Admission to the University
A non-refundable $75 application fee must be submitted with the application.
Applicants may be considered for admission to master's or doctoral degree programs if they have attained the baccalaureate degree at an American college or university, or possess an equivalent degree. "Equivalent" means four years of university undergraduate work, preceded by at least 12 years of elementary and secondary school studies. Most international four-year degrees are recognized as being equivalent; however, the three-year Indian Bachelor of Arts, Sciences and Commerce degrees are not considered to be equivalent.
Applicants from international countries who apply for admission must submit the following materials to the Graduate School:
A completed Application Form.
A $75 application fee. This fee cannot be waived or deferred.
International Student Sponsor Statement is required of all international students.
One official transcript from all colleges/universities attended, undergraduate and graduate, where 6 or more credits were taken are required. We will accept them mailed directly from the college/university or submitted in sealed envelopes. If the official transcripts and/or degree certificate(s) are not in English, notarized English language translations in duplicate must be submitted. Do not list colleges/universities where 5 or fewer credits were taken.
Letters of recommendation (academic references) from two (2) professors or instructors who have taught you in courses in the field you are applying to here. After submission of the electronic application, we will send an email to each referee giving them instructions on how to electronically deliver the recommendation to the Graduate School. All recommendations will be considered confidential unless the applicant doesn't waive his/her right of access.
Scores from the following standard examinations:
GRE (Graduate Record Examination)-General Test required by nearly all graduate programs - (refer to Degrees and Programs Offered)
GRE SUBJECT TEST (not a universal requirement-refer to the Programspage for those programs requiring a Subject Test)
GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test)-for graduate applicants to Management, Hospitality & Tourism Management, and Sport Management
English Language Test: Either TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), or IELTS (International English Language Testing System)-only the academic version of test is accepted, or PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English)
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
The University of Massachusetts does not require TOEFL from U.S. citizens. Permanent residents whose undergraduate institution is outside of the United States and not from an English speaking country will be required to demonstrate their English language proficiency by sitting for TOEFL. The minimum TOEFL score as set by the Graduate Council is 80, although many graduate programs expect higher scores for admission, particularly if financial assistance is required. TOEFL scores are valid for two years from anticipated date of entrance. The Institutional Code for the University of Massachusetts Amherst is 3917. If asked for a departmental code use 0000.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
The University of Massachusetts Amherst also accepts IELTS as a replacement for TOEFL. Official score reports must be received directly from the IELTS testing center with a British Council cover letter. IELTS scores are valid for two years from anticipated date of entrance. The minimum IELTS combined score required for admission is 6.5.
