Bachelor of General Studies

BGS Admissions Process

About the Program:

The BGS degree program is designed to support adult learners who have at least 60 credits and are returning to school after a gap in education of at least 3 years. Adult learners鈥攕ometimes called 鈥渘on-traditional students鈥� or 鈥減ost traditional students鈥濃�攁re defined as students aged 25 or older.

The Ideal BGS Candidate Would Meet the Following Description: 

The typical BGS student has left college at some point, is currently employed, and wishes to advance their careers or gain a sense of personal accomplishment. An ideal student is an adult learner or other post-traditional student with extensive work experience. Most BGS transfer students work full or part-time during the completion of their degree at USF. It is common for BGS students to have a break in education of three years or more, have attended multiple institutions since high school graduation (2+ community colleges, state colleges, or universities), or already have earned 90 or more total college credits. The BGS program can also be a good fit for students who were originally dismissed from USF but who are seeking to return after gaining experience in education or the workplace. 

Admission Requirements

In order to be admitted into the Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) program as a transfer student, applicants must:

  • Have completed 60 credit hours or an AA degree at a regionally accredited college or university
  • Be in good standing with most recent former educational institution
  • Meet USF general admissions standards for transfer students (2.3 GPA for out of state transfer students)
  • All transcripts received by USF admissions

You must for undergraduate admission through the USF Office of Admissions. Expect this process to take anywhere from four to six weeks. The file completion deadline is the last day to submit paperwork (transcripts, petitions for reinstatement, conduct documentation). Students have up until the week before classes to register without paying the $100 late fee).

STEP 1: Apply to Admissions

You will need to submit the following documents to be considered for admission to the university:

  • Complete the application for admission.
  • Pay the non-refundable $30 application fee.
  • Provide your official TOEFL or IELTS scores, if applicable.
  • Provide your official transcript from each college or university you attended, to include military credits and CLEP scores. *Please note that review of your application will be expedited if you send your transcripts electronically.

Submit these documents to:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
4202 E Fowler Avenue, SVC 1036
Tampa, FL 33620

 

Step 2: Meet with a BGS Advisor to Select Your Concentration

You will take an active role in creating your academic program. View the concentrations available on the left navigation menu, and you will eventually select the one that is the best fit for your goals.

After your initial acceptance to BGS, your concentration is not assigned until after you first advising meeting. This meeting occurs after acceptance but before orientation. 

After you've received a formal letter of acceptance from admissions, please schedule an appointment with the BGS advisor for pre-orientation advising. 

Need to schedule an appointment? Please click on the appropriate link below:

Accepted or currently registered students
If you are NOT a USF Student, please use

ACADEMIC ADVISORS
The Academic Advisors for current USF and prospective students:
Danielle Carson (Last Names A-K) Tampa campus
Walter A. Davis III (Last Names L-Z) Tampa campus

You can also email us at bgsadvise@usf.edu. Please give 48-72 business hours for a reply.

 

Step 3: Complete the pre-orientation Canvas page for your major

A few weeks prior to your in-person orientation, you will receive an email to your USF student account containing a link to complete a mandatory pre-orientation onboarding training module in Canvas. This requirement is specific to your major, so if you change majors before the semester begins, you will need to complete a different training module.