Graduate School

Admission to Washington State University Graduate School is a joint decision between the Dean of the Graduate School and your prospective department or college.

Many departments require additional materials or have earlier deadlines, so we recommend you contact them early in the process. Also, if you miss the priority deadline, you must contact the department to see if they are still accepting applications.

Please Note:

Applicants may not be considered regardless of the previous institution's credentials if their application is deemed inadequate, incomplete, or insufficient.
Access more information on finances.

1. Prospective international students must have the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree from an approved institution. Usually this is a minimum of four years of study beyond grade 12.
2. A grade point average equivalent to a U.S. grade of "B" or better is required. Click here to calculate your GPA.
3. Applicant must have official TOEFL, IELTS, or MELAB scores submitted directly to the Graduate School from the testing services. Check English proficiency requirements for specific test score requirements and exceptions to this requirement.
4. GRE (code 4705) or GMAT scores if required by the prospective department.
5. Three letters of recommendation generated through the online application.
6. Applicant must be accepted by the department or program in which prospective students seek a degree or graduate study. Any additional requirements set forth by the department or program are also required.
7. Transcripts are required for the application review process. A copy of the unofficial transcript (and its English translation) for every college and university that the applicant attended is acceptable for the application review process. Applicants may upload copies of unofficial transcripts and translations via the online application or email them as a pdf file to gradsch@wsu.edu . Web printouts of transcripts are NOT acceptable. All transcripts sent to the Graduate School as part of the application process become part of the official Graduate School application file and cannot be returned or transferred.
8. If recommended for admission or specifically requested during the admissions process, applicant must have the following official documents submitted to the Graduate School:
   • Transcripts, mark sheets, grade reports, or examination results, along with degree certificates from all higher education institutions attended outside the United States or Canada. When sending official transcripts from schools located in non-English-speaking countries, have each institution submit both the English translation plus an original language record. For these documents to be official they need to be in a stamped and sealed envelope. Mail or ship (Fed Ex, UPS or DHL) to the following address:
     
     Graduate School Admissions
     Stadium Way
     French Administration, Room 324
     Washington State University
     Pullman, WA 99164-1030

9. Financial Verification: The student may submit application materials without financial verification. However, if the department is recommending the student for admission into the graduate program but has not made a decision on an assistantship or will not award the student an assistantship, then the student will be required to submit financial verification before the student can be processed for admission. In such cases, the Graduate School will notify the student by an email requesting a current official bank statement, and an affidavit of support if the student is being sponsored. Student self-support, support from parents, friends, or relatives all require official bank verification with the original signature of the bank official and original signature of the sponsor, and include the bank seal. For additional information regarding financial responsibility, see certificate of financial responsibility memo [PDF]
10. Copy of Passport or National Identity Card: The applicant should submit a clear and readable copy of their passport or national identity card if no passport has been issued.

The Dean of the Graduate School grants final approval of admission, assuming general admission requirements have been met, and when evidence indicates a high probability of success in the prospective degree program.

Immigration Documents

Admitted applicants may apply for an F-1 or J-1 visa at the U.S. Embassy, http://usembassy.state.gov/, or consular in the country of origin. Below please find the non-immigrant visa categories:

• F-1/J-1 Student visa: for those who wish to pursue studies at an accredited U.S. university.
• F-2/J-2 Dependent visa: for the accompanying spouse, or minor children younger than twenty-one years, of an F-1 or J-1 student.

English Proficiency Requirements

All international applicants must demonstrate a basic proficiency in English by submitting official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) test scores. Scores must be less than two years old and sent directly to the Graduate School from the Educational Testing Service. The Educational Testing Service reporting code for Washington State University is 4705 (for the TOEFL only).

Please note exceptions to the English proficiency requirement:

• Applicants from Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Canada, Guyana, Kenya, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Nigeria, and Trinidad and Tobago are exempt from the English proficiency requirement.
• International students who have or will have graduated with a baccalaureate -level or higher degree from an accredited four-year U.S. or Canadian college or university within two years of the expected semester of enrollment at the WSU Graduate School are not required to submit English proficiency test scores TOEFL scores.

Student copies of scores, or photocopies, are not official and will not be used in the final admission process. The minimum acceptable IELTS score is 7.

For more information, please phone the Educational Testing Service at (609) 921-9000.

For info on campus, please contact the Intensive American Language Center. Minimum score for IALC is 6.