:: Glossary O-Z
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off-campus housing—apartments and houses not located on campus premises.

on-campus housing—apartments, houses, and residence halls located on campus premises.

out-of-state (tuition fee)—the tuition fee charged to students whose permanent residence is outside of the state of Indiana; also known as nonresident tuition fee. (See in-state.)

reasonable living expenses—general estimated costs, including housing, personal expenses, and transportation, while attending college. Living expenses differ for each individual based upon personal choices so this might reflect a fairly comfortable lifestyle.

resident (tuition fee)—the tuition fee charged to Indiana residents; also known as in-state tuition fee.

SAT—Scholastic Assessment Test; one of two standardized achievement tests (the other is the ACT) taken by U.S. high school students and international students interested in university study in the United States. Many universities have a minimum SAT requirement for admission.

second bachelor's degree Applicants already possessing a university degree received after 4 years of university study, are not encouraged to apply for a second bachelor's degree unless it is a specific requirement of their current professional objective. If an applicant's ultimate goal is to enter a graduate program in a field different from that studied at the bachelor's level it may be possible to apply directly for the graduate degree and take remedial coursework until the appropriate background is completed.

SSN—Social Security number; a number assigned by the government to U.S. residents at birth and used by many universities as the student identification number. BSU International students are assigned a random student identification number.

TOEFL—Test of English as a Foreign Language; a test that measures the ability of non-native speakers of English to use and understand North American English. Many Ball State University academic programs have a minimum TOEFL score for admission.

top tier (university)—a university that is highly ranked and well-respected academically.

transcript—an official university record of courses, grades, and length of study.

tuition—the cost of college instruction based on the number of courses taken.

undergraduate level —Undergraduate applicants should have completed the primary-secondary education system of their own country. The U.S. primary-secondary system consists of 12 years of study. It is expected that applicants from other countries will have studied for a similar number of years in primary-secondary school to be eligible for university admission. However, applicants from countries with at least 11 standard years in the primary-secondary system may be considered if they have achieved a strong academic record and can submit the final, official school-leaving certificate. Applicants are expected to have reached their 18th birthday no later than the end of their first semester of study here. Applicants from countries where there are more than 12 years of secondary study may qualify for advanced standing. Pre-primary education is not included in this total number of years. Secondary school programs should have included study of a student's native language, English or other foreign languages, mathematics, natural and/or physical science, humanities, and social sciences.

undergraduate student—a student working toward a bachelor's degree. A first-level university student.

waiver—a notice given which releases you from fees or courses. For example, if you receive a fee waiver, you do not have to pay that fee.

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