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UWF Graduate Admissions- Admission Requirements

Graduate Admissions

Graduate Admission Requirements

The University of West Florida encourages applications for graduate admission from qualified students regardless of gender, culture, religion, ethnic background, age, marital status, or disability. Non-U.S. citizens should review the International Students graduate admission requirements.

There are two levels of graduate admission requirements: university-level and departmental-level. The Graduate School strongly suggests that applicants contact the Graduate Program Director and review the graduate program admission requirements before submitting an application.


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University Level Admission Requirements
  • Application for Graduate Admission and Application Processing Fee ▼
    Graduate applicants must complete the online graduate degree-seeking application. Non-U.S. citizens may print the international application. The application for graduate admission and a nonrefundable $30 processing fee payable to the University of West Florida should be submitted six to nine months prior to the semester for which admission is requested. It is the policy of the University not to defer or waive the application processing fee. The application processing fee must be in U.S. currency, drawn on a U.S. bank. There is an option to pay via MasterCard, Visa, or American Express credit card when the web application is submitted.

    If you do not submit your application processing fee online at the point that you submit your application, please send your payment to:

    The University of West Florida
    Cashier's Office
    11000 University Pkwy., Bldg 20E
    Pensacola, FL 32514-5750

    Graduate non-degree seeking applicants must complete the online graduate non-degree seeking application. Non-degree seeking applicants do not need to pay the $30 processing fee, nor do they need to submit the graduate admission test, official college transcripts, or departmental admission requirements.

  • Application Deadlines ▼
    The University final deadlines for applications and supporting documents for graduate applicants are:

    ► Fall Semester: June 1

    ► Spring Semester: October 1

    ► Summer Semester: March 1

    Because some departments have earlier deadlines, applicants should contact the Graduate Program Director and review the graduate program admission requirements for departmental deadlines. It is in an applicant's best interest to apply early. Files completed after the published deadlines may not be processed in time for the student to be considered for enrollment in the desired semester.

  • Graduate Admission Test Scores ▼

    Official test results from a nationally standardized graduate admission test are required for all applicants. The University of West Florida accepts the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), and the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).

    Applicants should contact the Graduate Program Director for which he/she applied to inquire as to which test is acceptable for that program.

    It is recommended that the graduate admission test be taken no later than April for the fall semester, August for the spring semester, or January for the summer semester. The test scores are considered official only when they are sent directly to the Graduate School from the testing agency. Examinee copies are not considered official. Applicants to the Ed.D. program should take the GRE or MAT one year prior to desired admission. The GRE, GMAT, and MAT are offered several times a year at numerous testing centers in the U.S. and abroad. Advanced registration is required. Registration forms, as well as detailed information on the availability and character of the examinations, may be obtained from the UWF Testing Center.

  • Official College Transcripts ▼

    Applicants must submit one official transcript from each college and university attended to the Graduate School. Students who received their undergraduate degree from UWF do not need to provide UWF transcripts. Transcripts are considered official when they are sent from a college or university directly to the Graduate School and bear an official seal and signature. Transcripts bearing the statement "Issued to Student," faxed transcripts, or transcripts submitted by the applicants are not considered official. Original documents or signed, officially certified photocopies of original documents may be submitted by the student only when institutions outside the U.S. will not send academic records to other institutions. The verifying signature preferably should be that of an officer of the institution attended. All academic records that are not in English must be accompanied by certified English translations.

    Official college transcripts should be mailed to the following address:

    The University of West Florida
    Graduate Admissions
    11000 University Pkwy., Bldg 11
    Pensacola, FL 32514-5750



  • Department Level Admission Requirements
  • Some graduate departments have additional admission requirements such as auditions, portfolios, goal statements, letters of recommendation, departmental applications, writing samples, personal interviews, and diagnostic testing. Applicants should contact the Graduate Program Director and review the graduate program admission requirements regarding any departmental admission requirements. These items should be sent directly to the department. View the departmental admission requirement table. Also make sure to go to graduate programs, select the program of your choice, and print out the detailed admission requirements checklist that includes the departmental admission requirements.
  • Requirements For Regular Admission To A Masters Program ▼
    Each applicant shall be required to meet minimum University requirements:
    1. An earned bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or from an institution accredited by an equivalent accrediting body or a comparable degree from an international institution with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4-point scale, or a 3.0 (GPA) on a 4-point scale on the last 60 hours of coursework in the baccalaureate degree.
    2. Be in good standing at all previous institutions of higher learning. Students who, for academic or disciplinary reasons, are not eligible to register in the college or university last attended will not be admitted for graduate study.
    3. A score on a nationally standardized graduate admissions test, such as the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or an equivalent that is acceptable for the program to which the student is applying. Test scores must be no more than five years old.
    4. Approval by the department offering the degree to which the applicant is applying.
    5. Approval by the department offering the specialization to which the applicant is applying.

    Departments may establish standards that exceed these university requirements or require additional application materials. Departments may accept an earned graduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or from an institution accredited by an equivalent accrediting body in lieu of the bachelor's degree and required standardized admission test.

  • Requirements For Regular Admission To A Specialist Program ▼
    Each applicant shall be required to meet minimum University requirements:
    1. An earned bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or from an institution accredited by an equivalent accrediting body or a comparable degree from an international institution with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4-point scale, or a 3.0 (GPA) on a 4-point scale on the last 60 hours of coursework in the baccalaureate degree.
    2. Be in good standing at all previous institutions of higher learning. Students who, for academic or disciplinary reasons, are not eligible to register in the college or university last attended will not be admitted for graduate study.
    3. A score on a nationally standardized graduate admissions test, such as the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or an equivalent that is acceptable for the program to which the student is applying. Test scores must be no more than five years old.
    4. Other requirements as specified by each specialization for the degree.
    5. Approval by the department offering the degree to which the applicant is applying.

    Departments may establish standards that exceed these university requirements or require additional application materials. Departments may accept an earned graduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or from an institution accredited by an equivalent accrediting body in lieu of the bachelor's degree and required standardized admission test.

  • Requirements For Regular Admission To A Doctoral Program ▼
    Each applicant shall be required to meet minimum University requirements:
    1. An earned master's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or from an institution accredited by an equivalent accrediting body or a comparable degree from an international institution with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 on a 4-point scale.
    2. Be in good standing at all previous institutions of higher learning. Students who, for academic or disciplinary reasons, are not eligible to register in the college or university last attended will not be admitted for graduate study.
    3. A score on a nationally standardized graduate admissions test, such as the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or an equivalent that is acceptable for the program to which the student is applying. Test scores must be no more than five years old.
    4. Other requirements as specified by each specialization for the degree.
  • Requirements For Non-Degree Admission ▼
    1. The non-degree classification is used only by those students who have completed a baccalaureate degree and who will not be working toward a graduate degree at UWF. Successful completion of courses in this classification does not provide a basis for degree status. Graduate students may petition their departments and colleges for a maximum of 12 semester hours completed as a non-degree seeking student to apply toward a graduate degree once admitted into a graduate program.
    2. To be considered for degree status, students must contact the Graduate School and complete the required application. Returning non-degree students who have had a three semester period of non-enrollment must file a new non-degree student application in the Graduate School. Graduate students who wish to change to non-degree status will complete the non-degree student application in the Graduate School and submit an additional statement in writing that a degree from UWF will no longer be pursued.
    3. Graduate non-degree seeking applicants must complete the online graduate non-degree seeking application. Non-degree seeking applicants do not need to pay the $30 processing fee, nor do they need to submit the graduate admission test, official college transcripts, or departmental admission requirements.
  • Students who do not meet the minimum University requirements may still be eligible for admission via provisional or conditional admission:
  • Provisional Admission ▼
    With approval from the department, students who do not have all application materials available at the time of admission may be granted provisional admission by the Graduate School. Provisional admission is appropriate for circumstances such as when the undergraduate institution has not posted the awarding of the baccalaureate degree, when graduate admissions has not received the applicant's official standardized test score, or when information required by the department is incomplete. Students who are granted provisional admission must submit all application materials during the first semester of graduate study or risk removal by the Graduate School of their status to pursue graduate study.
  • Conditional Admission ▼
    Students who do not meet the criteria for regular admission may be admitted by a department on a conditional basis. Also, students who have graduated from a recognized, although non-accredited, institution may be admitted on a conditional basis. Students admitted on a conditional basis are permitted to register for up to 12 semester hours, identified by the department as appropriate to the degree, and must earn at least a grade of "B" on each of those courses or risk removal of their status to pursue graduate study. Admission on a conditional basis should not be routine.