Application
Applicants should fill out and submit a completed application online with biographical and educational details, and a $50 application processing fee. Carefully written essay responses to application questions should demonstrate applicants' abilities to organize and express their thoughts. If the essays do not meet the minimum requirement of length, the application will be considered incomplete. If you attend an Open House event, youth program (such as the Academic Bowl, or Summer Youth Camp), or apply by December 1, 2023, the $50.00 application fee will be waived.
In addition, applicants who are currently students at the English Language Institute, and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf will have their application fees waived.
Transcripts
Applicants must submit official transcript(s) showing cumulative GPA (based on a 4.0 grade point average scale), type of diploma, graduation date, school official signature, and school seal. Students who have not yet graduated high school or completed a semester in college may submit an unofficial transcript, but are required to send a final official transcript at the end of the school year/term. Transcripts from all schools should be submitted. Transcripts showing Certificate of Attendance, Certificate of Achievement, and Individual Educational Plan (IEP) type of diploma will not be considered for admissions and will not be accepted for financial aid support. If a transcript is not in English, then it must be accompanied by a certified translation.
In the case that the applicant does not have any of the diplomas required for admissions into the university, the applicant is required to get a GED or enroll in a program that will lead to an accredited and state-recognized diploma. Applicants without a high school diploma or its equivalent will not be considered for admissions. Students who have graduated from high school prior to May/June 2012 will be waived from submitting final high school transcripts if applicants submit college transcript(s) indicating 30 combined college credit hours or more. Students who have graduated from high school later than 2012, and are transferring to Gallaudet will be required to submit their final high school transcript with graduation date and diploma type, regardless of how many credits they have earned from their previous college(s).
Official sealed transcripts should be sent to:
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Edward Miner Gallaudet Building
800 Florida Ave Northeast
Washington, DC 20002
Letters of Recommendation
One letter of recommendation must be written by a reference who can describe in detail the applicant's academic potential. References must be academic professionals, such as teachers for English, math, history, and/or science. Letters from coaches, interpreters, and other non-academic personnel will not be considered for admissions. The application will remain incomplete until letters from appropriate academic professionals are submitted. The letter should cite the applicant's academic strengths, weaknesses and any other pertinent information in narrative format, and submitted along with the rating chart provided in the application. Applicants who have been out of school for a long time may ask their current employer for a letter of recommendation. Applicants are responsible for ensuring their letter of recommendation has been received by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Standardized Tests
Per standard admissions procedures, official or photocopied test scores from the ACT English, Reading, Math and, Writing tests should be submitted directly to the University. Students applying for admission are required to take the ACT Writing. The University will use the ACT Writing results to place students in English and General Studies courses. The University will also accept SAT scores if the ACT is not available. Applicants will need to enter Gallaudet University's college code when taking the test; this ensures that the test results are sent to the University. The college code for the ACT is 0662 and the SAT is 5240. Gallaudet University also provides opportunities to take the ACT on campus. Please visit Gallaudet Test Center for more information on testing dates and instructions. Test scores cannot be more than three years old.
Advanced Placement Tests
Applicants who submit Advanced Placement (AP) test scores must submit an official AP test report from the College Board (college code 5240). Test scores of 3 or better will earn university credit. Honors credit will be given for scores of 4 or 5. These will be considered as transfer credits and thus not counted towards the grade point average at Gallaudet University. Applicants with AP credits taken in high school are not considered transfer students. Please contact the transfer credit specialist in the Registrar's Office to request more information on procedures for applying for AP transfer credit. Additional information is available at Transfer Credits - Advanced Placement.
Audiogram
Applicants should submit a certified audiogram verifying their hearing loss. Evidence of hearing loss is required for general undergraduate admissions into the University. Hearing applicants do not need to submit audiograms.