Criteria for Admission
Special Note: Non-immigrant applicants must contact the Office of International Studies concerning the filing of required financial documents and obtaining the appropriate application. Click here for more information regarding graduate studies as an international student. International students with a 3-year degree are referred to the program in which they wish to pursue graduate studies for evaluation of their transcripts to determine possible additional course work. They can be considered for graduate admission.
The decision to admit an applicant to a program is based primarily on a combination of the following criteria according to the requirements of the specific program.
- Quality of previous undergraduate and graduate work. The Graduate College requires as a minimum standard a "B" average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, in a program of study resulting in the award of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university. If an applicant has studied at the graduate level and performed satisfactorily, less weight may, but not necessarily, be placed on the quality of the undergraduate academic record. Some programs require a higher minimum grade point average for admission.
- Strength of letters of recommendation from persons competent to judge the applicant's probable success in graduate school. These letters are usually from the applicant's former professors who are able to give an in-depth evaluation of the applicant's strengths and weaknesses with respect to academic work. Additional recommendations may come from employers or supervisors who are familiar with the applicant's work experience. Applicants should instruct their references to send all letters of recommendation directly to the program in which they desire entrance.
- Official scores on required aptitude or advanced knowledge examination(s). Click here for more information about entrance examinations.
- Statement by the applicant of academic career objectives and their relation to the intended program of study. These statements help the department/school identify students whose goals are consistent with its objectives.
- Other evidence of graduate potential. Some programs require other evidence of graduate potential, such as a portfolio of creative work, completion of specialized examinations or personal interviews.
Responsibility for admitting applicants to graduate programs rests with the Dean for Graduate Studies. Academic departments/schools review admission applications and credentials and make admission recommendations to the Dean. The standards maintained by the Graduate college and individual departments/schools are applied to ensure that applicants admitted to the University are well qualified and trained to study at this institution and have a reasonable expectation of successfully completing a graduate program. Standards for admission to doctoral degree programs are generally higher than those for admission to master's degree programs. In many degree programs, the number of applications received from qualified applicants exceeds the number of applicants who can be accommodated. In such cases, only the most highly qualified are offered admission. The number of spaces available in various departments/schools is limited to the availability of faculty and resources.
Special Note: If a currently enrolled graduate student is admitted to a graduate program prior to receipt of their final grades for the current semester, the program may re-evaluate its admission decision, if the student receives a grade of "C-" or lower in any course work (undergraduate or graduate) for that semester.
Immunization Requirements
To prevent the possibility of a measles epidemic throughout the UNO campus, all new students born on or after January 1, 1957 are required to:
- Provide family documents or private physician records as proof of two (2) doses of the vaccine (MMR)
- Submit the University of Nebraska at Omaha Pre-Enrollment Health Requirement Document For forms and information, visit the Immunization Requirements website here.
Readmission to Graduate Studies
A student who has not been enrolled as a graduate student at UNO for 4 years or more must apply as a new graduate student and submit the graduate application, the required non-refundable application fee, and all other required credentials. Applicants cannot apply to the same degree/certificate program once the degree/certificate has been awarded.
Change of Program
Except for non-degree students, students are admitted to specified programs for specified objectives. Therefore students who wish to transfer to another department/school must complete a new graduate application and submit it with the required non-refundable application fee. The decision as to whether students will be accepted shall be left to the graduate program committee of the department/school in which they are seeking admission and to the Dean for Graduate Studies. Admission to a new program is not automatically granted. If a currently enrolled graduate student is admitted to a graduate program prior to receipt of their final grades for the current semester, the program may reevaluate its admission decision, if the student receives a grade of C- or lower in any coursework (undergraduate or graduate) for that semester.
Prohibition of Simultaneous Matriculation
Normally, no graduate student may be a degree-seeking student in more than one graduate program at the University of Nebraska, unless enrolled in an approved dual-degree program. Any exception must have prior approval of every graduate program committee and every campus Dean for Graduate Studies through which the programs are administratively assigned. When there is an approved simultaneous matriculation, the same course credit will not be accepted for more than one degree without prior approval of every graduate program committee and every campus Dean of Graduate Studies through which the programs are administratively assigned.