Animal Assisted Therapy Certificate

University Requirements

Application and Fee

Prospective students are required to use our online system to create an account and submit an application. The application opens approximately one year in advance and is only good for the term and program in which it is submitted. Applicants who have submitted their application and wish to change their admission term or major/concentration may submit a new application and associated application fee. If you would like to cancel an open application, please contact us.

A $30 (USD) application fee is required regardless of previous enrollment. The application fee is non-refundable and cannot be waived. Undergraduate application fees cannot be used for a graduate application, and vise versa. The application fee must be submitted prior to the review of an application.

Current students who would like to add or change a major, concentration or certificate should submit the Change of Concentration or Major form.

College Transcripts

All applicants must provide transcripts from a U.S. institution accredited by an accepted institutional accreditor or its equivalent from a non-US institution that awarded the bachelor’s degree and master’s degree, if applicable, and transcripts from institutions where any post-baccalaureate and/or graduate credits were earned.

All admits must provide official transcripts.

All international transcripts will require a course-by-course evaluation by an approved third-party credential evaluation agency unless a graduate program has established an alternative credential evaluation procedure that is approved by the graduate school. To be accepted, the evaluation must be:

1. Translated to English and be the U.S. equivalent
2. Evaluated course-by-course
3. Include the overall academic GPA
4. Be from an approved third-party accredited evaluation service. Recommended evaluation agencies: 
   • SpanTran. They have created a custom application for UNF that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. You can access their application through the SpanTran Application - UNF Graduate School portal.
   • Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
   • World Education Services

• The UNF Graduate School cannot request transcripts on an applicants behalf.
• Unofficial transcript copies are accepted for admissions but must clearly state the institution name, student name, course information, terms, grades, and credits. Degree audits are not accepted. Admitted students will be prompted to provide official transcripts. 
• If currently enrolled in courses, an incomplete transcript must be submitted before the posted deadline. 
• Applicants who also have to apply through systems such as ATCAS or PTCAS, must submit separate transcripts to UNF. 
• Official transcripts must:
  • Must be less than one year old from the date of printing
  • Must be submitted in a sealed envelope from your institution, or emailed through official electronic means.
• When requesting college transcripts, please verify with your institution(s) whether or not they are able to submit electronic transcripts in the proper EDI format. Institutions can submit transcripts via e-mail to graduateschool@unf.edu from an approved vendor such as ScriptSafe, Credentials, or Parchment. 
• Former or current UNF students should not request UNF transcripts. After application submission, the UNF requirement will be updated to a "waived" status.

Where do I send transcripts and test scores?

UNF Graduate School
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224

graduateschool@unf.edu

GRE: institutional code 5490
GMAT: institutional code CF3QB51

Program Requirements

Specific Requirements

• Application essay
  • Title page with student name and date of submission
  • 1-2 page double spaced, typed APA format
  • Describe interest in the field of Animal Assisted Therapy in Counseling
  • Detail experience in working with animals, human-animal bond and/or the inclusion of animals and/or nature in healthcare or education
  • Provide expectation for professional use of Animal Assisted Therapy Certificate if admitted to program of study and awarded
• Two letters of recommendation
  • Professional sources

International Applicant Requirements

Deadlines and Documents

The immigration processing deadline is for international students who are required to submit documents for immigration processing. While these deadlines are not mandatory, it is encouraged to submit all documents for immigration by the dates below to ensure timely visa processing. Please direct questions to the International Center.

Fall...........May 1
Spring......October 1
Summer...February 1

According to U.S. immigration regulations, F-1/J-1 students cannot pursue online degree programs, part-time enrollment, or certificate programs. Therefore, the University of North Florida is not allowed to issue F-1/J-1 student immigration documents to these applicants. Immigration documents can only be issued for students who are fully admitted to a full-time, on-campus, in-person, degree-seeking program. Please contact the International Center for more information.

Programs on the list of F-1 Non-Qualifying Degree Programs are not eligible for F-1 status. Therefore, students admitted to a program on that list will not be issued a Form I-20. This list is subject to change. Please contact the International Center for more information.

If you have a scholarship which requires you to be enrolled in face-to-face (in-person) classes each semester, contact the Graduate Program Director for more information regarding availability of face-to-face (in-person) classes.

UNF International Center
1 UNF Drive 
Jacksonville , FL 32224-2659 

intlctr@unf.edu

Fax: (904) 620-3925

English Language Proficiency

All applicants, except those from countries where English is the only official language, are required to show proof of satisfactory evidence that the applicant's competency in English is adequate. Applicants whose native language is not English must meet one of the following requirements of English Language Proficiency:

• Indicators of Required English Language Proficiency for Foreign Applicants
• The Duolingo English Test is an acceptable indicator of English proficiency. An overall score of 110 is recommended for admission. Individual programs may require higher scores and all sub scores will be considered.
• Minimum score on the GRE Verbal Test based on a specific program’s GRE minimum scores will also satisfy the English language proficiency requirement.

Affidavit of Financial Support and Bank Certification

The Affidavit is a legal document which is signed by the sponsor (the person who will be providing the funds) stating the amount of funds that she/he will provide for the educational expenses of the student applicant and then certified by a bank official that the sponsor does have that amount of funds in their account. This form represents an obligation on the part of the sponsor to provide the required amount of funds as indicated on the form. Please review the Estimated Costs of Attendance for International Students to determine the amount of funds needed to be written on the Affidavit.

All documentation and immigration inquiries should be sent to the UNF International Center.

Immunization Documentation Form and Health Insurance

All students at UNF are required to demonstrate that they either have been vaccinated or have immunity against measles and rubella. If students wish to resolve this requirement before they arrive, they will need to have their physician complete and then sign and stamp the Immunization Documentation Form. Students may obtain the needed immunizations once they arrive in Florida. In no case may students register for or attend classes until they have met this requirement.

The State of Florida requires proof of medical insurance which meets a minimum standard as a prerequisite to registration. Health insurance coverage can be purchased through the UNF Student Health Services upon arrival. If a student wishes to request that UNF accept a different insurance policy, the insurance company must fax a completed, signed, and stamped UNF Student Health Services International Student Health Insurance Evaluation Form indicating that the alternate insurance policy meets all minimal requirements as outlined. Students may not register for classes until the health insurance requirement is met. 

Please send all documentation or direct health inquiries to Student Health Services.