You must enroll in COLL100 as the first course in your program and may then enroll in additional courses. It is suggested that you complete the General Education section of your program first, as these are the courses with high transferability between programs and universities.
• Undergraduate transfer students entering new majors may register for courses upon completion of the admission application. You must enroll in COLL100 as the first course in your program and may then enroll in additional courses. It is suggested you avoid the Electives portion of the program and any potential transfer General Education courses until your transfer credits have been posted. To assist with selecting your courses, please have unofficial transcripts on hand for reference.
• Undergraduate transfer students entering similar majors are suggested to wait until their transfer credits are posted to register for any courses in the Core and Major section of their academic plan. You must enroll in COLL100 as the first course in your program and may then enroll in additional courses. It is suggested you avoid the Electives and any potential transfer General Education courses until your transfer credits have been posted. To assist with selecting your courses, please have unofficial transcripts on hand for reference.
• First time Graduate students may register for their initial courses upon completing the admission application. If your program includes a Research Methods course, it is recommended that you complete this class in the first session as it will dictate the standard research and citation practices in your field. We do not need your official transcripts at the time of registration. From the date of your first registration, you have 15 weeks to provide official copies of your Bachelor’s or Master’s transcript(s) showing conferral of your degree.
• Graduate transfer students entering new majors may register for courses upon completion of the admission application. It is suggested that you avoid registering for courses in the Electives portion of your program if you will be transferring in credits. If your program includes a Research Methods course, it is recommended that you complete this class in the first session as it will dictate the standard research and citation practices in your field. We do not need your official transcripts at the time you register. From the date of your first registration, you have 15 weeks to provide official copies of your Bachelor’s transcript showing conferral of your degree.
• Graduate transfer students entering similar majors may request a Preliminary Transfer Credit Review (PTCR) via their Admissions Representative before registering for courses to check potential transfers. Please email or call your Admissions Representative to begin the PTCR.

Students whose Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE) is not completed can contact the TCE team to have unofficial records checked towards the prerequisites for a course. E-mail creditaward@apus.edu. Non Degree-seeking students must contact the Registrar's Department regarding the steps to waive a prerequisite. The Registrar's Department can be e-mailed at registrar@apus.edu.

Any undergraduate student who has significant prior learning and experience in an online college environment may request a waiver of COLL100 Foundations of Online Learning. If the waiver is denied, the student must take the course. If the waiver is granted, the student is required to take an additional 3 credit course in place of the COLL100 credit hours. To request a waiver you just need to click on OTHER FORMS from the left menu inside myCampus, then click on COLL100 Waiver Form and follow the instructions listed.

Students wishing to transfer academic credits into their programs must initiate the Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE) from myCampus. They may begin the TCE by clicking on the “TCE Application” from the left of myCampus, under the Forms Menu. All Undergraduate Transfer students with previously-earned academic credits must provide their previous college transcripts and submit the TCE process as part of our Undergraduate admission policies. The TCE will take 4-6 weeks to complete once all documents listed are received.

• Submittal of TCE Application via myCampus
• Payment of $50 TCE fee*
• Uploading signed Transcript Release Authorizations (TRAs) into the “My Academic Records” page from the Records Menu
• Submittal of non-collegiate professional and military training and certification documents via fax (304-724-3788) or e-mail (documents@apus.edu)

*TCE fee waived for all United States Active Duty Military, Guard, and Reserve personnel.

Students who have not previously attended colleges/universities for academic credit are not required to submit the Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE). Graduate students are not required to transfer in their previous Graduate-level credits, but are urged to do so if credits may apply to their program.

There are maximum transfer limits for our university degree programs. Students entering an Associate’s can receive a maximum of 46 credits towards their program, those entering a Bachelor’s can receive a maximum of 91 credits, and students entering a Master’s can receive a maximum of 15 transferred credits (12 for Master of Education). Award of credit is based on course-by-course equivalency and several other factors, details for which can be found at the Transfer Credit Evaluation Center.

Graduate students who are not transferring in credits must have an official transcript of their Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, with conferral date posted, sent to our Student Records Department. They must contact their previous university and have the transcript mailed to the following address:

American Public University System
Attn: Student Records
10110 Battleview Parkway, Suite 114
Manassas, VA 20109

Electronic transcripts are considered official if they are delivered by the original granting institution through a secured website, such as Scrip-Safe, Docufide, or Avow, to documents@apus.edu.

Please note: Students with Graduate credits who have not completed a full Master’s degree must have an official Bachelor’s transcript mailed to the university.

Students submitting non-collegiate military/professional training records for consideration for the TCE must fax or e-mail the records to our Student Records Department. These documents can be faxed to 304-724-3788 or e-mailed to documents@apus.edu. It is suggested that students include their ID number on fax cover sheets and in email subject lines.

Students can check to see which documents are still waiting to be received for the TCE by clicking on the “My Academic Records” option on the left of myCampus, under the Records Menu.

Students may contact the Admissions Department to request a Preliminary Transfer Credit Review (PTCR), at no charge, before enrolling or beginning the official TCE for an estimate of how many credits will be transferred into their degree program. The Admissions Department will send the student a PTCR Disclaimer, which must be completed, signed, and returned for the review to begin. Unofficial records may be submitted by fax or email for the PTCR. The PTCR is a one-time service which may be conducted towards two degree programs at our university. Prospects and students wishing to officially transfer in credits must complete the TCE upon admission.

Every college and university determines its own policies regarding transfer credit, so we recommend you contact the school you would like to attend to inquire about their transfer credit policy and what is accepted. At APU transfer credit depends on the student's declared program of study and whether the type of credit earned at another university meets the learning outcomes and objectives for his/her program with us.

The total cost of a student's program is dependent on several factors. Students can multiply the cost per credit, $250 for undergraduate, $325 for graduate by the total number of credits in their program, plus the $50 technology fee multiplied by total courses required for the program for an estimate of how much their degree will cost.  Please note that students using military tuition assistance or VA education benefits will receive a grant to cover the technology fee, so they will not need to include this fee to estimate total program cost. Students transferring-in credits will see the cost of tuition for their degree decrease by the number of credits awarded towards the program.  

Our tuition combined with all fees and books is still nearly 33% lower for graduates and 15% lower for undergraduates than the average in-state costs for public university students across the United States. Visit our Tuition and Finance homepage for detailed information and to see how we compare.
 
APUS is providing a grant to cover the Technology Fee for Active Duty Military, Guard and Reserve personnel or for anyone using Military Tuition Assistance, as well as for students using VA education benefits.

We take our mission to limit student costs seriously, absorbing inflationary costs whenever possible.  There is no fee to apply for admission to our university. Undergraduate students with previous transfer credits are required to complete the Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE), for which there is a one-time $50 charge*. Graduate students will also be charged $50 for the TCE if they choose to submit the Evaluation.  Effective September 1, 2012, a $50 per course Technology Fee will be charged for all future course registrations, including audited courses. Our tuition combined with books and all fees is 33% lower for graduates and 15% lower for undergraduates than the average in-state costs for public university students across the United States. Visit our Tuition and Finance homepage for detailed information and to see how we compare.

APUS is providing a grant to cover the Technology Fee for Active Duty Military, Guard and Reserve personnel or for anyone using Military Tuition Assistance, as well as for students using VA education benefits.

Graduation, transcript order, and late registration fees may apply.

*TCE fee waived for all United States Active Duty Military, Guard, and Reserve personnel.

Tuition payment is due no later than Thursday at 2pm ET during the first week of courses. All students registering for courses will need to provide financing information or payment upon registration. Book orders and shipments for Undergraduate students will not be processed via our Book Grant until tuition payment is received or financing is confirmed. Students paying out of pocket will either pay the full sum upon registration via a credit/debit card or an e-check, or may use our Automatic Debit Plan (ADP).

Our university accepts many different forms of tuition financing from public and private sources. We accept Military Tuition Assistance (TA), Federal Student Aid (FSA), VA/GI Bill Benefits, Private Loans, and Employer Voucher payments.

Students who are eligible for financing must submit documentation to our university when they enroll. Please click on the links below for further instructions.

• Military Tuition Assistance (TA): Active, Reserve, and Guard status military students will need to register for courses on our e-campus and then submit their Tuition Assistance (TA) Authorizations via their Education Portal or by completing paperwork from their Education Center. The process differs depending on the student’s service branch and status. 
• Federal Student Aid (FSA): Students using FSA in the form of Federal loans and grants will need to apply for aid at least 21 days prior to their semester start. Students using FSA must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with our school code: 038193. They must also submit a “Federal Student Aid Intent Form” from the OTHER FORMS option on the left of the e-campus to begin the verification process. When submitting the Intent Form, students select their start date and enrollment status (i.e. – full-time, half-time, etc). Students using FSA will be able to register for their courses for their first semester after completing the Intent Form and will receive further instructions on completing FSA verification.
• VA/GI Bill Benefits: Students will need to submit benefit eligibility paperwork as they register. This paperwork can be obtained at the Department of Veterans Affairs website: http://www.gibill.va.gov/. Students are responsible for requesting their benefits and completing the necessary paperwork to send to us for the various VA/GI Bill Benefits.
• Employer Voucher: Students whose employers will be paying for their tuition up-front will want to ensure their organization/company has approved their program and is ready to pay for courses as they register.
• Private Loans: Students interested in obtaining private loans (i.e. – not Federal Student Aid) via banks, credit unions, or other loan agencies have different options available depending on their credit history and should carefully check the loan terms and conditions before signing a private loan.
• Paying with Credit/Debit Card or E-check: Students paying out of pocket with a credit/debit card or an e-check will be asked for payment information (card number or routing/checking account numbers) during registration. Students paying out of pocket may also use the Automatic Debit Plan (ADP) to pay for their courses in two increments for the 8-week sessions and four increments for the 16-week sessions.

APU is here to support you, and we offer multiple options for your tuition payment.  For your convenience we offer a recorded information session that provides an overview of various payment options available to APU students and how to get started with each.  The recorded session also includes many resources for additional information.
Click here to visit the recorded information session. Please contact openhouse@apus.edu for a text version of this presentation.

Courses open at 6:00am ET on the first Monday of the month. Students should log into their courses via the “Enter Classes” feature at the top left of myCampus. Each course has a syllabus available which students will need to open, read, and save for future reference. Students are suggested to take note of the assignments due during the first week and begin working on the assignments. It is required that students log into each course at least once during the first week or they will be dropped from the course. There is no academic penalty for dropping a course, student’s will see a grade of “DP” noted in their record if they drop a course, but the drop will not be included on official transcripts. Please refer to the Student Handbook for more information about the financial consequences of a Drop.

Students primarily use the e-mail feature used inside the online classroom to contact their professors. The e-mail feature can be found on the left of the online classroom. Some professors also have office hours and a contact phone number posted on the course syllabus.

Students can check to see the background of their professors (i.e. their credentials and teaching/professional experience) by checking the our Faculty Directory web page.

During an average week, an undergraduate student should expect:

9 - 10 hours completing coursework for a 16-week course
15 - 18 hours completing coursework for an 8-week course

A graduate student should expect:

10 - 15 hours completing coursework for a 16-week course
18 - 22 hours completing coursework for an 8-week course

If a course requires a proctor, students will be notified as such by the professor at the outset of the course. Proctors must be approved and directly in contact with professors before an examination.

The Online Library is searchable for various source materials such as e-books, and journals. Students can visit the Online Library via their online classrooms or myCampus. Once inside the Online Library, a welcome and introductory walkthrough video is on the left of the Online Library home page.

Our Student Advising Department is available to help students with their studying and time management habits, academic scheduling, and with using the academic resources offered by the university. Students may visit the “My Academic Plan” section of their e-campus, under the Records Menu, and then use the “Stay Connected” feature at the top to contact their advisor by email or schedule an advising appointment with them. Students may also visit the Student Advising and Resource (STAR) Center for help with academic success and to learn about Student Advising.

Contact the Classroom Support Help Desk at classroomsupport@apus.edu or by calling 877-755-2787 x3640

We offer special circumstance extensions or withdrawals for students who find themselves deployed without computer access or experience other circumstances that will make it impossible to complete coursework within the prescribed time frame. Any student who is eligible for a special extension or withdrawal is required to contact the Registrar's Office, the ESO (if applicable), the course instructor(s), and any other relevant parties when deployment or other circumstances will make it impossible to complete coursework within the prescribed time frame.

The graduate bookstore is located at www.apusgradbooks.com. The course materials for each term are available about 30 days before the course start date. 

The launch for the undergraduate bookstore is being planned carefully and we will release information on the confirmed timeframe when it has been determined.

ED MAP pre-fills shopping carts with the right course materials and emails students that their course materials are ready to be validated.  When available, APUS will provide eTextbooks as part of the book grant and students will have the choice to pay a small amount to select a print textbook.  Otherwise, the student will be provided the print textbook as part of the grant.

VitalSource Bookshelf® is the preferred and most used e-textbook delivery platform in the world of higher education. Bookshelf users can access content from over 200 of the world's top academic publishers whenever and wherever they choose--laptop, desktop or mobile device--and can download texts directly or access them via browser. Over 2.2 million users on 6,000 campuses worldwide have used Bookshelf. You can read more about VitalSource here and download the bookshelf.

We encourage our students to familiarize themselves with this technology by downloading the application ahead of time. There are free samples of texts, such as Charles Dickens' Great Expectations as well as other free trials for texts. 

Mac:

Latest Mac Version: 6.1.2
Mac Post Date: 12/12/2012
File Size (Mac): 18.3 MB

System Requirements:
Mac OS X 10.6 or later
Internet Connection for registration and downloading of eTextbook.

Windows:

Latest Windows Version: 6.1.2
Windows Post Date: 12/12/2012
File Size (Windows): 90.1 MB

System Requirements:
Microsoft Windows XP SP 2 (32-bit)
Windows Vista/7/8 (32/64 bit)
Microsoft .Net 4.0
Internet Connection for registration and downloading of eTextbook.

American Public University System is regionally accredited by a federally recognized accrediting agency.

Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association
http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org/
230 North LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604,
Phone: 800-621-7440

Further information on recognition policies and standards may be found on the following Web sites:

• U.S. Department of Education at
• Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) at
• Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association at
• Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support (DANTES) at

They are two separate institutions that are both part of American Public University System and share many resources. Both schools are open to military and civilian students.

We are located everywhere there is Internet access – your home, your office, the local coffee shop, libraries and even in remote military posts in Iraq.

Our professors work from around the world – California, Canada, Austria – where many hold teaching positions at other universities or are active professionals at the National Security Agency, United Nations, the U.S. military among others.

We have two administrative offices – our headquarters are in Charles Town, WV and supporting administrative offices are in Manassas, VA.

Yes. We conduct a graduation ceremony once a year, in May or June, in the Washington D.C. area. Students who graduate between June 30 of the previous year and March 31 of the current year are invited to attend the commencement ceremony along with family members. Students who do not wish to participate in the ceremony will have their diploma and transcripts mailed to them.

Our university complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and state and local requirements regarding students with disabilities. In compliance with federal and state regulations, . For more information, e-mail us at dsa@apus.edu.

No, you will never have to travel to a physical campus. All coursework and administrative tasks can be completed online.

For your convenience, APUS has posted our various school codes below: