Application Procedures

Applying to a URI graduate plan via our online process is the preferred method of application.  Once an online application has been submitted, all supporting documents must be mailed directly to the department or plan to which you have applied.  Paper applications and supporting documents  must also be sent directly to the department or plan to which admission is sought. Final decision on admission rests with the Dean of the Graduate School, who, after considering the recommendation of the department concerned, will notify the applicant of his decision. Where admission to a doctoral plan is possible for those holding the bachelor's degree and meeting other requirements, the Graduate School reserves the right to offer admission only to the master's plan while postponing a decision on admission to the doctoral plan until at least a substantial portion of the master's work has been completed.

All paper applications must be accompanied by a nonrefundable application fee: $50 for both in-state and out-of-state residents. Simultaneous applications to more than one department requires duplicate applications and credentials and separate application fees.  Online applications have the ability to pay the application fee by credit card or by sending a check via regular mail.

The completed application form and all supporting documents must be received by April 15 for summer admission, July 15 for September admission, and November 15 for January admission. The application must be received by February 1 for consideration for departmental financial aid for the following year. As indicated in the "Graduate plans" section of the bulletin, certain plans admit students only for September or they have earlier deadlines. Applicants should contact individual graduate plans directly and request information regarding specific plan application deadlines.   There is no assurance that applications completed after specified deadlines will be processed in time for enrollment in the desired semester. Admission is valid only for the term offered and must be reconsidered if a postponement is subsequently requested.

 

International Applicants. Applicants from foreign countries must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 unless a higher minimum is listed under the admission requirements for the specific plan. Self-administered international application forms can be obtained from the Graduate Admissions Office. The completed application package must be returned directly to the department or plan to which admission is sought. For more information concerning nonimmigrant visas, transfers, funding, etc., please visit the Office of International Students and Scholars website at http://www.uri.edu/iss/admissions_/.

For on- and off-campus housing information  please visit  the Office of Housing and Residential Life website at http://housing.uri.edu/.

 

Transfer Credit. Transfer credit can be requested for graduate work taken at other accredited institutions of higher learning. Such credits may not exceed 20 percent of the total credits required for the plan. Doctoral candidates holding a master's degree in the same or a closely related area can request up to 30 credits. The transfer work must have been taken at the graduate level (equivalent to the 500 level or higher in the University of Rhode Island course-numbering system) and a passing grade earned at that institution. It must have been completed not more than five years prior to the date of request for transfer into a master's plan (ten years for the doctoral plan) and must have a clear and unquestioned relevance to the student's plan of study. The request for transfer credit should be accompanied by a proposed plan of study and must have the approval of the student's major professor and the Dean of the Graduate School. If transfer credit is desired for work taken elsewhere after a graduate student is enrolled at the University, prior approval must be obtained from the Dean of the Graduate School.

 

Degree Candidates. Applicants must forward directly to the department to which admission is being sought the completed self-managed application package, containing all of the requested materials. Where required, test scores in the appropriate nationally administered tests should be sent directly to the department by the testing service. Tests required for specific plans can be found in the section "Graduate plans." Scores (GRE, MAT, or GMAT) which were earned more than five years prior to the term of application will not be accepted. If test results exceed the five-year limit, applicants must retake the examination.

To be accepted as graduate degree candidates, applicants must have maintained an average of approximately B (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) or better in their undergraduate work. For plans that require standardized tests, students must also have satisfactory scores on the appropriate nationally administered test. Applicants with undergraduate averages below the B level may possibly be admitted with submission of other evidence of academic potential; i.e., satisfactory performance in post baccalaureate work, professional experience as evidenced by publications or letters of recommendation, and/or high scores in the standardized tests referred to above. All students are expected to maintain a cumulative average of B (3.00) or better. Students who do not maintain a cumulative B average will have their status reviewed and may be placed on provisional status or be dismissed. A student placed on provisional status must achieve a cumulative B average within one semester (or nine credits, if part time) or be subject to dismissal.

 

Advanced Standing. A maximum of 12 credit hours of work taken at the University of Rhode Island in nonmatriculating status may be applied toward degree requirements if the student is later admitted to a degree plan, but only with the recommendation of the student's plan committee and the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School. Advanced standing for work taken at another institution must also be included within this limit. The request should be accompanied by a proposed plan of study and satisfy the time constraints listed for transfer credit.

In certain cases, applicants who have been denied admission may be advised to take several courses in nonmatriculating status (see the following paragraph) to provide a basis for later reconsideration of their applications. In such cases, these courses are usually regarded as though they were entrance deficiencies and are not accepted for advanced standing within minimum-credit plans of study.

 

Nonmatriculating Status. Individuals holding a bachelor's degree who are not candidates for an advanced degree may take courses during the academic year or in the summer in nonmatriculating status. Normally, to take courses for personal satisfaction or professional advancement, post baccalaureate students enroll in the College of Continuing Education. Any nonmatriculated student wishing to take courses on the Kingston Campus must file an application with the Office of the Registrar. If nonmatriculated students later wish to be admitted to a degree plan, they must complete the regular admission procedure. Nonmatriculated students do not have the privileges regularly enjoyed by degree candidates. For example, on the Kingston Campus they may not register until one week before classes begin and must make payment before accessing the telephone registration system. Their enrollment is subject to the accommodation of degree candidates wishing to take these courses. In addition, there is a limit to the number of courses taken in this status that may be used as advanced standing to satisfy degree requirements. Nonmatriculated students are not eligible for financial aid.