Students may apply to Lyon College as degree-seeking or non-degree-seeking students. A student in either category may apply as a full-time (not less than twelve semester hours) or part-time (fewer than twelve semester hours) student. Degree-seeking students may apply for entry in the fall or spring semester, although it is more common for them to enter Lyon in the fall; degree-seeking students who wish to integrate the RN to BSN or MAT programs may also apply for entry in the summer; non-degree-seeking students may apply for entry in the fall, spring, or summer term. Only degree-seeking students (full- or part-time) are eligible for financial aid. A degree-seeking incoming student can take developmental classes (ENG 001 and MTH 001) at Lyon in the summer prior to their first semester at the College, as those classes do not carry college credit.
A degree-seeking student who has earned a high school diploma or a GED certificate but has not enrolled full-time as a degree-seeking student at another institution of higher learning prior to enrolling at Lyon is classified as a first-time student. College credits earned before the student has completed their high school diploma or GED do not change a student's classification as a first-time student. A degree-seeking student who has earned a high school diploma or a GED certificate and afterwards has enrolled full-time as a degree-seeking student at another institution of higher learning prior to enrolling at Lyon is classified as a transfer student. A student who enrolled at Lyon as a degree-seeking student withdrew prior to completing a baccalaureate degree, and seeks readmission as a degree-seeking student may be classified either as a transfer student or as a readmitted student, depending on circumstances.
Professional and graduate students are degree-seeking students who have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and are enrolled in one of Lyon College’s graduate or professional programs.
There are also several categories of non-degree-seeking students. An auditing student is one who enrolls in a course without receiving credit. A post-baccalaureate student is a full- or part-time student who already holds a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. A transient student is a student who is pursuing a degree at another institution of higher learning while taking courses at Lyon.