Admission Requirements for All Students
Types of Graduate Admission
Deferring Admission and Term Changes
International Admissions

A comprehensive list of graduate programs and links to apply may be found here.

Admission Requirements

Please note that these requirements are for entry to the Graduate School only; individual programs may require additional application materials or criteria. For specific program requirements, please see our degree programs page.

All applicants are required to hold a baccalaureate degree from regionally-accredited institutions except for special approved programs which require only a specific set of pre-requisite courses and/or award the baccalaureate and master’s degrees simultaneously. Credentials of international students will be evaluated individually.

Each applicant must complete an application online, submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended. Applicants must submit an official score from either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Administration Management Test (GMAT) when required by the program.

Official transcripts and test scores are sent directly from the issuing institution or evaluation agency in a sealed envelope or electronically. If a transcript indicates that classes are in progress, the transcript will be deemed incomplete. Once the classes have been completed, another official transcript will need to be provided.

If any prior graduate coursework has been completed, even if it is unrelated to the major being pursued at ULM, these transcripts will be reviewed. Applicants will need to be eligible for readmission at that college or university and must have no grades lower than a C in any graduate coursework completed at that institution.

Official documentation may be sent by mail to:

Graduate Admissions
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Sandel Hall 243
700 University Avenue
Monroe, LA 71209-0600

Documents may be sent electronically to gradschooldocs@ulm.edu. Our institutional code for GRE and GMAT scores is 6482.

Once all application materials have been received, applicants may be granted one of three types of admission:

Types of Graduate Admission:

Regular Status

Applicants must meet one of the following minimum requirements to be regularly admitted:

a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 (based on a 4.0 scale) from a regionally accredited university
OR

a GPA of 2.75 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework from a regionally accredited university
OR

any graduate or terminal degree from a regionally accredited university.

Conditional Status

Applicants must meet one of the following minimum requirements to be conditionally admitted:

Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5 (based on a 4.0 scale) from a regionally accredited university
OR

a GPA of 2.5 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework from a regionally accredited university
OR

Minimum formula score of 622.6 (2.2 GPA x 283 GRE) or for MBA applicants only, 1000 (GPA x 200 + GMAT)
OR

With a GPA of 2.2 or higher, some candidates with 5 years of employment in a relevant field of study may qualify for a waiver of test scores.

**Some programs only allow conditional status for undergraduate deficiencies. For applicants who are admitted conditionally because they do not meet GPA and/or GRE requirements, this status will be removed after a minimum of 12 semester hours of graduate coursework is completed at the University of Louisiana at Monroe with a 3.0 GPA, and with no grades of C or below. If these requirements are not met, the student will be denied continuance in Graduate School.

Applicants who have earned C grades on graduate coursework from other institutions are subject to the C Grade policy for current students when being evaluated for admission. The policy is located In the ULM Graduate Catalog outlined in the section “Requirement for Graduate Degrees“ available here.

Provisional and Non-Degree Status

Provisional status is given to applicants who are in the process of obtaining official transcripts or GRE/GMAT scores. The minimum requirement for taking graduate courses in provisional status is a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.5 (based on a 4.0 scale). No more than six credit hours of coursework may be completed under provisional status, and students admitted provisionally are not eligible for financial aid.

Applicants who wish to enroll in selected course offerings but not pursue a formal degree program may be considered for admission as non-degree students. The minimum requirement for taking graduate courses in non-degree status is a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.5 (based on a 4.0 scale). Some programs have additional requirements, and/or exceptions to requirement, for taking courses under non-degree status.

A maximum of six semester hours of graduate credit earned in provisional admission status, including credit earned at University of Louisiana at Monroe and approved transfer credit, may be counted toward master’s or doctoral degree. The six semester hours must be included on the student’s approved degree plan to be counted toward the hours required for completion of the degree. Applicants who are accepted provisionally are admitted until regular or conditional status requirements are met.

Deferring Admission and Term Changes

An applicant who does not complete their admission application with all required documents by the deadline to apply (deadlines are linked here) will be required to submit a new application to the graduate school for a future term and pay all associated application fees. An applicant who has both completed their application with all required official documents and received an admission decision of regular of conditional admission, but would like to defer their enrollment to a future term, may reapply one time with no additional charge by contacting gradadmissions@ulm.edu.

Applicants who enroll and maintain academic eligibility will remain eligible for registration until there is a lapse of enrollment for two consecutive terms or until graduation, whichever occurs first. A returning student who has missed two consecutive terms is required to reapply and submit an application fee before enrolling.

International Graduate Admissions

The admission process for international applicants is outlined below. The International Admissions Office can be reached at (318) 342-3002.

1. Complete the Graduate School Application prior to the Deadlines:

If applying for the Fall semester, all application materials must be received no later than June 27.
With the exception of: Pharmacy - March 1 | Speech Language Pathology - March 31 | History - May 30

If applying for the Spring semester, all application materials must be received no later than November 7.
With the exception of: Pharmacy - September 1

If applying for the Summer semester, all application materials must be received no later than April 1.

Note: When all application materials are received, they will be sent to the appropriate program for evaluation. Applicants will be notified of the admission decision by mail and a Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20 or IAP-66) will be sent if admission is granted. The University reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant.

2. Submit Transcripts

To be considered for admission, the applicant must send one official copy of each transcript (native language and certified English translation) describing all academic studies completed and attempted. All information must be submitted whether or not credit was earned. No portion of the applicant's previous academic records will be disregarded.

International college transcripts require an official evaluation by World Education Services. To request a form or for more information about this process, please email our International Admissions Office.

All transcripts become the property of the University and cannot be returned to the applicant. Students attending a school in the U.S. need to provide the contact information for the school's International Office.

3. Submit Official Test Scores

Some programs require official test scores as part of the admission process. If required, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and/or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores should be submitted electronically to institution code 6482. For information about the GRE, click here. For information about the GMAT (for Master of Business Administration applicants only), click here.

4. English Language Requirement

All applicants are required to submit either a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score to be admitted to ULM. We require a minimum TOEFL score of 61 for the internet-based test, 500 for the paper-based test, and 173 for the computer-based test. We require a minimum IELTS score of 5.5.

If an English language deficiency is determined, students will be required to enroll in the English as a Second Language program until an acceptable level of English proficiency has been attained. Enrollment in academic courses may not be allowed until this deficiency is addressed. When the student has satisfied all ESL requirements, the student will then be allowed to pursue courses toward degree completion.

An international applicant may be exempt from the English language proficiency test if one of the following applies:

The student's native language is English;
If the student's TOEFL score is 100 or higher for the internet-based test (600 for the paper-based or 250 for the computer-based tests);
A student has graduated from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university with a full four-year baccalaureate degree or a two year masters degree (all credits must be earned in the U.S.);
or an IELTS score of 7 or higher.

5. Statement of Financial Backing

Submit Statement of Financial Backing Form, which must be completed with the appropriate signatures and must include your sponsor's signature on the form to ensure sufficient funds will be provided for your academic studies.

6. Proof of Immunization Form

Submit immunization requirements to Medicat - check here for more information.

7. Graduate Assistant Application

Applying for a graduate assistantship is a separate process from applying for admission. Assistantships are competitive, subject to availability, and a superior standard of academic achievement. You will find information regarding graduate assistantships and the application process here.