Admissions Policy

Statement of Non-Discrimination

In accordance with federal and state laws, The Art of Education University prohibits discrimination based on actual or perceived age, race, color, national origin/ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related conditions), physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, uniformed service member status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Graduate Admissions

All prospective students must complete an application form to begin the admissions process. Click here to select the correct application. The Art of Education University accepts applications continuously throughout the year.

Students may direct admissions questions to admissions@theartofeducation.edu or 515.236.5050

Official Transcripts

All students must submit official transcripts documenting a conferred bachelor’s degree or higher from an appropriately accredited institution. Applicants may submit unofficial transcripts to the registrar’s office to determine admissibility; however, any offer of acceptance is conditional pending receipt of official transcripts.

Students who do not submit official transcripts at the time of application will have a transcript hold placed on their account, which restricts access to final grades, unofficial transcripts, and the ability to receive or send an official transcript.

The Art of Education University considers a transcript official when sent directly from the issuing institution. Students may send official transcripts through the following methods:

Parchment Exchange*
Through other electronic services providers to the following email address: transcripts@theartofeducation.edu
Mailed** in a sealed envelope directly from the issuing institution to the following address:

Attn: Registrar
The Art of Education University
518 Main St. Suite A
Osage, IA 50461

*Starting January 6th, 2025, sales tax will be collected on certain document requests, including transcripts and diplomas, in compliance with federal, state, and local tax laws. This change may affect the total cost of your request based on various factors.

**Note: Mailed transcripts take approximately 4–6 weeks to receive and process.

English Proficiency

Online coursework at The Art of Education University requires graduate-level reading and writing, and classes are taught in English. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit documentation of passing English language proficiency scores to registrar@theartofeducation.edu. Students may be withdrawn from courses and programs if they can not meet the requirements of graduate-level coursework. According to the Refund Policy, students who are dropped or withdrawn from a course for inadequate English language proficiency are entitled to a tuition refund. An earned grade of a W may appear on the student’s official transcript depending on when the drop or withdrawal is processed per the Add/Drop Policy and Course Withdrawal Policy.

ACCEPTED TEST	MINIMUM SCORE
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)	60 on the paper-delivered test (PBT) or 71 on the internet-based test (iBT)
International English Language Test (IELTS)	6.5
Pearson Test of English	50
Duolingo English Test	100

Direct additional questions to registrar@theartofeducation.edu or 515.236.5094.

Application Requirements: Master of Arts in Art Education

Prospective students applying for the Master of Arts in Art Education degree must submit an application form, an application fee of $50, official transcripts, and two artifacts for review.

The application to the Master of Arts in Art Education is designed to showcase prospective students’ professional qualifications, passion for art education, and ability to succeed in a master’s-level program. Applicants must submit the following artifacts for review:

Writing sample
Micro-portfolio

Specific instructions are detailed in the application and the application portal. Upon submission of the application form, an email will be sent with detailed instructions for submitting the additional application components listed above. Incomplete applications will be withdrawn after 60 days, and the application fee will be forfeited.

Students with no formal academic preparation or experiential background in art and/or art education may be required to provide additional information and/or take prerequisite coursework for admittance to the degree program. See the Conditional Admittance Policy for details.

Application Requirements: Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction

Prospective students applying for the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction degree must submit an application form, an application fee of $50, official transcripts, and two artifacts for review.

The application to the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction is designed to showcase applicants’ professional qualifications, passion for curriculum, assessment, and instruction, and ability to succeed in a master’s-level program. Applicants must submit the following artifacts for review:

Writing sample
Micro-portfolio

Students with no formal academic preparation or experiential background in art education and/or education may be required to provide additional information and/or take prerequisite coursework for admittance to the degree program. See the Conditional Admittance Policy for details.

Application Requirements: Graduate Certificate Programs

Prospective students applying for a certificate program must submit an application form, an application fee of $20, official transcripts, and one artifact for review.

The application for certificate programs is designed to showcase applicants’ professional qualifications and passion for art-making. Applicants must submit the following artifact for review:

Your “why”: A 1-2 page essay or publicly accessible video that describes your motivation for pursuing a certificate.

Specific instructions are detailed in the application and the application portal. Upon submission of the form, applicants will receive an email with detailed instructions for submitting the additional admission components listed above. Incomplete applications will be withdrawn after 60 days, and applicants will forfeit the application fee.

International Student Admission Requirements

The Art of Education University welcomes international applicants who meet the university’s criteria for admissions.

International Transcripts
Prospective students who have completed their degree at a university outside the United States must request a copy of an approved foreign evaluation services report showing an equivalent completion of a U.S. bachelor’s degree. The transcript must include certified English translations if it is in a language other than English.

Copies of the evaluations must be sent directly from the evaluation agency to AOEU.

AOEU accepts foreign transcript evaluations from any agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES—www.naces.org) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE—www.aice-eval.org).

Students may direct additional questions to the Registrar at registrar@theartofeducation.edu or 515.236.5094.

International Transfer Credit Evaluation

Prospective students who attended a non-U.S. post-secondary institution, college, or university and wish to transfer credits from that institution must have a course-by-course evaluation done by a professional credit evaluation agency who is a member of AICE or NACES. Copies of the evaluations must be sent directly from the evaluation agency to AOEU. AOEU accepts foreign transcript evaluations from any agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES—www.naces.org) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE—www.aice-eval.org). Students may direct additional questions to the Registrar at registrar@theartofeducation.edu or 515.236.5094.

Exemptions

Required documentation of English language proficiency may be waived if the student earned a degree from an institution where English was the primary language of instruction.

Application Review

Application review begins when all admission materials have been submitted and received. Applicants who apply in person at special events may participate in the interview before all official documents are received, but admissions decisions are only final once all documents are received.

If denied, applicants may reapply. All fees apply.

Conditional Admittance

Eligible applicants who possess a bachelor’s degree but do not meet the minimum requirements for formal education and/or experiential preparation in art, education, and/or art education may be required to provide additional information and/or complete prerequisite coursework for admittance to a degree program. Tuition for these courses is in addition to the total cost of the program.

Program Enrollment

Accepted candidates pursuing a program must review, sign, and accept the Enrollment Agreement. Students can access their signed Enrollment Agreement anytime through the student portal.

Enrollment Agreement Expiration

An acceptance decision remains valid for up to 60 days. Students who do not accept and sign their enrollment agreement within the 60-day period will need to reapply for future consideration. All fees, rules, and regulations during reapplication will apply.

Enrollment Deferral

Students apply to a trimester and are expected to begin their first course during the trimester they are accepted into. Students who do not attempt a course during the accepted trimester may defer their enrollment to a future trimester one time. To defer enrollment, students should work with their advisor.

Non-Start Policy

Students who do not register for their first course within 120 days of signing their enrollment agreement or during the deferral trimester are considered a Non-Start and will be withdrawn from the program. Students who are withdrawn due to non-start will need to reapply for future consideration. All fees, rules, and regulations during reapplication will apply.

Second Graduate Program Requirements

Students returning for a subsequent program must apply for admission. Returning students are required to have completed a graduation audit and an evaluation of credit before beginning their next program with AOEU. At most, 50% of the credits may overlap with another earned credential at The Art of Education University.

All fees, rules, and regulations during application to a second program will apply

Program Changes

Students enrolled in one of AOEU’s programs and in good academic standing may apply to change to a different program at any time. Before any changes can be finalized, students must apply and be accepted to the new program. All fees, rules, and regulations during reapplication will apply.

The student should carefully review the requirements of the potential new program and the current graduate catalog and work closely with their advisor to determine the best path forward. The start of the new program must correspond with the start of the student’s next eligible term.

Previously transferred and completed coursework through The Art of Education University may not apply to the new program due to differences in degree requirements. Students are allowed to change their program only once. Any subsequent request to change the program requires approval from the Dean of Graduate Studies. Before changing programs, all official transcripts must be on file.

Declaring a Specialization

The Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction has two specialization track options. Each 12-credit option fulfills the elective requirements for the degree. Students are required to declare their intended specialization at the time of program application.

Specialization Changes

Students seeking to change their specialization must be in good academic standing. They should carefully review the requirements of the potential new specialization and work with their advisor to determine which coursework will apply to the new specialization.

Because coursework within specializations is not interchangeable, students who begin one specialization and switch to another may see changes to their graduation date and additional tuition costs resulting from the requested change.

Previously transferred or completed coursework through The Art of Education University may not apply to the new specialization. Students are allowed to change their specialization once. Any subsequent request to change specialization requires approval from the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Re-entry and Readmission

Students who elected to withdraw or were administratively withdrawn from their program of study may seek re-entry as long as 1) they are able to complete the program within the maximum time, and 2) they left in good standing. Qualifying students will re-enter the program at the same place where they withdrew. Students seeking re-entry should contact studentservices@theartofeducation.edu to connect with an academic advisor. Advisors will facilitate the process of re-entry and determine the appropriate course plan.

Students who cannot complete their program of study within the five-year maximum or who were not in good standing at the time of withdrawal must reapply and be readmitted. Previously completed courses during the time of matriculated study are subject to review. Previously accepted transfer credits will be reevaluated and are subject to the parameters set in 1.15 Transfer Credit Policy. Readmitted students must sign a new enrollment agreement. Students seeking readmission should contact admissions@theartofeducation.edu to connect with an admissions counselor.

Additional information may be found in the current edition of the Graduate Catalog.

If you have specific questions or concerns not addressed here, contact help@theartofeducation.edu for clarification.