A student's high school academic record is the single most important factor in WSU's evaluation process for first-year student admission. The quality and level of courses, grade point average, and grade trends are all important factors. The submission of SAT and/or ACT scores are optional. Refer to http://www.worcester.edu/test-optional for policy guidelines.  Work experience and extracurricular activities may strengthen overall credentials for admission. A personal essay and recommendation letters are not required but may add support to an application. The TOEFL, IELTS or a comparable exam score report is required for students who are not native speakers of English. Specific requirements for competitive majors such as Nursing and Occupational Studies and Public Health/Pre-Nursing are described in the selective majors section.

Worcester State determines first-year and transfer student admission eligibility in accordance with the published standards established by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (MDHE). Meeting these minimum standards does not guarantee admission to Worcester State.