Undergraduate Admissions

Ready to apply? Here’s how.

1

Make sure you meet the minimum program requirements.

Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate (lower division undergraduate program): Minimum Requirements

• Be 18 or older when you start classes
• Be a native English speaker or able to meet the requirements for non-native English speakers
• Have completed at least 12 college credits from an accredited college or university, or obtained the equivalent international education, with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.80

Applied Cybersecurity Certificate (upper division undergraduate program): Minimum Requirements

• Be 18 or older when you start classes
• Be a native English speaker or able to meet the requirements for non-native English speakers
• Have completed at least 48 college credits from an accredited college or university, or obtained the equivalent international education, with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.80

Bachelor’s Degree: Minimum Requirements

• Be 18 or older when you start classes.
• Be a native English speaker or able to meet the requirements for non-native English speakers.
• Earn 60 of 70 required transferrable college credits from an accredited college (or colleges), with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0
  • Learn more about the bachelor's degree transfer credit process.
  • You can start the SANS.edu program when you’ve earned 60 of 70 required transferable credits from any accredited community college and/or 4-year college, but you must complete all 70 credits to earn your bachelor’s degree.
  • You are not required to bring in specific “major” courses into the bachelor's program, but 31 credits (of the 70 credits you’ll bring to SANS.edu) must meet these Maryland General Education Requirements:
    • Arts and Humanities (3 credits)
    • English Composition  (3 credits)
    • Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 credits)
    • Mathematics (3 credits)
    • Biological and Physical Sciences  (3 credits)
    • Additional General Education Electives (16 credits)
      
      TOTAL GENERAL EDUCATION CREDITS REQUIRED: 31
      

Provisional Admission for Bachelor's Students: If you have not completed these bachelor's degree requirements, you may apply and be admitted provisionally to the bachelor's degree program for up to 2 years.

• Provisional admission may be a good choice for you if, for example, you are in the process of completing an associate degree or are a high school senior who plans to earn an associate degree before starting at SANS.edu.
• At the time you transfer to SANS.edu, any catalog updates or tuition rate changes will apply.

2

Complete your application form.

You can find the application form online at application.sans.edu/apply.

• If you don’t have a SANS account, follow the instructions to create one in order to access the application. Keep track of your password for future use of the SANS portal.
  
• Your application will be reviewed for admission after all supporting documents described below are submitted.

3

Upload your resume.

Upload your resume online at application.sans.edu/apply. If you have limited work experience, you can create a resume that highlights activities such as school projects, areas of interest or volunteer work.

4

Have your school(s) send us official transcripts.

• If you hold an associate degree, bachelor’s degree or higher, only submit transcripts from schools where you earned a degree.
  
• If you do not hold an associate degree or bachelor’s degree, submit transcripts from all schools where you have been enrolled.
  • Bachelor’s Degree Applicants: Sending a transcript from all previous schools will ensure you get the most transfer credits possible.

All transcript submissions must be official, which means they must be sent directly from your prior school(s) to SANS.edu with no student contact involved.

Request to have your official transcripts emailed directly to transcripts@sans.edu.

If electronic delivery is not an option, please mail official, sealed copies to:

SANS Technology Institute
2093 Philadelphia Pike #4606
Claymont, DE 19703

IMPORTANT: If transcripts will be submitted from a college or university outside of the United States, please first review the requirements for international students.

5

Take our aptitude assessment for the Applied Cybersecurity Certificate or Bachelor's Degree programs. (Not required for the Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate program.)

No prior experience in cybersecurity is needed for our undergraduate programs, but applicants to all SANS Technology Institute programs (except for the Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate program) are required to complete a 1-hour online assessment which measures general information security aptitude. We don't require the SAT for admission, so our online assessment exam is your best chance to demonstrate your potential to succeed in cybersecurity.

PRO TIP: We recommend taking the assessment when you have the full hour to devote to it without being interrupted, since you will have only 1 attempt. Do not be concerned if you are unfamiliar with any of the topics covered in the assessment. Many of the best cybersecurity students come from backgrounds outside of technology.

You can find a link to complete the aptitude assessment in the application portal after you submit your application form.

IMPORTANT: If you have previously completed an aptitude assessment with SANS as part of a prior application to SANS.edu or to a SANS Immersion Academy, please notify us at info@sans.edu.

6

Submit your application fee.

Pay the non-refundable application fee through our application portal. The application fee is $35 for undergraduate certificate programs and $75 for the bachelor's degree program.

Next Steps for Admitted Students

If you are admitted or provisionally admitted, you will receive a formal Offer of Admission and be asked to confirm your enrollment in the SANS Technology Institute.

New Student Orientation

We'll provide instructions for attending the mandatory New Student Orientation (NSO), where you’ll be introduced to our programs, resources and communications tools. You’ll also meet your student advisor, who will discuss your goals and give you personalized support throughout your studies at SANS.edu.

You'll need to complete New Student Orientation before you can register for your first course.