Application & Eligibility

Application & Eligibility

Application Dates

Catalyst has two application cycles, one in the fall semester and one in the spring semester. 

--The fall application opens September 1 and closes September 30 at midnight, with decisions by October 15 for a spring semester start. 

--The spring application opens February 1 and closes February 28 at midnight, with decisions by March 15 for a fall semester start.

Eligibility Criteria

Catalyst is open to any UVA student who has completed a full academic year at a four-year institution, including incoming transfer students. First-year students may therefore apply in the spring of their first year for admittance beginning in the fall semester of their second year.

Program Length

The program is 17 credits, with 6 of those credits likely being fulfilled by general education requirements. Although the remaining 11 Catalyst-specific credits can be completed in one academic year, for most students it will take three semesters. Up to six semesters can be taken to complete the program, depending on the entering student. First- and second-year students may apply in any cycle. Third-year students should aim for the fall application cycle to allow themselves sufficient time to complete the program, although in some cases it may be possible to complete the program in one academic year as a fourth-year.

Prerequisite

Catalyst has only one prerequisite: a three-credit course in quantitative literacy, fulfilled by any of the College's general education QCD courses. This course must be completed prior to program entry, but may be in progress during the application itself. See the regularly-updated list of approved courses [here].

Application

Catalyst's application is designed to be short and accessible. It involves background information and three very short (75-word) answers, which we encourage you to initially type out in a word processing program before pasting into the application itself. We select cohorts based on a broad combination of factors including interests, academic and personal background, experiences, and goals.