Graduate Admissions

The graduate application for all graduate programs is accessible online at the Graduate School website. The Graduate School Bulletin is also available on the web.

If you are considering our graduate program and have specific questions, contact Graduate Program Director Dr. Sofiya Alhassan at alhassan@kin.umass.edu.

Program Requirements

For the UMass Kinesiology program, each faculty member accepts his/her own graduate students. This means that rather than applying to the program at large, students apply to study under a specific faculty member. The most effective way to gain acceptance is to target a specific lab and contact the director of that lab directly to determine if his/her interests matches with yours and if there is an opening for a graduate student. Please be sure to include the faculty member you would like to work with in your personal statement.

All applicants must meet the general requirements of the Graduate School at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Admission decisions are based on a review of all application materials. TOEFL scores of 600 or higher (250 or higher on the computer-based version) must be submitted by international applicants who are not native English speakers. Accepted M.S. students generally have undergraduate GPAs of at least a 3.0. Full application information is available through the University of Massachusetts Amherst Graduate School.

NOTE: Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores are not required and will not be considered or reviewed by our admissions committee.

Application Deadlines

Applications must be submitted by February 1 for September admission.

English Language Proficiency Requirement

If your native language is not English, and you are not a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, you must submit your scores from a standardized English Language Proficiency Test in addition to your other required application materials (unless you meet one of the waiver conditions listed below).

Minimum scores required for admission are set by our Graduate Council; however, many graduate programs expect higher scores for admission. Please consult your program’s page for specific requirements.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst Graduate School accepts the following:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): minimum combined score of 80*
International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic): minimum combined score of 6.5
Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic): minimum overall score of 53

We are committed to reducing barriers caused by COVID-19 disruptions for students who plan to apply for admission. Therefore, the following online tests will temporarily be accepted as approved examinations for English proficiency:

Duolingo English Test: minimum overall score of 105
TOEFL iBT Home Edition: minimum combined score of 80*
IELTS Indicator: minimum combined score of 6.5

*Please note, when reviewing an application the Graduate School does not superscore language tests (e.g. we do not accept the ETS MyBest Score set).

Sending Your Scores

Official test scores must be transmitted electronically from the test agency to the University of Massachusetts Amherst Graduate School. Scores are valid for two years from anticipated date of entrance.

Send us your TOEFL Scores: Add us as a score report recipient through your ETS account. The Institutional Code for the University of Massachusetts Amherst is 3917.

Send us your IELTS Academic Scores: Contact the test center where you took IELTS and request that your test scores be transmitted to the e-download account for the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Send us your Duolingo English Test Scores: Add us as a score report recipient through your Duolingo account. Look for the University of Massachusetts Amherst Graduate School in the list of institutions.

Send us your PTE Academic Scores: Assign your scores to the University of Massachusetts Amherst through the PTE portal.

Waiver Conditions

Your standardized English Language Proficiency Test requirement may be waived if one of these conditions exists:

You have citizenship of Australia, Botswana, Canada, Caribbean English speaking countries, Dominica, Gambia, Ghana, Great Britain, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
You have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in the United States or in one of the countries listed above.
You have earned a degree from the American University in Beirut, American University in Bulgaria, American College of Greece, Bogazici University in Turkey, Kean University in Wenzhou China, RIT in Dubai, NYU Abu Dhabi, or NYU Shanghai.
You are currently enrolled as a full-time student who will have completed two academic years of college/university coursework in the United States prior to the date of anticipated entrance at the University of Massachusetts.
You have been certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.