Applying for Admission: Graduate Degree Programs

When to Apply

You should apply to a graduate degree program six to nine months before the beginning of the semester in which you plan to enroll. At the latest, your application for graduate admission with all supporting documentation, transcripts and test scores should be received by June 1 for the fall semester and Oct. 15 for the spring semester. Earlier deadlines apply for international applicants.

Most departments require much earlier submission of credentials for graduate study. Applications for programs in anthropology, art, biology, education, geology, geophysics, interdisciplinary study, psychology and wildlife biology should be sent much earlier. Contact your prospective department for specific deadlines; the number of students accepted is limited.

Graduate students are strongly encouraged to apply early. Applications received near deadline will be processed as time permits or may be considered for the following semester.

How to Apply

To apply to a graduate degree program, request an application from the Office of Admissions or apply online via the UAF website at www.uaf.edu/admissions/. Before your application is complete, the Office of Admissions must receive:

• Graduate Application for Admission
  A $50 non-refundable application fee must accompany your application. The fee should be paid by check, credit card or money order in U.S. funds to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Please do not send cash.
• Transcripts
  The Office of Admissions requires official transcripts of all college-level course work. Transcripts must come in sealed envelopes from each institution you’ve attended.
  International--International applicants must present an evaluation of all required academic documents compiled by an independent academic credential evaluation provider. UAF requires that all applicants use World Education Services for this service. Applications for this evaluation may be obtained from the WES website at www.wes.org. WES requires a fee from the applicant for processing applications. Please make note of the following:
  • Credentials from Canadian institutions are exempt from this requirement; they may be sent directly to UAF from the issuing institution.
  • You do not need to have any documents sent from your international institution to UAF. Your documents will go to WES, and UAF will receive a copy of the original documents along with the evaluation.
  • You must request the Comprehensive Course-by-Course Report of your credentials.
• Test Results
  Results of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) are required from applicants to most graduate programs. Some programs also require GRE subject exams. MBA program applicants are required to submit scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Refer to the admission requirements of your prospective degree program to determine which tests are required. Results of the GRE are required for all students whose undergraduate GPA is below a B (3.0) average.
• Resume/Vitae
  Include work and research experience, publications, patents, honors, professional and civic memberships, and foreign travel.
• Statement of Academic Goals
  Write a statement indicating why you want to study in a particular program. Include your qualifications and educational experience. (For applicants to education programs, a four-to-five-page self-evaluation essay is required.)
• Letters of Recommendation
  Send at least three letters of recommendation from people able to vouch for your work, character and ability to undertake graduate study and research.
• Master of Fine Arts Applicants
  Master of fine arts applicants must submit writing samples when applying for admission to the creative writing program. An art portfolio (usually slides) must be submitted when applying to the program in art.
• Interdisciplinary Applicants
  Submit a Graduate Study Plan (available for download at www.uaf.edu/gradsch/) and a short research proposal. You must also obtain commitment from a UAF faculty member to serve as advisory committee chair. Please contact the graduate school for specific interdisciplinary procedures.
• International Students
  See Special Instructions for International Students for additional information.
• Students in Western Regional Graduate Programs
  Students from Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming may be eligible for resident tuition through the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP/WICHE). The program is for students doing graduate work in justice, northern studies or rural development. For more information about this program, contact the Graduate School via telephone (907) 474-7464, e-mail fygrads@uaf.edu, or online at www.uaf.edu/gradsch/. Alternatively, contact the WICHE Student Exchange Program, P.O. Box 9752, Boulder, CO 80301-9752, (303) 541-0210, or online at www.wiche.edu/sep/WRGP/index.asp.

Admission Requirements

In general, you may be admitted to graduate status if you have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with at least a 3.0 (B) cumulative undergraduate GPA and a 3.0 (B) GPA in your major. Equivalent accomplishments at a foreign university may be substituted. Your undergraduate major should be suitable preparation for continuation of studies in the field of choice. Some programs require the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and other special criteria for admission.

For the purposes of admission to graduate study, all grades, including those generated from retaking a course, are included in calculating GPA.

Program heads in fields of interest will determine the adequacy of students’ preparation and whether or not departmental facilities are sufficient for their aims.

Information on specific degree programs is available from academic departments or the Graduate School, via telephone (907) 474-7464, e-mail fygrads@uaf.edu, or online at www.uaf.edu/gradsch/.

After Acceptance

Qualified applicants can be accepted for admission while enrolled in their last semester at another college. The acceptance is conditional, however, pending receipt of the final transcript indicating satisfactory completion of work in progress and the completion of graduation requirements prior to enrollment at UAF.

Final acceptance to UAF, for the purpose of earning scholastic credit, is complete only when the Office of Admissions receives and accepts all credentials.

Request to Postpone

Your offer of admission to UAF is valid for the semester for which you applied. If you want to postpone your admission until a later semester, you may request permission from the Office of Admissions. Your enrollment may be postponed for up to one calendar year. You are required to notify the Office of Admissions if you are attending another institution in the meantime. Requests should be directed to the UAF Office of Admissions and are subject to approval by the academic department in which you’ve been accepted.

Where to Get More Information

Office of Admissions
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Signers’ Hall, Room 215
P.O. Box 757480
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7480
E-mail: uaf-admissions@alaska.edu
Online: www.uaf.edu/admissions/
Telephone: (907) 474-7500
Toll-free: 1-800-478-1823