Application and Admission

Programs have different deadlines and may require additional credentials or materials.  Applicants should consult the pertinent program section of this catalog and check directly with the department.

The application and supporting documents become the property of the University of Louisville and will not be returned to the applicant or forwarded to another university.

If you do not enroll, your academic credentials will be retained in the Graduate School for two years.

Application Fee

A non-refundable application processing fee is required. When applying online, the fee may be paid with a credit card or electronic check. Applications will not be processed until the application fee is received.

There are two types of waivers available to students, 1) General Application Fee Waivers, and 2) Program-Based Fee Waivers. 

General Fee Waiver  

For an applicant’s application fee to be waived, they must provide the appropriate documentation. This includes: 

• Veterans, and or serving on Active-Duty, in the National Guard, or in the Reserves in; the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Marine Corps or the U.S. Coast Guard 
• Participation in one of the following: 

• Medicaid 
• S.N.A.P. (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as EBT and Food Stamps Program) 
• Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) 

Documentation may include, but is not limited to:  

• IDs, DD 214, or military orders 
• Most recent correspondence 
• Verification document or letter 

Documentation can be submitted at the time of application or be sent to gradadm@louisville.edu.  

Program-Based Fee Waiver  

Program-Based Fee Waivers are occasionally granted by academic departments on a case-by-case basis.

Deadlines

Programs have different deadlines and may require additional credentials or materials.  Applicants should consult the pertinent program section of this catalog and check directly with the department.

Transcripts

All applicants must submit official transcripts showing all degrees awarded and all undergraduate and graduate work (all courses) completed from each accredited college/university previously attended. Transcripts must be original documents bearing the institutional seal and official signature of the Registrar or copies verified by a school administrative officer. The minimum requirement for admission is the baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution¹. Students applying with a baccalaureate or an advanced degree from a nationally accredited institution will be considered at the discretion of the admitting unit with approval via a variance request to the Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs.

International applicants International applicants with transcripts that are not in English, in addition to submitting official copies of native language records, must also submit a notarized, verbatim translation in English prepared by an appropriate university or government official. The records must show both the degree granted and all coursework taken during the course of study.  Applicants who have attended colleges, universities, postsecondary programs outside of the United States. Currently, all international students must have their credentials reviewed by an approved evaluation company that can provide an evaluation of their transcripts. Please see NACES (www.naces.org/members) or AICE (https://aice-eval.org/endorsed-members/) for approved evaluation agencies.

¹

_{Recognized accrediting agencies include: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA), North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA-HLC), Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC-CIHE), Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC-ACSCU, WASC-ACCJC)}

Test Scores

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for consideration for university fellowship and scholarship awards.  GRE scores may be required for admission to some graduate programs.  Please check directly with the department regarding test requirements. The University of Louisville institution code for score reporting is 1838.

Letters of Recommendation 

A minimum of two letters of recommendation are required; however, some graduate programs require more.  Letters should be written by someone who can speak to the applicant's academic and/or professional capabilities. Letters of recommendation may be sent to gradadm@louisville.edu or by regular mail to the address listed above.

Proof of English Language Proficiency 

All applicants for whom English is not the native language must also submit proof of English proficiency.  

TOEFL 79 iBT, 213 cBT, 550 pBT http://www.ets.org/toefl   

IELTS 6.5 (no sub-score lower than 5) http://www.ielts.org/  

Duolingo English Test 105 https://englishtest.duolingo.com 

Proof of Language proficiency is waived for International Students with citizenship from one of the following English-speaking countries:  

American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada (except Quebec) , Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Denmark, Dominica, England, Eswatini (Swaziland), Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, The Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grand Cayman Islands, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Montserrat, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Islands, Norway, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Scotland, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, South Sudan, St. Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sweden, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Virgin Islands, Wales, Zambia, Zimbabwe  

Students holding a bachelor's or advanced degree from an accredited institution in the countries such as United States, Canada (except Quebec), the UK and Australia may also be exempt from this requirement. 

International Students

All international students shall comply with regulations of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program and all related policies of the University of Louisville International Center.

All international students must be registered with the University of Louisville International Center and must present evidence of financial resources that are adequate to support their educational and living expenses in the United States for the duration of their studies.  Documentation showing that a University Fellowship or Graduate Assistantship has been awarded is normally considered evidence of adequate financial resources.

The International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) staff, as a part of the International Center, serves as an administrative, advising, and programming unit for all international students at the University of Louisville. The staff is trained to assist international students in solving problems, handle matters with immigration, and answer general questions about life in Louisville or in the United States.

Please refer to the International Center website. 

Admissions

Upon receipt of the application for graduate studies, application fee and credentials, the graduate program will evaluate the application package and specify the admission status and any conditions of admission. The official admission letter will come from the Graduate School.

The minimum undergraduate GPA for unconditional admission into a graduate program is 2.75. Programs may refer students with a 2.5 - 2.74 for admission, and they will be admitted with Special Conditions requiring them to achieve a 3.0 in their first nine credit hours. Students who do not achieve a 3.0 or meet other departmental conditions outlined in the admission letter may be subject to academic dismissal from their program.

No applicant with a grade-point average of less than 2.50 will be admitted to a program of graduate student. Under unusual circumstances, programs may wish to make a case that a student's record demonstrates great potential despite a low GPA and must make the case in a variance request to the Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs. The student may be admitted provisionally on probation, with the condition that they earn a 3.0 in the first 9 credit hours or will be dismissed. Programs may limit the number of credit hours student admitted with special conditions or on provisional probation may take.

Degree status – good standing: In order for a student to be recommended for admission without conditions to degree status in good standing, all admission credentials must have been received and evaluated. The applicant must have earned a minimum grade-point average as specified by the enrollment unit. Each applicant should consult the specific graduate program descriptions in this catalog to determine any additional admissions criteria or any more restrictive requirements for admission to this status.

Degree status – provisional: This status is intended for students whose application materials are incomplete (usually missing required credentials or letters), but who have submitted the application form and application fee. Students in provisional status must also meet the general academic requirements of their program. Students may not enroll for a second consecutive term in provisional status. Not all graduate programs allow admission on a provisional basis. A student admitted on a provisional basis has one semester to furnish any credentials missing at the time of admission.

Degree status – special conditions: This status is intended for students whose applications are complete, but whose academic background is below the minimum for their program. Students admitted in this status will be expected to meet certain criteria within a specific time-frame outlined by the admitting graduate program.

Degree status – provisional/special conditions: An applicant who has both an incomplete application and academic criteria below the minimum may be admitted in this status, pending program approval. Students in this status will be expected to meet certain criteria within a specific time frame outlined by the admitting graduate program, as well as one semester to furnish any credentials missing at the time of admission.

Degree status – provisional probation:  An applicant who does not meet graduate school and department/unit's minimum requirements may be admitted in provisional probation. Programs may limit the number of credit hours students admitted with special conditions or on provisional probation may take.

The unit/department must file for admission variance request to the graduate school. The admission variance request will be reviewed and approved and/or denied by the Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs. Students admitted in this status will be expected to meet certain criteria within a specific time frame outlined by the admitting graduate program.

Graduate Admissions Hold

Graduate students admitted Provisional Probation/Provisional/Special Condition status will have a Graduate Admissions Hold placed on their academic record.  This hold will be placed approximately one week prior to the beginning of registration on all current students whose status has not been changed to good standing.  The hold will be placed by the Graduate School.

Returning students who were admitted Provisional Probation, Provisionally, and/or with Special Conditions who wish to re-enroll will be evaluated to determine if their conditions were met.  Upon submitting a request to re-enroll form to the Registrar’s office, the Registrar’s office will forward for review by the Graduate School.  If the student is not eligible to be changed to good standing, a Graduate Admissions Hold will be placed on the student’s academic record prior to the processing of the re-enrollment form.

Additional Considerations for Admission to Degree Status

A student admitted with an undergraduate grade point standing of less than the minimum of the enrollment unit may be subject to program limitations on the number of hours in which he/she may enroll for each semester. Students who do not meet any other departmental requirements outlined in the admission letter may be subject to academic dismissal from their program.

No applicant with a grade-point average of less than 2.50 will be admitted to a program of graduate study. Under unusual circumstances, programs that wish to admit students who do not meet this standard must submit a variance request to the Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs.

Non-degree status

Applicants who do not desire to seek an advanced degree but wish to take graduate course work may be permitted to enroll in non-degree status. Please note that not all programs will admit students to non-degree status. Application credentials must include a completed application for admission, application fee and an official transcript showing the award of a baccalaureate degree. No more than nine (9) credit hours of course work taken in a non-degree status may be applied to a graduate degree program with departmental approval, and no more than fifteen (15) credit hours may be accumulated while in non-degree status.

Visiting Students

A graduate student from another university or college may enroll for graduate course work as a visiting student at the University of Louisville with the approval of the graduate program director or department chair. The visiting student is responsible for having the home institution provide a letter certifying that the student is in good standing. A graduate application and fee are required and transcripts may also be required by some departments.

University of Louisville graduate students who attend another college or university as visiting students must have the permission of their department chair, program director or major advisor. The guidelines for the Transfer of Credit stated in the graduate catalog apply to all credits earned as a visiting student. Visiting student status may be granted only to a student who is in good standing.