Admissions Requirements

Spiritual Requirements

The spiritual requirements at the University have priority over any and all academic requirements. Because VACU prepares its students for a spiritual ministry, students must qualify certain spiritual qualities in prospective students. Therefore, each applicant is required to submit the following items:

1. A statement of personal conversion and of Christian experience and service.
2. A signed application form which indicates that the applicant
   • is in agreement with the doctrinal position of VACU, as found in the doctrinal statement of this catalog, and
   • will abide cheerfully by the spirit and standards of VACU. Applicants who are not in full agreement with VACU’s doctrinal position may request Special Student status.
3. The name and address of at least one person who can testify to the applicant’s Christian or moral character and suitability for study.

Academic Requirements

The ability to successfully perform in VACU’s academic environment is judged by the applicant’s previous educational experience and test scores, with greater emphasis being placed upon the former. Since VACU is a higher education institution, a prospective student must meet minimum academic prerequisites consistent with higher education standards. Those minimum standards are as follows:

1. Complete transcripts – A high school diploma (or a bachelor for an M.Div applicant) or equivalent is required for entrance into all programs. An applicant is responsible for having complete transcripts of all past school credit sent directly from the institution to the Director of Admissions of VACU.
2. Grades – Three factors are considered in relation to the applicant’s previous academic records:
   • the overall GPA
   • the applicant‘s class rank and the school size;
   • the grade pattern from the freshman to senior year.

It is normally expected that the applicants should rank in the upper half of their class and have a 2.0 or above GPA on a 4.0 system. Transfer students are also expected to have attained a 2.0 GPA in previous college work. Transfer students with a GPA of less than 2.0 may be accepted provisionally.

*Not for domestic students who attended/graduated from an accredited U.S. based institutions. **This is a self-assessment tool for Distance Education applicants only. Virginia Christian University requires to assess whether students have the skills, competencies, and access to technology necessary to succeed in a distance education environment prior to their enrollment in the program.

Christian Commitment and Experience

1. Christian Commitment

Since the stated purpose of Virginia Christian University is to prepare qualified leaders for the Christian church and its related ministries, it is important that the values of the applicant can benefit from the programs and environment of VACU, three areas are reviewed:

(1) Conversion: It is expected that students at VACU have confessed faith in Jesus Christ as personal Savior. Applicants are asked to submit a statement concerning their  personal faith.

(2) Life style: To be comfortable in VACU environment, the applicant’s lifestyle should reflect Christian principles. To assist in the evaluation of the applicant’s qualification in this respect, a confidential character reference from a pastor or Christian leader is required. Applicants must also submit a concise statement describing their family background, personal experience and professional goals.

(3) Belief: Since a major segment of VACU curriculum is devoted to the study of Bible content and reformed theological doctrine, it is important that the applicant receives a copy of VACU’s doctrine position concerning some contemporary issues in Scripture.

2. Christian Experience

Most applicants who come to VACU directly after high school graduation have little employment experience. In such cases, the applicant’s involvement in extra-curricular high school activities and in church and community programs is considered in the admissions decisions. Other applicants have accumulated years of experience in the business world or Christian ministry. VACU considers theses experiences as a significant factor in the admissions decision.