Graduate Admissions

Graduate Admissions Overview

• Application deadlines vary by program. Most graduate degree programs accept applications year-round, with exceptions. Check the graduate catalog for details.
• Average application processing time varies from 3-8 weeks, depending on the programs application process
• Apply early for benefits, including:
  • More time to identify and award scholarships you are eligible for
  • Earlier applying and acceptance of financial aid and housing
• Stay up-to-date on the status of your application by creating your Pioneer Portal account and logging into WebAdvisor

Note: Admission to the University does not automatically guarantee admission to a particular college, school or program.

General Requirements for Admission to the Graduate School

TWU’s Graduate School establishes the minimum requirements for admission to all graduate degree and certificate programs. Check the specific program you're interested in for admissions criteria for that program. (Visit the Programs, Majors & Degrees page to find the program pages for the program you're interested in.)

All applicants are expected to meet the following criteria:

1. Hold an earned bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a U.S. college or university accredited by a regional accrediting agency, or an equivalent degree from a foreign college or university. The bachelor’s degree must be substantially equivalent to a bachelor’s degree granted by TWU.
2. Have a minimum 3.0 GPA for the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate study and a minimum 3.0 GPA for all prior graduate work. Academic components may choose to consider files of applicants with lower GPAs, on a provisional basis, but no lower than a 2.50 on the last 60 hours of undergraduate study.
3. Satisfy any additional requirements of an individual academic component for admission to a specific graduate program offered by that component. Consult the appropriate catalog section for component requirements.
   Examples include the following:
   • Preferred scores recommended for standardized exams that are required by academic components.
   • Review of completed undergraduate and graduate coursework.
   • Reference letters, essays, interviews, and evidence of scholarly activity such as publication in refereed journals, professional presentations, grant acquisition, portfolios, and professional leadership.
4. International and permanent resident applicants must submit one of the following to show English proficiency, or meet one of the exemptions noted on the TOEFL exemption form.
   • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 79 (iBT) or higher; 
   • Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) score of 80 or higher;
   • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic score of 6.5 or higher;
   • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) verbal score of 500 (153, Revised GRE) or higher;
   • Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic score of 53 or above; or
   • Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score equivalent to the 50th percentile.

See International Students for further information about English proficiency requirements.