General Admission Procedures
The majority of graduate programs at the University are, by purpose and design, not large. The number of students admitted each year is restricted to those with high qualifications. Admission to certain degree programs may be limited due to available resources and academic requirements.
An applicant must hold a baccalaureate or higher degree from a college or university approved by a recognized regional accrediting agency. Applicants, having selected a major field of study, must meet requirements set by the major program and the Graduate School. Such applicants whose academic work has been superior are admitted upon approval by the major program administration and the Dean of the Graduate School.
A grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the undergraduate major is generally required, but requirements may vary between programs and may be higher than 3.0. Fitness of character may also be considered.
Each student must satisfy course prerequisites for the graduate program before being officially admitted to the degree program. The major program advisor and the Dean of the Graduate School may approve conditional admission, but a student is usually required to remove all such conditions before beginning the course of study leading to a graduate degree, except in some cases when a limited number of undergraduate courses are required to satisfy deficiencies.
Applicants for admission to most graduate programs must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Tests. Applicants for admission to graduate programs in the College of Business Administration must take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
Information regarding times and places where the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Tests are given is available from the Educational Testing Service, 609-771-7670, or www.ets.org. Information regarding times and places where the GMAT is given is available by calling 1-800-717-4628 or www.mba.com.
A University of Tulsa undergraduate student with a distinguished academic record may enroll in graduate work in the final year before graduation or through admission to a combined bachelor’s/master’s degree program. The student must apply for admission to the Graduate School and be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School to enroll in graduate courses. Enrollment must be approved by the major program advisor as well as each individual course instructor and is governed by individual qualifications and course loads. Enrollment is limited to one 5000- or 7000- level course per semester; however, undergraduate students admitted to a combined bachelor’s/master’s degree program are permitted to enroll in up to six credit hours of 5000- or 7000-level courses per semester. Any exception to this requires the approval of the Graduate Dean. The student must use the graduate course number when enrolling in a course for graduate credit.
All students seeking admission to the Graduate School must follow these steps:
- Make application on a form provided by the Graduate School or electronically on the application at the Graduate School website: www.utulsa.edu/graduate.
- Submit a nonrefundable processing fee of $55 with each application. (This fee is waived for graduates of The University of Tulsa or those who are participants in the Ronald E. McNair Scholars program).
- Submit official transcripts of all college- or university-level work. (Transcripts submitted with an application become the property of the University and will not be returned to the applicant.)
- Submit all required standardized test scores at time of application.
- Submit three letters of recommendation.
- International students must submit a letter of financial support at the time of application.
- Applicant’s character, integrity, and general fitness to practice a particular profession may also be considered in the admissions process.
Normally, two weeks are required to process an application after all materials have been received in the Graduate School Office. However, in the case of international students requiring visas, at least three months should be allowed.
The Graduate School maintains ownership of all application and application-related documents and these materials cannot be returned to the applicant. Applications and transcripts will be held on file, and admission will be valid for one calendar year. Unless the Graduate School Office is instructed otherwise, application credentials will be destroyed if enrollment is not completed within one calendar year.
Students admitted provisionally are expected to fulfill all of their provisional conditions within the first semester of graduate study.
International Applicants
International applicants must hold a degree comparable to a regionally accredited U.S. bachelor’s degree and must have a strong academic performance comparable to a “B” or above average grades. We use your institution’s grading scale and do not necessarily convert your grades to a four point scale. Transcripts sent to the Graduate School must be accompanied by a certified English translation, and a clear explanation of the grading system used at the institution. If an applicant is admitted, an I-20 will not be issued until a letter of financial support is provided by the applicant and/or the sponsor.
Applicants for whom English is not their first language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) by arrangement with the Educational Testing Service, 609-921-9000 or www.toefl.org. The University of Tulsa will not accept Institutional TOEFL scores to satisfy English proficiency requirements, with the exception of its own Institutional TOEFL. If, however, the student has received his or her degree from a university in a country where English is the primary language, the TOEFL may be waived, upon petition, at the discretion of the Graduate School.
The minimum TOEFL score accepted by The University of Tulsa for international applicants is 80 on the internet-based exam or 550 on the paper exam for programs offered in engineering and natural sciences and 90 on the internet-based exam or 575 on the paper exam for all other programs. Individual graduate programs may require minimum TOEFL scores higher than those stated above. Carefully review information about individual program admission requirements.
Applicants may also submit a test score from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) www.ielts.org in order to fulfill the English proficiency requirement. The minimum IELTS score accepted by The University of Tulsa for international applicants is 6.0 for programs offered in engineering and natural sciences and 6.5 for all other programs, although some individual graduate programs may require minimum IELTS scores higher than those stated above.
All international graduate students must check-in with the International Student Services Office upon first arriving on campus, prior to enrolling for each semester, and prior to departing the country for vacation, professional conferences, or upon degree completion. The Graduate School will not enroll an international graduate student on a student visa unless the student is approved for enrollment by the International Student Services Office. Failure to meet routinely with the International Student Services Office may adversely affect an international student’s visa status.
English Institute Admission
Admission to the English Institute for International Students (EIIS) is open to all students accepted to The University of Tulsa. Those interested in attending the Institute should contact EIIS by phone at 918-631-2535 or visit the EIIS webpage, then submit an application and the application fee. EIght-week sessions are available year-round. EIIS students are eligible for University housing when available.
Admission to the English Institute for International Students does not guarantee a student admission to academic programs at the University.
Special Student Status
It is possible to apply to the Graduate School as a special student. Admission to the Graduate School as a special student is outside of any graduate program; it is understood that enrollment as a special student does not lead to a graduate degree. Students are admitted to this category for certificate programs, general course work or transfer purposes. Special students are required to meet the regular admission standards of the Graduate School.If the special student applies and is officially admitted to a degree program, six hours of course work taken as a special student may be applied toward a master’s degree and up to 12 hours of course work taken as a special student may be applied toward a doctoral degree.
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