Prospective Students | Frequently Asked Questions

Jump Down to Questions Specific to International Applicants

Q. Can the application fee be waived or deferred?
A. If you are an international applicant the answer is, No.
For United States citizens and permanent residents, the fee can only be waived if you received, or were eligible to receive, a GRE fee waiver through your undergraduate financial aid office. To qualify for a waiver of the GRE fee you must be (1) a U.S. citizen or resident alien and (2) a currently enrolled senior who meets the GRE Board financial-need guidelines. A copy of the GRE waiver or a letter from your Financial Aid Office attesting to your eligibility for a waiver must be attached to your application.

Q. What happens to my application if I submit it without the application fee or the GRE fee waiver documentation?
A. Your application simply will not be processed or considered by anyone at the University of Massachusetts. Don’t waste your postage!

Q. Can I apply to two or more programs for the same entrance period?
A. Yes, but you must submit separate applications, application fees, and separate set of credentials.

Q. What happens to my application if I submit it after the posted deadline for my desired program?
A. All processed applications are forwarded to the appropriate program upon receipt. Those applications submitted after the deadline will be “bumped” to the next entrance cycle, and it will be up to the faculty if they wish to consider any late application(s).

Q. What will happen if I submit credentials after the deadline?
A. Late materials will be forwarded to your desired program however, it is up to that program as to whether they will consider the material. It would be in your best interest to contact the program.

Q. If I have a completed application, when can I expect to receive a decision?
A. There is no specific answer to this question as admissions recommendations can come at any time from faculty admissions committees. As a rule of thumb, however, the Graduate Admissions Office expects decisions to be communicated to applicants within 6 to 8 weeks after the application deadline for that program has passed.

Q. If admitted, must I make an immediate decision to accept or decline the offer?
A: Prior to April 1st an admitted applicant can defer his/her attendance decision until April 15th; otherwise, the applicant has 15 days to notify the Graduate Admissions Office of that decision.

Q: If I am currently enrolled in the Graduate School at the University of Massachusetts and wish to apply to another graduate program, what must I do?
A: You must formally apply prior to the deadline for admission to that program through the Graduate School, and pay the appropriate application fee. Since your credentials which you previously submitted, except letters of recommendations, are on file with the Graduate School, you will not need to request them again. You, may, however, wish to furnish more current and appropriate letters of recommendation.

Q: I am currently enrolled in the Graduate School as a master's degree student and wish to apply for the doctorate in the same program, what must I do?
A: The answer is identical to the previous question, except that the Graduate School will waive the application fee, provided you have maintained continuous enrollment.

Q: Can I request that my credentials (transcripts, test score report(s), and letters of recommendation) be sent to the Graduate Admissions Office prior to sending in my application?
A: Although we will start a file for you when your transcript or first credential arrives, we would, however, appreciate it if you do not request those documents until you have actually put your application in the mail.

Q: Once I submit my materials to the Graduate School, can they be returned to me?
A: No. When credentials are submitted to the Graduate School, they become property of the University and cannot be returned to you or forwarded to another institution.

Q: Although I was not offered admission, I plan to reapply sometime in the future. How long will you retain my prior application and credentials?
A: Typically during the summer, we destroy application materials of those applicants for the entrance in the previous calendar year.

Q: Can I defer my admission to another entrance period?
A: Any admission is for a specific semester and can not be routinely deferred. If you wish to defer your acceptance for one year, you need to write to your graduate program to request a deferral. Some programs may ask you to formally reapply, others may not.

Q: I was admitted for the Fall semester; when can I expect to receive registration information from the University?
A: If you have a mailing address in the United States, registration materials will be mailed to you around August 1st; otherwise, you can pick them up when you arrive on campus in the Graduate Records Office.

Q: Where do I send my credentials (transcripts, letters of recommendation)?
A: You can mail these materials to the Graduate Admissions Office at 530 Goodell Building, University of Massachusetts, 140 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA 01003.

Q.Will I receive an email confirmation when I submit my application online?
 A.When you submit an application online, you will not receive an email confirmation stating that we received your application. You will, however, receive an acknowledgement letter with your ID and access code via postal mail. 

Q. Can my referee who is writing my letter of recommendation submit references directly to the Graduate Admissions Office?
A.Letters of recommendation can be accepted directly from the referee as well as from the applicant in an enclosed signed and sealed envelope along with your application.

Q. Do I need an I.D. in order to send my credentials?
A.You do not need to wait to receive an I.D. to complete your application. Be sure to have your name (as it appears on your application), date of birth and the program you are applying to on any correspondence sent to the Admissions office.

Q. Is there a department code for the GRE?
A. The institution code is 3917 and there is no department code needed for the GRE (if you must enter a department code you may use any number, all scores are received by the graduate admissions office electronically).

Questions which specifically apply to international applicants:

Q: In order to get a scholarship I need a conditional admission, can the University grant me one?
A: No. Admission is offered only to those applicants who have satisfied every aspect of the admission process, including the submission of a satisfactory TOEFL score report.

Q: Can I submit photocopies of my GRE, GMAT, or TOEFL score reports?
A: Initially, we advise an international applicant to attach photocopies of his/her score reports with the application, but official reports issued by ETS will be required before full processing of that application will take place. In some instances, the Graduate School will accept certified copies of these reports.

Q: Can TOEFL be waived?
A: The typical answer to this question is no, but you should refer to the TOEFL section of the application for waiver qualifications.

Q: I received a 550 on TOEFL, is that a respectable score?
A: Although a 550 TOEFL score satisfies the University's minimum TOEFL score, many programs are looking for much higher scores. The average total TOEFL score that the University of Massachusetts receives now is above 610.

Q: When can I expect to receive my I-20 or IAP66?
A: These documents can only be issued after you have confirmed your intention to enroll and have documented your ability to fund your first year of graduate study. Questions concerning this matter should be addressed to the Office of Foreign Students and Scholars, Clark International Center.(International Programs Office.)

Q: How much money must I show evidence of having to get my I-20?
A: University assistance (stipend and tuition/fee waivers), outside funding and personal funds must add to $21,000.

Q: When will I get my registration materials and my student identification number?
A: When you arrive on campus they can be picked up in the Graduate Records Office or at the orientation session about graduate registration.

Q.When will I receive my confirmation in the mail for submitting an online application?
 A. The confirmation letter can take up to 3-4 weeks to reach an overseas address.

Q. Is there a department code for the TOEFL?
A. For reporting TOEFL score results use any other department code except 00 - 00 which will send your score to the undergraduate office and not to the graduate school.

Q. I attended several colleges/universities; which transcripts must I submit?
A. One official transcript must be submitted from all colleges/universities attended, undergraduate and graduate, where 6 or more credits were taken aare required. You do not need to list college/universities where 5 or fewer credits were taken; however, if you do include them on your applicaton, we will consider your application incomplete until those transcripts are received.