Admission to the Graduate School is open to qualified graduates of universities and colleges of recognized standing without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, status as a U.S. veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, or public assistance status.
Admission to the Graduate School is a selective process intended
to identify applicants who are outstanding among recipients of
baccalaureate degrees.
The following minimum qualifications are required of all students
seeking an advanced degree:
A student shall be permitted to register for graduate study only after formal admission. Programs make recommendations on all applications, but the final admission decision is the responsibility of the Dean of the Graduate School.
All application materials are due one month before registration
for U.S. students; some programs have earlier deadlines. (See
program sections within the Graduate Bulletin for details.) For
international students, the completed application packet
(application form, application fee, reasons for graduate study
statement, official transcripts, and the three letters of
reference) and required test scores must be received by the
Graduate School prior to May 1 for Fall Semester and prior to
August 1 for Spring Semester unless the department has other posted
deadlines. There is additional paperwork for international
students.Click
here for graduate application.
Official transcripts (transcripts in a sealed, stamped envelope
from the granting institution) of all previous undergraduate and
graduate records must be received by the Graduate School before the
application is considered complete. When a transcript is submitted
in advance of completion of either undergraduate or graduate
studies, an updated transcript showing all course credits, grades,
and degree completions must be provided prior to initial
registration at NDSU.
Three letters of recommendation are required before action is taken
on any application. Personal reference report forms are available
from the Graduate School website.
Programs requiring or recommending Graduate Record Examination
(GRE) or scores Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) are
indicated on their information pages. Minimum TOEFL or
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores by
program are also listed on TestScores. Test dates
of all official tests must be within two years of the date of the
application to the Graduate School.
North Dakota State University welcomes international students as
part of the student body, and the Graduate School encourages
applications from qualified students throughout the world. More
than 25% of the approximately 1,800 graduate students are
international students.
In addition to meeting the previously stated admission
requirements, to qualify for admission in an advanced degree
program, all international students must demonstrate proficiency in
English and must provide evidence of adequate financial support for
themselves and any dependents for the duration of their graduate
program.
International Transfer Students
All international students currently studying in the United States must submit the Supplemental Information Form as part of the application. This form is to be completed by the applicant and the applicant's present or most recent international student adviser.
All application materials for international students must be received by the Graduate School prior to May 1 for Fall Semester and prior to August 1 for Spring Semester. Applications received after that date will automatically be considered for the next semester. This regulation applies to students matriculating from abroad because of the time required to obtain current financial information, determine student status, and issue the appropriate immigration form.
English proficiency must be demonstrated prior to admission by
obtaining a minimum score of 525 (paper-based test) or 197
(computer-based test) or 71 (internet-based test) on the Test of
English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a score of 5.5 on the
(IELTS). The test date must be within two years of the date of the
application to the Graduate School. Information about these tests
are available from our website.
Some programs require higher scores for admission to their degree
programs. This requirement of a TOEFL or IELTS score may be waived
for students from countries where English is the official language
and for students who have recently earned a degree from a U.S.
university or college.
Once documentation of the required level of English proficiency has been received by the Graduate School and all other admission requirements are met, the student may be admitted to a graduate degree program.
There will be two recognized categories of teaching assistants:
Domestic GTAs and international GTAs possessing a US bachelor's degree or higher are not required to present a TOEFL score, provided that the degree included a minimum of two years in residence.
Certification of adequate financial support is required from all international applicants other than permanent residents of the United States, parolees, refugees, United States trust territory applicants, or immigrants. Admission will not be granted until proof of funds for the duration of graduate study has been submitted. A special North Dakota State University Financial Certification Form must be completed for this purpose (Click Here). Failure to complete this certification and submit supporting documents will delay admission decisions and the issuance of the appropriate immigration forms. Applicants must be prepared to pay tuition, fees, and costs for living expenses for their entire stay at the university. North Dakota State University does not provide financial assistance for graduate international students who have not been granted an assistantship. A detailed summary of expenses may be found at http://www.ndsu.edu/international/graduate/graduate_expenses/. Each applicant should become familiar with his/her financial needs based on that summary.
Transfer of Funds
There are often difficulties in transferring funds from foreign countries to the United States. Before departing for the United States, students should become thoroughly familiar with their home government's regulations for exchanging and forwarding money.
Sponsored International Students
Agencies and foreign governments that require special administrative and management services from the Office of International Programs at NDSU are assessed an administrative fee. Contact the Office of International Programs for fee amounts.
International students are required by the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education to purchase the Board approved health insurance policy before they are allowed to register. No other policy may be substituted. The fee for health insurance for one year must be paid upon arrival and at the beginning of each subsequent year. Because of the increasing costs of health care in the United States, health insurance for a student's spouse and accompanying dependents is highly recommended and is included in the estimate of expenses for accompanying dependents. In addition, the state of North Dakota requires documentation of immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella prior to registration for cours
All applicants who have provided the required application materials, including completed application forms, application fee, reasons for graduate study statement, transcripts, transcript evaluation fee (if necessary), any required educational credentialing, three completed letters of recommendation, and any appropriate test scores, will be notified of action taken on their request for admittance to the Graduate School. Admission of all graduate students requires approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.
Graduate students will be admitted under one of the following classifications:
Full Graduate Standing
These students have met all requirements for admission and have
been accepted by a program leading to a graduate degree. A student
must have full graduate standing to receive a graduate degree.
Conditional Standing
Students in conditional standing do not meet all requirements for
admission or have deficiencies in prerequisite course work but show
potential for successful graduate study. Evidence must be provided
showing that the applicant's potential is not adequately reflected
by his or her record. In making this recommendation, the program
must specify standards of performance that must be satisfied for a
change in status to full graduate standing. Any students admitted
in conditional status because of grade deficiency is automatically
placed on aceademic warning. If a student on academic warning fails
to achieve GPA of at least 3.0 in the subsequent semester of
attendance, the student will be placed on academic probation. The
student may not earn more than 12 semester hours of graduate credit
while in conditional status.
Students admitted under conditional status may, in consultation with their major adviser, request a change to full graduate standing after demonstration of specified capability in graduate studies using the Change of Admission Status form. This request containing the academic justification for the change is to be made of the Dean of the Graduate School by the major adviser and approved by the program administrator. Eligibility for graduate assistantships will be determined by the program. Students with conditional status cannot become candidates for a degree; they have to achieve full graduate standing.
Non-Degree Enrollment
Individuals who hold a baccalaureate degree from an institution of
recognized standing may enroll as non-degree students. This
category is for individuals who desire to pursue study beyond the
baccalaureate degree for personal growth and improvement of skills
but not in order to work toward an advanced degree objective. To
become a non-degree student, individuals must complete an
application form and submit the appropriate fees. Students must
have the prerequisite courses or background/experience necessary
for the course or courses in which they desire to enroll. This may
require consultation and approval from course instructors. In
courses with limited enrollment, preference will be given to
degree-seeking students.
Students enrolled with non-degree status are not eligible for graduate assistantships, tuition waivers, or federal title IV student financial assistance. Students in this category are affiliated with the Graduate School and not an academic program. No more than 10 credits taken under the non-degree status with a grade of B or higher can be transferred to any official program of study should there be, at any future date, a decision to seek degree classification. Professional development graduate courses (numbered 600) are not eligible for graduate degree programs and may be taken without formal admission to NDSU.
Change in Classification
Students enrolled with non-degree status may subsequently desire to be considered for admission to the Graduate School to pursue an advanced degree. Such a change in status may be accomplished for a subsequent term by submitting a complete application to the Graduate School as a degree-seeking student. The student must be acceptable to a specific program. Appropriate course credits (no more than 10) earned in the non-degree status may be used to fulfill graduate degree requirements if approved by the student's program committee and the Dean of the Graduate School. No course taken in the non-degree status for which the grade is less than B will be permitted on a plan of study for a graduate degree.
In the letter notifying an applicant of admission, the Graduate School will identify an individual, usually the program administrator, whom the applicant should contact. The student should confer with this, or another, program representative prior to initial registration.