How to Apply to Graduate School

Applying to graduate school can be a very different experience from applying to a university for a bachelor's degree. These steps and tips apply to programs at most universities. If you have any questions about applying to your program of interest, please email us for assistance.

1. Research Your Options

Reflect on your career and/or personal goals and research program options that align with those goals. Program names can vary by university, so consider widening your search to a variety of programs in your field. Also, programs can be very competitive, so it is wise to apply to more than one program or university.

2. Determine Eligibility

Determine if you meet the admissions criteria for the program(s) you're interested in. Admissions criteria and deadlines vary by program and can include a certain cumulative GPA, letters of recommendation, related work experience, volunteer hours, prerequisite courses, writing samples, and graduate exam scores.

3. Assess Costs & Finances

Simultaneously consider your options for paying for the master's program and do your research on the types of aid that might be available to you (i.e. personal savings, federal loans, private loans, program scholarships, private scholarships, employer tuition benefits, etc.). University and program financial aid varies, as do deadlines for applying to them.

4. Apply

Applying to master’s programs takes time. Most master’s programs require students to start their application a year before the program starts. Programs application dates are not always the same as the university application dates.

The application process can also take a couple months, if not more. Follow application instructions precisely.

5. Wait

The waiting period to hear from an admissions committee ranges from as soon as four weeks to as long as four months or more. Some programs have a dedicated team who work just on program admissions, while others have faculty and/or staff who are juggling other work responsibilities. See "Waiting Tips" below for how to take advantage of this time.

6. Receive Decision

Decision dates also vary from program to program. If you are admitted, the decision letter will indicate how and until what date you have to accept your candidacy. Usually, an admit letter also includes information about your next steps as a new admit. If denied, you will need to determine if you want to try again.

icon You Got Accepted! Now What?

Once you are accepted to a program, you generally need to do the following:

• Accept university and program admissions.
• Attend your program’s new student orientation.
• Meet with the program academic advisor for information on how and when to register for your first semester.
• If you have applied for financial aid, follow up with the university’s financial aid office about what you need to complete to receive federal aid or program scholarships; follow up with any other entities for private aid.
• Acquaint yourself with your student portal.

• Purchase your textbooks and other needed supplies.
• Decide whether you’re going to live on campus, and connect with the housing division if needed.

Things to Consider in Your Research

• Duration of program
• Program delivery (in-person, online, hybrid)
• Prerequisite courses for admissions, if any
• State residency status associated with tuition
• Financial aid
• Program and university admissions criteria
• Juggling competing priorities (i.e. family, work, etc.)

Tips for Success

Whether you apply to one program or five, keep yourself well organized. Graduate programs expect more from their students, and the onus of responsibility to meet all deadlines and admission criteria regardless of personal circumstances is on the applicant.

Attend Information Sessions

Attend a program information session, an application workshop, or meet with a program representative who supports applicants (it’s usually a program advisor, a program coordinator, or program admissions counselor). Prior to meeting with someone, review any prospective student information through the program’s webpage. Show your interest and come prepared with specific questions about the program and the admissions process.

Applying for Aid

If you are going to apply for federal financial aid, do not wait to hear on admission decisions. Once you’ve solidified the program(s) you are going to apply to, submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

• Applying for scholarships takes a lot of time. Begin early so that you can determine what you’re eligible for and organize yourself for those you’re going to apply to. Leaving this to after admission decisions are sent out usually puts you in a position to have fewer scholarship options to apply to.
• Look for scholarships from your program. Some programs will consider your application for program scholarships, and others have a separate scholarship application(s). Look for this information to determine if you meet the scholarship criteria to be considered, as well as when and how to apply.
• Look for private scholarships. For more information on scholarship search engines and other private scholarship sites, see this directory of scholarships by type.

• Ask for Feedback. Consider who in your professional and personal networks can proofread and help give feedback on the documents you submit. Try to choose folks who understand the type of program you’re applying to, and/or have strong reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. Typos and grammatical errors count against you in the application review process. What you submit is a writing sample, so be thorough and concise about what they want to know, rather than what you want to share.
• Submit ALL Transcripts. Unless specifically stated otherwise, submit official transcripts for all regionally accredited institutions you’ve attended. Higher education institutions have access to a national database and will always look you up to determine what schools you’ve previously attended. Don’t pick and choose which transcripts to submit, just provide all of them. Not providing all of them can delay the completion of your application, and in some instances completely take you out of the running.
• Applying Late? Check with the program to determine whether they accept late applications. When reaching out, do not try to plead your case and ask for exceptions. This looks very unprofessional. The university will likely charge a late application fee.

• Continue working on funding sources – scholarships, loans, etc.
• If you’re relocating, research living options and anything that impacts those who are moving with you.
• Assess what a feasible work situation will look like. Many people have to cut back to part-time.

Waiting on More than One Program?

If you apply to more than one program, you may not hear back from your first-choice school first. Before you start receiving decisions, determine how program decision timelines will affect your overall decision-making process. Remember, no program is obligated to provide you with a decision sooner just because you’ve heard from another program. This is an inherent situation you face when applying to more than one program.

If denied, programs are not obligated to inform you why they denied you; they typically do not share that information. Try not to take the decision personally. Instead, focus on what you can improve for the next time, if you choose to reapply.