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How to Apply

First-Year Students

The Application Process

Belmont's Office of Admissions is here to assist you with the application process. Belmont accepts applications via the Common Application©, the Belmont University online application or apply Coalition, powered by Scoir. Keep in mind that applications for admission to Belmont are considered on a rolling basis, so early submission of application materials is strongly encouraged. Applicants will be notified of a decision within a few weeks of completing the application. 

All applicants to the School of Music, Department of Theatre & Dance, select programs in the Watkins College of Art and the Songwriting major have additional application steps with dates for auditions and portfolio submission.

Información en Español

First-Year Application Deadlines

Application Deadlines
Semester Application Deadline
Fall May 1
Spring November 1
Summer May 1

Step-by-Step Instructions

Application Checklist

Complete the Application for Admission

Complete the entire Degree Seeking Application thoroughly and submit the non-refundable application fee of $50. You can apply using the following methods:

Request that official transcripts be sent from the high school directly to the Office of Admissions. For a transcript to be official, it may not be marked “Issued to Student." Belmont will accept official transcripts via mail, Parchment, Clearinghouse, Naviance or SCOIR.

The mailing address is:

Office of Admissions
1900 Belmont Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37212

Belmont is test optional. Students should select if they would like test scores to be considered when they fill out their application for admission. Should you choose to report your test scores, please request official ACT or SAT score reports be sent directly to Belmont from the relevant testing agency. Test scores will also be accepted as official if submitted on an official high school transcript. Belmont does not consider the Writing component from either the ACT or SAT and will consider the super-score for admission and scholarship purposes.


Belmont’s ACT code is 3946
Belmont’s SAT code is 1058

Provide the School Counselor Recommendation (or School Report Form if using the Common Application) to the appropriate person in your school counseling office and request that they send the completed recommendation directly to Belmont.

A graphic with the Belmont logo with text saying Applying to Belmont

Admissions Timeline for Fall 2024

August 1, 2023 – Application Opens

September 15, 2023 – Notification of Admission Begins

December 1, 2023 – Top Scholarship Deadline 

Late December 2023 - FAFSA Opens

March 22, 2024 - FAFSA Priority Deadline (extended from March 1)

May 1, 2024 – Enrollment Deposit Deadline

June 10-21, 2024 – Summer Orientation

August 23, 2024 – First Day of Fall Classes

Frequently Asked Questions

An applicant is considered on the total picture the student’s credentials present. High school students will be considered competitive for admission if they present a rigorous course of college preparatory academic studies. Students should have an above average core cumulative grade-point average and rank in the top half of their graduating classes. A strong correlation between high school grades and test scores (if submitted) is expected. Any college level work is also expected to be at the above average level. The essay, list of activities, and recommendations are also strongly considered as positive indicators of success at Belmont. Additional requirements such as portfolios or auditions are considered as part of the application to specific majors as applicable. Each application is considered on an individual basis. No two applicants will present the same credentials or the same degree of “fit” with the University. Our desire is to work with each student to determine the likelihood for that student to enroll, graduate and benefit from the Belmont educational experience.

First-year applicants, who are best prepared to be successful at Belmont, generally will have completed, a minimum, the following course requirements as part of a rigorous college preparatory curriculum while in high school:

  • Four years of English
  • Three years of Math, including Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra II (most students will have four years)
  • Three years of lab-based Science, such as Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry or Physics
  • Two to three years of Social Studies, including U.S. History (most students will have three years)
  • Two or more years of the same Foreign Language completed while in high school (most students will have three years)

Belmont University will approve an application fee ($50) waiver to qualifying students based on indicators of economic need or if the student is first generation. Belmont considers students as first-generation if neither of their parents has completed a bachelor’s degree. Likewise, students may be considered first-generation if their parents did not complete a degree in the United States and therefore may be unfamiliar with navigating the college system in the United States. To request an application fee waiver, please contact your Admissions Counselor.

Students who complete college coursework while in high school will, in most cases, receive credit for the work completed, provided it meets the following guidelines:

  1. The course work is completed through a college or university accredited by one of the accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  2. Courses may not be remedial in nature.
  3. Courses match up (are equivalent in content) with courses offered at Belmont.
  4. While any course in which the student receives a passing grade is eligible for consideration as transfer credit, a student must earn a grade of “C” or better in any course which could then be considered for equivalence to a general education, major or minor course at Belmont.
  5. For those students who enroll at Belmont, an official transcript from each college or university where work was completed must be submitted to Belmont in order for the appropriate credit to be determined and awarded.

Students who wish to transfer less than 30 hours of college credit are advised to take all math courses at Belmont. To see a list of general education course requirements for each degree option at Belmont, go here, making sure to select the appropriate degree from the list of options at the top of the page. A more detailed explanation of the credit transfer process can be found in the University catalog here.

Students are welcome to utilize Transferology to see how their courses may transfer to Belmont. Transferology is a free tool that will show students course equivalencies. Click below to check out our Transferology page.

For a preliminary evaluation of your dual enrollment credit, fill out this form.

Access Transferology

University credit is awarded in the amount carried by the course for which the student is receiving advanced placement. This credit is recorded as “P” and is not used in calculating overall grade point average. A maximum total of 24 hours of credit may be earned through Advanced Placement, I.B., Cambridge and / or CLEP combined.

See the AP tests accepted by Belmont University.

See IB tests accepted by Belmont University. 

See Cambridge International credit accepted by Belmont University.

First-year applicants who wish to be considered for Belmont’s honors program must submit the application for admission by December 1. Notification of Honors admissions decisions will be communicated on a rolling basis within four weeks of being academically admitted to Belmont. More specific details about the program, including admission requirements and curriculum offerings, can be found online on the Belmont Global Honors program page.

All applicants to the Nursing Program must submit an official high school transcript and while official test scores from either SAT or ACT are optional, students are still welcome to submit test scores for consideration. If a student does not wish to use a test score as part of the admissions process, the admission team will calculate their math and science GPA. To be exempt from this requirement, nursing applicant must be a licensed registered nurse or have a previous bachelor’s degree. Further information may be found on the nursing program page.

Applicants are required to submit a portfolio in order to be considered for admission to the Songwriting major. The portfolio will consist of the applicant’s two original songs and corresponding lyrics via YouTube, plus a written online application portion. Portfolios will be reviewed five times annually and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (CST) on September 15, November 1, January 15, March 1 and, for transfer students only, July 1, for consideration. Specific instructions regarding the portfolio process as well as general information about the major can be found online on the songwriting program page.

Applicants to the School of Music who wish to major or minor in music are required to complete an audition. Once a student applies to the University as a music major, the student will be prompted to complete a supplemental application to the School of Music and register for either an in-person or video audition. Those students wishing to pursue a music minor (classical study in voice or instrument) should contact the School of Music (SOM) at somauditions@belmont.edu. Applicants will not receive their School of Music decision until they complete and submit their application and receive their notification of acceptance to Belmont as a whole. Applicants who are academically admissible to the university but do not have a successful audition or portfolio review may choose to enroll at Belmont in a major outside of the College of Music and Performing Arts. An applicant who is academically inadmissible to the University cannot be considered for admission to the College of Music and Performing Arts. Additional information, including audition dates and requirements, can be found on the CMPA auditions website.

Applicants for the B.F.A. degree in Theatre are required to either complete an audition or submit a portfolio depending upon their area of emphasis (applicants pursuing the B.A. in Theatre and Drama are exempt from this requirement). Applicants for the B.F.A. program will receive an email after they submit their Belmont application with details on how to audition or submit a portfolio. Applicants who audition or submit a portfolio prior to all application materials being received will not learn of their admission to the university until their application file is complete and a decision has been mailed. Applicants who are academically admissible to the university but do not have a successful audition or portfolio review may choose to enroll at Belmont in a major outside of the College of Music and Performing Arts. An applicant who is academically inadmissible to the University cannot be considered for admission to the College of Music and Performing Arts. Additional information, including audition and portfolio requirements, can be found on the CMPA auditions website.

The Watkins College of Art requires all students applying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree (Studio Art, Design Communications, Illustration, Experiential Design, Photography or Art Education) to submit a portfolio as a part of the admissions process. You must first be admitted to Belmont before hearing a decision from Watkins.

Portfolios submitted before December 1 will be considered for the Watkins Merit Scholarships. Any applications submitted after December 1 will be considered for admission, but not for departmental scholarships.

View the Portfolio Guideline Requirements.

Non US Citizens include Permanent Resident, Undocumented, DACA, TPS, Refugee and Asylee students. While Belmont is test optional, Non US Citizen applicants are required to submit Proof of English Proficiency in addition to the items listed above before an admissions decision can be made. This requirement may be satisfied by meeting one of the following options:

Citizenship with one of the following countries:

  • Antigua
  • Australia
  • Bahamas
  • Barbuda
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Canada (except Quebec)
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • Malta
  • New Zealand
  • St Kitts and Nevi
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • United Kingdom – Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales

For any questions regarding the application process, please contact your admissions counselor, Bryson Keltner.

In addition to the application listed above for first-year applicants, US Citizens Living Abroad who have not attended a US or IB high school may also need to submit a transcript evaluation.

  • High Schools Outside of the US - A formal credential evaluation of your high school transcript is required for any student who has completed their education outside of the United States. Official evaluations must be course-by-course, contain a GPA (grade point average) and be sent directly from the evaluation company to Belmont. Only evaluations from an NACES accredited evaluation company will be accepted. For high school transcript evaluation, Belmont suggests using Josef Silny & Associates, SpanTran or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).

Click here to access our transcript evaluation guide for instructions and more information.

  • US High Schools - Request that official transcripts be sent from the high school directly to the Office of Admissions. For a transcript to be official, it may not be marked "Issued to Student." (remove) Electronic copies are accepted from Parchment, Clearinghouse, Naviance or SCOIR (if your school participates).

For any questions regarding the application process, please contact your admissions counselor, Bryson Keltner.

Students applying with GED or HiSET results will need to have their official scores sent from the Department of Education or ETS, respectively. Please also have official high school transcripts sent in for any coursework completed in the classroom. Please reach out to your admissions counselor with any additional questions.

When to apply: Apply during your gap year or the fall before you plan to enroll.

Student type: Students are considered a first-year student unless they completed college coursework post high school graduation.

Required items: A final high school transcript and school counselor recommendation must be submitted by the student’s high school.

Belmont does not have a formal deferral process. Admitted students withdraw and reapply for their desired entry term. Belmont will keep all documents and an application fee waiver can be requested. Please reach out to your admissions counselor with any questions.

Información en Español

Queremos compartir información sobre nuestra universidad con ustedes. ¡Gracias por su interés en Belmont! Belmont es una universidad cristiana en Nashville, Tennessee. La universidad tiene cerca de 9,000 estudiantes que vienen de todos los estados del país y de 30 naciones. Ofrecemos más de 130 programas académicos. Nashville es conocida por ser la Ciudad de Música, es la sede de varias empresas relacionadas con el sistema de salud y también un foco industrial para empresas en el ámbito del diseño y la moda. Brindamos muchas oportunidades a nuestros estudiantes – prácticas profesionales, programas en el extranjero, y más de 190 organizaciones para estar conectados con la comunidad universitaria. Los estudiantes residen en el campus durante los dos primeros años, a menos que el estudiante a) viva en Nashville con su familia, b) tenga más de 60 créditos universitarios, o c) sea mayor de 21 años. La universidad cuenta con 16 residencias universitarias. Nuestros estudiantes del primer año,  pueden escoger la opción de vivir en un estilo de suite o de comunidad. El 60% de nuestros estudiantes vive en el campus cuatro años. A los seis meses de haberse graduado, el 96% de nuestros estudiantes tienen empleo, sirven en el servicio militar o siguen en sus estudios de posgrado.

Hay dos opciones: el formulario de solicitud de Belmont en nuestra plataforma “BU4U”, “Common App” o el "Apply Coalition with Scoir." En la solicitud, hay que compartir información general, así como su información de contacto, su ‘highschool’, su currículo durante ‘highschool’ (por ejemplo: actividades extraescolares, empleos, servicio a la comunidad, responsabilidades familiares, premios recibidos, liderazgo); y un ensayo de 250-650 palabras. Para 2023, los estudiantes que solicitan ingresar tienen la opción de decidir si quieren entregar sus resultados de los exámenes de ACT o SAT. Necesitamos la transcripción oficial de la(s) escuela(s) secundaria(s) y una carta de recomendación de la oficina de consejería de la escuela. Si no es usted ciudadano(a) estadounidense, es posible que tenga que demostrar competencia en inglés.

Nuestra solicitud abre el 1 de agosto de su último año de ‘highschool’. La fecha prioritaria de entrega es el 1 de diciembre. La solicitud para la ayuda financiera (FAFSA) se abre en Diciembre de 2023 y tiene una fecha de prioridad 22 de marzo también. Cuando solicite la admisión, también completa la solicitud para las becas de mérito académico. Estas becas ofrecen entre $3,000-$12,000. Generalmente, estas becas se otorgan a estudiantes que obtienen unas puntuaciones cercanas al promedio de la clase anterior – 3.75 GPA, 27 ACT, y 1240 SAT. Para consideración financiera, tiene que solicitar a FAFSA.

Nos gustaría invitarles a visitar nuestro campus. Tenemos visitas y tours de lunes a viernes y también algunos fines de semana.