Graduate Admissions/Registration Checklist
Note: For further assistance or information pertaining to a graduate program, please visit the Graduate Office in Library 234.

Step 1 – Admissions Enrollment Office • Tandy 105 • 544-8254

All applicants for graduate programs must complete an official graduate program admission application which consists of the following:

1. A completed graduate program application form and a copy of the receipt for payment of the application fee.
2. Proof of a baccalaureate degree from a four-year institution that has regional accreditation. Questions of bachelor degree equivalency for students with degrees from foreign institutions will be handled on an individual basis.
3. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate study and an official copy of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score report as dictated in the program requirements. Applicants should request that the registrar of colleges previously attended and the Educational Testing Service send transcripts and score reports directly to the Testing Office. Graduate Record Examination and Graduate Management Admissions Test scores more than five years old will be accepted only by permission of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Sponsored Programs. Unofficial copies of transcripts and test scores will be accepted in order to process applications.
4. Proof of residency.

   A copy of one of the following must be included with the application:
   • Permanent Texas Driver’s License/ID • Texas Voter Registration Card • Property Tax Statement or Receipt • Texas High School or College Transcript	• Lease Agreement • Utility Bill • Cancelled Check • Employer’s Statement (indicating date of employment)
   Note: All residency documents must be dated as of 12 months prior to registration.

5. Transcript of TOEFL scores for foreign students.
6. Two letters of recommendation from individuals in a position to judge the applicant’s preparation for and ability to complete a graduate program. Appropriate references would be college instructors, professional colleagues and supervisors. Letters must indicate one of the following: Social Security Number or Student I.D. Number.

Step 2 – Testing Testing Office • Tandy 216 • 544-8875

• Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
  Students planning to earn an M.A., M.A.I.S., M.S.I.S., or M.Ed. must take the GRE within their first semester. (See “Categories of Admission” for required test scores.)
• Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
  Students applying for the M.B.A. Program must take the GMAT. Prospective M.B.A. students are required to score a minimum of 400 on the exam. (See “Categories of Admission” for admission requirements.)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
  International Students are required to take the TOEFL. A minimum score of 550 is required for the written version or a 213 is required for the computerized version. (See “International Students” for more international student requirements.)

Graduate Categories of Admission
University graduate admission status does not automatically ensure admission to a college/school graduate degree program. Each college/school may have additional admission requirements for its graduate students. Once the individual’s admission application file is complete and reviewed by the student’s major department, the applicant will be notified in writing of his/her admission status.

1. Unconditional Admission - Requirements for Unconditional Admission to the M.A., M.A.I.S., M.S.I.S. and M.Ed. programs are:

   An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. A GPA of 3.0 or higher on any previous graduate work. A completed application consisting of items 1-6 found in the “Admissions/Registration Checklist” from the previous section. A score totaling 800 or better on the verbal and either the quantitative or the analytical portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). *Requirements for Unconditional Admission to the M.B.A. program are: An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work or a 2.8 GPA on all previous college studies. A completed application consisting of items 1-6 found in the “Admissions/Registration Checklist” from the previous section. A minimum test score of 400 on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).

2. Conditional Admission – An applicant with a verbal and quantitative score totaling 600-799 and/or less than a 3.0 GPA may be granted Conditional Admission after review of the student’s credentials by the student’s major department. Special course requirements or other conditions may be imposed by the academic department. Conditions may require that additional undergraduate or graduate semester hours be taken, that a specific grade point average be maintained, or some other condition be met by the student. If conditions are not met, the student may be barred from subsequent registration in the graduate program. Normally students must satisfy conditions of their probation within the first twelve hours of graduate study. A student in Conditional Admission may not hold an assistantship.
3. Provisional Admission – An applicant unable to complete the admission file may, upon the recommendation of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Sponsored Programs, be granted Provisional Admission. Provisional Admission allows a student to register for up to six graduate hours without the required GRE, GMAT, and TOEFL scores. A complete and satisfactory admissions application file must be received by the Enrollment Office before the end of the semester in which the student has registered with Provisional Admission. Students will not be permitted to enroll in graduate coursework for more than one semester. A student with Provisional Admission status may not hold an assistantship.
4. Non-degree or Transient Student – Students who wish to enroll in courses but do not plan to pursue a program leading to a graduate degree or certificate may enroll by completing an application for admission form, providing transcripts, paying the required application fee, registering for the course, and paying tuition/fees. These students are classified as Non-degree or Transient seeking and may or may not elect to receive academic credit. Students wishing to receive academic credit pay the regular course tuition fees; those who wish to audit pay the audit fee. Examinations are not required and grades are not given for courses audited and thus may not be used for graduate credit. A Transient Student who registers for academic credit and later decides to become a candidate for a degree must meet all admissions criteria and may petition the graduate program for admission as a degree-seeking student. A student who decides to become a degree-seeking student may apply up to 12 semester hours of graduate credit received as a Transient Student if grades are a “B” or above and if the courses are relevant to the degree sought. Decisions on course relevance will be made by the student’s major department.

Graduate Re-admission of Former Students
Former graduate students of UTB/TSC are required to reapply for graduate admission if they were not enrolled during the previous long semester.

Former students must submit transcripts from all colleges attended since their last enrollment at this institution. Students who have earned less than a 3.0 grade point average (3.0=B on a 4.0 scale) over all work completed since attending UTB/TSC or who left their last institution on probation may be readmitted on probation.

Graduate Admission to Degree Candidacy
Admission to a graduate program does not designate a student as a candidate for the graduate degree. Candidacy may be achieved only when students have completed a planned Program of Study, have met academic standards of the graduate program and the major department and have satisfied financial obligations to the university. Degrees are not awarded automatically upon completion of scholastic requirements. To be considered as a candidate for a degree, a student must file the appropriate application with the Graduate Office and the Enrollment Office.

Graduate Departmental Admission Requirements
In addition to the criteria for Graduate Admission, each department offering a graduate degree, with the approval of the Graduate Committee and the Graduate Office, may set additional departmental admission requirements for its graduate major. Students should check with the appropriate department for specific departmental admission criteria. The following departments have additional course requirements:

Biology – six undergraduate hours in biology at the junior or senior level.
Business Administration – prerequisite coursework in business areas (see specific requirements in School of Business section of the catalog).
Criminal Justice – admission to The University of Texas-Pan American MSCJ program.
English – six undergraduate hours in English at the junior or senior level.
Government – six undergraduate hours in government at the junior or senior level.
History – six undergraduate hours in history at the junior or senior level.
Sociology – six undergraduate hours in sociology at the junior or senior level.
Spanish – 12 undergraduate hours in Spanish at the junior or senior level, nine of which must be Hispanic Literature, and demonstrated mastery of the Spanish language.
Education – provisional teaching certification for graduate-level certification programs.

Graduate International Students
International students applying for admission to the graduate program must comply with the following:

1. Apply for graduate admission
2. Submit official transcripts on all undergraduate and graduate college work previously completed whether taken in a foreign country or in the United States. (Foreign transcripts must be officially translated when necessary.) Information on these services is available at the Enrollment Office, Tandy Hall #105 and with the International Student Counselor, Tandy Hall #205. International students from Mexico who have applied for the título will be allowed to enroll for a 12-month period until the document is completely processed. Proof that the paperwork has been submitted for the título must be provided to the Enrollment Office.
3. Send official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) directly from Educational Testing Service to the Testing Office. GRE and GMAT scores more than five years old will be accepted only by permission of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Sponsored Programs.
4. All International Students, except those from countries where English is the primary language, must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 550 is required on the written version or a 213 on the computerized version of the exam.
5. Request the form I-20, A-B from the Enrollment Office Tandy Hall #105. To obtain the form, you must submit:

   a tentative Program of Study from the Graduate Office an affidavit of financial support proof of economic solvency, e.g., bank statement, bank letter, etc.

6. Obtain F-1 visa at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate with an I-20 form and valid passport.
7. Present immigration documents to the Enrollment Office, Tandy Hall #105 prior to registration.

Graduate Course Load
The nature of graduate study is such that the semester-credit-hour is lower than a normal undergraduate load. Students employed full-time or with other ongoing time demands should consult with their Faculty Advisors or the Graduate Office realistically to assess their proposed course load.

Nine semester hours constitute full-time graduate enrollment during each regular (Fall and Spring) semester, and five semester hours constitute half-time enrollment. Five semester hours constitute full-time during each summer session, and three semester hours constitute half-time enrollment. The maximum graduate student load for the summer is 12 semester hours including any mini-term enrollment. Registration will not be allowed for students attempting to register for hours in excess of these limits. Mini-term courses offered in May are counted as part of the first summer session load. Any request for exception to the load policy must be submitted to and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Sponsored Programs. A written request including a rationale for the exception must be in the Graduate Studies Office two weeks prior to late registration day.

Graduate Residency Classifications for Tuition Purposes
Under state statutes, and under rules and regulations of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, prospective Graduate students are classified as residents of Texas, nonresidents, or foreign students.

Graduate Waivers Based on Residency
Graduate Students – Residents of Mexico
State law allows students who are citizens of Mexico and who can document financial need to pay the same tuition as residents of the State of Texas when enrolling. To be eligible for this waiver, such students must complete all admission and registration requirements. Financial aid application deadlines for the Mexican National Tuition Waiver are July 1 for the Fall semester, November 1 for the Spring semester, and April 1 for the summer sessions. Interested students should visit the Financial Aid Office, Tandy Hall #206, or call 544-8277.

Graduate Tuition and Required Fees
Required Graduate registration fees for residents of Texas for each semester include the following:

• Tuition: $48.00 per semester credit hour
• Student Service Fee: $9.10 per semester credit hour up to a maximum of $150.00 per semester
• Designated Tuition: $18.00 per semester credit hour
• Records Fee: $5.00 per student per semester
• Computer Access/Use Fee: $5.00 per semester credit hour
• Automated Services Fee: $10.00 per semester
• Student Union Fee: $34.35 per semester

Other Fees