A

• Adjunct professor: A professor or instructor that does not hold a permanent or full-time position at an academic institution. This may be someone with a job outside the academic institution teaching courses in a specialized field, or it may refer to persons hired to teach courses on a contractual basis. The University of Evansville has both full-time and adjunct professors.
• Academic advisor: A member of a college faculty who helps students navigate academic services like course registration and degree requirements while offering guidance to help students reach their academic goals. Learn more about advising at UE.
• Academic year: The period of formal instruction from late August to early May, divided into semesters – fall and spring. View the UE academic calendars.
• Accreditation: Approval of colleges or universities by nationally recognized professional associations or regional accrediting bodies. View UE's accreditation.
• ACT (American College Test): A standardized college entrance examination including four separate multiple-choice tests that measure knowledge in English, mathematics, reading, and science. An optional writing test measures planning and writing skills. Many students take this examination during their junior or senior (third or fourth) year of high school (secondary school).
• Advising Week: The week before registration (when students sign up for classes) where students meet with their advisors to discuss academic progress and which courses to enroll in for next semester.
• Add/Drop Period: A timeframe during the first week of classes when students can freely add or drop courses with an instructor’s permission, usually without financial or academic penalties. After this period, dropping a class may result in a "W" (withdrawal) or an "F," (failure) depending on the timing.
• Affidavit of support: An official document proving a promise of funding from an individual or organization.
• Asynchronous: When students and professors engage in course materials at different times from different places. An asynchronous course allows a student to work and complete assignments at their own pace.
• Attestation: Official affirmation that a degree or transcript is genuine; usually signed by a recognized expert or witness.
• Audit: To take a class without receiving credit toward a degree.
• Authentication: Process of determining whether something is, in fact, what it is declared to be. Incoming students are often required to provide a document of authentication for academic transcripts or previous degrees when applying to a program of study in the United States.

B

• Bachelor’s degree: An undergraduate degree awarded by a college or university upon successful completion of a program of study, typically requiring at least four years (or the equivalent) of full-time study. Common degree types include Bachelor of Arts (B.A. or A.B.), which refers to the liberal arts, Bachelor of Science (B.S.). A Bachelor's is required before starting graduate studies.
• Blackboard: An online learning management system used for course content at UE. Blackboard allows students to access course materials, post homework, and communicate with professors.
• Blended Learning: A teaching method that blends online or digital components with face-to-face or Zoom instruction but does not reduce the number of required course meetings.

C

• Campus: The land or grounds on which the buildings of a college or university are located. View a  map of UE's campus.
• Capstone A final project or piece of work that students complete at the end of an academic program.
• ChangeLab: A semester long project where students work for a business, nonprofit, or community to address a problem and create positive change. UE ChangeLab.
• Changemakers: a person committed to making positive change in the world.
• CIE: Center for Inclusive Excellence
• Class rank: A number or ratio indicating a student's academic standing in their graduating class. A student who ranks first in a class of 100 students would report their class rank as 1/100, while a student ranking last would report 100/100. Class rank may also be expressed in percentiles (for example, the top 25 percent, the lower 50 percent).
• Co-Curricular Activities: Nonacademic activities undertaken outside university courses.
• Coed: A college or university that admits both men and women; also refers to a dormitory that houses both men and women. University of Evansville has coed residence halls with single-sex floors.
• College: A postsecondary institution that provides an undergraduate education and, in some cases, master's and doctorate degrees. College, in a separate sense, is a division of a university; for example, College of Business.
• College catalog: An official publication giving information about a university's academic programs, facilities, entrance requirements, and student life. UE Course Catalog
• Community college: A postsecondary institution that offers associate degree programs (two-year), as well as technical and vocational programs.
• Commuter Student: A student who lives in accommodations that are not administered by the college and are off the campus grounds. He or she travels to campus every day for classes.
• Core course: Courses that provide the foundation of the degree program and are required of all students seeking that degree.
• Course: Regularly scheduled class sessions of one to five hours (or more) per week during a term. A degree program is made up of a specified number of required and elective courses and varies from institution to institution. Find all the courses UE offers in our course catalog.
• Credits: Units that most colleges and universities use to record the completion of courses (with passing grades) that are required for a degree. University of Evansville offers degree programs requiring 120 credits.

D

• Degree: Diploma or title conferred by a college, university, or professional school upon completion of a prescribed program of studies.
• Department: Administrative subdivision of a school, college, or university through which instruction in a certain field of study is given (such as English department or history department). View a list of UE's departments.
• Designated school official (DSO): A Designated School Official (DSO) is the person on campus who gathers and reports information on international students to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and assists international students in the visa and employment authorization process. Your DSO's name will be listed on your I-20 or DS 2019. The DSO for the University of Evansville can be reached by emailing internationalstudent@evansville.edu.
• Doctoral degree: The highest academic degree conferred by a university to students who have completed graduate study beyond the bachelor's and/or master's degree.

E

• Electives: Courses that may be chosen from any field of study. Electives give students an opportunity to explore other topics or subjects of interest.

F

• Faculty: People who teach courses at US colleges and universities. Faculty members may include professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and instructors.
• Fees: An amount charged by universities, in addition to tuition, to cover costs of institutional services. View a complete list of fees.
• Finals Week: The last week of the semester where most courses give a cumulative exam often encompassing all materials covered throughout the duration of the course. For the Fall 2024, they were from December 6 to the December 12 and in the Spring, they were from May 2 to the May 8. View details reguarding the finals week schedule.
• Financial aid: A general term that includes all types of money, loans, and work/study programs offered to a student to help pay tuition, fees, and living expenses. International students are not entitled to Federal Financial Aid. Student Financial Services at UE.
• Fraternities: Male social, academic, and philanthropic organizations found on many US campuses. View a list of UE Fraternities.
• Freshman: A first-year student at a secondary school, college, or university.
• Full-time student: A student enrolled in an institution taking a full load of courses; at least 12 credit hours.

G

• Grade/grading system: The evaluation of a student's academic work. Each professor will have their own way of grading assignments. It is important to read through your syllabus to determine what that way is for that specific class.
• Grade point average (GPA): A measure of a student's academic performance, calculated as the average of grades for all completed coursework on a 4.0 scale in the United States. It is reported as a semester GPA, which reflects performance in a specific term, and a cumulative GPA, which tracks the overall average across all courses in a degree program.
  • Grade — GPA
  • A — 4.0 (excellent)
  • B — 3.0 (good)
  • C — 2.0 (satisfactory)
  • D — 1.0 (needs improvement)
  • F — 0.0 (fail)
• Graduate: A student who has successfully completed a course of study at the secondary school or college level. The completion date, known as the degree conferral date, is typically noted on their diploma and transcript
• Graduate Program: A study course for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree. View a list of graduate programs offered at UE.

H

• High school: The US term for secondary school.
• Higher education: Continued education after high school at colleges, universities, professional schools, technical institutes, etc.
• Honors program: A challenging program for students with high grades. Northwestern Michigan College has an honors program for students who wish to challenge themselves academically. Learn more about UE's honor program.
• Humanities: Academic courses focused on human life and ideas, including history, philosophy, foreign languages, religion, art, music, and literature. Learn more about the Humanities Major at UE.

I

• Institute: A postsecondary institution that specializes in degree programs in a group of closely related subjects; for example, Institute of Technology.
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): An English language proficiency examination of applicants whose native language is not English. Learn more about the IELTS test.
• International Support Services (ISS): Services focusing on assisting international students, scholars, and visitors with visa-related paperwork, compliance with immigration laws, and meeting legal requirements. These services often include guidance on maintaining visa status, SEVIS reporting, and navigating government regulations, ensuring individuals meet all necessary legal obligations while in the host country.

J

• Junior: A third-year student at a secondary school, college, or university. Junior status is only awarded for students seeking a bachelor’s degree. They have typically completed between 30 and 69 credit hours.

L

• Language requirement: Students are required to study a foreign language, typically for two semesters. Before starting their first semester, they take a placement exam to assess their proficiency. If their score is high enough, the language requirement may be waived.
• Lecture: Common method of instruction in college and university courses; a professor lectures in classes of 20 to several hundred students. Lectures may be supplemented with regular small group discussions. At the University of Evansville, lecture courses do not typically exceed 40 students.
• Letter of recommendation: A letter written by a student's teacher, counselor, coach, or mentor that assesses their qualifications and skills. Colleges, universities, and graduate schools generally require recommendation letters as part of the application process.
• Liberal arts and sciences: Academic studies of subjects in the humanities, the social sciences, and the physical sciences with the goal of developing students' verbal, written, and reasoning skills.
• Living expenses: Expenses such as housing and meals, books and supplies, transportation, personal expenses, health insurance, etc.
• Loan: A type of financial aid that consists of an amount of money that is given to someone for a period of time, with an agreement that it will be repaid later. There are a few different types at UE. Learn moure about Educational Loans at UE.  International students are generally not eligible for U.S. federal government loans and will typically require an American cosigner to apply for a private bank loan.

M

• Major: The academic subject area that students choose to focus on during their undergraduate studies. Students typically must officially choose their major by the end of their sophomore year, allowing them to take a number of courses in the chosen area during their junior and senior years. View the majors offered at UE.
• Master's: A graduate degree awarded by a college or university upon successful completion of an advanced program of study, typically requiring one or two years of full-time study beyond the bachelor’s degree. Check out all of the Master's Programs UE offers.
• Matriculate: To enroll in a program of study at a college or university with the intention of earning a degree.
• Merit scholarships: A type of financial aid awarded by a college or university to students who have demonstrated special academic ability or talents, regardless of their financial need.
• Midterm exam: Often referred to as ‘midterms’. An exam given after half of the academic term has passed and that covers all material studied in a particular course until that point. Not all courses have midterm exams.
• Minor: An academic subject area that a student chooses to have a secondary focus on during their undergraduate studies. Unlike a major, a minor is typically not required, but it allows a student to take a few additional courses in a subject different from their major. UE minors vary depending on the subject matter but are usually between 15 and 21 credit hours.

N

• Need-based financial aid: Financial aid that is awarded to students due to their financial inability to pay the full cost of attending a specific college or university rather than specifically because of their grades or other merit. The University of Evansville does not offer need-based financial aid to international students.
• Need-blind admissions: A college or university’s policy of accepting or declining applications without considering an applicant's financial circumstances. This policy does not necessarily mean that these schools will offer enough financial aid to meet a student's full need. Only a handful of US colleges or universities offer need-blind admissions to international students.
• Net price calculator: An online tool that allows students and families to calculate a personalized estimate of the cost of a specific college or university, after taking into account any scholarships or need-based financial aid that an applicant would receive. Access the UE Net Price Calculator.
• Notarized: Certified as authentic by a public official, lawyer, or bank. Colleges and universities often require international students to submit notarized documents, such as the Affidavit of Support or high school transcripts.

O

• Optional Practical Training (OPT): A period during which undergraduate and graduate students with F-1 status, who have completed or been pursuing their degree for more than one year, are permitted by USCIS to work for up to 12 months without needing to acquire an H-1B visa. NMC offers OPT to all international students who have successfully completed their program of study or have been fully enrolled for at least one full year. Learn more about OPT at UE.
• Orientation: Orientation at the University of Evansville refers to the official process of welcoming newly admitted students to campus and providing them with essential information, resources, and university policies before classes begin. International students participate in International Arrival and Welcome (IAW) and Student Orientation and Registration (SOAR) as part of this process. Additional details and materials from both programs are accessible on Homebase, the university's orientation website for international students. Learn more about International Arrival and Welcome.

P

• Part-time student: A student who is enrolled at a college or university and is not taking the minimum number of credits required for a full course load. Part-time students at UE must be enrolled in less than 12 credit hours.
• Pass/fail: A grading system in which students receive either a "pass" or "fail" grade, rather than a specific score or letter grade. A pass/fail course does not count towards a student’s GPA but can’t be used for a major or minor requirement. UE students are allowed to take one pass/fail course a semester when they are a Junior or Senior. View more information about pass/fail courses at UE.
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE): An English language proficiency examination that measures English ability through tasks that reflect real-life settings.
• Placement testing: An examination used to test a student's academic ability in a certain field so that he or she may be placed in the appropriate courses in that field. In some cases, a student may be given academic credit based on the results of a placement test. International Students will take some placement exams before arriving on campus and some will be taken after arrival during Orientation.
• Plagiarism: The use of another person's words or ideas as your own, without acknowledging that person. This includes the use of AI, Google Translate, or similar technologies. All students are required to sign an honor code indicating they will not plagiarize. Plagiarism is a serious offense and can result in a swift penalty including failing the assignment, course, or expulsion from school. Learn about UE's Honor Code can be found here.
• Plan of study: A detailed description of the course of study for which a candidate applies. The plan should incorporate the objectives given in the student's “statement of purpose.”
• Postgraduate: Usually refers to studies for individuals who have completed a graduate degree. It may also be used to refer to graduate education.
• Prerequisites: Programs or courses that a student is required to complete before being permitted to enroll in a more advanced program or course. If a student is enrolled in the Physician Assistant program, for example, they must take prerequisites
• Private school: A postsecondary institution controlled by a private individual(s) or a nongovernmental agency. A private institution is usually not supported primarily by public funds and its programs are not operated by publicly elected or appointed officials. The University of Evansville is a private, not for profit institution.
• Probation: A status or period of time in which students with very low GPAs or whose academic work is unsatisfactory according to the school, must improve their performance. If they are unable to do so, they may be dismissed. Students may also face "disciplinary probation" for nonacademic reasons, such as behavioral problems in the residence halls.
• Provost: The senior academic officer of a college or university who typically oversees all academic policies and curriculum-related matters.
• Public school: A postsecondary institution that is supported mainly by public funds and whose programs are operated by publicly elected or appointed officials.

R

• Registrar: The college or university official who is responsible for registering students and keeping their academic records, such as transcripts. Visit the UE Office of Registrar.
• Registration: The process in which students choose and enroll in courses to be taken during the academic year or in summer sessions.
• Regular decision: An admissions process used by colleges and universities that typically requires applicants to submit their materials by January 1; an admissions decision is generally received by April 1, and if admitted, students usually have until May 1 to respond to the offer. The majority of applicants are evaluated during regular decision, rather than early action and early decision.
• Residence Halls: Housing facilities on the campus of a college or university reserved for students. A typical dormitory would include student rooms, bathrooms, common areas, and possibly a kitchen or cafeteria. Rooms are typically furnished with basic items such as a bed, desk, chair, and closet or armoire. Learn more about UE's residence halls.
• Resident assistant (RA): A student leader who works in residence halls and supervises issues and activities related to residential life. RAs often receive free housing in the dorm in return for their services. Learn more about UE's Resident Assistants.
• Responsible Officer (RO): A Responsible Officer is the exchange program staff person for the J visa program who gathers and reports information on exchange visitors to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and assists in the visa process. The RO's name is listed on the DS-2019.
• Rolling admissions: An admissions process used by some colleges and universities in which each application is considered as soon as all the required materials have been received, rather than by a specific deadline. Colleges and universities with this policy will make decisions as applications are received until all spaces are filled.
• Room and board: Room and board encompass the costs of on-campus housing and a meal plan. These fees are included in the final bill for each semester. At the University of Evansville, meal plans offer a variety of options to meet students' dining needs.. View complete details about UE's meal plans.

S

• Sabbatical: Leave with pay granted to give a faculty member an extended period of time for concentrated study.
• SAT: A standard entrance exam administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) on behalf of the nonprofit College Board, which measures reading, writing, and math skills. Most students take the SAT during their junior or senior year of high school and most colleges and universities accept scores from either the SAT or ACT. In addition, students may choose to take the SAT Subject Tests in English, history, languages, math, and science to demonstrate their knowledge in specific academic areas. UE recommends, but does not require, international students to take the SAT or ACT. The English SAT may suffice for proof of English proficiency (See the U.S. News college test prep guide for more information.)
• Scholarship: A type of financial aid that consists of an amount of free money given to a student by a school, individual, organization, company, charity, or federal or state government. "Scholarship" is often used interchangeably with "grant." Learn more about scholarships at UE.
• School: Any educational institution, including those that provide elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education. In the latter case, "school" is often used interchangeably with “college” and "university".
• Semesters: Periods of study that divide the academic year into two equal segments of approximately 15 weeks each.
• Seminar: A course offered to a small group of students who are typically more advanced and who meet with a professor to discuss specialized topics.
• Senior: A student in the fourth year of high school or college or university. To be considered a Senior, a student must have completed 90 credit hours.
• Senior Seminar: A final 3-credit capstone course that typically includes a research project, allowing students to apply and showcase the skills and knowledge they have developed throughout their program of study.
• SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System): A computerized U.S. government database used to track international students and scholars in the United States. Once an international student is accepted by a US college or university, the school is required to mail the student a Form I-20, which is a paper record of the student's information in SEVIS. A student must pay a SEVIS fee and use the payment receipt and I-20 to apply for a visa.
• Social Security number (SSN): A nine-digit number issued by the US government to people who are authorized to work in the United States and collect certain government benefits.  International students who are in the United States and are authorized to work either on or off campus must apply for and obtain a Social Security number, which is then used to report their wages to the government.
• Sophomore: A student in the second year of high school or college/university. To be considered a sophomore, a student must have completed at least 30 credit hours.
• Sorority: A student organization for women formed for social, academic, community service, or professional purposes. A sorority is part of a college or university’s Greek System. Learn more about Sorority Life.
• Standardized tests: Exams, such as the SAT, ACT, and GRE, which measure knowledge and skills and are designed to be consistent in how they are administered and scored. Standardized tests are intended to help admissions officials compare students who come from different backgrounds.

T

• Teaching assistant (TA): An undergraduate or graduate student who assists a professor with teaching an undergraduate course, usually within their field, as part of an assistantship
• Tenure: A status offered to high-level faculty members at a college or university that allows them to stay permanently in their positions, after demonstrating a strong record of teaching and published research.
• Term: Periods of study, which can include semesters, quarters, trimesters, or summer sessions.
• Thesis: A formal piece of writing on a specific subject, which may be required to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): A standardized exam administered by the nonprofit Educational Testing Service (ETS), which measures English-language proficiency in reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Many US colleges and universities require non-native English speakers to take the TOEFL and submit their scores as part of the admissions process. UE accepts the TOEFL as a measure of English proficiency. Learn more about the TOEFL minimum score requirement.
• Transcript: An official record of a student's coursework and grades at a high school, college, or university. A high school transcript is usually one of the required components of the college application process. UE students have access to their unofficial transcripts digitally and can request an official copy to send to future employers or schools through the registrar’s office.
• Transfer credit: Credit granted toward a degree on the basis of studies completed at another college or university. For instance, students who transfer from a community college to a four-year college may earn some transfer credit. Learn more about transferring credits to UE.
• Tuition: An amount of money charged by a school per term, per course, or per credit in exchange for instruction and training. Tuition generally does not include the cost of textbooks, room and board, and other fees. View a listing of current UE tuition rates.

U

• Undergraduate student / undergraduate studies: A student enrolled in a two-year or four-year study program at a college or university after graduation from high school leading to an associate or bachelor's degree.
• University: A postsecondary institution that offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

V

• Visa: An official mark or stamp in a passport that allows someone to enter a country for a particular amount of time. Common visa types for international students and scholars in the United States include the F-1, M-1, J-1 student visas. To apply for a US visa, student applicants must first receive a Form I-20 from the college or university they plan to attend, which is created by the US government's SEVIS database.

W

• Wait list: A list of qualified applicants to a school who may be offered admission if there is space available after all admitted students have made their decisions. Being on a wait list does not guarantee eventual admission, so some students may choose not to remain on the list, particularly if the school is not their first choice.
• Withdrawal: The administrative procedure of dropping a course or leaving an institution.

Z

• Zip code: A series of numbers in mailing addresses that designates postal delivery districts in the United States. The zip code for UE is 47722.