Admissions Information

Regular Applicants

Applicants who meet all of the outlined requirements for their intended degree program are considered regular applicants. The specific requirements for each program are outlined on individual program pages.

As a general rule, the following are requirements for admission into one of the University’s degree programs:

Master’s — a completed Bachelor’s degree
Doctorate — a completed Master’s degree
BSBA — an Associate’s degree or partial Bachelor’s degree
JDET — a completed Bachelor’s degree
LLM — a completed Juris Doctor degree

All degree requirements for the University’s programs must be from a college or university accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

The majority of applicants to our programs are mature adults working in a variety of professional settings. Many have not attended college for several years. Consequently, prior class rank and grade point average are not significant factors in the admission process.

International Applicants

Undergraduate and Master’s applicants whose native language is not English and who have not earned a degree from an appropriately accredited institution where English is the principal language of instruction must receive a minimum score of 530 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or 71 on the iBT, or its equivalent.

Doctorate and JDET applicants who do not possess a degree from a postsecondary institution where English is the principal language of instruction must receive a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT) or 80 on the Internet Based Test (iBT) or 6.5 on the International English Language Test (IELTS).

For more information on TOEFL visit the website: www.ets.org/toefl.

Foreign Degree Evaluation

Applicants wishing to transfer in credits or degrees earned at institutions located outside the United States must have their academic transcripts evaluated and certified by a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES) member organization. Applicants will be assessed a fee by the certifying organization and should request that the report be sent directly to Taft University.

Applicants transferring in a degree need to request a General Degree Evaluation sometimes called a Document by Document Evaluation.

Applicants wishing to transfer in credits toward specific courses must request a Course-by-Course report.

Special Applicants

An individual not qualifying as a regular applicant may apply as a special applicant. Special applicants are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but must have an academic and/or professional background equivalent to their program of interest’s admissions requirements. This could be a degree earned outside the United States or a combination of credits earned and professional employment experience.

Special applicants who are admitted without significant related work experience should expect to devote a significantly greater amount of time to the coursework.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit toward a degree may be awarded for postsecondary courses completed by the student at other institutions if such courses are found to meet the standards and requirements of the specific program. Transfer credit must be from an appropriately accredited institution. Credit transfer will not be denied solely on the source of accreditation of the sending institution.

Program-Specific Transfer Credit Allowances:

DBA — 9 credits
JDET — 37 credits (only units from a JD program can be considered for transfer credit)
LLM — None
MBA — 15 credits
MPA — 15 credits
MST — 15 credits*
BSBA — 30 credits (on top of the required 60 credits for admission)

*Transfer credits into the Master of Science in Taxation (MST) program must have been completed within the last three years.

Portfolio Credit

Credit may be given for adequately documented and validated equivalent learning of a postsecondary nature. Examples include credit for professional certifications and college level equivalent tests. Students with prior military experience may also apply to have military coursework and documentation evaluated for possible equivalent college credit.

Program-Specific Portfolio Credit Allowances:

DBA — None
JDET — None
LLM — None
MBA — 15 credits
MPA — 15 credits
MST — None
BSBA — 30 credits (on top of the required 60 credits for admission)*

*Credits from experiential learning and credit by exam may count toward the BSBA program.

Student Loan Deferrals

As a result of legislation passed in Congress and signed by the President in 2006, William Howard Taft University students are eligible to defer repayment of existing federally insured student loans during their enrollment period.

Applicants are encouraged to check with their lenders to confirm deferral eligibility in their particular circumstances before enrollment.

There is no charge for the completion of loan deferral forms.

Tax Credits

Taft University students may qualify for a Lifetime Learning Credit on their federal income tax return equal to 20% of their qualified education expenses. For 2020, the amount of your lifetime learning credit is gradually reduced (phased out) if your MAGI is between $59,000 and $69,000 ($118,000 and $138,000 if you file a joint return). You can't claim the credit if your MAGI is $69,000 or more ($138,000 or more if you file a joint return).

The normal disclaimer: we recommend that you consult with your tax advisor or read IRS Publication 970 to determine how this credit or deduction might benefit you.
IRS Publication 970

There is no charge for the completion of loan deferral forms or the preparation of the IRS Form 1098-T which is necessary to claim the tax credits or deductions.