Admissions Requirements

The table below should give you a bird’s eye-view on the requirements for various courses in the disciplines offered. Each application will be carefully evaluated by us based on the merits.

University of Fairfax Program Admission Requirements

Applicants are evaluated individually based on their professional experience, academic credentials, and admissions interview/teleconference to assess their potential for completing the relevant academic program successfully.

Bachelors Level programs:

Graduation from high school is a minimum requirement for admission to University of Fairfax for those students enrolling in the bachelor’s degree programs. Those who have completed high school in a homeschool setting or have satisfied graduation requirements through the General Educational Development (GED) Test or a state authorized examination are also eligible for admission.

An official transcript from an accredited college or university which evidences (a) the awarding of an associate’s degree, (b) successful completion of at least 60 semester or trimester credit hours or 72 quarter credit hours that does not result in the awarding of an associate’s degree, but that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree at an institution; or (c) enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program where at least 60 semester or trimester credit hours or 72 quarter credit hours have been successfully completed, including credit hours transferred into the bachelor’s degree program, will be recognized as the equivalent of a high school diploma for basis of acceptance. For colleges and universities outside of the U.S., transcripts must be evaluated by a private credential evaluation service who is a member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services), AICE (Association of International Credential Evaluators) or an individual who is AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers) trained in evaluating international credentials.

Students will sign an attestation on the enrollment application as to which of these credentials they have received.

Masters Level programs:

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, a nationally accredited institution, or an appropriately certified foreign institution. A Grade Point Average (GPA) on a scale of 4.0 as described below. Additional requirements may apply.

• 2.5 GPA at the bachelor’s level, or
• 3.0 GPA for the last 9 credit hours of graduate coursework, or
• Students with a GPA between 2.0 and 2.5 must demonstrate at least 3 years of relevant professional experience. Professional experience will be evaluated by the Chief Academic Officer to ensure relevancy.

Professional Doctoral Level Programs:

A master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, a nationally accredited institution, or an appropriately certified foreign institution with relevant academic experience. A Grade Point Average (GPA) on a scale of 4.0 as described below. Additional requirements may apply.

• Minimum of 3 years (and preferably 5 years) of relevant professional experience, and
• 3.0 GPA at the master’s level. Professional experience will be evaluated by the Chief Academic Officer to ensure relevancy.

The table below summarizes the minimum requirements for admission to each University of Fairfax program.

*PhD in Computer Science and Engineering: Applicants of the PhD program are expected to have already completed a master’s degree in a discipline or subject related to the computer sciences and engineering from an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, or appropriately certified foreign institution. Examples of related fields of study for the purpose of the master’s degree include but are not limited to: Computer Science, Software Engineering, Security Engineering, Computer Networking, Cloud Engineering, and other related majors.

**Master of Science in Electrical Engineering: Applicants of the Master of Science in Electrical Engineering program are expected to have already completed a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or comparable undergraduate electrical engineering coursework, as shown on official transcripts. Alternatively, applicants must have a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA in a master’s program studying a closely related discipline.

International Students

International students should refer to the International Admissions Requirements page for unique requirements related to English proficiency and foreign-earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

Transfer Credits

A maximum of nine semester credits may be transferred into a degree program. No transfer credit will be applied to programs of study where a doctoral student has been granted advanced standing. The University does not award academic credit for non-academic experience.

To receive transfer credit for a course, the following criteria must be met:

• The student must have taken the course for graduate credit as part of a degree or graduate certificate program from an accredited institution;
• The course taken was equivalent to the University of Fairfax course in content, level, and credit hours;
• The student earned at least a grade of “B” (courses taken on a pass/fail basis are not eligible for transfer); and
• Information Security courses must have been completed within the five years preceding initial enrollment at the University of Fairfax.

Students and graduates should note that when seeking to transfer credits to another educational institution, the receiving institution has full discretion as to which credits are transferable. Requirements for earning a graduate certificate cannot be satisfied through transfer credit.

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