Applying for Admission to the Graduate School
All correspondence concerning admission to the Graduate School should be directed to the Graduate School. An applicant for admission to the Graduate School must meet the following standards:
- Satisfy all general admission requirements of the university; and
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university earned under residence and credit conditions substantially equivalent to those required by the University of Louisiana at Monroe (international students see information International Student Admissions ); and
- Submit to the Graduate School a complete and official transcript from every college or university attended; and
- Submit satisfactory results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. Applicants for the master’s degree in business administration will submit results of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or a converted GRE. GRE and GMAT scores older than five years are typically not accepted. Admission to the Graduate School does not automatically admit an applicant to a degree program. Admission requirements to specific degree programs vary and some require the test scores listed above as well as specific undergraduate/graduate grade point averages, satisfactory Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score, auditions, interviews, committee reviews, and other requirements. No particular level of academic performance or test score will guarantee acceptance or rejection to any or all degree program(s).
- Submit to Student Health Services proof of immunizations required by the state of Louisiana. The Proof of Immunization Compliance form is available online at ulm.edu/shs/.
The GRE and TOEFL tests, administered by the Educational Testing Service, are scheduled at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and various centers throughout the United States as well as internationally on regularly established dates. Applications may be obtained from the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, from the Director of Testing, or from the Graduate School at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and must be returned to Princeton according to the calendar published by Educational Testing Service.
New international students are tested for English language proficiency before classes begin. An international student may apply for exemption from the ULM English proficiency test if the student has attended four academic years and graduated from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university, or has submitted an official minimum TOEFL score of 500, or has submitted a satisfactory passing score in English language on the University of Cambridge/London G.C.E. examination, or a score of 85 on the Michigan Test.
The application for admission to Graduate School and all supporting documents should be on file 45 days prior to registration. Any student submitting credentials less than 45 days in advance of registration should contact the Graduate School concerning appropriate action taken on the application for admission. Non-degree status to some programs may be granted to applicants who are in the process of obtaining official transcripts or Graduate Record Examination(GRE)/Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores. A student in this status is allowed to take a maximum of six semester hours applicable toward the degree program of choice.
An applicant who does not enroll in the term for which he/she is submitting an application will be permitted registration for no more than six terms (first and second summer sessions considered one term). After six terms of no enrollment, applicant will be required to reapply and submit recent credentials. A student will be required to reapply if during any break in their enrollment they have attended another university. This includes cases in which a student has applied and been accepted at ULM, but has delayed their start in a program to attend another institution.
Applicants who enroll and maintain academic eligibility will remain eligible for registration until there is a lapse of enrollment for six consecutive terms or until graduation, whichever occurs first.
General Requirements for Admission
Regular Status: Applicants may be admitted to the Graduate School on regular status if they have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.50 on all undergraduate work pursued based on a 4.0 scale, have met undergraduate prerequisites for their major and minor fields, have met departmental admission requirements, and have submitted satisfactory GRE/GMAT (MBA only) scores. For an applicant to be admitted regularly, they must have a minimum 2.50 cumulative undergraduate grade point average and one of the following
- Minimum GRE (verbal + quantitative) score of 750 or GMAT of 450 (MBA only);
- Minimum formula score of 1875 (GPA * GRE) or 1000 (GPA * 200 + GMAT).
Please note, college/program admission requirements may be higher than Graduate School requirements. It is possible for an applicant to be regularly admitted to the Graduate School, but not to the program of their choice.
Conditional Status: Applicants may be admitted to the Graduate School on conditional status if they have undergraduate deficiencies and/or they are not qualified for admission to regular status because of their GPA and/or GRE/GMAT scores. In the latter case, the minimum requirements for conditional status are ALL of the following:
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.20 (based on a 4.0 scale); and
- Minimum formula score of 1650 (cumulative GPA * GRE) or 1050 (GPA * 200 + GMAT)
Please note, college/program admission requirements may be higher than Graduate School requirements. Additionally, some colleges/programs only allow conditional status for undergraduate deficiencies or will only admit applicants who have met the requirements for regular admission.
For applicants who are admitted on conditional status because they did not meet GPA and/or GRE/GMAT requirements for regular admission, the conditional status will be removed after the student earns a minimum of 12 semester hours of graduate credit at the University of Louisiana at Monroe with a 3.00 GPA and no grade lower than C. If these applicants fail to meet the requirements for removal of conditional status after earning 12 hours of graduate credit, they will be denied continuance in graduate courses.
Provisional Status: Provisional status can be given to applicants who are in the process of obtaining official transcripts or GRE/GMAT scores. The minimum requirement for taking graduate courses in provisional status is a GPA of 2.50 (based on a 4.0 scale). No more than six hours can be taken in provisional status.
Provisional status is granted on a case-by-case basis. The student is typically admitted into non-degree status until regular or conditional status requirements are met.
A maximum of six semester hours of graduate credit earned in provisional admission status, including credit earned at ULM and approved transfer credit, may be counted toward a master’s, a specialist, or a doctoral degree. The six semester hours must be included on the student’s approved degree plan to be counted toward the hours required for completion of the degree.
Please note, students who are admitted to the university under a provisional status are not eligible for financial aid until after the terms of their provision have been met. Financial aid is reserved for students under regular or conditional admissions only.
Non-Degree Status: Graduates of accredited colleges and universities who wish to enroll in selected degree course offerings of the Graduate School, or are pursuing a formal degree program, may be considered for admission as non-degree students. The minimum requirement for taking graduate courses in non-degree status is a GPA of 2.25 (based on a 4.0 scale). Some colleges/programs have higher requirements for taking courses in non-degree status.
Students in non-degree status, who apply for admission to a graduate program, must meet the same GPA and GRE/GMAT requirements stated for an applicant seeking initial entry to that graduate program.
A maximum of six semester hours of graduate credit earned in nondegree admission status, including credit earned at ULM and approved transfer credit, may be counted toward a master’s, a specialist, or a doctoral degree. The six semester hours must be included on the student’s approved degree plan to be counted toward the hours required for completion of the degree.
Please note, students who are admitted to the university under a nondegree status are not eligible for financial aid until after they have been formally admitted into a program. Financial aid is reserved for students under regular or conditional admissions only.
Admission of Transfer Students
Applicants to the Graduate School who have attended another graduate school prior to their enrollment at the University of Louisiana at Monroe must meet both of the following additional requirements for admission:
- Be in good academic standing and eligible for readmission at the college or university from which they transfer; and
- Have no grade lower than ‘C’ in graduate work at the college or university from which they transfer. This includes any ‘I’ grades.
It is the responsibility of the student to inform ULM of any attendance at other institutions before eligibility is determined and the Graduate School has issued the official acceptance letter for graduate studies. Students who have been denied further continuance in graduate school at another institution are not eligible to earn graduate credit at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Should a student fail to inform ULM of ineligibility and earn graduate credits under these circumstances, those graduate credits earned will be voided.
When evaluating candidates, the Graduate School at the University of Louisiana at Monroe uses the applicant’s entire academic history. This includes those courses that have been retaken in a subsequent semester to improve on previous marks.
Admission of International Students
International students must submit all of the following application materials before eligibility for admission can be determined:
- Application for admission with paid application fee of $30; and
- Statement of financial backing signed by student and sponsor; and
- Proof of Immunization Form; and
- Official TOEFL score of no less than 500 (paper-based test), 173 (computer-based test), or 61 (internet-based test); and
- Complete and official transcripts (native language and English translation) of all university work (Certificate or degree earned must be equivalent to a U.S. bachelors - to be determined by the Graduate School); and
- Official GRE or GMAT scores; and
- A four-year WES with degree posted.
All above materials must be submitted before the following deadlines to be considered for entry: When applying for Fall Semester, March 1; for Spring Semester, August 1; for Summer Term, January 2. Eligibility is determined by the Dean of the Graduate School. |
