Undergraduate Admission

Elms College understands that some applicants (domestic or international) may be unable to obtain or provide official transcripts and other documents from their prior academic institutions due to the impact of COVID-19.

In such cases, applicants should provide Elms College with their complete educational history, beginning with secondary (high) school graduation. They should include all enrollment at any higher education institution(s), whether the institution is currently closed or open, and include the following information for all institutions:

• Name of the institution(s) in the native language, if not English
• The location(s)
• The dates of attendance
• Name(s) of any degrees, diplomas, or certificates they may have received, in the native language if not English

If applicants have any official documentation in their possession, they can send copies of the documentation to Elms College for review: transcript and diploma or degree certificate in the original language of issue, and English translations if not officially issued in English.

The documents are only acceptable if they are sent by mail unless they can be verified electronically at the source. (Documents sent by email cannot be accepted unless they can be verified electronically at the source, as detection of altered electronic documents is more difficult.)

Applicants must send an explanation to Elms College that gives specifics about the closure of their specific institution. This can be sent by mail, courier or email.

The explanation should include information from official sources that confirms information about the closure or delayed re-opening of their institution specifically, such as URL’s for official online sources (university websites, government decrees, press releases, etc.), copies of any official communications they have received from the institution, etc.

• Applicants must explain how they acquired the documentation they are planning to send to Elms College. Please provide an explanation as to:
• How and when you requested the documentation from the institution
• How and when it was issued to you
• How and when you received the documentation from the institution
• Where you were at the time you received it from the institution

Elms College will review student situation on a case-by-case basis and each evaluation of unofficial documents will be considered provisional. Provisional evaluations are valid only until the originating institution is reopened or until it is once again able to issue official student records.

Elms College will require official documentation issued directly by the originating institution as soon as the institution has reopened and is once again able to issue official student records.

As many schools and colleges decide to move to alternative grading systems (i.e. pass/fail, credit/no credit) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Elms College is fully prepared to accept these changes made by individual schools.

Elms College will award course equivalency credit transfer courses with any Passing or Satisfactory (S/U, S/S-/U, P/U), or other equivalent non-qualitative grade earned for terms impacted, specifically Spring 2020 and Summer 2020, as if the student has earned the minimum standard grade required for transfer under current policy.

In addition, Elms College will accept any Passing or Satisfactory, or other equivalent non-qualitative grade, earned during Spring or Summer 2020, to meet core and major degree requirements.

Some academic programs may have accreditation or licensure restrictions on accepting non-qualitative grades for transfer credit. Please contact the Admissions Office or the specific academic program for requirements.

Understanding that students and applicants are facing a variety of factors in their college’s Pass/Fail grading decisions due to COVID-19, Elms College has a process in place to review all situations and exceptions to incoming transfer credit requirements. Please contact our Admissions staff if you have any questions or concerns about how your credit will be evaluated.