Application Procedure

Institutional Admissions Requirements

The general requirements for admission to graduate study at the university are listed below. 

  1. The applicant must show official evidence of having earned a baccalaureate degree or its U.S. equivalent from an accredited college or university. If an international transcript does not adequately demonstrate that an applicant has the equivalent of an American bachelor's or master's degree, the Office of Graduate Admissions will require such verification by an independent service such as the Center for Educational Documentation, (www.cedevaluations.com) Boston, MA (617-338-7171).  
  2. The degree must have been earned with a satisfactory scholastic average to demonstrate that the applicant has had adequate preparation for the field in which graduate studies are to be undertaken. 
  3. Certain graduate programs require graduate entrance examinations. The applicant must have obtained a satisfactory score on the appropriate entrance examination if required for admission by the program or department to which admission is sought. The official score report must be submitted; a photocopy of the examinee's report is unacceptable  
  4. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that all full-time graduate students (9 or more credits) must be immunized against measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria. In addition, all students in programs in the health professions, regardless of age or enrollment status, must show proof of immunization. Students will not be permitted to register for courses at the University unless proof of immunization has been sent directly to the Director of Health Services, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854 978-934-4991. 

Requirements by College

Departmental Requirements

The rules, regulations, and policies delineated by the University constitute only the minimum requirements for admission, retention, and graduation. Each department may have additional requirements mandated by the unique nature of its programs. It is the responsibility of the graduate student to be aware of the minimum requirements of the University and, in addition, to fulfill the special requirements of the particular program in which he or she is enrolled.

Application Procedure for Graduate Admission 

Applicants can apply using the online application.

Master's & Doctoral Application Information

A non-waivable and non-refundable application fee must be received before the application is processed. Each applicant must file the following documents: 

  1. A completed application form. 
  2. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate records. 
  3. Letters of recommendation written by individuals qualified to judge the ability of the applicant to carry on graduate work and research as requested by the department. Refer to the department page to learn about the number of required recommendations.
  4. Official scholastic test scores specified for various degree programs at the University (see individual departmental requirements).  An applicant who has earned a graduate degree from an accredited university may petition the department graduate coordinator to waive the scholastic test requirements (e.g. GRE). 
  5. The official score report for an institutionally approved language test for students from countries where English is not the national language. The thresholds for English tests are set by the department. Institutionally approved English tests: TOEFL, TOEFL IBT Home Edition, IELTS, Duolingo, PTE Academic, and ASC English School Level 6. All test scores must be official and sent directly by the testing agency. 

Application Deadline   

The University of Massachusetts Lowell Graduate Admissions Office has a "rolling admissions" policy. However, some programs have early, fixed application deadlines. Consequently, the applicant is strongly urged to contact the department of interest to determine the last date on which applications may be received. In general, early applications will ensure that all materials are processed on time and that a student who wishes to apply for a teaching assistantship will be given due consideration.  Many programs will fill available openings several months before the beginning of the semester. A student who has been accepted into a graduate program must attend within a year of acceptance or may, at the discretion of the department, be required to submit a new application. Application files for individuals who do not matriculate will be retained for only two years from the date of application.

Types of Admission 

A student may be admitted to graduate study at the University of Massachusetts Lowell under one of the two classifications listed below. 

  1. Matriculated status:  A student who has met all requirements for admission to a degree program and who has been recommended by the department in which he or she proposes to study as a degree candidate. 
  2. Matriculated with conditions:  A student who has not fully met the requirements stipulated by the program may be admitted as a prospective candidate for a degree with specified conditions to be met in the future.  Such a student must have as an initial objective the satisfactory completion of all requirements for full matriculation.

Graduate Certificate Candidate Application Information   

Graduate certificate programs are designed for students holding a baccalaureate degree in a field related to the certificate program. A student who wishes to apply to a certificate program must complete the Graduate Certificate Application, submit the appropriate application fee, and submit an official transcript indicating the conferral of a bachelor's degree. The graduate record exam (GRE) and letters of recommendation are not required.

A student in a certificate program who wishes to enroll in a master's or doctoral program is ineligible to receive credit towards a degree until he or she files a formal application and is then admitted as a matriculated student.

The maximum number of graduate credits a student may complete while enrolled in a graduate certificate is 12 credits. 

Non-Degree Status   

An individual without advanced degree objectives may take courses in certain programs with non-degree status. A student who wishes to take courses as a non-degree student must submit an official transcript indicating the conferral of a bachelor's degree. A student in non-degree status is ineligible to receive credit towards a degree until he or she files a formal application and is then admitted as a matriculated student.

The maximum number of graduate credits a student may complete with non-degree status is 12 credits. 

NOTE: International students are not eligible for non-degree status.

Graduate Readmission/Deferral Policy   

  1. A matriculated student who formally withdraws in good standing from the university may request readmission within two years by completing only the cover page of the graduate application. 
  2. A newly accepted student dropped from a graduate program for failure to register may be re-admitted by submitting a new application cover page and fee within two years of acceptance date. 
  3. A matriculated student who fails to maintain continuous enrollment and has not formally withdrawn may be readmitted by submitting a new application cover page and fee within two years of being dropped from the program.    
  4. A student may request a deferment of enrollment up to one year beyond the date when he or she was scheduled to begin his or her graduate program. If the one-year time period is exceeded, the student must submit a new application and fee. Deferral must be requested before the start of the semester for which the student is accepted.