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Undergraduate Admissions

We prepare students for dynamic careers in communication, information, and media through hands-on learning, innovative programs, and a supportive academic community. Admissions to our undergraduate programs is easy, but it is not open to first-year students.  

How to Apply

1

Apply and Enroll at Rutgers

2

Complete Prerequisite Coursework

3

Apply to SC&I

Step 1: Apply and Enroll at Rutgers

Admissions to our undergraduate programs is not open to first-year students. All interested students should first apply to and enroll in a separate Rutgers undergraduate school.

Apply to Rutgers

Explore Rutgers Undergraduate Options

Step 2: Complete Prerequisite Coursework

Before you can apply to any of SC&I’s three undergraduate majors, you must first meet these requirements:

We base admission on multiple factors, including but not limited to, your grades in Expository Writing and the appropriate introductory major course and your essay. Meeting the minimum requirements to apply to the major does not guarantee admission to the major.

Step 3: Apply to SC&I

You can access the online application for SC&I majors at the beginning of each semester. There are specific deadlines for filing each semester; be sure to complete and submit your application by the appropriate deadline. Please note that our admissions committee will not be able to review applications that are not submitted properly or by the set deadline.

To apply:

  • Log in to the undergraduate application portal during the open application period.
  • Complete basic information about yourself.
  • Write a one-page essay explaining your interest in the major and what you see yourself doing after graduation.
  • Upload your application essay
  • Submit your application

Now accepting applications for Spring 2026!

Eligible students should submit their application by January 30, 2026.

Apply

Undergraduate Application Deadlines

SC&I admits students to majors during the fall, spring and summer semesters. Specific deadlines are posted each semester.

Application CycleApplication OpensApplication Closes*Notification (Anticipated)Earliest Term to Enroll in
Major Only Courses
Fall 2025Sept. 2, 2025Oct. 3, 2025Oct. 24, 2025Spring
Spring 2026Dec. 22, 2025Jan. 30, 2026Feb. 20, 2026Summer / Fall
Summer I 2026May 1, 2026May 29, 2026June 19, 2026Summer 2 / Fall
Summer II 2026July 6, 2026July 24, 2026Aug. 7, 2026Fall / Spring

*Applicants will be notified of their admission status after the application cycle closes and no later than the notification date listed. During the fall and spring, this enables newly admitted students to pre-register for the next semester as a major. Students admitted during summer will have the opportunity to change fall course registrations to majors-only classes during late August.

Questions? Please email undergrad@comminfo.rutgers.edu.

  • You will receive a confirmation email to your Rutgers email address. If you do not receive a confirmation within 24-hours, your application may not have been submitted properly. Please check your spam folder before notifying the Student Services office.

  • All students at Rutgers University are encouraged to carefully consider a major before applying to a program. If you are considering a SC&I major, you may wish to take more than one of the school’s 100-level survey courses (04:189:101, 04:189:102, 04:189:103) to gain exposure to more than one major before submitting an application. Taking a second 100-level class early will help because such courses are:

    • Required in order to graduate from SC&I
    • Required as a prerequisite for all upper (400-level) classes

    Students admitted to a SC&I major who later feel that a different major would be a better choice can apply to change majors during our admissions process each semester. To make the change from the online application:

    • Log in and select to apply for a change of major.
    • Submit an essay explaining:
      • Why you are requesting a switch
      • What you hope to gain from the new major
      • What you see yourself doing five years after graduating from Rutgers
         

  •  Current undergraduate majors in communication, information technology and informatics, and journalism and media studies can apply to pursue a second major within the SC&I. Eligible students must be in good academic standing, must already be enrolled in a SC&I undergraduate major, and must be able to fulfill the requirements of the second major without extending their time to graduation. Students successfully admitted to two majors within SC&I will be responsible for completing the academic requirements associated with both SC&I majors.

    Students who double major earn a single bachelor's degree, with both majors noted on the student's official transcript. Students should be aware of all requirements of their Rutgers four-year school, including the need for general education courses (e.g. SAS Core courses) and requirements related to other majors and minors. If a student does not complete each academic SC&I major in full, they will not be certified for degree completion.

    Students apply to the second SC&I major using the SC&I undergraduate application for admission. Applicants must also satisfy the pre-requisite course requirements for the second SC&I major that they are applying to with a grade of C or better to be considered for admission. Acceptance to one major does not guarantee an acceptance to a second one, as each program holds an independent acceptance process. Students should carefully consider the implications of double majoring on their time-to-degree before applying.

    Students considering a SC&I double major should consult an undergraduate academic advisor within the School of Communication and Information and an academic advisor within their four-year college.
     

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