COVID-19 Admission FAQ

On the Gonzaga Member Page of the Common Application, there is a question about whether or not you want test scores considered in your application review. Email admissions@gonzaga.edu by December 28, 2021 with any changes to your plans.

Gonzaga University admission is “test optional”, meaning it is not required to submit an SAT or ACT score.*  This also applies to our direct entry programs in Engineering and Nursing, merit-based scholarships, awarding scholarships, and applications for our Honors Program. 

*There are two important notes on this policy:

• Homeschooled students with less than 30 semester or 45 quarter college credits at the time of application must submit an SAT or ACT.
• International students are required to submit a test score to demonstrate English proficiency through TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, iTEP, SAT, or ACT.
  
   

No. You will not be disadvantaged, as we have waived the SAT or ACT requirement for applicants. We will continue with holistic application review, taking into consideration grades, curriculum, activities and involvement, writing, and character.

Yes. You do not need to submit an SAT or ACT to be considered for merit scholarships or any of our application based scholarships. 

No. We have waived the SAT or ACT requirement for applicants indefinitely, this includes our direct-entry programs in nursing and engineering. We will continue with holistic application review, taking into consideration grades, curriculum, activities and involvement, writing, and character. For nursing and engineering applicants, we will look closely at curriculum in math and science. 

Gonzaga reviews applications holistically, which means we look at several factors when considering admission.  We will take into account the unique context of how Covid-19 impacted students and schools, and will not hold schedule changes against an applicant.

If a school changes the grading scale to Pass/No Pass or Credit/No Credit, it will not affect a student’s admission to Gonzaga University.

Gonzaga does not convert “Pass” grades or include it in a cumulative grade point average.

International students are required to submit English proficiency exam scores that meet Gonzaga’s admission requirement. However, we offer a variety of options for fulfilling this requirement. See the International Freshman Application Checklist here.

For updated in-person visit options, please review our Campus Visit Information page. We also offer virtual options. Take a Gonzaga Virtual Tour, schedule a virtual information session, or schedule a meeting with an Admission Counselor.

We recognize this difficult time will have a serious impact on the income for many.  Gonzaga’s Financial Aid Office is available to help.  Please complete the Special Conditions Appeal form and send it to Financial Aid at finaid@gonzaga.edu.  You can learn more about the Special Conditions Appeal process here.

We are continuing to provide updates at: www.gonzaga.edu/ZagOn

• Our first step required that we work with our students studying abroad in areas that were affected by COVID-19 before the United States was impacted. Like all of our steps, our primary goal was to ensure our students arrived home safely.
• As confirmed cases of COVID-19 grew in the Pacific Northwest, our students were on spring break. This provided us with an opportunity to extend Spring Break for one week. This also allowed our staff and faculty to prepare for our education to move to an online format, while also encouraging students to stay in their home cities before coming back to campus.
• During our week of extended spring break, the University decided to close our residence halls, and move all classes to a digital format. Not all students had the ability to return home safely, so we are provided residence halls and dining services to students who needed to stay on campus.
• A Gonzaga education is holistic with a mission to develop the whole person: mind, body, spirit. In addition to courses moving online, so have various programs and offices for student affairs and support. Through a digital format, students continued to have access academic support and tutoring, counseling, ministry, library services, SpikeNights, and more.
• Students were invited to choose living on campus or at home or another location for the 2020-21 year while some classes were offered in-person or hybrid, and others were fully online. Students were supported by University contact tracers, case managers, and a care team.  
• To access all communications regarding our COVID-19 response, visit our ZagOn page.

Once you’ve submitted your Confirmation Deposit please follow the steps outlined in the New Zag Checklist.

Gonzaga appreciates the work students put into AP coursework and test preparation.  The changing test format will not affect Gonzaga’s policy for AP exams. We will honor our current policy.

Gonzaga appreciates the work students put into IB coursework and test preparation.  The changing test format will not affect Gonzaga’s policy for IB exams. We will honor our current policy.

Gonzaga will award credit for final A-level exam certificates according to our current policy. 

For updated in-person visit options, please review our Campus Visit Information page. We also offer virtual options. Take a Gonzaga Virtual Tour, schedule a virtual information session, or schedule a meeting with an Admission Counselor. Please view the recorded sessions from our virtual admitted student day.

Students can defer enrollment for a semester or a year.

Students may defer admission for a semester or one academic year. Learn more about the deferment process. 

Financial aid and scholarships are not guaranteed. Students would need to refile financial aid forms (i.e. FAFSA, WASFA) and applications would be reevaluated for merit based scholarships.