Admissions & Financial Aid

Application Requirements

We require the following supporting materials for admission into all UMass Boston graduate programs.

Please submit your application with all of the following materials by the appropriate deadline.

Your Checklist

  • graduate admissions application
  • an official transcript from each institution attended (undergraduate, graduate, and transfer credit)
  • nonrefundable application fee
    • $60 for domestic applicants
    • $100 for international applicants

Your transcript(s) must demonstrate:

  • a minimum cumulative grade point average in undergraduate work of 2.75
  • a bachelor's degree from a college or university of recognized standing

Applicants must have either a four-year bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a degree which is in all respects equivalent. Each transcript must be in the sending institution's original sealed envelope.

Test Scores

  • submit test scores required by specific graduate program of study (i.e. GMAT, GRE, MTEL, etc.)
  • proof of English Language Proficiency (if applicable)
  • MTEL test results (if applicable)
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System exam (IELTS)

On average, an official GMAT score of 450 is preferred. Recent successful applicants have GMAT scores over 550.

Three Letters of Recommendation

  • must be from people who have worked closely with applicant in an academic, professional, or community service setting
  • should include specific information about the applicant's abilities and performance
  • should not be written by friends or family members of the applicant
  • at least one letter should be from a faculty member at an institution where the applicant has been enrolled who is familiar with the applicant's academic work, if possible
  • each letter should comment on differing aspects of the applicant's abilities and performance, and be current, directly addressing the applicant's present ability to do graduate work

A Statement of Interest and Intent

  • submit a typed two-part essay with your application
  • give your reasons for wishing to pursue graduate study in up to 300 words (part 1)
  • indicate your specific interests, and discuss the kind of work you would like to do in your intended field in at least 1,200 words (part 2)

Guidelines

  • use plain U.S. letter-size paper
  • put your name and Social Security number on each page
  • type if possible
  • enclose your essay with your application form, and submit both to the Office of Graduate Admissions

Please refer to individual program sections for information about additional or more restrictive requirements.

Required

  • acceptance by the graduate admissions committee of the program for which application is made
  • acceptance by the dean of Graduate Studies
  • acknowledgment of acceptance by the applicant, sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions

Admission Deposit

An admission deposit of $250 is required to confirm your enrollment. The deposit is applied to your first semester tuition and fees, but it is not refundable if you fail to enroll. Failure to acknowledge acceptance and pay the $250 deposit by the required date may result in deactivation of the application.

Copies of Submitted Material

All materials submitted to the University of Massachusetts Boston become the property of the university. Because neither such materials nor photocopies of them can be returned to the applicant, all applicants — and enrolled students — should be certain to keep copies of all forms, documents, and correspondence they submit to the university. If questions about any of this material should arise, students will find it useful to have copies for reference.

Former Boston State College Students

Boston State College was consolidated with the University of Massachusetts Boston in January 1982. All former Boston State College students who now seek admission to UMass Boston must follow the standard application procedure, and must complete the full course of study for advanced degrees at UMass Boston.

Your Boston State College Transcript

Applicants must indicate on the application form the academic programs in which they were enrolled and their dates of attendance. The Office of Graduate Admissions will then obtain copies of Boston State College transcripts.