Dec 06, 2024  
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Admissions


Graduate Admissions admissions.umb.edu/graduate-students
  617.287.6400
  graduate.admissions@umb.edu
  Campus Center, 2nd Floor, Suite 2100


Application Process

Eligibility

To be eligible for a UMass Boston graduate degree program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution of recognized standing or an international equivalent with a cumulative GPA of 2.75/4.0 (or international equivalent) in all undergraduate work.

Application Requirements

In addition to any program-specific requirements, all applicants need to submit:

  • Online application and fee.
  • Official transcripts for all institutions where you have earned more than six credits.
  • Applicants who completed undergraduate coursework outside of the United States may be required to submit English proficiency test results, even if they are permanent residents or citizen of the U.S.
  • Two to the letters of recommendation depending on the program-specific requirements.
  • Statement of purpose
  • Resume/CV

All hard-copy materials, including transcripts, should be mailed to:

UMass Boston Graduate Admissions
PO Box 402
Randolph, MA 02368

Please note it can take up to 10 business days for application materials to be received, processed, and linked to an application.  We appreciate your patience.

Disclaimers

Admission is granted only for the semester requested and cannot be guaranteed for future semesters. Admission to graduate study does not automatically indicate approval of candidacy for a degree.

All materials submitted to the university become the property of the university and cannot be returned to the applicant or forwarded to any third party.

 

International Applicants

In addition to UMass Boston’s general and program-specific graduate application requirements, international applicants to graduate programs must satisfy these requirements:

Bachelor’s Degree Equivalency

International applicants must submit evidence that they have completed the equivalent of a regionally accredited, U.S. university-level Bachelor’s degree program. Acceptable documents can include official copies of diplomas, certified final degree certificates, and notation on final transcript of degree and date awarded. Most international 4-year degrees are recognized as being equivalent. Most international 3-year degrees, including the Indian Bachelor of Arts, Sciences and Commerce degrees, are not considered to be equivalent.

If we are unable to determine equivalence, we may require applicants to submit an external evaluation from the Center for Educational Documentation (www.cedevaluations.com). Credential evaluations from other agencies may not be accepted. Credential Evaluation Reports will not be accepted in place of official transcripts.

Transcripts

Official transcripts should be mailed in hard-copy or sent electronically directly from a digital delivery service such as eScrip, Clearinghouse, or Parchment. We cannot accept scanned or emailed transcripts. Hard-copy materials should be mailed to:

UMass Boston Graduate Admissions
P.O. Box 402
Randolph, MA 02368

If you are using a shipping service that cannot deliver to a P.O. Box, you may send hard-copy materials to:

UMass Boston Graduate Admissions
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125

If your transcript is in a language other than English, each page must be accompanied by an English translation, validated by an official public translator. 

All materials submitted to the university become the property of the university and cannot be returned to the applicant or forwarded to any third party.

English Language Proficiency

Any applicant that has not completed at least two academic years of full-time study (excluding ESL or test-prep) at an approved English-speaking college or must submit official score results for one of the following:

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
  • International English Language Testing System academic version (IELTS Academic)
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic). 

Applicants may be exempt from submitting these test scores if they have received at least four years of education (including their undergraduate program) at an English-speaking college or university in the United States or:

Australia Guyana
Bahamas Ireland
Barbados Jamaica
Belize Kenya
Canada (except Quebec) Liberia
Dominica New Zealand
Ghana Trinidad / Tobago
Grenada Singapore
Grand Cayman United Kingdom

Our institution code is 3924. We can only accept official score reports sent electronically or in hard-copy directly from the testing agency. Please review the minimum scores required for admission:

 

TOEFL PBT

TOEFL IBT

IELTS Academic

PTE Academic

 College of Management

600

90

6.5

61

 Applied Linguistics (MA)

600

90

6.5

61

 Applied Linguistics (PhD)

600

100

7.0

68

 Early Childhood Education and Care (PhD)

600

100

7.0

68

 English (MA)

600

90

6.5

61

 History (MA)

600

90

6.5

61

 Instructional Design

600

90

6.5

61

 Most Other Programs

550

79

6.0

53

Visa Information

Once admitted, applicants will be contacted by the International Student & Scholar Office with information on the visa process. Please email international@umb.edu if you have questions or need assistance.

International students admitted to any American university need an I-20 “Certificate of Eligibility,” issued by the admitting institution, indicating that they have been accepted as full-time degree-seeking students, that they have the required proficiency in the English language, and that there is sufficient financial support for their education. 

Applicants must be prepared to pay their own expenses, and should also anticipate yearly increases in institutional costs (such as tuition and fees) and living expenses. For a complete listing of fees, refer to the Costs, Financial Aid, & Assistantships  section. Transportation to and from the U.S. is not included in this estimate. International students are required to pay non-resident tuition and fees.

The UMass Boston International Student & Scholar Office will normally provide the international applicant with the I-20 form to enable him/her to apply for a visa with which to enter the United States. The University cannot issue the I-20 to part-time or online programs. Visa documents will not be issued until the applicant has been admitted and satisfied the International Student & Scholar Office requirements for issuance.

The I-20 form is valid only for the semester for which it was issued. The Office of Graduate Studies and Admissions must be notified of an official decision to defer enrollment before a new I-20 form can be issued.

If the applicant holds an I-20 from another U.S. institution, a Transfer Verification Form must be completed by the International Student Advisor at the institution the student is currently attending, or if not currently enrolled, the institution most recently attended. Please email international@umb.edu if you need assistance.