Drexel and Salus Universities

The merger of Salus University and Drexel University represents the future of interprofessional health sciences education, clinical practice, and research. This unity will bring together Salus’ strengths in top health science professions such as optometry, audiology, blindness and low vision studies, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and orthotics and prosthetics together with Drexel’s strengths as an R1 research institution that combines world-class academics with real-world experience.

This merger will enable Salus and Drexel to provide a wide variety of exciting opportunities for students, faculty, and partners in new fields and research areas. It expands the reach of Salus’ leading edge health science education and both institutions’ shared commitment to community-centered patient care.

Both institutions are financially strong and the merger is not financially motivated. The merger of Salus and Drexel will strengthen graduate program offerings and broaden interdisciplinary research opportunities for the new combined university. These benefits will provide both institutions with greater long-term financial stability in an ever-increasing competitive environment, and this integrated collaboration will allow for continued innovation in graduate health sciences education and clinical practice for all stakeholders.

Salus and Drexel recently completed the corporate merger as of June 30, 2024, and has been approved by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) accrediting body.

The second step for approval is the U.S. Department of Education, which requires that Salus keep certain student functions separate until they have approved the merger which is currently anticipated to be around July 1, 2025. Until that time, Salus will maintain its student programs/course offerings, registration, billing, and financial aid systems.

An Integration Council was established in September 2023 with broad membership from across both Salus University and Drexel University to work on a plan for the following areas of integration:

• academics and faculty
• human resources
• space/real estate/facilities
• enrollment, marketing, and student success
• finance/accounting/investments/alumni/fundraising
• clinical facilities

Several threads woven throughout these vertical areas include: information technology, communications and branding, DEIB, culture/student-centered, legal, revenue enhancements, and expense reductions.

All tasks related to integration are being carefully assessed and scheduled on a timeline to allow for the least amount of disruption to ongoing work and projects across both entities.

Upon the merger, Salus combined all its assets, including its campus properties, with Drexel’s assets. As a result, Drexel owns all facilities associated with Salus University as of the date of the merger.

Salus’ campuses will continue to be located in their present locations for the foreseeable future.

It is anticipated that the Department of Education approval will not take effect until after July 1, 2025. Until Drexel receives formal approval by the U.S. Department of Education, Salus is required to confer degrees separately from Drexel.

We are actively building accelerated pathways from the undergraduate programs and more information will be forthcoming. In the meantime, Drexel students will be evaluated by the Salus team for admission to Salus graduate programs based on the admission criteria.

Fueled by the scholars in our colleges and schools, and under the guidance of the Office for Research and Innovation, Drexel is making important contributions to more fields and sectors than ever before. Once the U.S. Department of Education approves the merger between Salus and Drexel, more opportunities will become available to Salus students.

Salus and Drexel students that are part of an articulation agreement for a particular placement will remain in that placement absent extenuating circumstances.

If you have recently applied to Salus University, nothing else is needed. Your application will be reviewed, and admission will be determined based on the specific criteria outlined for your program of interest.

If you apply for and are admitted to Salus for Fall of 2024, you will be a Salus student for the upcoming school year. After July 2025, you will become a Drexel student, pending approval by the United States Department of Education, specialized accreditors, and relevant third parties.

For the Fall 2024 incoming class, Salus scholarships will remain in effect. For new students starting in Fall 2025, Drexel scholarships will be available. For students who start at Salus in Fall 2024 and are enrolled in a two-year program, in their second year when they become a Drexel student, they will be eligible to apply to their department for whatever Drexel continuing student scholarships exist.

Financial Aid for the 2024-2025 academic year will be administered by Salus’ financial aid office. For continuing students in their second year (2025-2026) financial aid will be administered by Drexel.

Plans of studies are department and program specific. If your program of study includes electives, you can work with your advisor to apply to Drexel to take non-matriculated classes where space is available.