What is Provisional Admission and What Should You Do If You Get One?

Not all college admits are the same.

Some are regular admits, while others are provisional admits.

Is provisional admission bad?

Provisional admission is not as good as regular admission, but it’s definitely not as bad as a denial or rejection — you are in, but there are provisions to meet or fulfill for you to become a regular admit like everybody else.

Those provisions are in the provisional acceptance letter.

So, what is provisional admission?

Provisional admission means the college or university admits you, although you must first fulfill the provisions or requirements before you can fully enroll in the institution.

Students with a provisional admission status have incomplete applications.

Being a provisional admit is temporary — you can submit the requirements on or before the deadline to become a regular admit or decline the offer to become a regular admit at another institution.

Provisional vs. Conditional Admission: What’s the Difference?

Many students use provisional admission and conditional admission interchangeably.

No one can blame them because these two types of admission share something in common — provisional and conditional admits must submit the requirements in order to become regular admits.

However, there’s one key difference between them: the requirements students must meet or submit.

Provisional Admission is More on Application Requirements

Got provisionally admitted?

It means that you meet the college’s minimum requirements, particularly in terms of academics.

However, you have provisional admission because your application is incomplete — while your academic profile is enough to get you in, your application isn’t.

As mentioned, the provision is in the provisional acceptance letter.

Whether it’s a missing entrance exam score or a final transcript the college admissions officers want, a timely submission turns you from being a provisional admit to a regular admit.

A provisional student can remain as such only for one semester.

So, in other words, failure to submit what the college requires from you within the semester could result in you losing the opportunity to become a regularly admitted student like most other admits.

Conditional Admission is All About a Student’s Academic Background

Similar to provisional admission, conditional admission is also a temporary admission status.

It can turn into regular admission if you meet the requirement/s — or condition/s — stated in the conditional acceptance letter or your dismissal if you fail to do so on time.

Conditional students have one academic or calendar year to comply.

Conditional student admits have a longer deadline to beat because it can take a while to increase their GPA or standardized test scores to enjoy a regular admit status.

A conditional admission means college admissions officers like you, but they want more academically.

While provisional admission is a deficiency in application, conditional admission is a deficiency in one’s academic background.

Whether you need higher grades or additional units, meeting the conditions is the key to becoming a regular admit.

Steps to Take If Admitted Provisionally

The meaning of provisional admission becomes clearer the moment you read the provisional admission letter.

As soon as you receive yours, it’s a must to spring into action if it’s from your top-choice school.

Otherwise, you may consider other options, such as attending a college that just admitted you as a regular student instead of one who must first submit certain documents or materials on time.

Read the Provisional Acceptance Letter

It’s a provisional admission or acceptance letter a provisionally admitted student receives.

Carefully reading it is a must because it explains the following:

• Why you are under provisional admission
• What to do to become a regularly admitted student
• When to make the necessary submission/s

A provisional acceptance letter from a college is similar to an acceptance letter a regular admit receives, except that it indicates the provision/s or requirement/s you must meet.

It also states how long you have to do so: one semester.

Submit the What the Admissions Office Wants

As mentioned, provisional admits have a shorter time frame compared to conditional admits (one semester vs. one academic or calendar year) when it comes to complying.

That’s because there’s no need to amend your academic profile.

All you have to do is submit the missing components of your application within one semester.

Ensure that you approach the right person or head to the right office at your high school, depending on what the provisional letter indicates, and obtain whatever it is you must get.

Always keep in mind that provisional admits have an earlier deadline than conditional admits.

Complete the FAFSA Form

As a provisionally admitted student, you cannot get financial aid.

However, it doesn’t necessarily mean you cannot fill out the FAFSA — you can complete and submit the FAFSA form, but the financial aid office won’t compute how much aid you are eligible for.

It’s a good idea to have your FAFSA form on file if you intend to go to the institution.

Once you become regularized or become a regular admit from being a provisional admit, you will be eligible for financial aid consideration at the college.

Decline the Provisional Admission Offer (If You Want)

What is the meaning of provisional admission?

For some provisionally admitted students, that question can easily turn into something like:

What is the meaning of going to a college that admitted me provisionally if it cannot fully appreciate me?

If you prefer to go to a different institution altogether, you may choose to politely decline the provisional admission offer by writing an email or completing the necessary form.

The University of California, San Francisco has a form, and this is what it says:

“I confirm that I decline your provisional offer of admission. I have fully considered my decision, and I understand that my decision to decline is final and cannot be reversed. I also understand that I cannot defer this offer of admission and that I will have to reapply in a future admissions cycle should I later decide that I want to attend UCSF.”

Afterward, you should indicate your reason for doing so by choosing one from the following:

• I have accepted an offer of admission from another school. (Please tell us which school below and why you accepted their offer.)

• My goals have changed, and I am no longer interested in attending pharmacy school. (Please elaborate below.)

• I cannot complete the prerequisites prior to July. (Please elaborate below.)

• I am declining for personal reasons. (Please elaborate below.)