Admission, Enrollment, and Registration

Admission

a) The application is an indispensible requirement for acceptance into one of the four schools of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.
b) Admission is only granted for the cycle of study to which one has applied. In order to be admitted into other cycles, a new request must be made; in such cases however, it is not necessary to resubmit any documents which the University's Academic Secretary already possesses.
c) Admission is granted based on previous studies, as well as on performance on any exams deemed necessary by the proper academic authorities; for admission to the third cycle, the student's overall performance during Licentiate studies are evaluated in a more detailed way. 
d) Acceptance lapses when registration is not completed for the academic year in which admission was granted.
e) All sacred ministers, candidates to the priesthood, members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and members of Societies of Apostolic Life are bound to observe the norms concerning ecclesiastical habit, as well as the disciplinary norms which apply to clerics and religious living in Rome.
f) Only after registration do students have the right to attend courses indicated by their schedule. This right can be lost as a result of unjustified interruption of studies, as well as in the cases specified by the norms of academic discipline.

Documents required for admission

a) To be admitted, applicants must present:

  • an admissions' application,  on the form provided by the Academic Registrar
  • an original or authorized copy of one's certificate of completed studies which clearly specifies the Institution where they were completed, the duration of the studies, the courses attended, and the reported grades;
  • Sacred ministers, candidates to the priesthood, members of Institutes of Consecrated Life, and members of Societies of Apostolic Life must submit written authorization from their Ordinary or legitimate Superior in order to carry out the studies for which they apply.
  • Lay students coming from Italy or from other countries adhering to the European Schengen Treaty must present a declaration of good conduct from their Parish priest or another ecclesiastical authority indicated by the Rector's Office.
  • Lay students coming from countries that do not adhere to the European Schengen Treaty must send a letter of presentation from the Bishop of their diocese which includes the Bishop's signature, notarized by the Apostolic Nuncio; they must also send a declaration of responsibility, or "assumption of charge" regarding the payment of room, board, and medical expenses, coming from a private source or institution. This declaration must bear the authorization of the bishop of the diocese to which the private source or institution belongs. The student must also present a declaration of self-maintenance, endorsed by the bishop of his diocese (in this case, the bishop's signature must be notarized by the Apostolic Nuncio).

b) The above documents may be sent by mail to the University's Academic Registrar. The University cannot assume responsibility for any late or lost documents.
c) Academic authorities may consider it necessary in some cases, for the applicant to take additional exams, or to present supplementary documents.
d) Acceptance or rejection to the University will be communicated in a timely manner.

Recognition of Previous Studies

Students seeking recognition for studies completed at other Institutions must submit with their application a request addressed to the University Rector, as well as a detailed certificate of their previous studies (including the subjects taken and grades obtained) along with any related programs.

Enrollment

a) Enrollment forms should be turned in to the University’s Academic Registrar. While enrolling, students must present photo identification or a passport.
b) Required Documents:

  • Enrollment application provided by the Academic Registrar
  • Proof of tuition payment
  • For candidates to the priesthood and sacred ministers, a certificate of housing from their appropriate residence. In its absence, the corresponding, annual certificate of extra collegiality that is issued by the Vicariate of Rome
  • Priests must further present the document which confers their faculty to hear confessions on a regular basis (cfr. C.I.C, 969 and 973);
  • Students coming from other universities or Roman ecclesiastical faculties must also present the nulla obstat concerning their transfer that is provided by the General Secretary of their previous institution.

c) Enrollment Period

  • Applications to enroll in ordinary courses may be handed in to the Academic Registrar beginning on September 1; the deadline for enrollment is the is the Friday before the start of classes.
  • If a student is registering at the beginning of the 2° semester of the academic year, the dates indicated above are moved forward four months.

d) Students whose mother tongue is not Italian must demonstrate a sufficient knowledge of the Italian language; to this end, they must take an exam to be held before classes begin in the first semester.

Registration for the following years of study

a) To register for each of the following years of study within a cycle, students must submit the registration form provided by the Academic Registrar, along with proof they have paid tuition. Candidates to the priesthood and sacred ministries must present proof of housing from their appropriate residence, or the annual certificate of extra collegiality.
b) Registration should be completed during the same time period as enrollment.
c) Registration at the Doctoral level is considered valid until the discussion of the student's dissertation, which should take place no later than five years from the date of registration. When this time frame ends, students who have not yet presented their dissertation must ask to renew their registration each year. Such a request can be granted by the academic authorities of the student’s School. The student however, is required to pay an established fee.