Graduate Admission

Graduate School Admission Standards and Application Procedures

Policies and Procedures

Admission Standards

Admission to the Graduate School is determined by the dean of the Graduate School after evaluation and approval of credentials and recommendation by the faculty of the academic discipline concerned. The Graduate School at the University of Mississippi recognizes the necessity of using multiple criteria in making admission decisions. These criteria include an applicant’s previous academic performance and scores on standardized tests, if applicable, and may include research and practical experiences, evidence of skill (e.g., a writing sample), letters of recommendation, and, in the case of applicants whose native language is not English, scores on an English proficiency exam. Students may apply for admission before a baccalaureate degree is completed but may not enroll as a graduate student until the degree is conferred. Students who apply prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree will be allowed to register for courses for one term but must complete the baccalaureate degree prior to the start of the first day of classes for that term. Proof of the conferral of the baccalaureate degree is required before the student will be eligible to enroll for additional terms, and the degree must have been conferred prior to the first day of enrollment in a graduate course [UM undergraduate students following policies outlined in the policy (Academic Regulations for Graduate Students) are eligible to enroll in subsequent terms if all graduate courses completed prior to the baccalaureate degree were reserved for graduate credit or, if a 6000-level course, were part of a PAAD opportunity.]

Meeting minimum standards does not guarantee admission to a degree program. The selection process is competitive, and admission decisions take into consideration the availability of space and resources within a department. To assure full consideration for admission, all application materials must be received by deadline dates.

In order to be assured of consideration for admission, the following materials must be submitted to the Graduate School prior to April 1 for summer and fall enrollment and prior to Oct. 1 for spring enrollment, unless the program for which application is being made has specified a different application deadline: an application for Graduate School, official transcripts from all institutions attended, and any required test scores.

An incomplete application will not be reviewed by the intended graduate program. Some departments enforce individual application deadlines. Applicants are urged to contact the department to which they are applying regarding departmental requirements and deadlines.

Application Procedures

Applications for admission to the Graduate School must be completed by the deadlines noted above. Incomplete applications will be held as inactive for one year but require permission from the Graduate School to reactivate. Beyond that time, the application process, including submission of a new application fee, must begin again. An application is complete when the following materials have been received:

  1. A completed online application, including payment of the application fee.
  2. An official score from an appropriate standardized test when required by the program. International applicants whose primary language is not English and/or who have completed their secondary or tertiary education primarily outside of the U.S. must submit scores on an approved English language proficiency exam. Submission of this test result is required at the time of application. Other materials may be required by specific departments.
  3. Official transcripts from the institution conferring the baccalaureate degree and from all colleges and universities subsequently attended. Only transcripts submitted directly from the sending institution to the University of Mississippi are considered official.
  4. Proof of immunization.

All application materials should be sent to the Graduate School. Applicants failing to provide any of the materials noted above will not be considered for admission. Medical and immunization records must be submitted to Student Health.

Re-admission

University of Mississippi students who have a break in enrollment of one or more semesters must apply for re-admission. Official transcripts must be requested by the student, and received by the Graduate School, from all institutions attended since the last University of Mississippi enrollment. Students are admitted for a particular semester. If they are unable to enroll in courses that semester, they may request that their application be updated for the next semester. Re-admitted students will be subject to departmental, university, and catalog regulations in effect at the time of their re-admission.

Graduate Admission Statuses

Admission to the Graduate School is determined by the Dean of the Graduate School after evaluation and approval of credentials and recommendation by the faculty of the academic discipline concerned. A baccalaureate degree is the minimum credential required for admission to the Graduate School. Students may apply for admission before this requirement is met but may not enroll as graduate students until this degree is conferred.

Categories of Admission: Degree Seeking

  • Full Standing Admission - Applicants who are recommended by the faculty of the academic area concerned and whose credentials include a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, a 2.7 or equivalent grade-point average on the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work or a 3.0 overall grade-point average for undergraduate course work, and an acceptable score on the standardized test appropriate to their discipline (if applicable), may be considered for admission in full standing to a degree program. Programs that wish to recommend full standing admission for an applicant who does not meet the above criteria must specify the justification for the recommendation (e.g., prior experience) to warrant full standing admission and the actions the program will take to support the success of the student.

  • Provisional Admission - Applicants who have not met requirements for full standing admission but whose credentials include a baccalaureate degree and who indicate a reasonable chance for success, may be admitted in this category on rare occasions (typically less than 10% of a program’s students should be admitted with provisional status). The program shall specify the requirements for the student to be re-classified as a full standing graduate student, and such requirements can include up to 9 hours of remedial coursework. Upon advancement to full standing admission and recommendation of the departmental chair concerned, credit earned while enrolled in this status may be applied to a degree program. Students admitted in this category must satisfy all conditions of admission by the end of their first 9 hours of enrollment or their status will be changed to nondegree. Provisionally admitted students may take graduate courses as part of fulfilling the requirements for full admission status. Students admitted in this category are not eligible for graduate assistantships or federal financial aid. Provisional students may not preregister for a second enrollment.
  • Qualifying for Admission - Applicants whose academic qualifications are not sufficiently strong to warrant admission to a degree program, but who take courses that will strengthen their qualifications to enter graduate degree programs, will be admitted as qualifying students. Courses completed in this category may not be applied to a graduate degree program at The University of Mississippi. Students admitted in this category are not eligible to receive graduate assistantships. While in qualifying status, a student may take a minimum of 9 hours and a maximum of 18 hours. When recommending admission into this category, departments are required to specify up to 18 hours of undergraduate course work, and/or to specify a non-course requirement, to be completed satisfactorily before the student is considered for admission into a graduate degree program. Students admitted in this category may not be eligible for federal financial aid, unless the undergraduate courses that must be taken are required prerequisites for admission to the program. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Categories of Admission: Nondegree Seeking

  • Nondegree II - Applicants with no intention to pursue a graduate degree program and whose undergraduate grade-point average is 2.7 or higher will be admitted in this category. Students admitted in this category cannot register for thesis or dissertation hours. Enrollment is restricted to courses at the 6000 level or below unless the student has permission from the department offering the course to enroll in a 7000 level course. Nondegree II students who later apply for and are accepted in a degree program may apply a maximum of 9 hours of graduate work taken in this category.
  • Nondegree III - International applicants who will be enrolled in a Graduate Accelerator Program and have a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with an earned grade-point average of at least 2.5 may be admitted to this category. A student in this category may not register for thesis or dissertation hours. Applicants must meet the English language proficiency requirements established for admission to the Graduate Accelerator Program. Nondegree III students who later are admitted to a degree program may apply a maximum of 12 hours of courses taken in this category to the degree.

International Applications

English Language Proficiency Score Requirements and Exemptions

Language Proficiency Examination Score Requirements

To be considered for admission, international students whose native language is not English must submit an official test score to the University of Mississippi from the list of acceptable tests. Note that some graduate programs may require higher scores for admission. The University of Mississippi recognizes that citizens on the list of exempted countries or applicants who have earned a higher education degree from the list of exempted countries are not required to submit an official test score.

Applicants who submit scores between 69-78 on the TOEFL (iBT), 523-549 on the TOEFL (PBT), 5.5-5.99 on the IELTS, 47-52 on the PTE-A, or 5.5 on the PASS test, or FCE with no part below a 155 on the Cambridge test are required to enroll in IE 090 and IE 091 during the first semester of enrollment. IE 090/091 must be repeated until satisfactory results are obtained.

Applicants who submit scores below 69 on the TOEFL (iBT), 523 on the TOEFL (PBT), 5.5 on the IELTS, 47 on the PTE-A, 5.0 on the PASS test, or FCE with no part below a 155 on the Cambridge test can only be admitted to The University of Mississippi Intensive English Program.

Students who satisfactorily complete IE 090/091 must present a score on the institutional TOEFL that is equivalent to the above target score.

International students with scholar status who desire to enroll in the Graduate School but who do not wish to pursue a degree may be admitted without the required English language proficiency test score. These students will be limited to enrollment as auditing students only. Should a student admitted under this provision later wish to be admitted to a degree program, all admission requirements, including acceptable English proficiency scores or the equivalent, must be met. However, no course work taken while an auditing student will be applied in any way to the degree program.

International graduate students who are employer-sponsored by an employer with a signed MOU with the University of Mississippi should contact the program and Graduate School for information about English language proficiency to ensure compliance with the Graduate School Admission Standards and adapted guidelines.

Residence

Legal Residence of Students

The university applies the definitions and conditions stated here as required by state law in the classification of students as residents or nonresidents for the assessment of fees. 

No student may be admitted to the University as a resident of Mississippi unless their bona fide residence has been in the State of Mississippi preceding their admission. 

A person who has entered the State of Mississippi from another state and enters the University is considered a non-resident, unless they can demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that they have become a bona fide resident of Mississippi. A student is only considered a bona fide resident of the State of Mississippi if it is the place where they (or their parent(s) or guardian for a minor) actually physically reside with the intention of remaining indefinitely or of returning permanently when temporarily absent.

Requests for a review of residency classification should be submitted to the Registrar; forms for this purpose are available from the Office of the Registrar. Such requests, when involving a specific enrollment period, are reviewed until classes begin for that particular enrollment period as stated in the Academic Calendar, provided the Request for Review Forms are received by the registrar before the beginning of classes. Any initial determination denying a change of residency is appealable to the Residency Appeals Committee. The decision of the Residency Appeals Committee is final.

A Minor

The residency of a minor (less than 21 years of age) is that of the father, the mother, or a general guardian duly appointed by a proper court in Mississippi. If a court has granted custody of the minor to one parent, the residence of the minor is that of the parent who was granted physical custody by the court and is where the student resides. If both parents are dead, the residence of the minor is that of the last surviving parent at the time of that parent’s death, unless the minor lives with a general guardian, duly appointed by a proper court of Mississippi, in which case his/her residence becomes that of the guardian. A minor student who, upon registration presents a transcript demonstrating graduation from a Mississippi secondary school and who has been a secondary school student in Mississippi for not less than the final four (4) years of secondary school attendance shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition. 

Adults

The legal residence of an adult is that place where he/she is domiciled, that is, the place where he/she actually physically resides with the intention of remaining there indefinitely or of returning there permanently when temporarily absent.

Removal of Parent(s)/Guardian from Mississippi

If the parent(s)/guardian of a minor who is enrolled as a student move their legal residence from the state of Mississippi, the minor is immediately classified as a nonresident student; such a change in classification shall not affect the tuition to be charged upon completion of the semester in which the move takes place.

Residence Status of a Married Student

A married student may claim the residence of the spouse, or may claim independent residence status as any other adult.

Children Who Are Employed by a University Employee 

Dependent children of parents who are members of the faculty or staff of the University may be classified as residents for the purpose of attendance.

Military Personnel Assigned on Active Duty Station in Mississippi and spouses/children of military personnel

  1. Members of the United States Armed Forces on extended active duty and stationed within the State of Mississippi and members of the Mississippi National Guard, except those military personnel whose active duty assignment is for educational purposes, may be classified as residents, without regard to the residence requirement of 12 months, for the purpose of attendance at the university. Resident status of such military personnel who are not legal residents of Mississippi, as defined above under “Legal Residence of an Adult,” shall terminate upon their re-assignment for duty in the continental United States outside Mississippi.
  2. Resident status of a spouse or child of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on extended active duty shall be that of the military spouse or parent for the purpose of attendance  during the time that the military spouse or parent is stationed within the State of Mississippi and shall be continued through the time that the military spouse or parent is stationed in an overseas area with last duty assignment within the State of Mississippi, excepting temporary training assignments en route from Mississippi. Resident status of a minor child terminates upon reassignment under Permanent Change of Station Orders of the military parent for duty in the continental United States outside the State of Mississippi, excepting temporary training assignments en route from Mississippi, and except that children of members of the Armed Forces who attain Mississippi residency in accordance with the above provisions, who begin and complete their senior year of high school in Mississippi, and who enroll full time to begin studies in the fall after their graduation from high school, maintain their residency status so long as they remain enrolled as a student in good standing. Enrollment during summer school is not required to maintain such resident status.
  3. The spouse or child of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States who dies or is killed is entitled to pay the resident tuition fee if the spouse or child becomes a resident of Mississippi.
  4. If a member of the Armed Forces of the United States is stationed outside Mississippi and the member's spouse or child establishes residence in Mississippi , the University shall permit the spouse or child to pay the tuition, fees and other charges provided for Mississippi residents without regard to length of time that the spouse or child has resided in Mississippi.
  5. A member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the child or spouse of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is entitled to pay tuition and fees at the rate provided for Mississippi residents under another provision of this Policy while enrolled in a degree or certificate program is entitled to pay tuition and fees at the rate provided for Mississippi residents in any subsequent term or semester while the person is continuously enrolled in the same degree or certificate program. A student may withdraw or may choose not to reenroll for no more than one (1) semester or term while pursuing a degree or certificate without losing resident status only if that student provides sufficient documentation by a physician that the student has a medical condition that requires withdrawal or non-enrollment. For purposes of this subsection, a person is not required to enroll in a summer term to remain continuously enrolled in a degree or certificate program. The person's eligibility to pay tuition and fees at the rate provided for Mississippi residents under this subsection does not terminate because the person is no longer a member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the child or spouse of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States.

Certification of Residence of Military Personnel

A military person on active duty station in Mississippi who wishes to avail himself/herself or his/her dependents of the provisions of the paragraph titled “Military Personnel Assigned on Active Duty Station in Mississippi” must submit a certificate from the military organization showing the name of the military member, the name of the dependent, if for a dependent, the name of the organization of assignment and its address (may be in the letterhead), that the military member will be on active duty stationed in Mississippi on the date of registration at the university; that the military member is not on transfer orders; and the signature of the commanding officer, the adjutant, or the personnel officer of the unit of assignment with signer’s rank and title. A military certificate must be presented to the Registrar of the University each semester at (or within 10 days prior to) registration for the provisions of the paragraph “Military Personnel Assigned on Active Duty Station in Mississippi,” named above, to be effective.

Families of Students

The spouse and children of a nonresident student who pays or receives a waiver of the nonresident fee may enroll in the university upon payment of the appropriate fees charged to a resident. Nonresident fees for spouses and children of part-time nonresident students will be prorated.

Responsibility of Students

Residency classification of an applicant for admission is determined by the Registrar and is stated on the Admission Certificate issued. Students should notify the Registrar immediately by letter of any change in residence.

Registration

Priority Registration

Continuing students may register online by using their Banner Experience portal. Online class schedules for an upcoming priority registration period are available approximately two weeks prior to the beginning of priority registration. An academic adviser must approve each student’s schedule. Students accept the responsibility for maintaining acceptable grades and for the payment of fees at the time they register.

Late Registration

Students who do not register before classes begin have until the last day to register, which is the 10th day of classes of a regular semester, to complete the process. During this period, a late registration fee will be assessed. No student will be permitted to register for classes after the last day to register without a serious and compelling reason approved by the dean of the student’s school or college. In no case may a student register after the last regular class day in any semester.

Late Withdrawal from a Course

After the course withdrawal deadline, a student may drop a course only in cases of extreme and unavoidable emergency as determined by the student’s academic dean. Unacceptable reasons for late withdrawal include dissatisfaction over an expected grade or a change in a student’s degree program or major. In no case may a class be dropped after the last regular class day in any semester, session, or term. Courses dropped after the course withdrawal deadline will still appear on the student’s official transcript. The W mark will be recorded if the student is passing the course at the time of withdrawal; the F grade will be recorded if the student is failing.

Drop-Add Procedures

Students may add courses, using their Banner Experience portal, through the fifth day in which classes meet during a regular semester. After the fifth day, students must have the approval of the instructor in the course. After the 10th day of classes (the last day to register), courses may be added only under extraordinary circumstances approved by the dean of the school or college in which the student is enrolled, and a small fee will be assessed per added course. In no case may a student add a class after the last regular class day in any semester.

A student may drop any course, using the online system, until the course withdrawal deadline, which is the 30th day in which classes meet during a regular semester. However, after the 10th day of classes a small fee will be assessed per dropped course. No indication of enrollment in a course properly dropped will be shown on any University of Mississippi record.

Withdrawal from the University

A student who wishes to withdraw from the university (i.e., withdraw from all courses) during the course of a semester, intersession, or summer term can withdraw online in their Banner Experience portal or can provide written notification via fax, mail, or in person to the Office of the Registrar. Appropriate university offices (Student Housing, Financial Aid, Bursar, ID Center, Library, and Academic Dean) will be notified of the withdrawal. Full refunds of tuition and fees (minus a processing fee) are given for withdrawals during the first 10 days of classes of a regular semester, and no refunds are given after the 10th day of classes. Students who withdraw must apply for readmission if not enrolling for the subsequent term.

A student required to withdraw from the university for involuntary military service may be given full credit for course work in progress provided at least four-fifths of the course requirements have been completed. The student’s academic dean will decide if the four-fifths requirement is met, and the student’s instructors will decide whether or not final examinations will be required. An unofficial withdrawal is defined as occurring when a student simply stops attending classes without going through the formal process to withdraw. If a student unofficially withdraws before completing the period of attendance of which federal aid eligibility is based, there are additional consequences.

As noted in the Federal Student Financial Aid Handbook, the U.S. Department of Education mandates that universities develop a mechanism for determining whether a student recipient of a Title IV grant or loan has ceased attendance without notification during the period of enrollment. To meet this requirement, the Office of Financial Aid has created a term-based report that identifies all students who received federal aid and posted all “F” and/or “W” grades. For students falling into these categories, the university must determine if the student actually began attendance and, if so, when the attendance ceased. Based on this information, these students are processed as schedule cancellations (if never attended) or as unofficial withdrawals (if attended and left without officially withdrawing). For schedule cancellations, the student account will be charged for all disbursed aid. For unofficial withdrawals, a calculation is performed for refund purposes.

Each student is responsible for having class instructors contact the Office of Financial Aid with a last date of attendance or class-related activity by the accounts receivable posting date that is shown in the student’s Unofficial Withdrawal letter. If acceptable documentation is provided, the later date will be used for the unofficial withdrawal calculation.

Summer Term Deadlines

During a summer term, the last day for full refunds on complete withdrawals is the third day of classes, which is the last day to register or add courses, and the course withdrawal deadline is the 10th day of classes.