RIT/NTID Interpreting Application
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Statement on Ethical and Fair Admissions Practices
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions continues to put students first in the admissions process. We continue to use fair and ethical practices as we recruit, review applications and counsel our prospective students and their families. Our admissions officers support and promote ethical responsibility with our colleagues in the admission profession.
Manage Your Application
With an RIT admissions account, you can monitor your application, submit a portfolio (if required), apply for the Performing Arts Scholarship, receive your admissions decision, and more.
If you need to change your submitted application, do not submit a new application. Please email ntidadmissions@rit.edu with your request (e.g. change academic program choices, switch to Early Decision, change your term, withdraw application, etc).
Application Timeline
|
Timeline |
Early Decision I | Early Decision II | Early Action | Regular Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Deadline | November 1 | January 1 | November 1 | January 15 |
| FAFSA Recommended Filing Date | November 1 | January 1 | January 15 | January 15 |
| Admission Decision Notification | Mid-December | Mid-January | Late-January | Mid-March |
| $500 Deposit Deadline - Pay Deposit | January 15 | February 15 | May 1 | May 1 |
Admission applications received after the deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
Completing the FAFSA by the recommended deadline ensures timely delivery of your financial aid offer, allowing you time to make an informed enrollment decision.
Applying Early
Is RIT one of your top choices? If you act sooner, you will know earlier. Consider applying for one of our early plans – Early Decision I, II, or Early Action. You will receive an admissions decision and financial aid offer earlier than Regular Decision applicants.
Early Decision I is for students who are certain RIT is their top choice. Apply by November 1 to:
- Receive the earliest possible decision by mid-December
- Stand out in a small pool of applicants and benefit from higher acceptance rates, especially for competitive majors
- Get a full review of your scholarship and financial aid eligibility before committing
- Wrap up your college search early – if accepted, you'll commit to RIT by January 15 and stress less during your senior year
Early Decision II is a second round of application review for students who discover that RIT is their top choice after the Early Decision I deadline has passed.
Apply by January 1 if you like all the reasons listed in Early Decision I and would like to be considered for the second round. If accepted, you'll commit to RIT by February 15 and stress less during your senior year.
Early Action is for students who are excited about RIT and ready to apply early and hear back sooner. Apply by Nov. 1 to
- Receive your decision by late-January
- Show your interest in RIT without having to commit early
- Get your scholarship and financial aid offer before Regular Decision applicants
- Have until May 1 to make your final decision
Academic Preparation and Requirements
Time Commitment
To succeed in this program, students need to commit to spending significant time outside of class to record videos, meet with deaf people for feedback, and immerse themselves in ASL and Deaf culture by attending community events. Naturally, this makes interpreting a very time-intensive program. Students interested in pursuing ASL-English interpreting as a career should take into consideration this additional aspect of time commitment before applying to the program.
ASL Skills
To enter the program students must, at minimum, demonstrate beginning-level competency in ASL. For most students this will mean the completion of a course titled ASL I or Beginning ASL.
Strong ASL skills are the foundation on which students learn to interpret accurately and effectively. For this reason, many transfer students need additional ASL development before moving into interpreting skills coursework. This means the program is not a traditional 2+2 pathway, and some students may need more time than expected to finish the degree.
Technical Requirements
The ASL-English interpreting profession is cognitively and physically demanding. Students in the ASL-English Interpretation program must possess certain capabilities and skills, with or without reasonable accommodation. These include the ability to quickly process visual and auditory information, engage with others effectively, and manage complex human elements of communication. They must have functional use, with or without accommodation, of the senses of vision, hearing, and equilibrium.
Learn more about the technical standards required of a successful interpreting major.
Application Checklist
Use the list below to make sure you don't miss a step!
Admission to RIT is competitive, but our admission process is a personal one. Each application is reviewed holistically for strength of academic preparation, performance on standardized tests, counselor recommendations, and your personal career interests. We seek applicants from a variety of geographic, social, cultural, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.
Application Checklist for students in the American Sign Language-English Interpretation program:
Test Optional Information
RIT is "Test Optional". This means submitting SAT or ACT scores as part of your application is not required. You can choose whether or not you'd like to submit them. It's entirely up to you!
Please note: If you are applying to a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) program and are planning to submit your ACT scores, we recommend including the optional ACT Science section.
Frequently Asked Questions