Founded in 1924, High Point University is a private, liberal arts institution with 4,800 undergraduate and graduate students at campuses in High Point and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
HPU offers small class sizes of typically 18 students and a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The university offers 48 undergraduate majors, 51 undergraduate minors, and 13 graduate degree programs. The High Point University Panthers compete in 16 NCAA Division I sports and are members of the Big South Conference. Read more about High Point University.
Why study at High Point University?
High Point University recently was ranked by US News and World Report for the fifth consecutive year as the #1 Best Regional College in the South and for the second consecutive year as the #1 Most Innovative Regional College in the South!
This means that you will receive a top-notch education at a respected university that is known for excellence in academics, its dedicated faculty and staff, and campus facilities that are indeed extraordinary. You will experience firsthand what makes High Point University great: small class sizes, caring professors, 16 NCAA Division 1 sports teams, 20 club sports and dozens of intramural opportunities, and over 100 student-led clubs and organizations.
This also means that you will be provided with services that are geared towards the unique needs of international students. Our Office of Global Education and colleagues across campus provide immigration and academic advising as well as assistance with various tasks such as obtaining a social security number, getting a driver’s license, opening a bank account, filling out tax forms, and obtaining an on-campus job. Upon arrival to High Point, you’ll be greeted at the airport and shuttled to campus for a comprehensive orientation, during which you’ll be paired with a Global Education Mentor (GEM), an HPU student who can help introduce you to other students, help you get involved on campus, and help you get acclimated to life in the U.S. We also provide opportunities for cultural engagement, with trips to local sites of interest as well as on-campus activities in cooperation with the Global Student Association.
Where will you live?
High Point University is located in High Point, North Carolina, a city known for its involvement in the furniture industry. Together, the cities of Greensboro, High Point, and Winston-Salem form the Piedmont Triad, North Carolina’s largest metropolitan area with more than 1.9 million people and over 20 colleges and universities. The city of High Point alone has more than 100,000 people.
Both Greensboro and Winston-Salem are 20 minutes from campus. Other popular destinations and locations surrounding campus include:
| Destination | Location | Drive Time | Train/Bus Time | Flight Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA | 320 miles south of HPU | 5 hours | 8.25 hours | 1 hour |
| Charlotte, NC | 75 miles south of HPU | 1.5 hours | 2 hours | N/A |
| New York City, NY | 550 miles north of HPU | 9 hours | 11 hours | 1.5 hours |
| Orlando, FL | 590 miles south of HPU | 9.5 hours | N/A | 1.5 hours |
| Raleigh, NC | 90 miles east of HPU | 1.5 hours | 2.25 hours | N/A |
| Washington, DC | 325 miles north of HPU | 5 hours | 7 hours | 1 hour |
| Appalachian Mountains | 100+ miles west of HPU | 2+ hours | 3.25+ hours | N/A |
| Atlantic Ocean (Myrtle Beach, SC or Wilmington, NC) | 225+ miles east of HPU | 3.25+ hours | 29 hours | N/A |
High Point is easily accessible from Interstate 40 or Interstate 85. In addition, High Point University offers complimentary shuttle service to local airports, train stations, and bus stations. The Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO), which provides direct flights to major U.S. cities each day, is 20 minutes from campus; the Charlotte Douglass International Airport (CLT) and Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU) are both 90 minutes from campus; and the Amtrak train and Greyhound bus stations are both five minutes from campus.
Academics at High Point University
High Point University offers a variety of classes with relatively small class size, averaging about 18 students per class with a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students are able to develop a close relationship with their professors, improving their learning experience.
HPU offers undergraduate courses through the Davis R. Hayworth College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Art & Design, the Earl N. Phillips School of Business, the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication, the Stout School of Education, the Congdon School of Health Sciences, the Wanek School or Natural Sciences, and the Webb School of Engineering. Our largest majors and niche programs include Biology, Business, Communication, Education, Exercise Science, Human Relations, Interior Design, Music, and Physics. A complete listing of course offerings is available in the online course catalog: go to MyStuff, click on the orange “Search for Classes” button, and again the blue “Search for Classes” hyperlink.
Restrictions
Degree-seeking students are not restricted in their choice of study within their enrolled degree plan. In order to enroll in a course, students must have satisfied all pre-requisites. Undergraduate students are not permitted to enroll in graduate-level coursework.
Exchange and study abroad students are not restricted in undergraduate course selection; however, some courses have prerequisites and Music, Theatre, and Art & Design courses often require auditions or portfolios. Currently, High Point University is not able to accept exchange students for graduate study.
Semester Enrollment
High Point University requires full-time students to enroll in a minimum of 12, maximum of 18, credits per term. The recommended number of credits for exchange and study abroad students is 16 credits per term, which would typically be an enrollment of four, 4-credit courses.
Language of Instruction
Language courses are taught in the respective languages; all other courses are taught in English.
English as a Second Language Programs at HPU
In order to be admitted to HPU, students must demonstrate adequate proficiency by submitting TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC, or other approved test scores. However, many non-native speakers of English benefit greatly from additional ESL instruction during their first years at college. In order to support our English Language Learners in the best ways that we can, HPU offers the following:
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College-Level English as a Second Language Courses
These credit-bearing courses are intended for students with TOEFL iBT scores of 79 and up or IELTS scores of 6 or higher. Non-native speakers of English with English proficiency scores that are near the minimum required for unconditional admission may be required to take one or more of these courses for additional instruction in speaking and writing in English; these courses fulfill the foreign language requirement in the general education curriculum.
- ESL 1010: English Grammar Skills for Speakers of English as a Second Language.
- ESL 1020: Composition Skills for Speakers of English as a Second Language.
- ESL 1030: Oral Communication Skills in English as a Second Language.
- ESL 1040: Reading in English as a Second Language.
ESL options are available to students both throughout the academic year and in Summer School programs.
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General Education English Requirement
All students at HPU are required to take (or transfer credit for) English 1103, College Writing and Public Life.As an alternative, Non-native speakers of English may elect to take ENG 1101 and ENG 1102; taken consecutively, these courses fulfill the General Education requirement. Offered by the Department of English, the two-semester stretch allows instructors to pace the course in accordance with the students’ English proficiency and allows students the opportunity to receive additional instruction as needed.
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ESL Tutoring
Tutors are available through the Office of Academic Services, located on the 4th floor of Smith Library.
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Helpful Resources for English Language Learners
For more information about ESL classes or placement, contact Dr. Daliang Wang, Chair, Department of Global Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.
Housing & Residential Life
High Point University is committed to providing some of the finest residential communities and options in private higher education in the United States. Living on campus within a student-focused, caring community provides wonderful opportunities for students to get involved in all areas of academic and campus life. High Point University provides an environment where students can thrive both in and out of the classroom. Our Residential Communities are a big component of the campus life at High Point University, and the Office of Student Life takes pride in the support that we are able to offer our students through our Residential Community. HPU is a residential campus; on-campus accommodations are compulsory during a student’s first 3 years of study at HPU.
Students can select between five tiers of housing. Tier 1 accommodations are our standard housing options. Tiers 2 – 5 offer upgraded and premium amenities and come with a supplemental semester fee. Often times, international students studying only for one or two semesters at High Point University are housed in one of our Tier 1 accommodations, if available. These are our standard rooms and consist of double-accommodation rooms in Belk, Finch, McEwen, Millis, North, North College Court, North College Terrace, University Houses, Wesley, and Yadkin.
On-campus residence halls are furnished, but linens are not provided. During the orientation week, the Office of Global Education will coordinate opportunities for students to purchase linens and other personal items.
Dining
High Point University Dining offers ten restaurants and three convenience stores providing students a variety of food options. Students are enrolled in an on-campus meal plan providing 14 meals per week to use at an All-You-Care to eat dining hall or retail location and $150 Declining Balance to use at any dining location. At orientation, students can review other dining options and made selection changes as they see necessary. The HPU dining plan is compulsory for all students enrolled in campus accommodations.
A limited number of Tier-1 residence halls are furnished with kitchen facilities. Students housed in a residence hall with kitchen facilities can purchase groceries at one of the on-campus convenience stores or from local grocery stores (regular shuttles provided by HPU Transportation).
Student Activities & Organizations
High Point University offers many services to students included in the HPU fees, including concierge services (e.g., wake-up calls and reservations) and laundry facilities. Students also have access to multiple fitness centers, indoor and outdoor pools, an on-campus movie theatre, and an on-campus arcade as well as many academic and cultural events such as guest speakers, concerts, performances, and art exhibits. Visit the Office of Student Activities website for more information.
HPU also offers many clubs and organizations focusing on topics of interest. The Global Student Association is a great way for international students to get involved on the HPU campus. They host many activities on and off campus to help students get connected with HPU and other cultures.
In addition, HPU provides regular, complimentary round-trip shuttle service from the HPU campus to the Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO), the Charlotte-Douglass International Airport (CLT), the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), and the High Point Amtrak and Greyhound Stations. HPU Transportation also offers daily campus shuttle service to all of the campus locations and weekly shuttle service to local shopping venues.
While most activities and services on campus are included at no additional cost, some activities (e.g., excursions, clubs, and organizations) require additional participation fees. These amounts vary by activity or service.