ACADEMICS
I. ADMISSION CRITERIA
A.
FRESHMEN STUDENTS
All students are given the same consideration for admission to Butler University.
Butler's admission process as outlined in the current Butler University Bulletin
(see "Admission Requirements") attempts to ensure that every student admitted
has the capacity to succeed at the University.
The University Bulletin reports that prospective students, regardless of major, are
expected to have the following academic preparation:
 Four years of English
 Three years of math (including Algebra II) and laboratory science
 Two years of history or social studies
 Two years of the same foreign language
Butler University strongly urges all Indiana students to complete the CORE 40
curriculum in high school for admission to the university.
Intended science, engineering, pharmacy and health sciences, or mathematics
majors should have additional units in science and math. A student intending to
major in business or computer science is encouraged to have additional units in
mathematics.
A supplemental application for all JFCA applicants and personal audition
is required of all dance majors and minors, and a personal or tape audition
is required for all music and theater majors. Media Arts majors must have
a personal interview with the head of the department or submit a
videotape of their work and submit an essay. The audition/interview
ideally should be scheduled after applying for admission to Butler
University.
In evaluating credentials, the primary goal of the Admission Committee is
to determine a student’s potential for success in a rigorous academic
program. Butler's admission policy attempts to ensure that a student has
the capacity to succeed as well as benefit from their college experience.
The admission committee takes the following criteria into account in
evaluating applicants:
 Academic achievement in high school (PA, class rank and course
selection)
 SAT and/or ACT scores (TOEFL scores for non-native English speakers)
ACT exam takers must include the Optional writing Test
 Writing sample
 Counselor recommendations
 Leadership experience
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Resume
All credentials for admission must be in the Office of Admission before the
student’s application can be processed. It is the student’s responsibility to see
that all required documents are sent. Admitted students may elect to defer their
enrollment for one year. All application materials are kept on file for one year,
and become the property of Butler University. Transcripts received from other
institutions will not be returned to the student or released to another institution or
third party. Materials become the property of Butler University. Transcripts
received from other institutions will not be returned to the student or released to
another institution or third party.
High school students—Application for Freshman Admission may be made
upon completion of the sixth semester of high school. Students who have
completed 12 or more hours of college coursework post high school graduation
should complete the Application for Transfer Admission. Students attending high
school in the United States or similar institution overseas should submit the
following:
1. The Application for Freshman Admission and Scholarships
accompanied by the non-refundable application fee. The application
fee is waived for applicants who have parents, grandparents or siblings
who graduated from or are currently attending Butler as well as
students who submit the Butler University online application or
Admission or Common Application.
2. Official high school transcript showing coursework completed at least
through the junior year, and if the student is currently in high school, a
list of courses in progress and the Secondary School Report from the
high school guidance office.
3. Official score reports of the SAT-I and/or ACT should be sent directly
to Butler University (codes: SAT-1073; ACT-1180).
4. A personal statement or graded composition as indicated on the
application. Admitted students must submit an official final transcript
indicating the date of graduation from a secondary school and
approved by a state or regional accrediting agency.
For those students who choose to apply early in their senior year, Butler offers
two non-binding early admission programs for fall enrollment — Early Admission
I and Early Admission II. These programs allow students to express their interest
early and take advantage of certain benefits by following established guidelines.
As noted above, the enrollment deposit is refundable through May first.
B.
TRANSFER STUDENTS
The admission committee takes the following criteria into account when
evaluating transfer applicants:
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If the prospective student has completed 12 or more hours of college
coursework, they should complete an Application for Transfer Admission.
Official transcripts from each college or university attended should be mailed
directly from the issuing institution to the Office of Admission at Butler
University.
An official high school transcript, including standardized test scores, or a GED
certificate is required if a student does not have a four year college degree.
A personal statement.
A student must have earned at least a 2.0/4.0 in previous university study to
be considered for entrance into a degree program.
Admission Procedure
Office of Admission – Butler University
Who receives the application?
Applications are sent to all prospective students and the high school guidance offices
across the country and abroad in early August. Students also may submit the Common
Application or obtain an application at a college fair, high school visit, or request one
through the Office of Admission. An on-line application is also available at
go.butler.edu.
How long does it take to process an application?
Once the application is complete, the goal of the Office of Admission is to have
applications processed and a response sent to the student within 4-6 weeks.
What makes an application complete?
 Completed application form
 $35 fee
 Official transcripts (high school and/or college)
 Standardized test scores
 Secondary School Report/counselor recommendation
 Essay
What is the application process?
Once all components of the application are received and entered into the system, the
application is given to the territory manager assigned to the respective school. The
territory manager then reviews the application and makes an admission decision based
on the following:
Application Components
 Minimum required high school coursework (approved by faculty and noted in the
current Butler University Bulletin)
○ English
4 years
○ Math
3 years (prefer 4 years, including algebra 1-2 and
geometry)
○ Science
3 years of lab science (prefer 4 years, including
biology, chemistry and a 3rd lab science)
○ Foreign Language
2 years of the same language
○ History/Social Science 2 years
All Indiana students are urged to complete the Core 40 curriculum in high school
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GPA, rank, test scores, weighted grades, performance compared to other
classmates, SAT and/or ACT, and ISTEP (TOEFL scores for non-native English
speakers)
Secondary School Report (submitted by the high school guidance office)
○ Recommendation (solid character references, academic capabilities, etc.)
○ School profile (difficulty of coursework, competitiveness, % of students
college bound)
Writing sample (effective communication in the written form, seek consistency
with letter grades and standardized scores)
Leadership and extracurricular activities
Interview (if applicable)
It is important to note that both difficulty of the curriculum and extracurricular
involvement also are reviewed. The territory manager frequently communicates with
the applicant and/or high school officials with questions during the process.
Music, dance, media arts, and theatre students must complete a Jordan College of Fine
Arts (JCFA) application in addition to the Application for Freshman Admission and
Scholarships. An audition is required and may be scheduled once the applications are
on file.
What decisions can be made when reading the application?
 Admission
The student meets all requirements for admission.
 Deferred Admission
The admission decision is put on hold until new grades, standardized test scores or
additional materials are received and any additional conditions are met.
 Wait List
The wait list is reserved for students who show promise, but must be evaluated
against the current applicant pool on a space available basis in the spring.
 Denied
The student’s overall evaluation does not warrant admittance in the current
academic year.
What is the purpose of and process for the Admission Committee?
The Admission Committee, which consists of the Director of Admission, the Senior
Associate Director of Admission, Sr. Assistant Director of Admission and the Vice
President of Enrollment Management (if necessary). The Director of the Learning
Resource Center determines a student’s ability to be successful at Butler University
based on their course selection, grades, test scores, writing ability, and other pertinent
information in the student’s file.
*Students are automatically brought to committee if they meet any one of the following
criteria:
Freshman
Bottom half of the class
SAT below 950 total or below 450 verbal or math (without an ACT score)
ACT composite below 19 (or any sub score below 18)
Fewer than 2 years of foreign language
Lacking academic units in English, Math, Science
Downward Grade Trend
Transfer
(for transfer students with an accumulative GPA below 2.5)
High school performance:
Bottom half of the class (or 6th decile or below)
SAT below 900 total or below 400 verbal or math (without an ACT score)
ACT composite below 18 without SAT scores (or any sub score below 16)
* Historically (and based on enrollment goals), students struggling in these areas have
difficulty succeeding academically at Butler University.
Are the student’s privacy rights protected?
FERPA rules and regulations are adhered to during the application process. The
applicant’s rights are respected regardless of the contact (counselor, parent, etc.)
C.
INTERNATIONAL ADMISSIONS
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR INTERNATIONAL ADMISSION
• Application for International Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships
• Official Transcripts (academic records)
• Proof of English Proficiency
• Financial Documentation
• Essay
• Secondary School Report (first year undergraduates only)
• Documents required by college
Transcripts
Applicants must submit original or certified/attested true copies of transcripts from
each secondary school (high school), college or university attended. All transcripts
must be sent directly from each school to the Office of Admission in separate, sealed
envelopes and must be accompanied by certified English translations. If relevant, a
student should include a school leaving certificate, certificate of secondary
education, or matriculation examination. Transfer applicants should include syllabi
or course descriptions for transfer credit evaluation.
Proof of English Proficiency
All applicants to Butler University must meet a minimum level of proficiency in the
English language and submit proof of this proficiency to the Office of Admission.
Minimum proficiency can be met by the following exams or testing systems:
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL, international edition)
A TOEFL score of 550 (Paper-based Test) or 213 (Computer-based Test) meets
Butler University’s English language proficiency requirements. Butler’s TOEFL
school code is 1073. For TOEFL registration information access the following
website: http://www.toefl.org.
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT I)
International students are required to submit SAT scores if they wish to
compete in NCAA athletics or wish to be considered for Freshman
Academic or Departmental Scholarships; all others are strongly encouraged
to submit their scores. A SAT I Verbal score of 500 meets Butler University’s
English language proficiency requirements. Butler’s SAT school code is 1073.
For SAT registration information access the following website: http://www.ets.org.
American College Test (ACT)
An ACT English score of 24 meets Butler University’s English language
proficiency requirements. Butler’s ACT school code is 1180. For registration
information access the following website: http://www.act.org.
International English Language Training System (IELTS)
An IELTS score of 6.0 meets Butler University’s English language proficiency
requirements. The IELTS is jointly managed and administered by the University
of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), the British Council and
IDP Education Australia. For IELTS registration information access the following
website: http://www.ielts.org.
General Certificate of Education (GCE)/General Certificate of Secondary
Education (GCSE)
A GCE or GCSE English Language Exam grade of A or B meets Butler
University’s English language proficiency requirements.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
A Higher Level English exam score of 5-7 or grade of A or B meets Butler
University’s English Language proficiency requirements.
Students who do not meet minimum English proficiency requirements may want to
consider attending the American Language Academy (ALA), an intensive English
language program which operates on the Butler campus. Additional testing may be
required of students who complete the ALA program before gaining full admission to
Butler University. More information about the ALA program at Butler University can
be found by accessing the following website: http://www.butler.edu/ala/.
Financial Documentation
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the United
States Department of State require non-immigrant students to demonstrate financial
resources sufficient to meet all education and living expenses for at least one year
of study prior to visa issuance. After admission to Butler University, international
students must also complete Butler University’s Application for Form I-20, available
at http://go.butler.edu/DOCS/I20FormApplication.pdf. This application will provide
us with biographical information, and affidavit of support and financial sponsor
information we need in order to issue the I-20 in the United States Citizenship and
Immigration Services (SEVIS) information system. Applicants will not be considered
for admission or scholarships until they submit the following:
 An original and signed affidavit of support or letter of sponsorship from the
person(s) assuming responsibility for the applicant’s fees associated with a Butler
education.
AND
 A sponsor’s original or official bank statement or other proof of sufficient funds
or official scholarship notification letter from a governmental or private
sponsoring agency.
Certificates of Eligibility (I-20 for F-1 student visas and IAP-66 for J-1 student visas)
will not be issued without complete and official financial documentation.
Essay
A personal statement essay should include information concerning the student’s life,
education, practical experience, special interest and specific purpose for applying to
Butler University.
ADDITIONAL UNDERGRADUATE INFORMATION
REQUESTED BY COLLEGE
Jordan College of Fine Arts (JCFA)
All applicants indicating a major in the areas of dance, music, theatre or media arts
must complete a Jordan College of Fine Arts application. Applicants in the areas of
dance, music or theatre also must complete an audition. A JCFA application,
information on fall and spring audition dates, talent awards, and specific guidelines,
including how to submit an audition tape, will be mailed to all interested students.
Students also may find the JCFA application online at www.butler.edu.
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS)
All non-native English speakers applying to the professional phases (third year) of the
Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) program and the Physician Assistant (PA) program are
required to submit results of the Test of Spoken English (TSE) in addition to the TOEFL.
Applications for COPHS professional phase programs are accepted for Fall entry only.
Applicants to the professional phase of the six-year Pharm. D. program (third year) are
required to submit the results of the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT).
Applicants to the professional phase of the PA program (third year) must apply through
Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) For more information,
visit: http://www.caspa.org. Do not use Butler’s online application.
For TSE registration information access the following website: http://www.toefl.org.
II. ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
A. COLLEGE OF ENROLLMENT/DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Any student officially admitted to Butler as a degree-seeking freshman will be
enrolled in one of the five colleges offering the student’s academic program of study.
Students who are undeclared in their intended program of study will be enrolled in
the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
If a student transfers to Butler as a degree-seeking undergraduate student or
converts from non-degree seeking status, he or she will be enrolled in the college
offering the student’s major.
Before changing majors at Butler, student-athletes should consult with the assistant
athletic director in charge of eligibility and the deans of both the college in which they
are currently enrolled and the college to which they are considering to make certain
that their current degree progress in the new major can be maintained.
ADVANCEMENT IN THE COLLEGES
Each professional college — Business Administration, Education, Jordan College of
Fine Arts, and Pharmacy and Health Sciences — may set its own requirements for
advancement in their college above the minimum standards established by the
university. Such requirements will be set forth in the current University Bulletin, and
students will be bound by the requirements published at the time they enter the
university.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Although specific requirements vary considerably according to different academic
majors, every student who wishes to earn a baccalaureate degree from Butler must
fulfill the following general requirements:
UNIVERSITY CORE CURRICULUM
The core curriculum of Butler University offers a broad general education. In the
freshman year, courses in English and speech are required; in the sophomore year
an interdisciplinary course called “Change and Tradition” is required. Students also
must complete five distribution requirements: computer literacy, an upper division
writing intensive course and two semesters of physical education.
HOURS AND RESIDENCE
At a minimum of 120 semester hours are required for a baccalaureate degree from
the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 126 hours for the College of Education;
133 hours for Business Administration; 127 hours for Jordan College of Fine Arts or
170 hours for the area music education degree; 183 hours for Pharmacy and Health
Sciences for a pharmacy degree (six-year), 147 hours for a four-year degree; 191
hours for a five-year physician’s assistant degree. Of these hours, a minimum of 40
must be upper division. The last 30 hours toward a degree must be carried in
residence at Butler, and at least 20 of these must be in the college granting the
degree. Exceptions to this requirement may be approved by the dean of the college
involved for reasons deemed valid.
GRADE POINT AVERAGE
Any candidate for a degree must have a cumulative overall Butler grade point
average of at least 2.0, and must fulfill any additional published grade point
requirements for the college in which the degree is to be conferred.
B. ACADEMIC ADVISING
Each student is assigned an academic adviser who is a faculty member with special
knowledge of their major area of study. The adviser functions under the supervision
of the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled. The role of the adviser is
neither to dictate to the student nor to approve automatically the student’s requests,
but rather, as the name implies, to give sound advice.
While the faculty adviser is expected to explain academic requirements, it is the
ultimate responsibility of the student-athlete to know the academic requirements for
his or her program of study. Each student-athlete should become an expert on the
program being pursued and on the regulations and procedures of the university.
Student-athletes are encouraged to consult with their advisers during registration
periods and regularly throughout the year. Each student-athlete should inform his or
her academic adviser that he or she is a participant in intercollegiate athletics and,
as such, is subject to NCAA eligibility requirements. It is the responsibility of the
student-athlete to either provide his or her academic adviser with eligibility
information, or to direct his or her adviser to the Assistant Athletic Director/SWA in
charge of eligibility with any questions that he or she might have regarding NCAA
rules and regulations.
C. CLASS REGISTRATION
1. IN-COMING STUDENTS
Butler University matriculates its new students (both freshmen and transfer students)
through a program known as Early Registration. Annually from late-March to midJune, a series of eight Early Registration sessions are held. New students are
invited to select a date amenable to their schedules and those of their parents. Prior
to each Early Registration session, the student receives by mail an informational
packet containing information on the university's Core Curriculum, the Schedule of
Classes for the next academic year and a "Curriculum Sheet" outlining the course
requirements for the student's major of choice. During the Early Registration
session, students take Butler placement tests in mathematics, English, foreign
language, chemistry, and piano keyboard, as appropriate. They participate in
presentations on course selection and graduation criteria and have the opportunity
to meet with the dean of their respective colleges. Finally, the students meet with
their assigned academic advisors to receive guidance in course selection and to
register for fall classes. To assist the academic advisors in the selection and
registration process, each advisor is informed prior to the Early Registration session
whether or not the advisee participates in varsity athletics. With that information,
advisors are able to work with students in producing a course schedule that
accommodates the athletes' practice and competition schedule while insuring
academic rigor and progress toward degree completion.
Students who matriculate at Butler during the spring semester participate in a
program called January Registration, which is identical in all respects to the Early
Registration program. January Registration takes place on the Friday prior to the
start of the spring term.
2. CONTINUING STUDENTS
Annually, all continuing Butler students meet with their academic advisor during the
two Continuing Student Registration periods: in April and November. Prior to these
occasions, students are provided an audit of their academic progress, indicating
which degree requirements have been completed and which remain outstanding.
Academic advisors are also able to access electronically the audits for their
respective students. During the advising session, advisors make further
recommendations for course selection, discuss their advisee's progress toward
degree completion, and register the advisee for next-semester classes. In the event
a required class is closed, the advisor is able to work with the department's chair or
program coordinator to receive a permission number to add the student to the class.
This ensures that students are able to enroll in courses in the appropriate sequence.
Butler students are also entitled to meet with their academic advisors on an asneeded basis throughout the semester. Advisors are asked to provide timely and
appropriate assistance to advisees seeking help, and are equipped with information
of available resources at the university, as well as current information on Core,
college and departmental graduation requirements.
Butler University does not provide priority registration to its student-athletes. Rather,
if an advisee is a varsity athlete, the academic advisor works to create a schedule of
classes that accommodates the training, practice and competition schedule of the
student. Advisors are urged to contact the Assistant Athletic Director/SWA or the
Director of Athletic Academic Support with questions regarding credit hours required,
percentage of degree completion, grade point average, and repeating classes.
In the event a student must be reassigned to another academic advisor, due to
sabbatical leaves, changes in personnel, teaching/research load consideration, or
changes of major, the student is informed in writing of the reassignment by the dean
of his/her college. If a change in advisor occurs, the advising file created for the
student upon matriculation at the university is transferred from the former to the new
academic advisor.
3. ACADEMIC LOAD
For most degree programs, a student can complete requirements on schedule by
carrying an average of 16 or 17 hours a semester. This, however, is an average, and
students are usually encouraged to adjust their academic loads according to their
individual aptitudes, academic situations and extracurricular commitments.
The maximum academic load is 18 credit hours in a regular semester and 6 hours in
each of the summer sessions. These limits can be exceeded only with the special
written permission of the student’s academic dean and will carry additional tuition
charges.
Student-athletes are encouraged to enroll in at least 15 credit hours each semester.
While dropping a class is not encouraged, carrying a 15-hour class load would
enable the student-athlete to drop a 3-hour class and still maintain his or her athletic
eligibility. (For the same reason, it is advisable for a student-athlete to enroll in 16
hours if the student-athlete has a 4-hour class or 17 hours if taking a 5-hour class.)
NCAA regulations require student-athletes to carry a minimum of 12 credit hours
each semester to practice or compete. If a student-athlete drops below 12 credit
hours, he or she is immediately deemed ineligible to practice or compete. The only
exception to this rule is for those student-athletes who are in their last semester of
eligibility and need fewer than 12 hours to complete their degree at the end of that
semester. Any student-athlete considering this option for his or her last semester of
eligibility should contact the Assistant Athletic Director/SWA in charge of eligibility to
make sure that the proper paperwork is on file to validate the athlete’s claim to less
than full-time enrollment.
4. CHANGE OF REGISTRATION/WITHDRAWLS
DROP/ADD PROCESS
Any change in a student’s schedule — such as adding or dropping a course, or
switching from a grade to pass/fail or from credit to noncredit — is initiated by the
student after conferring with his or her academic adviser. Upon obtaining the
adviser’s approval, a form must be turned in to the Office of Registration and
Records. The effective date of a withdrawal is the date the paperwork is processed
in the Office of Registration and Records.
Prior to meeting with their faculty adviser to make any schedule changes, studentathletes are asked to confer with either the assistant athletic director in charge of
eligibility, the coordinator of academic support, and/or coach to assure that they will
not be endangering their current and/or future athletic eligibility with their academic
decisions.
WITHDRAWAL PROCESS
If for any reason it becomes necessary for a student to completely withdraw from
Butler, the student should confer at once with the dean of his or her respective
college, who will initiate the proper paperwork. The form must be taken to the Office
of Registration and Records before the withdrawal can be officially processed. In
addition to the dean, a student-athlete also should contact the assistant athletic
director in charge of eligibility to determine how the decision to withdraw impacts his
or her current and future NCAA eligibility.
5. FINAL EXAMINATIONS
University regulations require that a final examination be given in all courses that
students are enrolled in for academic credit, including students carrying a pass/fail
course. The only authorized exceptions are courses such as independent study,
undergraduate tutorial and research, internships, and thesis.
The dates and times of all final examinations are published in the Schedule of
Classes for each session; students know at the time of enrollment their final
examination schedule. Examinations must be given at the scheduled times. There is
no official provision for arranging a special examination to accommodate a student
with a heavy concentration of examinations on a single day. Therefore, wherever
possible, a student wishing to avoid such concentration should consult the Schedule
of Classes before registering and plan accordingly.
If a student is unable to take a final examination for reasons beyond the student’s
control, the instructor should be informed immediately so that appropriate
arrangements can be made. If convinced that circumstances warrant it, an instructor
may administer a makeup examination to a student who is unable to take the final
examination on the scheduled date.
There are NO special provisions for final examinations made by the athletic
department for student-athletes.
6. UNIVERSITY GRADING SYSTEM
Butler is on a standard 4.00 grading system:
A
4.00 grade pts./hour
C
2.00 grade pts./hour
A3.67 grade pts./hour
C1.67 grade pts./hour
B+
3.33 grade pts./hour
D+
1.33 grade pts./hour
B
3.00 grade pts./hour
D
1.00 grade pts./hour
B2.67 grade pts./hour
D0.67 grade pts./hour
C+
2.33 grade pts./hour
F
0.00 grade pts./hour
A cumulative grade point average (GPA) below 2.00 places a student on academic
probation.
Repeated course (R). A student, with the approval of his or her adviser, may repeat
a course that is not otherwise repeatable for credit. Upon completion of subsequent
attempts, only the most recent attempt will count in their GPA. When repeating a
course, a student MAY NOT withdraw from the course or change the course credit
designation to non-credit unless the student withdraws from the university. Courses
that are repeated DO NOT count toward athletic eligibility, unless the credit for the
class was not previously earned.
Incomplete grade (I). An incomplete may be assigned by an instructor when
exceptional circumstances, such as illness, prevent a student from finishing all work
required in a course. The incomplete must be removed within the next regular
session of the student’s enrollment, or within two years if the student is not enrolled
during that time. If the “I” is not removed within the stated time, it will be changed to
an “X.” Courses that receive a grade of Incomplete DO NOT count toward athletic
eligibility until the incomplete is made up and a grade is assigned to the course.
Pass/fail option (P/F), semester hours counted as hours passed but not as hours
attempted for computing GPA. Courses taken pass/fail DO count toward athletic
eligibility if they are passed.
Non-credit courses (NC), enrollment in a course on a non-credit basis. The student
may change from credit to non-credit until the 10th week of the regular semester,
fifth week of a regular summer session or second week of the May session. The
instructor’s signature is required. Courses taken for non-credit DO NOT count
toward athletic eligibility.
Official withdrawal (W). Withdrawal is permitted until the 10th week of a regular 14week semester, or the fourth week of the regular 6-week summer session. The
instructor’s signature is required.
7. UNIVERSITY PROBATION/DISMISSAL
The minimum grade point average required for any degree at Butler is 2.00.
Therefore, any student whose cumulative grade point average is below 2.00 is
considered to no longer be in good standing in their respective college and is “on
probation.”
Excessive probation or continued probation without improvement can lead to a
student’s being declared academically ineligible and dismissed from the University.
D. STUDY ABROAD
Butler University has long recognized the importance of global awareness and
cross-cultural experiences, and has developed exemplary programs in the study of
world civilizations, in modern foreign languages, in international and area studies
and in study abroad. Butler continuously assesses and enhances these programs in
order to ensure that they meet the highest academic standards. As part of a Butler
University education, a well-planned period of study abroad can be an immensely
valuable and transforming experience.
Butler University continues its commitment to Butler students by enabling them to
participate in high quality programs abroad. Consistent with that commitment, the
University has adopted the following policies beginning with students who choose to
study abroad during the fall 2002 semester.
 Students who study abroad will pay Butler University tuition during their semester
abroad.
 Students must choose from an approved list of programs.
 The financial aid policy with regard to overseas study remains unchanged, and
students who are looking at studying abroad should consult with proper university
officials to receive proper clarification of their financial responsibilities before
solidifying their study abroad experience.
Butler’s approved list of overseas study opportunities offers a wide variety of options.
All programs on the list meet Butler’s high standards for academic excellence. The
programs fall into two broad categories: study abroad and exchanges. The
approved study abroad programs are administered by respected professional
organizations or other colleges and universities. All provide a wide range of student
services and give careful attention to safety and security issues. Approved
programs represent a broad range of geographic regions. Educational opportunities
may be classroom based or experiential, including internships or service learning.
Exchanges provide an opportunity for a limited number of Butler students to enjoy an
independent, full-immersion experience by attending selected partner universities
abroad while students from those universities attend Butler, on a one-for-one basis.
Some of these exchange opportunities have been developed by Butler; others are
available through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP). The
university’s faculty and study abroad advisors work closely with individual students
to select the program that best fits each student’s academic and personal
development needs.
In accordance with university policy, those who participate in approved study abroad
programs will continue to be able to apply 50% of their Butler institutional financial
aid toward their tuition for their study abroad experience. Those who participate in
reciprocal exchange programs – through Butler’s bilateral exchanges or ISEP – will
continue to be able to apply 100% of their Butler institutional financial aid to their
overseas study program.
III. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY
ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION
STEPS FOR DETERMINING INITIAL ELIGIBILITY
In order to track a prospective student-athlete’s initial eligibility status through the
NCAA Eligibility Center, the coaches must submit the names of prospects who are to
be added to the Institution Request List (IRL) to the compliance office. Names must
be submitted prior to any official visit, the signing of the NLI, or on the preliminary
roster form that will be requested on May 15th. (Page 20)
A prospective student-athlete is determined to be a NCAA qualifier when the
Assistant Athletic Director can verify the student-athletes “qualifier” status and “final”
amateurism status via the NCAA Eligibility Center website.
Recruited student-athletes who have registered with the Eligibility Center and are
listed on the IRL are permitted to practice (not compete) for a maximum of 14 days
while awaiting a final decision.
Non-recruited student-athletes who have registered with the Eligibility Center and
are listed on the IRL are permitted to practice (not compete) for a maximum of 45
days while awaiting a final decision.
All incoming freshmen and transfer student-athletes are required to attend a
compliance meeting with the rest of their respective teammates in the fall. All
student-athletes must complete the STUDENT-ATHLETE STATEMENT (Pages 2126) and the DRUG-TESTING CONSENT FORM (Pages 27-31) before practice
begins, and be enrolled as full time students. At this point, if all of the academic
“checks” have been completed appropriately, the student-athlete is considered
eligible for competition.
The step-by-step sequence of actions taken to certify the initial eligibility on
the Butler University campus for transfer student-athletes is as follows:
1. A student-athlete who is currently or has attended another institution as a fulltime student (2 year/4year) makes an inquiry of interest to a Butler head coach of
a specific sport about the possibility of transferring to Butler University and
participating in the athletic department.
2. If the potential transfer student has had their current institution send a release
letter to the Athletic Director at Butler or the Assistant Athletic Director for
Compliance, the respective head coach will be properly copied on this
correspondence and the coach/staff member can begin immediate recruitment of
the prospect. If there is not an appropriate release on file in the office of the
Assistant Athletic Director/SWA, then the coach/staff member must advise the
prospective student-athlete that no dialogue may occur until Butler University has
received written permission to speak to him/her from the Athletic Director at the
institution from which they wish to transfer.
3. If a release is needed, the coach contacts the Assistant Athletic Director/SWA
with the prospects full legal name and the name of the current institution that the
prospect is currently attending. The Assistant Athletic Director/SWA will then
prepare the CONTACT PERMISSION AND ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION FORM
(Page 32), and fax the information to the Athletic Director for their completion and
return.
4. Once the CONTACT PERMISSION AND ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION FORM is
returned, the Assistant Athletic Director/SWA verifies that the appropriate boxes
on the form have been completed and permission to contact has been granted by
the institution. A copy of the form is kept on file in the office of the Assistant
Athletic Director/SWA, and the respective coach/staff member is then notified
that the permission to move forward with the recruiting process has been
granted. If permission to recruit is denied by the responding institution, the
Assistant Athletic Director/SWA notifies the head coach by phone and/or through
written confirmation that the recruitment of the student-athlete can not move
forward.
5. As the respective coaching staff members initiate the recruiting process, the
prospect will request for the coaching staff copies of their official transcripts from
all collegiate institutions attended during their undergraduate career. If the
prospect has attended more than one collegiate institution CONTACT
PERMISSION AND ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION FORMS will be sent to each of
the additional institutions attended to verify the academic and athletic eligibility
history of the prospect at that specific institution. The prospects information will
also be added to the appropriate Butler sport list at the NCAA Eligibility Center by
the Assistant Athletic Director/SWA to verify the initial eligibility “qualifier” status
of the prospect upon high school graduation.
6. Early in the recruiting process, the prospect will be encouraged by the staff
member recruiting them to complete a Butler University admission application,
and request that all official high school and university transcripts and test scores
be forwarded to the admission office so that immediate evaluation for
admissibility can be completed.
7. In order to determine transferability of the prospects transfer course work per
University and NCAA rules and regulations, the Assistant Athletic Director/SWA
takes all copies of the prospects transcripts to the Registrar as early as possible
in the recruiting process so that she may complete a preliminary evaluation to
determine the total number of hours that will be transferable to Butler. Once the
transferable hours are determined by the Registrar she will then work with the
appropriate college and/or department to determine how the acceptable transfer
hours are applicable to the specific degree program that the prospect has
indicated that they would like to pursue if admitted to Butler University. This
academic information is communicated back to the head coach through the
Assistant Athletic Director/SWA, as well as a preliminary evaluation of the
prospects transfer status per the appropriate NCAA rules and regulations.
8. Once the prospect has decided to transfer to Butler and has been accepted to
the university, the Registrar (or designee), and the Assistant Athletic
Director/SWA work together to complete the initial certification process by
applying all appropriate NCAA transfer rules to the prospects academic and
athletic history. Also at this time, a final determination will be made as to whether
the prospect will be immediately eligible for competition or they will have to
complete a year of residency before being eligible for competition certification.
The Registrar (or designee) and the Assistant Athletic Director/SWA work
together to make sure the prospect’s eligibility information is entered correctly
into the NCAA Compliance Software, and then the final eligibility status of the
team is determined by the Registrar (or designee), and recorded on the NCAA
Compliance Assistant Eligibility Checklist for the appropriate year (Page 33).
IV. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY
The step-by-step sequence of actions taken to certify continuing eligibility on the
Butler University campus are as follows:
1. Within one week after the completion of a teams practice and playing season, the
head coach completes and submits the STUDENT-ATHLETE PARTICPATION
FORM (Page 34) to the Assistant Athletic Director/SWA. This form tracks the years
of eligibility used, as well as those students who used a redshirt year and/or would
like to petition for a medical redshirt waiver.
2. The head coach is asked to complete a Preliminary Roster form by May 15 th. (Page
20). If over the summer months a current player has indicated to the head coach that
they do not intend to compete for Butler University during the upcoming school year,
the head coach then completes a CHANGE IN TEAM ROSTER FORM (Page 35),
and submits it to the Assistant Athletic Director/SWA so all eligibility records can be
accurately updated and maintained.
3. Once the Assistant Athletic Director/SWA receives the information listed above she
will then work with the Registrar (or designee) to rollover and update each team’s
eligibility information in the NCAA Compliance Software. The Registrar (or
designee) works closely with the Associate Dean’s/Department Heads in each of the
five colleges to validate that Butler student-athlete’s are in full compliance with
NCAA continuing eligibility and satisfactory progress academic rules and regulations
before each student-athlete is final certified for competition.
The NCAA continuing eligibility and satisfactory progress rules require that studentathletes maintain the following well-defined standards in order to continue to remain
eligible each year for competition once they are initially certified.
SIX HOUR RULE: Beginning on or after August 1, 2003, all student-athletes,
(including initially enrolled, continuing, transfer and graduate students) must
successfully complete at least 6 semester hours in the previous regular academic
term of full-time enrollment in order to be eligible to participate in the next regular
academic term. Summer school hours can not be used to fulfill this NCAA
requirement.
CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY RULES:
To be eligible to compete at Butler University, student-athletes who first enrolled
prior to August 1, 2003 as a full-time student should familiarize themselves with the
following continuing eligibility rules, which they must adhere to in order to continue to
be eligible for athletic competition during their university athletic career.
SATISFACTORY PROGRESS
 Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 24 credit hours each academic year, or an
average of 12 hours per semester of actual attendance. Additionally, at least
75% of the hours used in satisfactory progress must be completed during the
regular fall and spring semesters.
 Must maintain at all times an academic status that is considered to be in good
academic standing by the University.
DECLARATION OF DEGREE PROGRAM
 Declare a major in a specific degree program no later than the beginning of the
third year (fifth semester).
DEGREE PERCENTAGE REQUIREMENT RULES
 Make progress toward completion of a specific degree program based on the
following:
*Complete 40% of a degree program by the start of their 3rd year (fifth semester)
*Complete 60% of a degree program by the start of their 4th year (seventh
semester)
*Complete 80% of a degree program by the start of their 5th year (ninth semester)
GRADE POINT AVERAGE REQUIREMENT RULES
 Maintain a minimum grade-point average equal to or greater than the following:
*Achieve 90% of the minimum GPA for graduation by the start of the 3 rd year (fifth
semester), 1.80 GPA at Butler.
*Achieve 95% of a minimum GPA for graduation by the start of the 4 th or
subsequent year (seventh or subsequent semesters), 1.90 GPA at Butler.
Student-athletes who enroll as a full-time student at any institution on or after
August 1, 2003 should familiarize themselves with the following continuing
eligibility rules, which they must adhere to in order to continue to be eligible for
athletic competition during their university athletic career.
SATISFACTORY PROGRESS
 A student-athlete must satisfactorily complete 24 semester hours of academic
credit prior to the start of the institution’s third semester following the studentathlete’s initial full-time enrollment.
 A student-athlete must complete 18 hours during each regular academic year
(fall/spring), or previous two semesters. These 18 hours can’t be earned during
summer school.

A student-athlete must earn 6 semester hours for each regular academic term to
be eligible for the next regular academic term. Summer school hours can’t be
used to fulfill this requirement.
DECLARATION OF DEGREE PROGRAM
 Declare a major in a specific degree program no later than the beginning of the
third year (fifth semester).
4. Once the current eligibility status of each of the student-athletes on the roster has
been verified, the head coach is given a copy of the final preliminary NCAA
COMPLIANCE ASSISTANT ELIGIBILITY CHECKLIST (Page 33) for the current
season to make sure that all student-athlete’s previously indicated as part of their
team have been included on the final report. A student-athlete is not allowed to
participate in any scrimmages and/or regular season contests until the final checklist
indicates that the student-athlete is eligible for competition.
5. Coaches use the CHANGE IN TEAM ROSTER FORM (Page 35) to add/delete
players from their teams throughout the school year. This form is initially submitted
to the Assistant Athletic Director/SWA, who initiates either the deletion of a current
player from the roster or begins working with the Registrar (or designee) to certify a
player that is to be added to the team’s roster using the steps listed above.
6. Before a team completes final certification each student-athlete must complete the
NCAA STUDENT-ATHLETE STATEMENT (Pages 21-26) and the NCAA DRUG
TESTING CONSENT FORM (Pages 27-31). If the student-athlete is an international
student they must also complete the NCAA GENERAL AMATEURISM AND
ELIGIBILITY FORM FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT-ATHLETES, which verify
their status as an amateur. These forms are administered at a team meeting held at
the beginning of each school year prior to a team’s first practice.
7. A team is officially certified for competition when the final approved NCAA
Compliance Assistant Eligibility Checklist has been prepared by the Registrar and
Assistant Athletic Director. It will then be signed by the following individuals: the
Registrar, Athletic Director and Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance. Upon
completion, a copy of the final approved checklist is filed with the Registrar, the
Assistant Athletic Director/SWA, and is made available for the conference office by
supplying them with access to CAi prior to the first scrimmage and/or competition in
each sport