FAQs

Apply online with the Graduate Application.

Admissions requirements are listed on the Graduate Application.

Yes. Individuals with baccalaureate degrees may enroll in graduate courses as non-degree special students without applying for admission to the graduate program, when space in the course is available and if the department allows. However, if you are considering entering a program, you should contact its Graduate Program Director to find out how many non-degree credits will be accepted prior to matriculation into a formal graduate degree program. Most programs limit the number to six credits. There are also a number of certificate programs available, allowing candidates to pursue teacher certification, various specialized certificates, and a program of individualized, non-degree study. For more information, see the Graduate Catalog.

No, regardless of the circumstances, the application fee cannot be waived or deferred.

You can pay the application fee in the applicant portal after submitting your application.

Yes. Our doctoral programs can consider applicants with a bachelor's only or a bachelor's and a master's

No. But it is recommended for applicants seeking assistantships in the Biology/Marine Biology and Research Psychology programs. 

We do not have a campus-wide minimum GRE score requirement. Each program maintains its own standards for qualification.

Yes, a relative or friend is welcome to pay your fees on your behalf. Please be sure that your full name is indicated on the check or money order so we can credit the correct application.

The principal form of financial assistance is through graduate assistantships, which are only granted only through individual departments. Graduate Assistantship Application (PDF)

Some departments have priority dates for consideration. US citizens have access to some other forms of financial assistance (primarily loans, possibly federal work study); for this consideration, applicants must file a FAFSA form, listing UMass Dartmouth as a report recipient.

The amount of tuition and fees varies depending upon your program/curriculum and residency status.

You are welcome to apply to several different programs, but we will need a separate application form, application fee payment, and statement of purpose for each. You should use your judgement as to whether to request different recommendation letters. Please note that in the event you are accepted into both/all of the programs you apply for, you MUST then choose a single program in which to matriculate (formal joint degree programs like JD/MBA or JD/MPP are excepted).

We cannot evaluate your records prior to your applying to a graduate program. But we can answer general questions about requirements and qualifications.

See Deadlines and Requirements for more information.

All official test scores are reported to the department, which judges them according to their internal criteria.

If your current TOEFL or IELTS score is below the minimum requirements for the program or for UMass Dartmouth in general, you will need to retake the TOEFL or IELTS exam and submit the new official scores to us as soon as possible. If the new scores are the minimum or above, we will process your application for a decision.

We require a minimum score of 72 IBT on the TOEFL or BAND 6.0 on the IELTS or a 52 on the Pearsons PTE Academic for entrance to any program and a minimum score of 79 IBT on the TOEFL or BAND 6.5 on the IELTS for consideration for a teaching assistantship. Some programs require higher minimum scores. Many of our programs also accept the Duolingo with a minimum score of 95. 

We suggest that our applicants have a 3.0 GPA but this is not a firm requirement of any program. TOEFL/IELTS results will also be required for permanent resident immigrants who have not attended an educational institution in the United States for at least two years full time.

The code for the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is 3786. All of the score reports from ETS (GRE, GMAT, MAT, and TOEFL) are sent directly to the Graduate Studies Office for processing. You do not need to worry about a department designation; if you wish, you can put "00" for the department code.

Yes, if your degree is equivalent to a USA bachelor's degree. 

You are welcome to check your application status and see what items are still needed to complete your file. Please use your account email and password to access the applicant portal. Check status link is available on the Graduate Application page.

You may check your own application status on the Graduate Application page. You will need your account email and password. In addition, once a decision is made, you will receive an email notifying you. 

Yes, you can designate a person to check your status and even have them pick-up your decision letter or I-20 when it is available. You must type up an authorization letter naming this person and sign it so that we have your written official permission on record. You can fax this to our office at 508-999-8183 or email us at graduate@umassd.edu.

No. Your file will remain in our incomplete folder area until we receive your official score report(s) from ETS. It will not be reviewed for a decision or for a graduate assistantship until it is complete.

Yes. However, you are required to provide official credentials prior to enrollment.

All GRE reports should be ordered using code 3786 only.  All of the Score reports from ETS (GRE,GMAT,MAT and TOEFL) should be sent directly to the graduate office for processing.

Many of the graduate programs require a GRE which can not be waived. For specific programs, please refer to the Graduate Application and Program-specific Requirements.

International applicants to any UMass Dartmouth graduate program are required to demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

The TOEFL/IELTS requirement is waived for:

• applicants with a baccalaureate or graduate degree earned in the United States or in countries* where English is an Official Language and the Language of Instruction in Higher Education
• applicants with a baccalaureate or graduate degree earned from the American University in Beirut, American University in Bulgaria, American College of Greece, or Bogazici University in Turkey
• applicants who can demonstrate that they have completed at least two academic semesters of full-time college/university study (excluding English as a Second Language instruction or test preparation) in the USA by the date of submission of the application for admission to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

* Countries: Australia, Belize, Botswana, Canada (except Quebec), Caribbean English-speaking countries, Gambia, Ghana, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Individual departments recommend students for Teaching and Research Assistantships. You should contact the appropriate Graduate Program Director immediately to inquire about your TA/RA decision status.

In re-applying to UMass Dartmouth, students may re-use materials from the former application that are still current, but must submit any new or updated information and will be required to submit another application form with the $60 application fee. If you are applying to a different program than the one previously applied to, you will need also to submit a new Statement of Purpose, and new references. If you have attended any other institutions, you will need to provide official transcripts from them.

Your decision letter provides the name of the Graduate Program Director. They can be contacted with questions regarding the admission decision.

The only person who can re-evaluate your file is the Graduate Program Director. Your decision letter is signed by that individual. You may contact that person to inquire about having your file reconsidered for admission. The Graduate Program Director can guide you as to next steps.

If the Graduate Program Director does not reconsider your file for the current semester, but recommends that you seek consideration again, you can reapply for the next semester/year.

In most cases, conditional acceptance means that you must take an additional course or courses offered here at UMass Dartmouth. You need to take the course or courses usually during your first semester of study -- and obtain the grade mentioned (if applicable). An exam may be required during the first semester. If you have any further questions about conditional acceptance requirement(s), contact the person who assigned the condition. Please refer to your acceptance letter and contact the Program Director who is indicated on the letter.

Graduate Studies will send you the I-20 after you submit your intent to enroll form located in the applicant portal. 

You are also required to demonstrate financial resources before an I-20 can be issued.  Please see the list below:

Documentation required:

• Bank statement no older than 6 months
• Affidavit of Support -for students being sponsored by agencies, companies, or individuals: an affidavit of support, signed by an appropriate official.
• Copy of your passport

You are allowed to defer for a maximum of one year's time from when you were accepted. Therefore, for example, if you were accepted for the upcoming fall semester, you can defer to either the following spring or fall semesters. You do this by submitting written request to Graduate Studies or emailing us at graduate@umassd.edu. Please specify to which semester you wish to defer so that we may accurately process your request.

No. Summer tuition is not waived for students with assistantships.