School of Graduate Studies - How to Apply
Who can apply
Applicants must be graduates of, or seniors in, accredited bachelors programs at four-year colleges or universities or have the equivalent of a bachelors degree from a foreign institution.
Acceptance to a graduate program is determined by the assistant vice president and dean of graduate studies and research upon recommendation of the graduate program coordinator. Acceptances are tentative if based on evaluations of transcripts that show work in progress; final action is taken after complete transcripts have been received and evaluated.
Three ways to apply
U.S. Citizens - Download a paper application (pdf)
Paper application instructions (pdf)
International Students - Download a paper application (pdf)
If you have questions, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies and Research .
How to apply
1. Complete and submit an graduate school application to the School of Graduate Studies and Research. Include a non-refundable fee of $30 payable to "Bloomsburg University".
2. Arrange for an official transcript of undergraduate grades be sent to the School of Graduate Studies and Research.
3. Provide other materials as required by the program to which application is made.
Consideration of an application will not occur until all required materials are received.
Entrance requirements to graduate studies at Bloomsburg University vary according to program. Minimum requirements for applicants for graduate study include a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university or the equivalent degree from a foreign institution and a minimum undergraduate quality point average (Q.P.A.) of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Most applicants will be required to take either the Graduate Record Exam, Miller Analogies Test, National Teacher Examination, or Graduate Management Admissions Test as required by the program. Any testing fees must be paid by the student. Bloomsburg considers applications after all materials have been received, including the fee.
Special Categories
International Students - Individuals from foreign countries must complete a separate Graduate Admissions Application for International Students. This application form is available online or from the Office of Graduate Studies, Bloomsburg University, 400 E. Second Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301, U.S.A. International applicants must have the results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the Test of Spoken English (TSE), if available, in the country of residence, submitted directly to the Office of Graduate Studies from the Educational Testing Service, P. O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151, U.S.A.
A minimum score of 550 on the paper-based and 213 on the computer based TOEFL taken within two years prior to the date submitted is required. All international applicants must have their applications complete at least four months prior to the start of the semester for which they are applying.
Admissions Categories
In addition to regular admission to graduate programs, several other admissions categories are available:
Provisional - A student may be admitted as provisional in a degree program when the student possesses a baccalaureate degree but does not meet the criteria for regular admission as specified by the program. The reasons for a student's provisional status will be specified in the letter of admission. When these conditions are attained, transfer to regular student status is automatic upon certification by the student's adviser. If not attained, the student may be dismissed.
Transfers - The criteria and procedures described under admissions also apply to transfer students. Students may transfer up to nine hours, in which a grade of B or higher is earned, taken at another college or university, with the approval of their graduate program director and the assistant vice president and dean of graduate studies and research. Transfer credits must be capable of counting toward a degree at the institution at which they were taken. Further, they must meet the Bloomsburg University standard of 15 contact hours per semester hour (credit hour) and no more than one semester hour completed per week. All courses whether taken at Bloomsburg University or other institutions counting toward a graduate degree must be completed within six years. For additional information on transfer credits, see "Transfer of Credits" under Academic Policies.
Non-Degree - Persons who desire graduate level university instruction, but do not intend to earn a master's degree, may be admitted as non-degree students provided they present official transcripts denoting graduation from an accredited undergraduate college or university. This is the category for students who are auditing a course, enrolling in the supervisory certificate program, or in the process of applying for regular classes but have not completed the regular admissions process prior to taking classes.
Non-degree students may apply to the Graduate School for transfer to provisional or regular status. However, no more than 12 semester hours earned as a non-degree student may be later applied toward a master's degree, except when special permission is granted by the assistant vice president and dean of graduate studies and research.
Adjunct - An adjunct student is one who enrolls in off-campus graduate courses. They may take three semester hours of graduate course work in this status before applying to regular or non-degree status.
Readmission
If a graduate student has not enrolled in any graduate course for a two-year period, the student's record is marked "withdrawn" and placed in the inactive files. A new application and $30 fee must then be submitted for reactivation.