Transfer & International

New Saint Andrews welcomes applications from prospective students who have completed post-secondary-level coursework at other colleges or universities and who wish to pursue studies at New Saint Andrews.

The nature of the personal instruction and intensive readings at New Saint Andrews permits only minimal transfer of credit or course equivalencies from other colleges and universities. The college will consider applications for advanced standing on an individual, course-by-course basis. Applicants must declare their desire to transfer credit from another postsecondary institution at the time they apply to New Saint Andrews, and they must do so by noting the appropriate place on the application form. They must also have an official transcript (not a copy) sent from their previous postsecondary institution in order for a request for transfer credit to be considered.

New Saint Andrews reserves the right to evaluate each transfer student’s proficiency, knowledge, and skills gained from courses taken at other institutions, accredited or non-accredited, prior to accepting them as meeting its graduation requirements. We believe that all knowledge is related and integrative, so that any single subject can never be fully understood as a discrete, isolated entity. All subjects and the courses addressing them can only be understood minimally when contextualized by biblical revelation, the broader fabric of the created order, the academic curriculum, and the intellectual community of which it is a part. Therefore, we reserve the right to take into account the integrative contexts of the applicant’s academic record and the educational institution whence that record came when considering the transfer credit equivalency of any particular course. We also reserve the right to grant transfer credit upon condition of satisfactory completion of a designated New Saint Andrews course in a related field.

Upon admission of a transfer student to New Saint Andrews, the Registrar and Dean evaluate all courses taken or attempted and all grades received at accredited and non-accredited postsecondary institutions and will determine the applicability of any course equivalencies or transfer credits to the student’s program of study at New Saint Andrews. All course equivalencies, transfer credits and academic conditions are recorded on the student’s permanent record after he or she is officially matriculated. Transfer courses and credits are not used to determine a student’s overall academic standing (grade point average) at New Saint Andrews.

Transfer credit limitations

A maximum of 60 credits earned at the post-secondary level may be applied to a student’s B.A.-degree program at New Saint Andrews. We accept transfer course equivalencies only for courses completed with a grade of B or better. We accept no transfer course equivalencies or credits for students in our Associate of Arts program. At least eight of a student’s final 12 credits must come directly from New Saint Andrews coursework; no more than four of the final 12 credits may come from transfer credit.

Transfer of New Saint Andrews College credits to other institutions

Courses taken and degrees received at New Saint Andrews College have been accepted at many highly regarded colleges and universities in the United States and around the world. Students who have taken courses at New Saint Andrews who are interested in transferring to another institution should be aware, however, that each institution establishes its own policies and criteria for acceptance of transfer credits. Therefore, students should carefully consult the published transfer policies of the institution they may be considering attending with hopes of transferring credits from New Saint Andrews. Unfortunately, not all accredited colleges and universities recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) follow CHEA’s Joint Statement on Transfer and Award of Credit. Contrary to CHEA’s standards, a number of state universities in particular do not accept credits from nationally accredited and CHEA-recognized institutions like New Saint Andrews, but accept credits only from “regionally” accredited schools. Before applying to another institution, NSA students should speak to the New Saint Andrews Registrar and to an admissions counselor at the “receiving” institution(s) the student is considering. Many institutions who initially do not accept transfer credits have changed their decision based on misunderstanding CHEA standards. Also, most schools have a formal academic petition process that allows transfer students to request consideration of credit acceptance or satisfaction of specific course requirements on a course-by-course basis.

Transferring NSA credits to Idaho state institutions

Courses taken and degrees received at New Saint Andrews College may be accepted at Idaho’s state institutions. Contact the New Saint Andrews College Registrar to discuss your particular transfer interests and needs. Lewis-Clark State College and the University of Idaho have approved several specific courses (and their institutional equivalents) for transfer. New Saint Andrews graduates have also been admitted to graduate and professional programs at Boise State University, the University of Idaho, and Lewis-Clark State College. See the Registrar for the most recent copy of the Articulation Agreement.

International students need to apply by February 15 with a US $50 fee and submit all required application materials by no later than May 1.

International applicants must also provide an official letter from bank officers verifying that the applicant has sufficient funds on deposit to meet the costs of tuition, fees, books, and living expenses for one full academic year.

Admission of International Students

New Saint Andrews invites applications from international students who meet our regular admission standards and demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. New Saint Andrews will issue the Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status (SEVIS Form I-20) to students from outside the United States who meet both the admissions and language requirements of New Saint Andrews as well as applicable federal law.

Admission Requirements

Applicants whose native language is other than English must achieve either a score of at least 570 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and 4.5 on the Test of Written English (TWE), or a score on the computer-based TOEFL of at least 24 on the Reading part of the test and 27 on the Writing part of the test with a 4.5 minimum on the essay portion of the exam. If electing the paper-based TOEFL/TWE, students should apply to take the exam at least three months prior to the date that test results are needed for submission to the College. Arrangements should be made by the applicant directly with Educational Testing Service by contacting the TOEFL Application Office, Educational Testing Service (www.toefl.org). Applicants from other countries who must take the TOEFL and TWE must request that the results be sent directly to our office.

Applicants may also be subject to a personal or telephone interview at the discretion of our Admissions Committee. New Saint Andrews will issue the Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status (SEVIS Form I-20) to students from outside the United States who meet both the admissions and language requirements.

The I-20 Form is necessary to enter the United States as a nonimmigrant student. Contact our Director of Admissions (admissions@nsa.edu) for more information about admission and eligibility requirements.

International applicants should note that, in order for the College to issue the I-20 form necessary to enter the country as a student, an accepted applicant must be able to document sufficient funding for every school year. International students must document full funding for tuition plus $4,500. They should note further that tuition and fees, including the application fee, must be paid in U.S. dollars. If payment is by check, funds must be drawn from a U.S. bank, with the bank’s computer code located in the lower left-hand corner of the check.

For additional information about transfer and international admissions, please contact admissions@nsa.edu.