Secondary Application Processes for Distance Learning

If you are returning to WCU and were previously a different major or you were previously a residential (campus) student, you will complete the process listed below within each section.

For students who are returning from the distance major they were previously, back to the same distance major your process may look slightly different depending on major. Please contact distance@wcu.edu if you have questions about your process, but do review the information below as well. Also, some programs will admit students who are returning back to the same distance major they were previously after indicated deadlines (it highly depends on space). 

Fall 2025 & Spring 2026 are now open. 

There is no secondary application requirement for any BSBA programs. Your next steps, once admitted to the University, will be to complete your Intent to Enroll Form within your Catamount Portal. As a reminder, ITEs do not begin showing on applications until after September 1 for spring semesters, and February 1 for summer and fall semesters. Following completion of this form, you will get a welcome and next steps email within about two weeks. 

While you can be admitted to both the University and our BSBA programs without having official transcripts on file. Please note that your transfer credits will not be evaluated until we receive your official transcript(s). You can check the status of your official transcript(s) in your Catamount Portal.

Spring 2026 is now open.  Fall 2025 is closed. Review for initial cumulative GPA confirmation will not start for spring 2026 until after September 1, 2025. See below for more specifics. 

BK Degree Seeking Application & Consideration Requirements: 

• We must receive your official transcript(s) in order for pre-requisites to be reviewed by the program. You can check the status of your official transcript(s) in your Catamount Portal.
  • A transcript is considered official when it is sent directly to Western Carolina University from your institution(s) via an electronic transcript service or by mail. If you have further questions about official transcripts, please reach out to us.
• Completion of the Secondary Applicaiton & Reading Comprehension Exam. Note: the program only sends the secondary application & comprehension exam to students who have official transcripts on file with Admissions & appear to meet the minimum cumulative GPA for the program in which they applied (2.75 for degree seeking & 3.0 for non-degree). You will apply to both the University and Program (if qualified) through your Catamount Portal.
• The BK program reviews for the following pre-requisites for consideration:
  • The minimum cumulative GPA is 2.75 (please note that a cumulative GPA refers to the calculated GPA of all attempted credits from all colleges you have attended)
    AND
  • ​​​A minimum of 40 transferrable credit hours from an accredited institution

BK Certification or Add-On Licensure Requirements (Non-Degree): 

• The minimum cumulative GPA is 3.0 (please note that a cumulative GPA refers to the calculated GPA of all attempted credits from all colleges you have attended);
  AND ​​
• You must have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. Please make sure to upload your transcript(s) into your Catamount Portal.​​​​​
• Completion of the Secondary Applicaiton & Reading Comprehension Exam. Note: the program only sends the secondary application & comprehension exam to students who have transcripts on file with Admissions & appear to meet the minimum cumulative GPA for the program in which they applied (2.75 for degree seeking & 3.0 for non-degree). You will apply to both the University and Program (if qualified) through your Catamount Portal

The programs' decision timeline is March 31st for fall semester, and November 1st for spring.  There are times when the program may decide to close earlier than the written deadline, so apply as soon as possible. Most of the time, the program will only make one round of decisions. 

Once all secondary application requirements are completed and submitted you will need to continue to monitor your personal email, and Catamount Portal for updates regarding your decision for BK. If we need additional information or are unable to admit you, we will contact you via email. If you are admissable to the program, you will see your Intent to Enroll Form (ITE) on your Catamount Portal. As a reminder, ITEs will not populate until the program has made decisions.  Following completion of this form, you will get a welcome and next steps email within about two weeks. For students within the degree seeking program, you will select a concentration: Licensure (Professional Education) or Non-Licensure (Early Childhood) within your first semester of coursework. 

RALC Applicants- you need to email your RALC plan to distance@wcu.edu as soon as possible once you've applied. 

Academically & Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Applicants - Please contact distance@wcu.edu to follow up on your next steps. 

Applications for fall 2025 are now open. Applications for spring 2026 are also open.

Note: the CJ program at WCU is designed for professionals who are already working or have worked within a CJ related field. Our program is not designed for students without experience. If you do not meet the professional experience requirement, please reach out to discuss your major options - distance@wcu.edu. 

Criminal Justice Application & Condsideration Requirements:

• A secondary application is required and can be found in your Catamount Portal once admitted to the University. In this secondary application you will attach and provide information that addresses the information in the next bullet point. You will also be required to provide a personal statement regarding your experience, qualifications, and goals for the CJ program at WCU.  
• The CJ program reviews for the following pre-requisites for program admission:
  • One year of professional work experience within a CJ-related field (if you need to verify your work experience, please reach out to distance@wcu.edu);
    AND
  • ​​​​​​A minimum of 50 transferrable credit hours from an accredited institution.

 Once you have reviewed the Admissions requirements, you can complete the University and CJ Program applicaiton within your Catamount Portal.   Completion Deadlines are November 1 for spring, and June 1 for summer & fall. This means you must have been accepted by the  University by this date and have your program application in for CJ as well. We would recommend having your University application submitted and transcripts sent by October 15 for spring and May 1 for fall admission to ensure enough time to be accepted by these dates. 

Once all secondary application requirements are completed and submitted you will need to continue to monitor your personal email, and Catamount Portal for updates regarding your decision for CJ. If we need additional information or are unable to admit you, we will contact you via email. If you are admissable to the program, your Intent to Enroll Form (ITE) will be added to your Catamount Portal. As a reminder, ITEs do not begin showing on applications until after September 1 for spring semesters, and February 1 for summer and fall semesters.  Following completion of this form, you will get a welcome and next steps email within about two weeks. 

While you can be admitted to both the University and our CJ program without having official transcripts on file. Please note that your transfer credits will not be evaluated until we receive your official transcript(s). You can check the status of your official transcript(s) in your Catamount Portal.

Fall 2025 & Spring 2026 are now open. 

While there is no step two application required for Emergency and Disaster Management (EDM), our office reviews for the following pre-requisites for program admission, once the university has made their initial decision: 

• • An associate's degree from an accredited institution;
    OR
  • ​​​​​​Equivalent courses to WCU's English 101, English 202, and five additional liberal studies (general education) requirements.

You will need to continue to monitor your personal email, and Catamount Portal for updates regarding your decision for EDM. If we need additional information or are unable to admit you, we will contact you via email. If you are admissable to the program, your Intent to Enroll Form (ITE) will be added to your Catamount Portal. As a reminder, ITEs do not begin showing on applications until after September 1 for spring semesters, and February 1 for summer and fall semesters.  Following completion of this form, you will get a welcome and next steps email within about two weeks. 

Fall 2025 application is now CLOSED. The application for fall 2026 will open around November 1st. EMC offers two concentration in which students can choose: Clinical Science and Health Management. For information about each concentraiton, visit the program page. Note: Clinical Science studenst will need to plan to take their necessary science courses for their concentration outside of WCU. Also, for those interested in pre-professional pathways whom may have questions, please contact distance@wcu.edu. 

Emergency Medical Care Application & Consideration Requirements: 

• Since entry into the program is based on term, we require students to complete a new secondary application with updated information each term in which they apply. As a reminder, this can be found in your Catamount Portal once a university decision has been made. In your secondary application you will be asked to provide information and documentation regarding the requirements in the following bullet points. 
• Applicants are evaluated and ranked for program consideration based on the following pre-requisites:
  • The minimum cumulative GPA is 2.5 (please note that a cumulative GPA refers to the calculated GPA of all attempted credits from all colleges you have attended);
    AND
  • ​​​​​​Must have one of the following credentials: state paramedic, national paramedic, 18D, or SOCM; Note: you can be in progress for your credential at time of application, but it must be completed before August 1st for the fall semester in which you are applying. 
    AND 
  • The most competitive applications will have competitive coursework and related work experience, including:
    • Military Experience (especially SOCM/18D)
    • Years of experience as a paramedic
    • Completion of Anatomy I and II or the equivalents of these courses at another institution. To verify if you have completed the equivalent courses, visit our Credits Earned Elsewhere page. 
    • At least 40 hours of transeferrable courses outside of any EMS, EMT, or paramedic related courses and experience 

Fall admit only. Due April 1. You need to have both a University acceptance, all official transcripts submitted and program application on file by April 1, for you to be reviewed. Decisions will go out after May 1. 

Once all secondary application requirements are completed and submitted you will need to continue to monitor your personal email, and Catamount Portal for updates regarding your decision for EMC. If we need additional information or are unable to admit you, we will contact you via email. If you are admissable to the program, your Intent to Enroll Form (ITE) will be added to your Catamount Portal. As a reminder, ITEs do not begin showing on applications until after September 1 for spring semesters, and February 1 for summer and fall semesters.  Following completion of this form, you will get a welcome and next steps email within about two weeks.

Your transfer credits will not be evaluated until we receive your official transcript(s). Credential block credit will not be added until admitted to the program. You can check the status of your official transcript(s) in your Catamount Portal. 

Fall 2025 & Spring 2026 are now open. 

There is no secondary application requirement for the Engineering Technology - Technical Operations program. Note: if you have any questions regarding the ETO curriculum, please reach out to Dr. Amber Thompson at acthompson@wcu.edu.Your next steps, once admitted to the University, will be to complete your Intent to Enroll Form(ITE) within your Catamount Portal. As a reminder, ITEs do not begin showing on applications until after September 1 for spring semesters, and February 1 for summer and fall semesters.  Following completion of this form, you will get a welcome and next steps email within about two weeks. 

Please note that your transfer credits will not be evaluated until we receive your official transcript(s). You can check the status of your official transcript(s) in your Catamount Portal.

Summer 2025 is now closed. The applicaiton for summer 2026 will open around September 1.

RIBN Application & Consideration Requirements: 

• Applicants must be accepted into the RIBN program at one of the following community colleges: A-B Tech, Blue Ridge, Isothermal, Southwestern, or Surry. Please contact RIBN Community College Counselor for your Community College, this information can be found on at ribn.wcu.edu. Note: Students who are transitioning from a residential (campus) student at WCU, to a RIBN student, will need contact Distance for information at distance@wcu.edu. 
• We must receive your official transcript(s) in order for pre-requisites to be reviewed by the program. You can check the status of your official transcript(s) in your Catamount Portal.
  • A transcript is considered official when it is sent directly to Western Carolina University from your institution(s) via an electronic transcript service or by mail. If you have further questions about official transcripts, please reach out to us.
• A secondary WCU program application is required and can be found in your Catamount Portal once you are admitted to the university.
• The RIBN program reviews for the following pre-requisites for consideration:
  • The minimum cumulative GPA is 3.0 (please note that a cumulative GPA refers to the calculated GPA of all attempted credits from all colleges you have attended);
    AND
  • A TEAS score of 70 or above;
    AND
  • One of the following:
    • Must have completed 20 or more college credit hours within 100-level or higher courses;
      OR
    • ​​​​​​An ACT score of at least a 19 is required by the state, but in order to be a competitive applicant in the program, it's advised to have a 24 or above (applicants who wish to take or retake the ACT may take the exam through the WCU Testing Center or an approved ACT test site).

As a reminder, general acceptance into WCU does not guarantee acceptance into the program. If you are having issues with the WCU portion of your application and your RIBN counselor requests you reach out to WCU, please contact our office at distance@wcu.edu or 828-227-7397.  The deadline to have a university acceptance, secondary applicaiton completed, and all offiicial transcripts submitted for summer 2026 is March 2, 2026. 

Once all secondary application requirements are completed and submitted you will need to continue to monitor your personal email, and Catamount Portal for updates regarding your decision for RIBN. If we need additional information or are unable to admit you, we will contact you via email. If you are admissable to the program, your Intent to Enroll Form (ITE) will be added to your Catamount Portal. As a reminder, ITEs do not begin showing on applications until after September 1 for spring semesters, and February 1 for summer and fall semesters.  Following completion of this form, you will get a welcome and next steps email within about two weeks. 

Fall 2025 is now closed. Spring 2026 is open. 

RN to BSN Application & Consideration Requirements: 

• We must receive your official transcript(s) in order for pre-requisites to be reviewed by the program. You can check the status of your official transcript(s) in your Catamount Portal.
  • A transcript is considered official when it is sent directly to Western Carolina University from your institution(s) via an electronic transcript service or by mail. If you have further questions about official transcripts, please reach out to us.
• A secondary application is required and can be found in your Catamount Portal once you receive an official university acceptance.
  • In your secondary application you will be asked to indicate if you are in progress for any remaining course prerequisite requirements. If you would like to confirm your prerequisites are complete, please email distance@wcu.edu for a preliminary evaluation of your transfer credits once your transcripts are submitted. Note: Prerequisites must be completed before the first day of courses for the semester in which you are applying to be used for conditional admittance. 
  • In your secondary application you will need to provide the number and state for your RN license. If you are still completing the requirements for licensure, you can indicate when you will have your RN license completed. Note: Licenusre requirements must be completed before the first day of courses for the semester in which you are applying to be used for conditional admittance. 
• ​​​​The RN to BSN program reviews for the following pre-requisites for consideration:
  • The minimum cumulative GPA is 2.5 (please note that a cumulative GPA refers to the calculated GPA of all attempted credits from all colleges you have attended)
    AND
  • ​​​A minimum of 60 transferrable non-nursing credit hours from an accredited institution. For more information on specific pre-requisite coursework, please visit rntobsn.wcu.edu.

Completion Deadlines are September 15 for spring terms, and March 15 for fall. This means you must have been accepted by the  University by this date, have all official transcripts in, and have your program application in for RN to BSN as well. We would recommend having your University application submitted and official transcripts sent by August 20 for spring and February 10 for fall admission to ensure enough time to be accepted by these dates. No summer admission. Note: The program does not make admissions decisions until after the deadline, and works to have decisions to students within a month following the deadline. 

Once all secondary application requirements are completed and submitted you will need to continue to monitor your personal email, and Catamount Portal for updates regarding your decision for RN to BSN. If we need additional information or are unable to admit you, we will contact you via email. If you are admissable to the program, your Intent to Enroll Form (ITE) will be added to your Catamount Portal. As a reminder, ITEs do not begin showing on applications until after September 1 for spring semesters, and February 1 for summer and fall semesters.  Following completion of this form, you will get a welcome and next steps email within about two weeks. 

There is no secondary application requirement for those enrolling as non-degree or transient students. Your next steps, once admitted to the University, will be to complete your Intent to Enroll Form(ITE) within your Catamount Portal. As a reminder, ITEs do not begin showing on applications until after September 1 for spring semesters, and February 1 for summer and fall semesters.  Following completion of this form, you will get a welcome and next steps email within about two weeks. 

Transcripts are not required for non-degree or transient students, and because of this you will have to reach out to the department that hosts the course you are planning to take if you need any prerequisite overrides. You will need to plan to provide documentation of completion of the prerequisites to the department. 

Note: Non-degree or transient students are those planning to take only a few classes at WCU for either personal exploration, or to transfer to another institution. Non-degree is not designed for students wanting to do a degree program eventually at WCU, you should then apply as undeclared.

There is no secondary application requirement for those enrolling as a distance undeclared major. Your next steps, once admitted to the University, will be to complete your Intent to Enroll Form(ITE) within your Catamount Portal. As a reminder, ITEs do not begin showing on applications until after September 1 for spring semesters, and February 1 for summer and fall semesters.  Following completion of this form, you will get a welcome and next steps email within about two weeks. 

Note: Undeclared students may be working on prerequisite requirements for other majors, or working on remaining liberal studies or general education requirements. Distance undeclared not a good option for students who do not see any majors they are not interested in on our Programs page, as those are our only online programs at this time.