1. Submission of Application Materials
Closely observe the deadline and required materials set by your academic program of interest, including any additional documents requested of students who are seeking departmental funding through assistantships or fellowships. Complete the application and mail any materials that could not be submitted online. Be sure to pay special attention to where you should send each piece of the application (to the Office of the Graduate School or directly to the academic program).
For links to general tips on admission materials such as personal statements, refer to Considering Graduate School.
2. Review by the Academic Program
The admissions committee for each academic program decides who will be accepted, based on their eligibility requirements. During this process, the committee will review the documents you sent directly to them, as well as the information you sent to the Graduate School. You might receive correspondence at this point regarding whether you have been recommended to the Office of the Graduate School for admission, but this is not the final step in the process.
3. Final Review by the Graduate School
The Graduate School receives the academic program’s recommendation and completes a final review of your file, checking to make sure you meet the minimum requirements listed below. If you are an international applicant, you may need to provide information about funding (for student visa eligibility) before admission can be finalized.
Minimum, Campuswide Admission Criteria
General admission and degree requirements for graduate students are determined by the graduate faculty through its representatives on the Graduate Faculty Senate. Departments and area programs establish admission standards that, in many cases, exceed the minimum requirements of the Graduate School. The departments and area programs are listed alphabetically in the Academic Programs Catalog.
Admission to graduate school is based primarily on three criteria:
An official transcript verifying that the applicant has earned a baccalaureate, DVM, MD or JD degree equivalent to that granted by MU.
A grade point average of B or better in the last 60 hours of undergraduate education for applicants with less than a master’s degree.
English-language proficiency (of non-native English speaking applicants), demonstrated through a TOEFL or IELTS score. See our application instructions for international students for details about minimum score requirements.
Some academic programs consider the official results of the GRE or other examinations, but they are no longer required by the Graduate School.
4. Admission
If you are accepted into the degree program to which you applied, Graduate Admissions will admit you to the University and send you your official letter, along with information for new students. Be sure to review the checklist for admitted students, which gives details about what to do next, including how and when to accept your offer of admission and any funding.