Admissions Frequently Asked Questions

What are The Graduate School’s application deadlines?

Some programs have earlier deadlines to submit an application and to reply to an offer of admission. Please refer to the program’s website for specific information.

 

Summer 2024
First day to submit an application Monday, September 11th, 2023
Last day to submit an application & pay fee: Wednesday, August 21st, 2024
Deadline to reply to an offer of admission: Friday, August 23rd, 2024

 

Fall 2024
First day to submit an application Monday, September 11th, 2023
Last day to submit an application & pay fee: Wednesday, July 24th, 2024
Deadline to reply to an offer of admission: Friday, July 26th, 2024

 

Spring 2025
First day to submit an application Monday, January 29th, 2024
Last day to submit an application & pay fee: Wednesday, December 18th, 2024
Deadline to reply to an offer of admission: Friday, December 20th, 2024

The Graduate School recommends that students apply a minimum of 2 months before the first day of the semester to prevent encountering issues that cannot be resolved prior to the deadlines, which would result in not being able to submit the application. Please check with the program to which you are applying, to see if they have an earlier deadline.

International students who require a U.S. Student visa sponsored by the University of Connecticut are required to have all materials submitted to the International Students and Scholar Services (ISSS) office 1 month prior to the start of classes, to ensure proper I-20/DS-2019 processing time.

If you encounter issues that prevent you from submitting your application in advance of the deadline, please email gradadmissions@uconn.edu. We will respond to your email, but it may take two business days to respond during our regular business hours (generally Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, excluding holidays).

How do I pay the application fee?

You will be asked to provide a valid credit card for a non-refundable payment of the application fee ($75.00).  Your application is not considered complete or submitted until your application fee payment is fulfilled.

Do I qualify for an application fee waiver?

In some circumstances, your application fee may be waived.  Please refer to the UConn Graduate School Fee Waiver Policy.  If you believe you qualify for an application fee waiver, please contact gradadmissions@uconn.edu. Please do not submit payment for your application until we have responded to your email regarding your request for this waiver. It may take two business days for our office to respond during our regular business hours (generally Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM EST, excluding holidays).

I have attended UConn, or am currently enrolled at UConn, what transcripts are required for my application?

If you have attended UConn, or are currently enrolled at UConn in a non-degree, undergraduate or graduate UConn program you must include this information and upload unofficial transcripts for the courses you have already completed in your application. If admitted, you are not required to send official UConn transcripts to The Graduate School.

Please be aware that if your program requires you to fill out an additional centralized application (CAS), official transcripts may be required as part of the CAS application process.

I am a current UConn employee, what actions should I take when applying to a graduate program in The Graduate School?

If you are a current UConn employee and would like to apply to a graduate program within The Graduate School, please make sure to:

  • Use personal email address rather than your uconn.edu email address
  • If you have a Slate account for work purposes, please contact gradadmissions@uconn.edu before applying

I have been officially admitted and accepted admission to The Graduate School, what is required to finalize my admission?

If you are officially admitted and choose to attend UConn, you are required to submit official documents, including any transcripts, diplomas, or degree certificates, in order to finalize your matriculation. Required documents will be listed on your checklist in the Application Status Portal.

If you have attended UConn before, please refer to the FAQ above about UConn transcripts.

 

Sending by Mail

If paper transcripts are sent from a US institution, they must be sent directly from the institution to our office, or sent from the student completely unopened.  The Graduate School accepts official documents in many ways, please note these documents are required to be original and official. They may not be scanned, faxed, or notarized copies.

Due to mailing/processing time, we recommend mailing your official documents as soon as possible after admission. Please send these official documents to:

University of Connecticut
The Graduate School
438 Whitney Road Ext. U-1152
Storrs, CT 06269-1152  

International applicants, or applicants who have international transcripts, and who only have one set of original transcripts or degree, may use our international transcript cover sheet.pdf  to send their original, official documents.  The Graduate School will make our own certified copies for our records, and return the original copies. With this form, students can pick up their original copies at our office when they arrive, or we can send the original transcripts back to an address provided. This form must be included with the packet of official documents mailed to us.

Please Note: Tracking is not available. The Graduate School is not responsible for documentation lost in the mail. Materials will be sent back in regular mail, which could take 4-6 weeks overseas. Oversized or overweight documents cannot be returned by mail, but can be picked up in person at The Graduate School in Storrs. Documents must be picked up within two (2) years from the date they were received.

Applicants who have transcripts and degrees from international institutions and have since attended a US institution, may have the US institution they attended make copies of their official documents and certify that the copies were made from the original documents. The registrar’s or admissions office should make the certified copy of these official documents, and send them directly to The Graduate School at the address above.

Submit an Electronic Transcript

Contact your university to see if they offer an electronic transcript service to send official electronic transcripts in lieu of a physical one. Electronic transcripts must be submitted to The Graduate School at UConn directly from the electronic transcript service provider your university uses.  If an email address is required, please have items sent to: gradadmissions@uconn.edu (Electronic transcripts sent directly by applicants or the university by email are not considered official.)

Use an Evaluation Service

The Graduate School does not require third-party credential evaluations for international transcripts. However, evaluations from members of the following services are welcome:

  • NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) or
  • AICE (Association of International Credential Evaluators)

Use a Verification Service

International transcripts can also be sent electronically using the following approved verification services:

  • WES (World Education Services)
  • IEE (International Education Evaluations)
  • ECE (Educational Credential Evaluators)

Official Documents from China:

  • CSSD  (Center for Student Services and Development, Ministry of Education, P.R. China)
  • CDGDC (China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center)

Official Documents from India:

Official Documents from Nigeria:

I am currently in my final year/semester of my degree, what do I need to upload to my application at the time I apply and what do I submit to The Graduate School if I am accepted?

Please upload your most recent transcripts to your online application when you apply.  We understand that you will not have the degree at the time you apply, or perhaps when you have been admitted.  Your application will be reviewed for admission based on the most recent transcripts you have uploaded.

If you are admitted, please send official copies of your most up to date transcripts at that time.  While you will be able to register for your first term, registration for subsequent terms will be blocked until The Graduate School receives the final official transcript including all final grades and degree conferral if applicable.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the Education Requirements section of our Admission Requirements page for additional information.

When can I expect a decision regarding my application?

To find out when your application will be reviewed, contact the program to which you are applying.  After the program has made a decision, and it has been audited by The Graduate School, you will be notified by email.

Are GRE or GMAT scores required?

Note: All test scores are only considered official by The Graduate School, when sent electronically directly from the testing agency. Self-reported scores will not be considered official in your application.

GRE or GMAT scores are not a requirement of The Graduate School.  The program you are applying to may require the GRE, specific GRE Subject Tests, or the GMAT. Please contact your intended program to confirm which test scores are required.

If required by your program, request that your standardized test scores be submitted to UConn. GRE and GMAT scores are only valid for five years (from original test date to submission of UConn application with fulfillment of application fee payment).

Test Details
GRE GRE scores will only be accepted when sent electronically through ETS
  • The GRE code for UConn Storrs is 3915
  • The GRE code for the UConn Health Center is 3931
GMAT GMAT scores will only be accepted when sent electronically through the Graduate Management Admission Council

Are letters of recommendation required?

Letters of recommendation are not a requirement of The Graduate School, but they could be a requirement for the program to which you are applying.  If recommendations are required they should be submitted electronically in the application by the recommender. Applications can be submitted before recommendation letters have been received. Please contact the program you intend to apply to with any questions about letters of recommendation.

My university is not listed in the application in the drop-down menu. What do I do?

If you do not find your institution in the provided drop-down menu, try using different searches with abbreviations or the complete name or a part of the name such as state.  Please email gradadmissions@uconn.edu to request to have it added to the drop-down menu.  In your email please be sure to include the full name and complete mailing address of the institution, including the country, so we can determine if it meets the requirements to be added.

How do I apply to more than one program?

Applicants who wish to apply to more than one program are required to submit a separate application in Slate for each program.  You will be required to pay the $75 non-refundable application fee for each application.  Your application is not considered complete or submitted until your application fee payment is fulfilled.

What are the housing options at UConn if I attend?

On-campus:
UConn is in the midst of an extraordinary period of growth and graduate housing is limited. Family housing is not available for students. Please review the Residential Life Storrs Campus Graduate Housing webpage for more information.

Off-campus:

Off-Campus and Commuter Student Services Office serves as an advocate and centralized resource for students commuting or living off-campus. Please contact their office or review the Off-Campus Student Services Housing Database for more information.

What scores do you require on the TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo?

Note: All test scores are only considered official by the Graduate School, when sent electronically directly from the testing agency. Self-reported scores will not be considered official in your application.

Regardless of visa status, students whose primary** language is not English, must show evidence of proficiency in the English Language by submitting either TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or Duolingo scores. The required minimum score for each test is listed in the chart:

Test Score Test Information
TOEFL 79 Internet-based test iBT, or iBT Home Edition, or iBT Paper Edition. TOEFL Essentials is not accepted. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Scores or TOEFL Institutional Testing Program (TOEFL ITP) results unless the TOEFL ITP scores are from UConn.
IELTS 6.5 IELTS General Training and IELTS Indicator are not accepted.
PTE 53 PTE Academic or PTE Academic Online.
Duolingo 100

**A primary language is defined as a language used to communicate since childhood.

TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, and Duolingo scores are only valid for two years (from original test date to submission of UConn application).

Scores that an applicant self-reports or uploads to an application are considered to be unofficial. Official scores that meet our English proficiency requirement must be received directly from the testing agency.

Please see the following chart on how to submit your official scores:

Test Submitting Official Scores
TOEFL Send electronically through ETS using the following codes:
  • 3915 for UConn Storrs
  • 3931 for the UConn Health Center
IELTS Submit request for the testing company to send scores electronically to UConn. When sending official IELTS scores, please use the following information if prompted to provide it:

Your IELTS testing center may require your UConn Graduate Application ID to request your official IELTS scores to be sent to our university. If this is the case, you can find this information on your Application Status Portal.

PTE Submit request for the testing company to send scores electronically to UConn
Duolingo Submit request for the testing company to send scores electronically to UConn

In addition to submitting official test scores, there are two alternative ways to meet the English Proficiency requirement.

Score Waiver Please note that even if English proficiency is waived for purposes of admission, Teaching Assistants (TA’s) must still provide proof of English proficiency in accordance with UConn’s English Proficiency Policy for TA’s and Testing Procedures.
Proficiency Certificate Request that UCAELI (University of Connecticut American English Language Institute) send your Proficiency Certificate to gradadmissions@uconn.edu as evidence of meeting academic proficiency in English.
English Proficiency for Teaching Assistants

Prospective Teaching Assistants for whom English is not a primary language** must pass an oral English proficiency test regardless of citizenship or visa status. Even if English proficiency was waived for purposes of admission, TAs must still provide proof of English proficiency in accordance with UConn's English Proficiency Policy for TAs and Testing Procedures. For more information about this policy and testing procedures, please contact International Teaching Assistant Services.

**A primary language is defined as a language used to communicate since childhood.

How can I have the English proficiency requirement waived?

English proficiency requirements may be waived for a few acceptable reasons which are listed on the below policy:

Policy on Waiver of Language Proficiency Examinations:

U.S. citizens and applicants with permanent resident status are not required to provide test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, Duolingo) showing English-language proficiency. In addition, the following categories of applicants are not required to provide test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, Duolingo) showing English-language proficiency:

  1. International applicants whose primary language is English*.
  2. International applicants who have received a degree from a post-secondary institution outside of the United States whose language of instruction for the entire degree is English. Official documentation will be required from the institution’s Registrar’s office stating that the medium of instruction for the degree received was English.
  3. International applicants who have completed one year or more of full-time coursework at a post-secondary institution in the United States (30 credits undergraduate level work or 18 credits graduate level work). The total amount of academic work completed must be officially graded by the registrar of that institution and have a cumulative GPA value of 3.0 or higher.

All applicants other than current UConn graduate, UConn Health, or UConn Law students are required to provide evidence of English-language proficiency.

*A primary language is defined as a language used to communicate since childhood.

Effective date: March 1, 2013

Revised date: June 22, 2023

When will my I-20/DS-2019 be ready?

The International Students and Scholar Services (ISSS) office requires a student to be matriculated with The Graduate School in order to release a student's I-20/DS-2019 document.  Once a student has submitted all required materials, including all official/original transcripts and degrees, The Graduate School will begin the matriculation process. If a student is missing any materials for matriculation at the time of admission, our office will email the student, and specify which materials we are waiting for. Missing documents will be listed on the student's checklist in the Application Status Portal.

If admitted and the student has attended an international university and only has one set of original transcripts or degree, they can be mailed with the International Transcripts Cover Sheet.pdf to The Graduate School.  Our office will make a copy and return the original document(s) to the student.

University of Connecticut
The Graduate School
438 Whitney Road Ext. U-1152
Storrs, CT 06269-1152 

Please Note: Tracking is not available. The Graduate School is not responsible for documentation lost in the mail. Materials will be sent back in regular mail, which could take 4-6 weeks overseas. Oversized or overweight documents cannot be returned by mail, but can be picked up in person at The Graduate School in Storrs. Documents must be picked up within two (2) years from the date they were received. 

The Graduate School will also accept:

  • International transcripts electronically from WES (World Education Services) and IEE (International Education Evaluations).
  • Transcripts and degrees from China that are verified by either CSSD  (Center for Student Services and Development, Ministry of Education, P.R. China), or CDGDC (China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center).*
  • Transcripts and degrees from India that are verified by TrueCopy.*
  • Transcripts and degrees from Nigeria that are verified by ETX-NG (Electronic Transcript Exchange and Certificate Verification System for Nigeria).*

* While CSSD, CDGDC, TrueCopy, ETX-NG and electronic evaluations from WES, IEE, and ECE are options for sending official transcripts and degrees, original transcripts and degrees are also accepted.

To initiate the creation of an I-20/DS-2019 document, students must first accept admission in their Application Status Portal and then submit an I-20/DS-2019 request form by using the link provided to them in their online admission letter.  The I-20/DS-2019 document will not be released from the International Students and Scholar Services (ISSS) office to a student until The Graduate School's matriculation process is complete.

How will I receive my I-20/DS-2019?

After you submit an immigration document request for your I-20/DS-2019, please contact the International Students and Scholar Services (ISSS) office to check on the status of your document.

What options do I have for financial support?

If you are not a U.S. Citizen, you are not eligible for need-based financial aid. Please visit The Graduate School's website and select the Financing tab in the menu for additional information about funding options. For more information about these options, contact the program to which you are applying to ask if these opportunities are available.

What TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo scores do I need to qualify for a Teaching Assistantship at the time of admission?

Current requirements are listed on UConn's English Proficiency Policy for TA's and Testing Procedures website.

Please contact the International Teaching Assistant Services office with additional questions.

Information for Applicants to Programs Leading to Professional Licensure

Students applying to a program in which professional licensure/certification is required are encouraged to review UConn’s Program by State Look-up to determine if the program curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure in your state.

I need to defer my application/admission. How do I do this?

If you have been offered admission:

With approval from your admitted program, you may defer your admission up to 1 full academic year from the original term your application was submitted for.

A request to defer your admission should be made through the Accounts & Forms area of your Application Status Portal.  

If you have already attended classes for this term or if it is after the 10th day of classes, you cannot defer your application. In this case, you must complete a Voluntary Separation Notification (VSN) form.

Requests for students who have not been appointed as a Graduate Assistant (GA) should be made by the first day of the semester you have been admitted to. These requests are required to be submitted by the 10th day of the semester. Please review the Academic Calendar for the term you have applied to. Confirmation will be sent to you once The Graduate School processes your request, unless it is a declined deferral request, in which case your program will notify you of this decision.

Requests for students who have been appointed as a GA should be submitted prior to the start date of their GA appointment. These requests must be submitted no later than the 10th day of the semester. Please review the Academic Calendar for the term you have applied to.  

Confirmation will be sent to you once The Graduate School processes your request, unless it is a declined deferral request, in which case your program will notify you of this decision.

If no decision is made on your application: 

For a current active application, you may defer your application up to 1 full academic year from the original term your application was submitted for.

A request to defer your application should be made through the Accounts & Forms area of your Application Status Portal.  

Requests should be made by the first day of the semester you have applied to. These requests are required to be submitted by the 10th day of the semester for which your application was submitted. Please review the Academic Calendar for the term you have applied to. Confirmation will be sent to you once The Graduate School processes your request, unless it is a declined deferral request, in which case The Graduate School’s admission office will notify you of this decision.

I need to withdraw my application/admission. How do I do this?

A request to withdraw your application or admission should be made through the Accounts & Forms area of your Application Status Portal.  

Requests should be made by the first day of the semester you have applied to. These requests are required to be submitted by the 10th day of the semester. Please review the Academic Calendar for the term you have applied to. Confirmation will be sent to you once The Graduate School processes your request to withdraw.

If you have already attended classes for this term or if it is after the 10th day of classes, you cannot withdraw your application. In this case, if you are considering discontinuing your program and exiting the university or requesting a leave of absence, you must complete a Voluntary Separation Notification (VSN) form.

If you withdraw your application, it cannot be reinstated. Withdrawing your application will cancel your admission to this program. Should you wish to be reconsidered for this or any other graduate program, you will need to submit a new application.