Graduate School Admission Standards and Application Procedures
Admission Standards
Admission to the Graduate School is determined by the dean of the Graduate School after evaluation and approval of credentials and recommendation by the faculty of the academic discipline concerned. The Graduate School at the University of Mississippi recognizes the necessity of using multiple criteria in making admission decisions. These criteria include an applicant’s previous academic performance and scores on standardized tests, if applicable, and may include research and practical experiences, evidence of skill (e.g., a writing sample), letters of recommendation, and, in the case of applicants whose native language is not English, scores on an English proficiency exam. Students may apply for admission before a baccalaureate degree is completed but may not enroll as a graduate student until the degree is conferred. Students who apply prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree will be allowed to register for courses for one term but must complete the baccalaureate degree prior to the start of the first day of classes for that term. Proof of the conferral of the baccalaureate degree is required before the student will be eligible to enroll for additional terms, and the degree must have been conferred prior to the first day of enrollment in a graduate course [UM undergraduate students following policies outlined in Policy No. 10000383 (Academic Regulations for Graduate Students) are eligible to enroll in subsequent terms if all graduate courses completed prior to the baccalaureate degree were reserved for graduate credit or, if a 600-level course, were part of a PAAD opportunity.]
Meeting minimum standards does not guarantee admission to a degree program. The selection process is competitive, and admission decisions take into consideration the availability of space and resources within a department. To assure full consideration for admission, all application materials must be received by deadline dates.
In order to be assured of consideration for admission, the following materials must be submitted to the Graduate School prior to April 1 for summer and fall enrollment and prior to Oct. 1 for spring enrollment, unless the program for which application is being made has specified a different application deadline: an application for Graduate School, official transcripts from all institutions attended, and any required test scores.
An incomplete application will not be reviewed by the intended graduate program. Some departments enforce individual application deadlines. Applicants are urged to contact the department to which they are applying regarding departmental requirements and deadlines.
Application Procedures
Applications for admission to the Graduate School must be completed by the deadlines noted above. Incomplete applications will be held for one year. Beyond that time, the application process, including submission of a new application fee, must begin again. An application is complete when the following materials have been received:
- A completed online application, including payment of the application fee.
- An official score from an appropriate standardized test when required by the program. International applicants whose primary language is not English and/or who have completed their secondary or tertiary education primarily outside of the U.S. must submit scores on an approved English language proficiency exam. Submission of this test result is required at the time of application. Other materials may be required by specific departments.
- Official transcripts from the institution conferring the baccalaureate degree and from all colleges and universities subsequently attended. Only transcripts submitted directly from the sending institution to the University of Mississippi are considered official.
- Proof of immunization.
All application materials should be sent to the Graduate School. Applicants failing to provide any of the materials noted above will not be considered for admission. Medical and immunization records must be submitted to Student Health.
Re-admission
University of Mississippi students who have a break in enrollment of one or more semesters must apply for re-admission. Official transcripts must be requested by the student, and received by the Graduate School, from all institutions attended since the last University of Mississippi enrollment. Students are admitted for a particular semester. If they are unable to enroll in courses that semester, they may request that their application be updated for the next semester. Re-admitted students will be subject to departmental, university, and catalog regulations in effect at the time of their re-admission.