General Application Policy for All Applicants

Before applying, applicants must check program‐specific deadlines and requirements. To apply for admission, all applicants must submit the following to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

  1. Application using the Online Form
  2. Non-refundable application fee
  3. Unofficial transcripts
    1. Submit unofficial transcripts for all university or college coursework completed after high school.
    2. Separate transcripts are required for study abroad if the courses, grades and credits are not listed on the degree issuing university's transcripts.
    3. Transcripts from United States military training courses that indicate credit received, but do not include grades or degrees, are exempt from the transcript requirement.
    4. Transcripts from non-degree granting institutions that are more than ten years old are optional; applicants may choose to submit these if they enhance the undergraduate GPA calculation or provide evidence of relevant coursework.
    5. International transcripts not in English must be submitted in the original language along with a certified English translation. 
    6. If the transcripts do not show the degree and date awarded, a diploma is also required. Note: Some programs may require official transcripts prior to admission.
  4. Official Transcripts must be submitted before registering for second-semester courses. International transcripts not in English must be submitted in the original language along with a certified English translation. If the transcripts do not show the degree and date awarded, a diploma is also required. 
  5. Resume or curriculum vitae (CV).
  6. Written statement of purpose.
  7. Two letters of recommendation. Letters must be submitted directly by the recommenders, who will receive prompts to submit their letters online. Note: Some programs may require more than two letters.
  8. English Proficiency Test Scores (if applicable): Submit scores directly through the testing agency using institution code 4075 (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE Academic). Review the "International Applicants" section for more information. 
  9. Test scores (GRE or GMAT,) (if required by the program):
    1. Submit test scores with institution code 4075.
  10. The Application Fee is non‐refundable, even if the application is withdrawn or denied and will not be applied to tuition or other fees if the applicant enrolls. The fee must be paid (or waived) before the application is reviewed. 

Minimum Standards for Unconditional Admission

Applicants must meet the following university standards, established by the Faculty Council for unconditional admission:

  1. Bachelor's Degree: A bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by a major regional accrediting agency. Degrees from institutions with only specialized or no accreditation will not be accepted.
  2. Grade Point Average (GPA):
  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.000 on a 4.000 scale.
  • For applicants with only a bachelor’s degree, the GPA will be calculated across all required transcripts from institutions attended prior to earning the degree.
  • For applicants with an earned graduate degree, the GPA from the graduate program will be considered instead of the bachelor’s GPA. Graduate degrees require the same accreditation as bachelor’s degrees.
  1. Proof of English Proficiency: Regardless of citizenship, applicants may be required to demonstrate proof of English language proficiency if the official language of the applicant’s country is not solely English or they do not have a degree from an institution in the United States or a country on the English Proficiency exempt list maintained by the Graduate School (e.g. United Kingdom). Review the “International Applicants” section for details.

Provisional Admission

  • Applicants with a GPA below 3.000 will be granted provisional admission and placed on academic warning. To continue in a CSU graduate program and the Graduate School, they must achieve a term GPA of 3.000 across all traditionally graded courses during their first semester.
  • Continuous Registration or taking only S/U‐graded courses will not satisfy this requirement.

Admissions Decisions

  • Academic departments or programs make admission decisions, while the Graduate School ensures these decisions meet minimum standards and addresses any requirements that are unmet. (e.g., diploma holds, provisional admission, or enrollment in the Intensive English Program). 
  • Admissions Decisions are final and cannot be appealed.
  • Programs may have stricter or additional requirements beyond the university’s minimum standards. Applicants are encouraged to contact their intended program for specific requirements. 

Meeting university and program minimums does not guarantee admission. Admission is competitive, and the university reserves the right to select applicants based on merit, their potential to support institutional goals, and their capacity to contribute to societal benefit while maximizing their individual potential. In programs with limited positions, selection considers the applicant’s qualifications, the competitiveness of the applicant pool, and program resources. 

Non-Degree and Self-Reported Applicants

  • ​​Individuals not intending to pursue a graduate degree may be admitted as non‐ degree or self‐reported students if space allows and academic requirements are met.
  • The non‐degree category is for those seeking advanced coursework, research experience, teacher recertification, or specialized training.
  • The self‐reported category is for those seeking a graduate certificate.
  • Courses taken as a non‐degree or self‐reported student are not guaranteed to transfer into a future degree program.
  • Those seeking professional certification (e.g., teacher, administrator, counselor) should contact the School of Education or relevant programs.

Fraudulent Applications

Submitting false information or fraudulent documents during the application process may result in rejection or dismissal from the Graduate School, regardless of other credentials. 

International Applicants

International applicants must meet the general application requirements outlined in the section “General Application Policy for All Applicants”, in addition to the following specific requirements:

Minimum Standards for Unconditional Admission for International Applicants

To be considered for unconditional admission, international applicants must meet the following additional minimum standards established by the Faculty Council: 

1.   Bachelor’s Degree: Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting agency, equivalent to a United States four‐year bachelor’s degree. 

2.   Grade Point Average (GPA): International applicants’ GPAs will be converted to the United States 4.0 scale.

3.   Proof of English Proficiency: Applicants must submit official English proficiency test scores, from within two years of the application date. Acceptable scores for unconditional admission include: 

  • TOEFL: (including the TOEFL My Best Score) Minimum score of 550 (paper based), 80 (Internet based)
  • IELTS: (including the IELTS OneSkills Retake) Minimum score of 6.5
  • Duolingo: Minimum score of 120
  • PTE Academic: Minimum score of 58
  • The English Proficiency requirement will be waived when:
    1. The entire CSU graduate degree program is taught outside the United States
    2. The official language of the applicant’s country is solely English.
    3. The applicant has recently earned a degree at a university in the United States. A registration hold will be placed on a student’s record until their degree is awarded. However, CSU undergraduate students will be exempt from this immediate hold.
    4. The applicant has recently earned a degree from a university in a country on the English Proficiency exempt list maintained by the Graduate School (e.g. United Kingdom).
  • Note: Some departments and programs may have stricter or additional English Proficiency requirements, especially for applicants seeking Graduate Teaching Assistantships. Applicants are encouraged to contact their intended program for specific details.

Conditional Admission Requirements

International applicants who do not meet the English Proficiency standards for unconditional admission may be considered for conditional admission if they meet the following minimum scores:

  • TOEFL: 50 or higher (Internet based)
  • IELTS: 5.5 or higher
  • Duolingo: 95 or higher
  • PTE Academic: 40 or higher

Upon conditional admission, students must successfully complete the Intensive English Program through the Office of International Programs. Enrollment in regular CSU courses requires approval from both the admitting department or program and the Graduate School. 

Requirements Upon Official Admission 

Upon official admission, international applicants must submit the following documents through the application portal:

  • Certified Proof of Financial Support: ​​United States immigration laws require proof of financial support before CSU can issue the necessary immigration documentation for a visa. For more information, visit the CSU Immigration Documentation webpage.
  • Passport Copy: Applicants must submit a valid copy of their passport.

Health Insurance Requirement: All international students and their dependents must maintain adequate health insurance coverage while attending CSU. 

Master’s Applicants Pursuing a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)

Individuals may pursue a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and a Master of Science (MS) concurrently under the following conditions:

  1. Bachelor’s Degree Requirement: The applicant must have an earned bachelor’s degree.
  2. Admission to the Master's Program: The applicant must fulfill all admission requirements for the chosen master’s program.
  3. Required Approvals: Approval must be obtained from both the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the director of the master’s program.
  4. Credit Restrictions: Credits earned for one degree cannot be applied toward the other. 
     

Application Deadline Dates for Graduate School and Financial Support

The general deadlines for submitting complete applications are as follows:

Term Graduate Program Only Graduate Program and Financial Support
Fall April 1st February 15th
Spring September 1st July 15th
Summer January 1st November 15th

Graduate programs may set their own application and financial support deadlines, which could differ from the general deadlines.

Key points to consider: 

  • Check Specific Program Deadlines: Always confirm the exact deadlines with the graduate program you are applying to, as they may vary.
  • Late Applications: Applications submitted after the deadline may still be considered based on available space and resources. However, late applications that cannot be processed may be deferred to a future semester or withdrawn.
  • Application Time Frame: For most programs, applications are not accepted more than 15 months before the intended start of the term.
  • Financial Aid Deadlines: Financial aid applications, including those for fellowships, assistantships, or other merit‐based support, may have earlier deadlines. For more details, refer to the Application for Financial Support webpage. 
     

Readmission

Graduate students enrolled in a degree or certificate program are required to be continuously enrolled. If there is an interruption in successive semester-to-semester registration in a degree program, enrollment will lapse and graduate students will need to reapply for admission. This applies to all graduate students, on-campus resident instruction or on-line.  There is a non-refundable readmission fee.

Readmission is not required for Guest registration or courses taken outside of a degree program.

For a certificate-seeking post-baccalaureate student not enrolled in a degree-program, or, if there is a lapse in continuous enrollment in a certificate program, students will be required to complete a new application.  There is a non-refundable application fee.

Transfer Credit Policy

Credit may be transferred to a graduate program at CSU with the approval of advisor, committee, and the Graduate School. Each transfer request is  reviewed individually and approval is not guaranteed.

Requirements for Transfer Credits:

  • Previous Degrees: Credits used to fulfill a previously earned degree cannot be transferred
  • Transfer Limits: The number of transferable credits is limited. Refer to the specific degree  descriptions and the "Credit Requirements" section for details. 
  •  Grade Exclusion: Grades from transferred courses are not included in the CSU graduate GPA calculation.
  • Course Level: Credits must be equivalent to CSU regular courses at the 500 level or higher.
  • Grade Requirement: Only courses with a grade of B or above will be accepted. A B- grade will not be accepted.
  • Professional Degree Courses: Credits from post-baccalaureate professional degrees in  fields such as Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Law, or Divinity may be transferred if they align with the intellectual foundation of a graduate discipline. 
  • Timing: Transfer arrangements should be finalized when submitting the Program of Study (see "Program of Study" section for details). 

CSU Credits:

  • Credits Earned Prior to Admission: CSU credits not applied to a bachelor’s degree and  taken before admission to a graduate program may be transferred, subject to limits outlined  in the "Credit Requirements" section. Students transferring CSU credits typically receive an  allowance of three additional credits compared to those transferring from other institutions. 
  • CSU Master’s to Ph.D. Credit: Students who earned a master’s degree from CSU will receive credit for all master's coursework when enrolling in a Ph.D. program, even if they have completed more than 30 credits. This policy ensures that students are not required to  retake courses required for the Ph.D. if they have already completed them during their master's program. 

Credits from Other Institutions:

  • Transfer Requests: Requests to transfer credits from other universities must include official transcripts. 
  •  Course Equivalency: Transfer courses must be exact equivalents to CSU courses. The  program will submit a list of these courses and their CSU equivalents to the Graduate School. 
  • Accreditation: Credits from non-accredited institutions are not accepted. Potential transfer credits must come from accredited institutions and accredited programs, be graduate-level, and part of a graduate degree program.
  • International Credits: Programs seeking to accept credits from international institutions  must submit a petition that includes a thorough analysis explaining course equivalencies,  rather than simply providing a course list. This analysis should demonstrate how each course meets the institution's standards and objectives. 

CSU System Credits:

CSU may establish formal agreements with CSU-Pueblo and CSU-Global, allowing the transfer of up to half of the required credits for a named master’s degree. These credits must adhere to CSU's transfer credit policies, which also apply to credits transferred from other universities.

Transfer Procedures:

  1. Formal Agreements: Must be proposed by an academic department or program, signed by the Provost, and approved by the Committee on Scholarship, Research, and Graduate Education (COSRGE). Agreements will specify the named master’s degree.
  2. Admission Requirement: Students must be admitted to a CSU master’s program to transfer credits. No more than nine credits earned prior to admission to the master’s program can be transferred. 
  3. Combined Transfers: Students may transfer credits under both bilateral agreements and normal procedures, but the total cannot exceed half of the required credits for the CSU master’s program. 
     

Double Counting Policy for CSU Undergraduates

Credits may count towards both undergraduate and graduate degrees under the following conditions:

  • Credit limits: Up to nine CSU credits can be double-counted.
  • Grade exclusion: Double-counted course grades earned prior to graduate admission are excluded from the graduate GPA calculation.
  • Course level: Eligible courses include 500-level regular CSU courses below 582.
  • Grade requirement: Only grades of B or higher are accepted. A B- grade will not be accepted.
  • Tuition: Double-counted courses are charged at the applicable undergraduate tuition rate, which may vary between resident instruction, hybrid, and online courses.
  • Financial aid: Students should consult the Office of Financial Aid regarding potential implications for federal aid when taking graduate-level courses as undergraduates.
  • Additional graduate policies: After matriculation to the graduate program, students must meet all requirements and policies governing graduate degrees.  

Types of Double Counting

  • Any 500-level regular coursework: Double-counted credits apply to a graduate certificate or degree, even if there is a gap between completing the undergraduate degree and starting the graduate program. A gap of up to ten years is allowed, in accordance with CSU's time limit policy on coursework. Admission to a graduate program is not guaranteed, and similarly to transfer credits, double-counting applied to the graduate degree requires the approval of the graduate advisor, committee, and the Graduate School. Each double counting request is reviewed individually, and approval is not guaranteed.
  • Graduate Certificate: Up to nine credits that meet certificate requirements may count toward graduate certificate completion after earning an undergraduate degree. Admission to a graduate certificate is not guaranteed. Students must apply for a graduate certificate and pay the application fee before completing the graduate certificate course requirements.  
  • Accelerated Master's Degree Programs (AMP): AMPs offer a streamlined path to earning both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree, reducing time and cost while providing early graduate program admission and advising.
     

Accelerated Master's Degree Program (AMP) Requirements

  • Application & Admissions:
    • Students submit an internal AMP application specific to the partnering graduate programs.
    • Conditional admission to the graduate program is guaranteed by the program during undergraduate studies.
    • A formal Graduate School application is required in the final undergraduate year.  
    • Admission is granted only after completing the bachelor's degree and meeting the minimum admission criteria for the graduate program.
  • AMPs must advise their students on:
    • Credit requirements for undergraduate double counting.
    • Application and admission requirements for AMP.
    • AMPs are continuous enrollment program requiring students to be continuously registered in fall and spring semesters both upon the completion of the undergraduate degree and throughout the completion of the AMP.
    • Continuous Registration (CR) may not be used until the second semester in which a student is officially admitted to a graduate program.

  • AMP program recognition (the following must be on file with the Graduate School):

    • A clear description of the program’s purpose.
    • A list of eligible graduate program codes.
    • Any AMP admission requirements that are specific to the program.
    • At least nine recommended double-counting credits.
    • Written approval from impacted department heads, college deans, and the Graduate School.
       

Dual and Joint Master's Degree Programs

  • Dual Degrees: Two separate degrees conferred simultaneously.
  • Joint Degrees: One degree with both programs listed on the diploma. These programs double count a defined number of credits between the two master’s programs, reducing the total required credits compared to pursuing the degrees separately. (Reference the “Master’s Degrees: Dual and Joint Master’s Degrees” section for details). There is one application process and fee for dual and joint programs.