Graduate students must apply directly to a department for admission to specific degree and/or advanced certificate programs. The individual Schools, departments, and programs establish their own requirements for admission. In all cases, a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited or recognized undergraduate institution is required. Application materials should be requested from the individual School, department, or program in which the student wishes to undertake graduate study. A non-refundable application fee, payable in U.S. funds, is required of all applicants for graduate admission.
In general, waivers of graduate application fees are not granted. Categorical exceptions are made only for those applicants who provide sufficient documentation of their participation as an undergraduate student in an EOP, HEOP or SEEK program within New York State (only), or as an undergraduate participant in the national McNair Scholars program on any campus, or as an applicant through Project 1000.
An appeal for a deferral (not a waiver) of the application fee can be made by applicants who provide documentation of their receipt of a GRE Fee Waiver. In all other cases, a deferral (not a waiver) will be considered by the Office of Graduate Enrollment Management Services only in extraordinary instances of financial hardship and then only with clear documentation from an appropriate official at an institution of higher education certifying this financial need. Please note that self-declaration of need by an applicant or mere eligibility for student financial aid (loans) is not adequate justification. For more information, applicants should consult the department in which they are applying to graduate study.
Completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or other appropriate standardized national exam (e.g., Miller Analogies Test [MAT]) is required for admission to all PhD programs at UB. There is no specified minimum test score or expiration period of test validity required for admission consideration or actual admission. Departments interested in admitting PhD applicants without a GRE or other approved standardized test score must petition the Office of Graduate Enrollment Management Services and provide necessary documentation (transcripts, essays, recommendation letters, etc.) supporting their case.
The minimum cumulative undergraduate grade-point-average (GPA) for admission to Master's and PhD level programs is 3.0. Departments interested in admitting PhD applicants with a cumulative undergraduate GPA below 3.0 must petition the Office of Graduate Enrollment Management Services and provide necessary documentation (transcripts, standardized test scores, etc.) supporting their case.
Students who hold a bachelor's degree are permitted to register for graduate coursework as non-matriculated students for a maximum of 12 credit hours. Information concerning this opportunity may be obtained from the individual department. Once registration reaches twelve hours a checkstop will be placed on the student's academic record by the Graduate School prohibiting further registration until the student matriculates into a graduate degree program.
Currently enrolled UB graduate students need only to register in order to attend Summer Sessions. Students enrolled in graduate programs at other universities or students who have completed a baccalaureate degree may register as non-matriculated students for the summer session. Non-matriculated students must first secure the approval of the appropriate department or faculty member for each graduate level course to be taken.