Admission Policies

Loyola is committed to creating and supporting an inclusive campus community of students from every financial background. That's why we want to make sure our $60 application fee does not pose a barrier for any student who wishes to apply. If paying the application fee would cause a hardship for you and your family, please request a fee waiver. Requesting a fee waiver will not disadvantage your application in any way.

Who qualifies for a fee waiver?

In addition to the standard Common Application fee waivers, we offer several Loyola-specific fee waivers. Application fee waivers are available for students who identify with any one of the following categories:

• Students who attend any on-campus or online visit receive a Greyhound Fee Waiver
• First-generation college students (neither parent graduated from a four-year college or university)
• Veterans or students honorably serving in the armed forces of the United States
• Students affiliated with a Community Based Organization such as CollegeBound Foundation, Strive for College, or other local and national organizations
• Students participating in the Flaherty Family Foundation
• Member of Phi Theta Kappa (Transfer Applicants Only)
• Students who qualify for the Charm City Promise Program
• Students whose circumstances do not include any of the above, but for whom the application fee causes a financial hardship

Ways to apply using a fee waiver

1. Indicate your fee waiver request directly through the Common Application 
   In the Profile section of the Common Application you will be asked if you believe that you qualify for a fee waiver. If you answer "Yes," you will be asked to select applicable qualification criteria. Choose the correct criteria from the drop-down menu and proceed with your application submission.
2. Indicate your fee waiver request via the Loyola-specific section of the Common Application 
   The Loyola-specific questions in the Common Application will ask you if you intend to apply using a school-specific fee waiver and to indicate a qualification criteria. Choose the correct criteria from the drop-down menu and proceed with your application submission.
3. Apply using your Greyhound Application Fee Waiver 
   To use your Greyhound Fee Waiver, simply go to Loyola’s Questions section on the My Colleges tab of the Common Application and select "Greyhound Fee Waiver."

Since 2009, Loyola has been Test-Optional, not requiring applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their application for admission.

Class of 2028 Test Score Profile

(Data as of August 26, 2024)

• 72% of enrolled students in the Class of 2028 applied test optional
• The middle 50% of those who did submit scores had ranges of:
  • SAT Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 620 - 690
  • SAT Math: 580 - 670
  • SAT Composite: 1210 - 1360
  • ACT Composite: 28-32

Selecting a Test Score Preference

You will select your test score preference (submit test scores or apply test-optional) on Loyola's Member Screen on the Common Application. You may request a change after submitting the Common Application, if the request is sent to admission@loyola.edu prior to your chosen application deadline.

Superscoring

Loyola doesn't have a preference for the SAT or ACT, so you may submit either score (or both). We also superscore both tests: if you send us scores from multiple test dates, we'll take your highest score for each section of the ACT or SAT and consider those scores as we evaluate your application.

Submitting Test Scores

Loyola accepts both official and self-reported test scores. For applicants who would like their testing to be considered and submitted self-reported scores, please note that official test scores will be required upon enrollment. Any discrepancies from self-reported test scores could result in rescinding our offer of admission.

Submitting Official Test Scores

Official test scores can be submitted in any of the following ways:

• Sent directly from the testing agency (SAT or ACT). Loyola's testing codes are (SAT: 5370 and ACT: 1708)
• Sent directly by the student's high school counselor via email (admission@loyola.edu)
• Sent directly by the student's high school counselor via notation on an official transcript

Submitting Self-Reported Test Scores

Self-reported test scores can be submitted in any of the following ways:

• Entering scores in the testing section of the Common Application
• Sending scanned copies of score reports via email to admission@loyola.edu
• Uploading scanned copies of score reports to your Applicant Status Portal

Testing Deadlines for Scores to be Considered

Testing deadlines for scores to be considered

Admission Plan	Latest SAT/ACT Test Date
Early Decision I	October
Early Action	October
Early Decision II	December
Regular Decision	December

Test-optional simply means SAT and/or ACT scores are not required for students applying for full-time undergraduate admission.

We believe that students should have the ability to decide how best to present themselves to the admission committee and whether—or not—their standardized test results accurately reflect their academic ability, achievements, and potential. Our goal is to ensure that the Jesuit education offered at Loyola is accessible to all high-achieving, motivated students entering college today, regardless of how they may have performed on one standardized test.

At Loyola, we know the best predictor of a student's success in college is their academic record. Therefore, the school transcript continues to be the primary focus of our application review, with or without standardized test scores. If you choose not to submit scores, you'll still be eligible for admission to the Honors Program and to receive all available merit-based scholarships. Alternatively, if you believe your scores are a particularly strong component of your profile as an applicant, and representative of your academic achievements, then we encourage you to submit them with your application.

Test-Optional Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

May I submit my test scores if I would like to?

Students who believe their SAT scores represent a strong, positive component of their academic portfolio may still submit them as a core element of their application package.

Do I still qualify for scholarships if I apply test optional?

Yes! All of our students are considered for our merit scholarships, whether or not they submit their scores. No separate application, no separate deadline.

Does it hurt my chances of getting in if I apply test optional?

No! Loyola has been test-optional since 2009, so we are very familiar with evaluating students for admission both with and without their test scores. Students who apply test optional are still eligible for merit scholarship consideration and are not required to submit any additional supplemental materials.

Will transfer students need to provide standardized test scores?

Transfer students who apply to Loyola do not need to provide SAT, SAT subject tests, or ACT scores unless they choose to do so.

Will international students need to provide standardized test scores?

International students who apply to Loyola do not need to provide SAT, SAT subject tests, or ACT scores unless they choose to do so. However, if English is not the student's native language, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score is required.

Will homeschooled students need to provide standardized test scores?

No, Loyola does not require test scores or any additional materials to review home-schooled applicants. We will follow the same holistic review process as we do with all other applicants, considering program curriculum, rigor of courses, recommendations, and extracurricular involvement.

May recruited student-athletes apply test-optional?

Yes, student-athletes are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores for consideration of admission and academic scholarships.

Deferred enrollment, commonly referred to as a “gap year,” is designed for first-year students who desire to attend Loyola University Maryland but, for various reasons, wish to postpone their enrollment. First-year applicants who have been offered admission to Loyola Maryland may request to defer their enrollment.

Students who are approved to defer their enrollment and who satisfy the requirements listed below do not have to file a new application and are guaranteed a spot in the following semester or year. Deferred students pay a tuition deposit for the original term of entry, which will be credited to the new term of entry.

Requirements for the Deferred Enrollment Program

1. Only first-year students who have paid their admission deposit by May 1 of their original entry year are eligible to request an enrollment deferral.
2. Students who wish to defer their enrollment must contact their admission counselor and request to have their enrollment deferred by August 1.
3. Students may only defer their enrollment to the following spring or fall term. However, two-year deferments are permissible, if they are mandated by government, military, or religious service.
4. Students may not defer their enrollment to attend other colleges and universities during their time away from Loyola. Students may, however, enroll in up to six semester credit hours as a non-degree student. Credits are not guaranteed to transfer and will be pending a review from our Academic Advising and Support Center (AASC). Students who take more than six credits may nullify their enrollment status and may be required to reapply as a transfer student.
5. Students who are granted approval to defer their enrollment should understand that their approval is contingent upon successful completion of all high school courses. A final high school transcript indicating date of graduation must be forwarded to Undergraduate Admission upon graduation.
6. Submission of a deferral request by the deadline is not a guarantee of approval. If a deferral request is denied, a student has the option to either withdraw and reapply for a future semester or begin studies in the semester to which they have been accepted.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

If you received a merit scholarship, your award is guaranteed for the new term. If you did not receive a merit scholarship, you will not be reconsidered for awards in the next term alongside the new applicant pool. If you are interested in need-based financial aid, you will need to reapply for aid for the new term by completing the FAFSA. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Housing

If you originally deposited as a resident student, your housing spot is guaranteed for the new term. If you originally deposited as a commuter student, we can’t guarantee that you can change your residency status for the new term.

General Wait List Policy

Each year, the number of qualified applicants to Loyola far exceeds the number of available spaces in the first-year class. As a result, the admission process at Loyola is selective, and class spaces are awarded on a competitive basis. In cases where students who have been accepted choose not to enroll, spaces may become available in the first-year class.

Loyola maintains an active Wait List of qualified students to fill spaces that become available. Students are selected for the Wait List on a competitive basis. The students offered a position on the Wait List at Loyola, while not initially offered a position in the first-year class, are good students who have been determined by the admission committee to have the potential to be successful Loyola students.

Loyola has historically been able to offer acceptance to students on the Wait List, depending on available spaces. The University’s overall undergraduate class and housing spaces are limited, so the admission office offers a conservative number of original acceptance offers at the first-year level to avoid over-enrollment. While there is no guarantee, the likelihood of admission from the Wait List is influenced by the number of students who decide not to enroll. Loyola considers a student's financial need as part of the decision-making process when selecting students from the Wait List.

The situation varies from year to year, and students who elect to remain active on the Wait List are notified regularly about their status. Loyola maintains the active Wait List if additional class spaces are likely to be awarded. Any student selected for the Wait List who chooses to enroll at another institution has the option to reapply to Loyola as a transfer student for the following fall term. Wait List students are generally considered strong transfer candidates, provided they continue to perform well at the college level.

Wait List FAQ

Nursing Wait List Policy

The admission process for the Nursing program is more competitive due to the limited number of spaces available. Students who apply for the Nursing program by the Early Decision I or Early Action deadlines may be placed on the Nursing Wait List if they are not admitted initially. Nursing applicants on the Wait List will have the option to remain active on the list or select a different major and be deferred to the Regular Decision round. For more detailed information on the Nursing Wait List process, please visit our Nursing admission page or review the Wait List FAQ.

Loyola University Maryland does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), sex, age, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, or any other legally protected classification covered by federal or state law in the administration of any of its educational programs and activities or with respect to admission or employment. The designated compliance officer to ensure compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (Title IX), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (ADA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 504), is David Tiscione, Director of Title IX and Bias Compliance (105 Jenkins Hall, 410-617-5171, dmtiscione@loyola.edu). Inquiries about the application of Title IX, ADA, or Section 504 may be made to David Tiscione, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), or both. Inquiries about discrimination related to any other protected class aside from sex or disability may be made to Rodney Parker, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer (Humanities 224, 410-617-2201, rparker1@loyola.edu), OCR, or both.

The Loyola University Maryland nondiscrimination policy and grievance procedures and information regarding how to report information or make a complaint about conduct that may constitute discrimination can be found in the following places:

• Sex discrimination: Loyola University Maryland Title IX and Bias Compliance Website
• Discrimination on protected classifications (non sex-based): Loyola University Maryland Title IX and Bias Compliance website for students and Human Resources website for employees

Loyola University Maryland is authorized under Federal Law to enroll non-immigrant, alien students.