Below is a summary of the Graduate School’s minimum requirements for admission to graduate study and its guidelines for applying. Complete, detailed requirements and policies are outlined in the Admissions section of the Graduate School Catalog.
The minimum academic standard for regular admission to the Graduate School is a B average, or 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, in a program resulting in the award of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or an equivalent degree and standing from a comparable foreign institution.
Standards for admission to a doctoral program are generally higher than those for admission to a certificate or an MS program. Applicants must also document, where necessary, successful completion of undergraduate prerequisites for graduate study in the chosen field.
Applicants must meet the minimum requirements set by the Graduate School and must meet departmental and/or program-specific requirements which may exceed the minimum.
The Graduate School relies on recommendations from admissions committees/representatives of the degree-granting programs to determine the admissibility of applicants.
The completed application form must be signed (hand signature or electronic certification) by the candidate for admission to receive consideration. A completed application file includes the application form for admission, the required, nonrefundable $75.00 USD application fee*, and all accompanying documents required for the given degree program or status.
Failure to comply with all Graduate School and departmental or program requirements for admission, or failure to provide a completed application file by the published application deadline date, may result in the application being denied or not being considered. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the Graduate School receives all required application materials.
Transcripts – Applicants must submit transcripts from each college/university attended, including work in progress at time of application. Unofficial copies may be provided for the application review process.
Admitted students must provide official transcripts from each college/university from which a degree was earned no later than the first day of the first term of enrollment at UMB. Transcripts must be provided to the Graduate School directly from the prior, degree-granting institution in a sealed envelope in order for that document to be considered official. Alternatively, it may be provided to the Graduate School electronically by way of a secure, encrypted platform.
Official Score Reports – Applicants for admission must have the respective testing agency — Educational Testing Service (for GRE’s and TOEFL scores) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) — provide the Graduate School with official score reports to be considered for admission.
The Graduate School’s institution code for the GRE and for the TOEFL is 5848.
Time Limitations of Standardized Tests – Graduate Record Examinations must have been taken within five years of the start of the desired admission term, and English language proficiency exams — The TOEFL or the IELTS exam — must have been taken within two years of the start of the desired admission term to be considered valid scores for admission consideration.
Language Requirements – Applicants whose native language or language of the home is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. The TOEFL and the IELTS exam are the only measures of English language proficiency accepted by the Graduate School.
*Application fee waived for Nursing PhD applicants.
Applicants must provide accurate and complete information on all application documents. Intentional omission or falsification of information during the application process will result in the immediate rejection of the application and dismissal of the student if s/he has enrolled at UMB.
Application materials of admitted students become part of the student’s official file and property of the Graduate School upon the student’s enrollment. Under no circumstances will the Graduate School provide photocopies of official transcripts or score reports received from other institutions or agencies.
The timetable in which an admission decision is made upon completion of the application file varies greatly from program to program. Official admission decision notices are typically issued within 24 hours of the Graduate School’s receiving the recommendation from the respective program to admit or deny the applicant.
Admission offers made by the Graduate School are based on the degree program admission committee’s recommendations. Each offer indicates a specific semester and year, and program of admittance. Each offer requires a response (acceptance or non-acceptance of the offer) or the offer becomes void.
An offer of admission made to students enrolled in their final semester of work toward a graduate or undergraduate degree is contingent upon their completion of that degree at or above their academic standing at the time the offer was made.
Admitted students must provide official documents including test scores and transcripts from each college/university from which a degree was earned prior to first term of enrollment at UMB. The UMB Graduate School reserves the right to rescind any offer of admission if discrepancies are found between uploaded/unofficial documents and the official documents, including test scores and transcripts.
Certain study or research activities of students may require access to biological or chemical materials that are subject to special restrictions under federal law. Individuals who wish to be authorized to have access to such materials must comply with UMB policy, state law, and federally mandated drug and criminal background checks. Students who cannot maintain eligibility to engage in study or research with biological or chemical materials have no assurance that UMB will provide an alternative path of study or research. Therefore, students may not be able to enroll or to continue enrollment and advancement at UMB. Because of the serious financial and academic consequences of failure to obtain and maintain ongoing eligibility with legal requirements, students should plan in advance to ask advisors, faculty, and mentors about authorization for access to biological and chemical materials. Students should carefully consider the drug and criminal background check requirements before selecting a course of study or research that may be subject to special restrictions.
Individuals who are offered admission and who need accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact the University’s of Office of Educational Support and Disability Services (ESDS) and the respective graduate program director in a timely manner. Accommodations are not made retroactively.
UMB Office of Educational Support and Disability Services
HS/HSL
601 W. Lombard St., Suite 201F
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-706-5889/410-706-7505
disabilityservices@umaryland.edu
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