After You Apply

If you have already submitted your completed application, congratulations! Here is some more information you may find helpful as we review your materials.

Checking Application Status

You can check the status of your application at any time by logging into Slate for Grad Admissions. 

Your Slate application status page gives you tools to review a checklist of your application requirements, pay any outstanding application fee, manage details for any outstanding recommendations, update your address or email information, and upload additional documents. When a final decision has been made, there will be a link on your application status page to view the updated status.

Receiving an Application Decision

As soon as we receive your application materials and application fee, your application is available to the graduate faculty in your desired program of study for their consideration. Each program’s admissions committee has its own timeline for reviewing applications. Contact the academic department directly if you have questions or concerns about the review timeline.  

The graduate program will make a decision on your application and then it will pass to the Graduate School.  If the graduate program recommends you for admission, the Graduate School will review your application to ensure that your application meets the Graduate School’s minimum requirements. You will receive notification when the Graduate School finalizes a decision. Regardless of the graduate programs' decisions, applicants are not admitted until they receive formal admission from the Graduate School.

Tell Us Your Plans

Accept or Decline the Offer of Admission

It is important that you tell us your plans as soon as possible. Your quick response will allow us either to secure your place in the incoming class or to release your spot to other applicants who may be waiting for acceptance. Once you have decided whether to accept or decline the offer of admission, be sure to share your plans with us. 

As you view the details of your updated status in Slate, follow the directions about how to submit a form to accept or decline the offer of admission. 

Offers with Financial Support

The Graduate School abides by the Council of Graduate Schools Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees, and Assistants. When a prospective or current student accepts an offer of financial support (such as a graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or assistantship) for the next academic year, the student enters an agreement that both the student and graduate program are expected to honor. Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15. Withdrawing an acceptance of financial support after April 15 commits the student to obtain a written release from the program before accepting an offer from another program or institution. See the above mentioned resolution for additional conditions affecting the offer.

Submit Official Transcripts

Upon admittance, official transcripts must be submitted from all colleges/universities attended, undergraduate and graduate, where nine (9) or more credits were taken. 

In order to be considered official, transcripts must be submitted, either electronically or in paper format, directly to the Graduate Student Service Center by each institution’s registrar.  Transcripts uploaded to your admissions application or sent as email attachments are not considered official. 

Certified Electronic Transcripts: Colleges and universities in the United States may submit secure electronically delivered transcripts that are digitally signed, passcode protected, and properly certified by the issuing institution. Send to: gradadm [at] grad [dot] umass [dot] edu (gradadm[at]grad[dot]umass[dot]edu). Transcripts uploaded to your admissions application or sent as email attachments are not considered official. 

Paper Transcripts: It is preferred that the official documents be delivered directly from the issuing institution to:

Graduate Student Service Center
522 Goodell Building
University of Massachusetts
140 Hicks Way
Amherst, MA 01003-9333

However, if the document is given to you to forward to UMass, it must be received in the official sealed envelope that is signed and stamped across the envelope flap by the appropriate academic officer at the institution issuing the document.  If the envelope has been opened or there is no stamp or signature across the envelope flap, it will not be accepted. 

International Transcripts and Degree Certificates: If your transcript does not clearly indicate the awarding of your degree, with the degree title and date awarded, we need the diploma and/or degree certificate in addition to the official final transcripts.

English Translation: Transcripts and degree documents that are in a language other than English must be accompanied by an official English translation or an official course-by-course credential evaluation from a NACES member. 

Commonly used Credential Evaluation Services (visit the NACES website for additional options):

• SpanTran
• WES
• IEE
• ECE
• Educational Perspectives

Deferring Admission

The Graduate School will defer your admission only with a recommendation from the graduate program.

Graduate programs may request a one-time deferral of admission for you, for up to one year, following the original term of application. Send your deferral request to the graduate program.

Consideration beyond the one-time deferral requires submission of a new application, application fee, and required application materials.

Residency for Tuition Classification

The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education sets the rules about eligibility for in-state tuition rates at Massachusetts public colleges and universities. 

We can only classify someone as a resident of Massachusetts for tuition classification purposes if they resided in Massachusetts for purposes other than attending an educational institution for twelve months immediately preceding the student’s entry or reentry as a student. Furthermore, residency is not acquired while the person is enrolled in an institution of higher education. 

Review Residency Classification for additional information.

Note: Your residency generally only matters if you enroll in courses offered through the University session. If you enroll in courses offered through University Plus, class fees are determined by the academic program, rather than your residency status.