10 Colleges That Accept Low GPAs in 2025

Grade point average (GPA) is an indicator of what grades you've gotten throughout high school and college. It's often one of several things considered in college admissions.

However, even if you struggled in high school or the first few years of college, you're not out of luck. There are multiple colleges that accept a low GPA in the U.S. The easiest colleges to get into with a low GPA are those with open admissions, but there are other options as well. Keep reading to discover ten colleges that accept low GPAs in 2025.

What Is Considered a Low GPA?

A ''low GPA'' is a subjective term. It can depend on context, school standards, and specific goals, such as a desired major. For the purpose of this article, we've chosen to highlight schools that accept students who have earned a 2.5 or lower.

Note that students with a lower GPA can still get an excellent college education at a well-respected university. Many colleges base their admissions on multiple factors, not just GPA. Additionally, there are colleges with no GPA requirement at all.

How To Get Into College With a Low GPA

As mentioned, even if your GPA isn't what you'd like it to be, you can still go to good colleges. Below, we've highlighted a few ways you can still pursue a degree with a low GPA.

Open-Admission Colleges

Open admissions colleges are colleges that accept all students who meet the minimum application requirements. Usually, this is just a high school diploma; most open admissions institutions are colleges that don't require GPA or SAT/ACT scores, and they often don't require personal statements or letters of recommendation either.

That being said, some schools set a minimum GPA requirement, so it's important to check the admissions requirements before you apply. Also, while many of these are colleges that accept a low GPA for transfer students, most require a specific GPA for courses you want to transfer.

Public Universities With Lower Admission Requirements

Often, public and state universities have lower admissions requirements than private schools, although this is not always the case.

These schools may still have a minimum GPA requirement, but the minimum is often lower than what you would expect to find at a private university. Other requirements, like ACT and SAT scores, can vary.

Community Colleges

Community colleges and other two-year colleges, like technical colleges, often have guaranteed admissions. This is similar to open admissions, in that pretty much everyone is accepted, even if they don't have a high school diploma. Test scores, personal essays, and letters of recommendation usually aren't necessary.

Note that some may still require students to maintain a certain GPA once they've started their programs. Look for community colleges that have transfer agreements with local four-year universities. Often, these universities guarantee admission to students who complete their community college program so that those students can finish their bachelor's degree.

The California State University system, for example, has articulation agreements with local community colleges. This allows students who enter college with a low GPA to boost their grades and get into great schools like UCLA or UC Berkeley.

Four-Year Universities With Conditional or Provisional Admission

Some universities accept students with low GPAs but require them to maintain a certain GPA in their first semester. This is called conditional or provisional admission.

For example, Arizona State University requires applicants to either have a 3.0 GPA, ACT score of 22, SAT Reasoning score of 1120, or be in the top 25% of their graduating class. However, students who do not meet these requirements may be accepted under the school's ''earned admissions'' option.

This can be a great way to attend a good college with a low GPA. However, before you enroll, consider whether you'll be able to maintain the GPA required to stay in the program.

10 Colleges With Low GPA Requirements

There are multiple colleges and universities that accept a low GPA throughout the U.S. We've highlighted a few of these institutions below.

1. Columbia College

Columbia College is a private, nonprofit institution based in Columbia, MO. It has open admissions for online students and no minimum GPA; students only need a high school diploma or equivalent. The college offers associate, bachelor's, and master's degree programs online covering: *business

• computer science
• criminal justice
• social sciences

Students who want to study on-campus will need a minimum 2.5 GPA. Transfer students will need a minimum GPA in the courses they want to transfer, but requirements vary by course.

The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Tuition for undergraduate online students is $375 per credit hour, while graduate programs are $585.

2. Empire State University

At Empire State University, undergraduate admission is open to all students with a high school diploma or equivalent. Neither on-campus nor online students need test scores or a minimum GPA, with the exception of a few specific programs.

This public school offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in fields like business administration, education, liberal arts, and technology. Undergraduate New York residents pay $295 per credit hour, while out-of-state undergraduate students pay $353 for online courses and $708 for in-person courses.

Empire State University is based in Saratoga Springs, NY. It's accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

3. Excelsior University

Excelsior University has an open admissions policy for most undergraduate programs � all you need is a high school diploma or equivalent. The private, non-profit online school is headquartered in Albany, NY.

The university offers associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees through distance learning. Areas of study include business, computer science, healthcare, and liberal arts.

Like Empire State University, Excelsior is accredited by the MSCHE. Tuition for undergraduate students is $510 per credit hour, while tuition for graduate students is $715.

4. Franklin University

The open admissions policy at Franklin University does not require a minimum GPA. Students must have a high school diploma or equivalent and be proficient in English.

Franklin University, based in Columbus, OH, is a private nonprofit institution geared toward working adults. It's accredited by the HLC.

The university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees online and in person in multiple areas of study. The tuition rate is $398 per credit hour for undergraduate programs, $670 for most master's degrees, and $748 for graduate degrees.

5. Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University is a private non-profit school in Manchester, NH. While the school doesn't have an open admissions policy, it does accept 96% of applicants and does not have a minimum GPA requirement for undergraduate students.

It offers programs on campus, though it's best known for its online associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. Areas of study include business, computer science, liberal arts, and psychology.

SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Tuition for online undergraduate programs is $330 per credit hour and it's $567 for in-person undergraduate programs. Online graduate tuition is $637 per credit hour, with in-person graduate tuition at $793.

6. University of Maryland Global Campus

Students at the University of Maryland Global Campus don't need to meet a specific GPA for the school's open admissions requirements. Undergraduate students only need a high school diploma or equivalent.

The school offers undergraduate and graduate degrees online in fields like communication, education, healthcare, and technology. Tuition is $324 per credit hour for in-state undergraduate students and $499 for out-of-state undergraduate students. For graduate programs, in-state students pay $534 and non-residents pay $659.

UMGC is the online campus of the public University System of Maryland. It's accredited by the MSCHE.

7. University of Massachusetts Global

The University of Massachusetts Global has an open admissions policy with no minimum GPA. The school is a private nonprofit affiliate of the public University of Massachusetts, but it's based in Aliso Viejo, CA.

It offers online associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Areas of study include business, education, liberal arts, and technology.

UMass Global is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The tuition rate is $500 per credit hour for undergraduate programs, $730 for master's degrees, and $1,080 for doctoral degrees.

8. Charter Oak State College

The open admissions policy at Charter Oak State College does not technically have a minimum GPA for undergraduate students. However, those with a GPA under 2.0 will be placed on academic probation for 12 credits.

Charter Oak State College is headquartered in New Britain, CT, and accredited by the NECHE. The school offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in fields like business, criminal justice, healthcare, and social sciences. Tuition for undergraduate students is $329 per credit and $529 for graduate students.

9. National University

National University is a private, non-profit institution based in San Diego. It has an open admissions policy for students with a GPA of 2.0; however, students with a lower GPA may be admitted on probationary admission.

The majority of students at National University study online. The school offers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in areas of study including:

• business
• engineering
• healthcare
• social sciences

The WSCUC accredits National University. Tuition for most undergraduate programs is $370 per credit hour; tuition for graduate degrees varies by program.

10. Herzing University

Although Herzing University does not offer open admissions, it has an acceptance rate of 94%. Students generally don't need a specific GPA but do need an ACT score of at least 17, a combined SAT score of 930 or more, or to pass the university's entrance exam. Otherwise, they may be admitted on probationary admission, but this is not guaranteed.

Herzing University offers degrees on campus and online in fields like business, healthcare, legal studies, and technology. Tuition varies by program but is generally around $515 per credit hour for undergraduate programs and $625 for master's degrees.

The private nonprofit institution is based in Milwaukee. It's accredited by the HLC.

How We Rank Schools

Several colleges accept a low GPA across the U.S. To choose the schools above, we focused on:

• Accreditation: All schools above are regionally accredited institutions.
• GPA Requirement: We focused on schools that either didn't have a GPA requirement or had a minimum requirement of 2.0.
• Acceptance Rates: The colleges and universities on this list either have open admissions or acceptance rates above 90%.
• Type: We chose four-year public or private institutions; many community colleges have open admissions, but we wanted to focus on schools that offer bachelor's programs.

FAQs About the Best Colleges for C-Average Students

Below, we've answered some frequently asked questions about schools that accept students with a low to average GPA.

What Is the Lowest GPA To Get Into College?

Some colleges, like several listed above, do not have a minimum GPA. However, keep in mind that most four-year institutions require a high school diploma or similar, so your high school GPA will need to be high enough to graduate. Usually, this is somewhere between 1.0 and 2.0.

What Colleges Accept a 2.0 GPA?

A weighted GPA of 2.0 typically means you are a solid C-student. This isn't exceptional, but it means you passed all your classes. All of the colleges and universities listed above accept students with a 2.0 GPA.

Read More: Best Colleges That Accept a 2.0 GPA

What Colleges Accept a 2.5 GPA?

A GPA of 2.5 means that you got a B or C in most of your high school classes. All of the schools above accept a 2.5 GPA, but many other schools do as well. These include schools like Eastern Illinois University and Virginia State University.

Read More: Best Colleges That Accept a 2.5 GPA

What Colleges Accept a 1.5 GPA?

A 1.5 GPA can make it more difficult to get accepted into college. However, several of the schools listed above will accept students with a 1.5 GPA, including Columbia College, Empire State University, and Southern New Hampshire University.

Read More: Best Colleges That Accept a 1.5 GPA

What Colleges Accept a 1.0 GPA?

For most high school students, a 1.0 GPA is the absolute lowest you can get while still graduating. It can be hard to get into college with a GPA this low, but several online colleges that accept low GPAs accept students regardless of their GPA. These include Excelsior University, Franklin University, and UMass Global.

Are There D1 Schools With Low GPA Requirements?

Often, D1 schools have a more holistic admissions process. This means that they look at your GPA and test scores, but also consider things like your college essays, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation. Some D1 colleges that are willing to accept students with a lower GPA based on other details of their college application include:

• Ohio State University
• Southern Illinois University Carbondale
• University of Florida
• University of Kentucky

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