Graduate School Admission
Admission to the Graduate School is based on qualifications and space availability, and is decided without regard to sex, race, color, age, religion, national origin or handicap. All students who wish to enroll in the Graduate School must apply and be accepted for admission.
A student may apply to the Graduate School before the bachelor's degree is conferred; however, the final acceptance, including permission to register, is dependent on the student’s receiving the undergraduate degree (or, in the case of international students, its equivalent) and being otherwise acceptable to the graduate major department. In all cases, final acceptance and permission to register are given by the director of the Graduate School. Information on the programs of study is available in the Arts & Sciences graduate course catalog.
Application for admission should be made using the application forms available online. Students may apply to only one program in the Graduate School at a time. Those not admitted to the program of their first choice may re-apply to another program by submitting a new application and fee.
Completed applications (including all supporting credentials, statements and letters) are due at the Graduate School on the following dates preceding the fall semester in which the applicant wishes to begin study:
- Biology: March 15
- English: March 15 (not accepting students for 2008)
- History: March 1
- Liberal Arts: June 15 (March 15 to be considered for an assistantship)
- Psychology: February 10
Applications received after these dates will be reviewed only if space is available in a given program. The Graduate School will be glad to inform prospective applicants if openings still exist in a program.
Applicants are reminded that they should allow 4–6 weeks for GRE scores to be reported to the Graduate School. Scores are generally sent more quickly for the computer version of the GRE. If you have not taken the GRE, you can register for the exam online. All application materials become the property of the Graduate School. Only manuscripts and publications will be returned to applicants if requested. No materials will be reproduced or forwarded elsewhere for application purposes.
To be considered for acceptance as a graduate student, the applicant’s file in the Graduate School office must include the following items:
- A completed application form
- The $30 application fee
- Official transcripts of all previous college work mailed directly to the Graduate School office from the originating institutions
- Three letters of recommendation mailed directly to the Graduate School office from persons qualified to evaluate the applicant’s undergraduate record and potential for graduate study
- A statement of purpose
- If their native language is not English, international students will need to submit scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), administered by the Educational Testing Services, Princeton, NJ 08541.
- Any other documents required by a particular degree program. Please see program for any specific admission requirements.
- GRE scores if required; UR code is 5808