Conditional Early Acceptance

Highly Selective.
Designed for Success.

RIT offers outstanding first-year applicants conditional early acceptance to one of our Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees.

This exclusive opportunity enables you to enroll in an RIT bachelor’s degree as an incoming first-year student and receive conditional admission to one of our master’s degrees, allowing you to maximize your time and investment. Acceptance to the master’s degree is considered conditional until program requirements are met. But, we’ll hold a place for you!

The Selection Process

  • All first-year applicants applying to eligible programs are considered for conditional early acceptance to a Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree to join RIT as an Accelerated Scholar. Selection is based on admissions application credentials when they apply to RIT.
    • No special application or additional information is required.
    • Students may apply to RIT for Early Decision I, Early Decision II, or Regular Decision.
  • Accepted students will first receive an admission offer to their undergraduate program.
  • A few weeks later, students selected for early conditional acceptance will be invited to become an Accelerated Scholar and enroll in a Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree. Invitations are sent by email and postal mail.

Notification Timeline

  Early Decision I Early Decision II Regular Decision
Application Deadline November 1st January 1st January 15th
Admission Decision Notification Mid-December Mid-January Mid-March
Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Early Acceptance Notifications Early January Early February Late March

Early Decision 1

Application Deadline: 
November 1st

Admissions Decision Notification: 
Mid-December

Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Early Acceptance Notifications:
Early January

Early Decision 2

Application Deadline: 
January 1st

Admissions Decision Notification: 
Mid-January

Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Early Acceptance Notifications:
Early February

Regular Decision

Application Deadline: 
January 15th

Admissions Decision Notification: 
Mid-March

Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Early Acceptance Notifications:
Late March

  • Once students receive an invitation to become an Accelerated Scholar, they are encouraged to attend or view the informational virtual sessions linked in their admissions portal to learn more about the program’s benefits and to reach out to admissions@rit.edu with questions.
  • When ready to join, students will need log in to their admissions portal to accept their admission offer and confirm their intent to enroll in a specific Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree. Students must complete the “Reply to Offer of Admission” and submit their enrollment deposit with the secure link under “Payment Due” by the designated due date.
  • Students who do not accept their invitation to become an Accelerated Scholar or do not receive the invitation to enroll in early conditional acceptance as a first-year student may pursue a Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree after they enroll at RIT. Learn more by exploring the Enrolled Student Pathway.

How It Works

How do Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees work?

  • As an Accelerated Scholar, you will enroll and begin your undergraduate degree program – just like all other first-year RIT students.

  • Throughout your time at RIT, you’ll work with your academic advisor to follow your study plan and select the required courses for your undergraduate degree, as well as general education and elective classes based on your interests.

  • After your second or third year of study (timing varies by pathway), your academic department will evaluate your academic record to determine your eligibility to continue in the Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s degree based on the following Conditional Requirements, based on entry term:

  • The point at which you transition to graduate status and receive your 40% graduate level scholarship depends on your specific pathway and study plan. Click on the links below to learn how this works for your degree pathway type.

  • When you complete your accelerated pathway, you will receive two diplomas, one for your bachelor’s degree and one for your master’s degree.

Overlapping orange and yellow boxes with white text that reads Accelerated Scholars Handbook.

The Accelerated Scholars Handbook provides a deeper dive into how the Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree program works.

Accelerated Scholars Handbook

Frequently Asked Questions

You will need to pay your enrollment deposit and submit the Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees Offer form to confirm your intent to enroll in an accelerated program by the dates indicated in your admissions portal.

College is a time for exploration and discovering new things about yourself and your interests. This is encouraged. If you choose to leave your pathway for any reason, you may opt-out of the accelerated program and complete your bachelor’s degree. There are no financial penalties for opting out.

Once you are enrolled as a graduate student with graduate-level status, you will receive a 40% tuition scholarship toward your graduate tuition. Your undergraduate scholarship and financial aid will no longer apply once you are enrolled as a graduate student. For details on when status changes and how this affects your tuition and aid, visit:

For BS/MS or BS/ME combinations, view the list of Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees  for general program information and to review the stand-alone typical course sequence charts for just the bachelor’s degrees. Then, scroll further on the page to view the BS/MS or BS/MS curriculum tables. By expanding the chart and opening the years of study, you can view courses and course descriptions. These tables are helpful in comparing time to completion, typical study plans, and topics you’ll study. Students are also encouraged to visit the individual graduate program pages to learn about curriculum, faculty, research, and master’s degree outcomes.

Learn more about the +1 MBA, including program details.

It is possible to remain an Accelerated Scholar if you change your undergraduate program, but your new major must be a qualifying early accept Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s pathway and you must receive approval from both the new undergraduate degree and/or graduate degree. Contact your academic advisor for guidance.

It is possible to change your intended graduate degree but the graduate program must be an existing qualifying early accept Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s pathway, and you must receive approval from your undergraduate program as well as the new graduate degree. Contact your academic advisor for guidance.

Yes. Many Accelerated Scholars are also part of the Honors Program.

There are many resources at RIT, including the Academic Success Center, to assist you. It is not uncommon for new students to struggle at first. It can take time to adjust to college. There is help. Talk to your academic advisor about resources and strategies to get back on track.

Accelerated Scholars who are conditionally accepted to a combined accelerated degree program are not confirmed to continue to their graduate degree until the time of department review, which will occur after two or three years of study (depending on the undergraduate program).

To view or download the requirements for continuance in an a Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree, choose your enrollment term:

The GPA requirement listed is a cumulative GPA, so if you get off to a rough start, talk with your academic advisor about ways to raise your GPA. For example, they might recommend repeating a course. For undergraduate courses, the new grade in a repeated course replaces the old grade in the cumulative GPA, so this is a great way to quickly improve your GPA.

If you don’t meet the eligibility requirements at the point of department review, simply continue and focus on your undergraduate degree.

Double counted courses are typically upper-level program electives taken in your fourth or fifth year (graduate courses are 600-level or above). Some departments run combined 500/600 level courses. In these cases you will enroll in the 600-level course. Check with your advisor or your graduate program director for details.

The +1 MBA website provides information on the program, course waivers and other important information.

The 4+2 BFA/M.Arch website provides information on the program, course waivers, and other important information.