Admission Status

Marquette University admits graduate students under five different categories: degree, non-degree, temporary, lifelong learner and visiting scholar status.

Degree Status

After the Graduate School has admitted an applicant to a program leading to a certificate, master’s or doctoral degree, the applicant is said to be in “degree status.” Students with degree status are eligible for tuition scholarships, graduate assistantships and fellowships, as available.

To be considered for admission to degree status, all applicants are required to submit an application, the application fee, copies of transcripts from all colleges/universities attended (domestic students) and copies of a course-by-course transcript evaluation (international students) and other materials requested by the department. Upon admission, final official transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities (except Marquette) and final official transcript evaluations must be submitted to the Graduate School within the first five weeks of the term of admission, or a hold preventing registration for future terms is placed on students' records.

The Graduate School does not offer an appeal process for any denied admission decision. If an application is denied, the student may reapply for an available future term beyond their term of denial.

Non-Degree Status

This status designates any student taking graduate-level classes who is not seeking a certificate, a master’s degree or a doctoral degree. Non-degree students are not eligible to receive financial aid from the Graduate School except for Catholic Schools Personnel Scholarships and the Milwaukee Area Teachers Scholarships. Non-degree students are typically not eligible to receive federally subsidized loans and should contact the Office of Student Financial Aid for exceptions.

All non-degree applicants are required to submit an application, the application fee and copies of all college-university transcripts except those from Marquette University. Upon admission, final official transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities (except Marquette) must be submitted to the Graduate School within the first five weeks of the term of admission, or a hold preventing registration for future terms is placed on students' records. Non-degree applicants seeking admission to degree status must meet the same admission standards as other applicants to a degree program.

Completion of any number of non-degree credits does not guarantee acceptance into a degree program and, if a non-degree student is subsequently admitted to a degree program, there is no guarantee that credits earned while in non-degree status count toward the degree. Most degree programs accept between 9 and 15 transfer credits, depending on the number of credits needed for the degree (see Transfer of Credit). Non-degree students are not permitted to take more than 9 credits until they certify in writing that they are aware of the policies and limits regarding the transfer of credits into the degree program.

Credits earned as a non-degree student may be considered as graduate credits and certified as such to school boards or other authorities. Non-degree students may register for any course (with the exception of courses in dentistry) if they have met the prerequisites and have department permission. Non-degree students interested in taking courses in dentistry must have special permission from the Graduate School and the School of Dentistry.

Temporary Admission Status

This status designates any applicant who: has applied to a degree or a non-degree program, meets the minimum admission requirements, but has not submitted all of the necessary documents.

All temporary applicants are required to submit an application, the application fee and copies of all college-university transcripts except those from Marquette University. Applicants seeking temporary admission status must meet the same admission standards as applicants to a degree program. Temporary students are not eligible to receive financial aid from the Graduate School and are typically not eligible to receive federally subsidized loans; students should contact the Office of Student Financial Aid for exceptions.

Admission with temporary status is valid for only one term. Students must apply for and be admitted as a degree or non-degree student before being allowed to register for additional terms.

Credits earned as a student with temporary status may be considered as graduate credits and certified as such to school boards or other authorities. Students with temporary status may register for any course (with the exception of courses in dentistry) if they have met the prerequisites and have department permission.

Lifelong Learner Status

Most students who begin in a non-degree status fully intend to ultimately pursue a degree and request admission to degree status at some point in the future. However, some students would like to take courses in a variety of subjects just for personal enrichment, without ever intending to pursue a graduate degree. The lifelong learner status is intended for these types of students.

Lifelong learner status is a specialization within the general Graduate School non-degree category. Admission decisions are made by the associate dean of the Graduate School. Students are not required to maintain continuous enrollment.

Lifelong learner status is not intended as a gateway to a certificate, master’s degree or doctoral degree program. Lifelong learners may not take courses for credit. Rather, they audit all courses that they take while they are lifelong learners. Tuition is charged the regular audit rate. Enrollment in all courses for students in the lifelong learner status requires the consent of the department offering the course.

If lifelong learners should decide they want to pursue a graduate degree, they must apply for admission in a degree status for the program that they would like to pursue. Once admitted to a regular program, students may begin to accumulate credits and earn grades just as other students.

Visiting Scholar Status

This status designates a student, seeking a degree at another institution, who takes one or more classes at Marquette University with the intention of transferring the earned credits. Evidence of the student’s status and academic performance at the other institution is required.

Visiting scholars may apply for federal financial aid through the student’s home school. Students applying for federal aid through their home institutions should consult their home institutions for their application policies and procedures.

General Admission Requirements

Only applicants whose total record indicates that they can do independent, original and high quality academic work are admitted. Departments reserve the right to limit the number of students accepted within a given time period.

All applicants should have:

• A bachelor’s degree from a recognized college or university or the equivalent foreign degree.
• At least a B average (3.000 grade point average on a 4.000 scale).
• Course work suitable for the desired graduate program.
• Some programs require professional experience in addition to a bachelor’s degree. See the Graduate School Programs section of this bulletin for more information.

In addition, no application for admission is considered for any applicant with an outstanding balance of $3,000 or more owed to the university.

Submitting an Application

All applications for admission must be submitted online. A link to our online application can be found at the Graduate School website. Prospective speech-language pathology students must apply and submit all application requirements via CSDCAS.  

Program Information

An applicant’s program may have special requirements of background, tests, personal statements, other materials and application deadlines. Check the Graduate School Programs section of this bulletin for information and requirements specific to each program or see requirements on the Graduate School website. Applicants are responsible for meeting and submitting all of their program’s application requirements. Prospective speech-language pathology students must apply and submit all application requirements via CSDCAS.

Application and Financial Aid Deadlines

Applicants are admitted to the Graduate School on the recommendation of the intended department and the approval of the dean of the Graduate School.

Applications for admission to programs that have no deadlines listed in the Graduate School Programs section of this bulletin must be received in the Graduate School by Aug. 1 for fall admission (June 1 for international applicants), by Dec. 15 for spring admission (Oct. 15 for international applicants) and by May 1 for summer admission. If the program has a listed application deadline, all application materials must arrive before that date. Admission to the program is valid only for the term specified on the application, unless a deferral is requested from the Graduate School before the start of that term. Deferral of admission may be requested by completing and submitting the Request for Deferral of Admission form available on the Graduate School forms website. Note that deferral is for admission only, and not for financial aid. Not all programs allow students to defer their admission, so applicants must check the Graduate School Programs section for more information.

Students applying to more than one program must submit a separate application and application fee for each program.

The deadline for applying for merit-based Graduate School financial aid (assistantships and scholarships) is Feb. 15 for the following fall term, Nov. 15 for the following spring term and April 15 for the summer sessions. Deadlines falling on weekends or holidays are extended to the close of the following business day. Some programs may have deadlines for fall admission that are earlier than the financial aid application deadlines. New applicants for financial aid in those programs must adhere to the earlier department deadlines that are listed in the Graduate School Programs section of this bulletin.

Inactive Files

Incomplete and inactive admission files are discarded after one year.

International Student Requirements

Definition of an International Student

An international student is defined as an applicant who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Application Instructions

International applicants are required to submit an application form, a non-refundable application fee, a course-by-course transcript evaluation for all colleges or universities attended, evidence of English proficiency (such as TOEFL) and other materials as required by the program to which they are applying.

Financial Verification and Visa Regulations

Upon acceptance to the Graduate School, F-1 students must adequately document their financial resources for the duration of the academic program before visa documents are issued. Financial verification, in the form of an appropriate sponsorship statement and an advance deposit (in U.S. currency), must be sent to Marquette before the certificate of eligibility for a visa is issued. The advance deposit is waived if students receive a scholarship or other academic award that covers the cost of the first year’s tuition and living expenses. If a student is unable to obtain a visa after the I-20 has been issued, all but $10 (U.S. currency) is refunded. A written request for a refund must be sent back to the Graduate School.

International students must abide by the regulations of their legal status in the United States regarding their defined educational objectives, academic load and employment. Most international applicants are eligible only for regular degree status. Those seeking admission for non-degree status must obtain a statement of their legal eligibility from Marquette’s Office of International Education.

Application Procedures

The Graduate School requires all applicants to submit a complete application, a $50 application fee and unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended. Upon admission, final official transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities, except those from Marquette University, must be submitted to the Graduate School within the first five weeks of the term of admission or a hold preventing registration for future terms is placed on the student’s record. Additional requirements are required for admission to most programs. Supplemental documents may be submitted to gradadmit@marquette.edu. Applications are not reviewed for admission until all materials, including those requested by the proposed graduate program, have been received.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain information about all admission prerequisites and application requirements from the Programs section of this bulletin, from the Graduate School or department websites, or from the director of graduate studies in the proposed program. It is to the applicant’s advantage to make sure that the application package is complete well in advance of published deadlines.

Submit all application materials online¹, or if needed by mail to:

Marquette University Graduate School
P.O. Box 1881
Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881;

Or by courier to:

Marquette University Graduate School
1250 W. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 205
Milwaukee, WI 53233.

Although the department makes recommendations on admission, and may notify the application of the recommendation, official notification of the decision regarding admission and merit-based financial aid come only from the Graduate School. 

1	Prospective speech-language pathology students must apply and submit all application requirements via CSDCAS.

Final official transcripts must come directly from all universities or colleges attended, including junior/community colleges, or delivered electronically directly to the Graduate School from the university/college or approved transcript evaluation service. Final official transcripts may be sent via postal mail via a secure, third-party method that has been verified by the sending institution. Official test scores must also come directly from the applicable testing service.

Students are strongly advised to submit the application for admission before having other application materials sent. Receipt of the application in the Graduate School before other application materials ensures that all documents are matched to the application quickly and accurately. If supporting documents are submitted to the Graduate School before the application has been received, processing of the documents and review of the application file can be delayed. It is to the applicants' advantage to ensure that the application is submitted before any additional documents.

All applicants must submit the following:

• A completed online application form.
• A non-refundable application processing fee (U.S. currency only) of $50.00. Note: The application fee is waived for current Marquette University undergraduate students and alumni of Marquette University.
• Official Transcripts: 
  • Domestic Admitted Students:
    • Upon admission, final official transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities, except those from Marquette, must be submitted to the Graduate School within the first five weeks of the term of admission. Final official transcripts must include the degree earned and degree conferral date (if applicable). Final official transcripts must be sent to the Marquette University Graduate School directly from students’ previous institution either electronically via secure third-party or postal mail. Transcripts that pass through the applicant's hands or stamped “Issued to Student” will not be considered official. If final official transcripts are not received by the Graduate School within the first five weeks of the term of admission, a hold preventing future registration will be placed on the students record.
    • Applicants who previously attended Marquette University need not request Marquette transcripts but are required to furnish transcripts from other schools they attended.
    • Applicants must notify the Graduate School if the last (family) name is different from the name on the Graduate School application.
  • International Admitted Students:
    • ​Upon admission, final official transcript evaluations must be sent to the Graduate School directly from the approved transcript evaluation service used for the course-by-course evaluation within the first five weeks of the term of admission. Final official transcript evaluations must include the degree earned and degree conferral date (if applicable). Final official transcript evaluations must be sent to the Marquette University Graduate School directly from an approved transcript evaluation service either electronically via secure third-party or postal mail. Transcripts and transcript evaluations that pass through the applicant's hands or stamped “Issued to Student” will not be considered official. If final official transcript evaluations are not received by the Graduate School within the first five weeks of the term of admission, a hold preventing future registration will be placed on the students record.
    • Applicants who previously attended Marquette University need not request Marquette transcripts but are required to furnish transcripts from other schools they attended.
    • Applicants must notify the Graduate School if the last (family) name is different from the name on the Graduate School application.
• Applicants applying for merit-based financial aid through the Graduate School must check the financial aid boxes on the application (see the Financial Aid section of this bulletin).
• Permission to discuss the applicant’s file with a third party (optional): Applicants who are unable to speak directly with an admissions counselor (due to distance, expense, etc.) may give the Graduate School permission to communicate with a third party. Marquette University requires that this request be made in writing, be signed by the applicant and specify the name(s) of the third party.
• Additional application materials as requested by the program: It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain information about any additional requirements from the Graduate School or department websites, or from the director of graduate studies in the proposed program.
• Test Data: One or more tests may be required as part of the admission process. Consult the Programs section of this bulletin or the program requirements on the Graduate School website for information specific to the applicant’s proposed program. Regardless of the test, all scores are considered unofficial until the Graduate School receives the official scores from the testing agency. Copies of test scores issued to the applicant are considered unofficial.
  The Graduate School urges applicants to take higher education assessment tests well in advance of the date the scores are needed. It usually takes at least six weeks for scores to reach the Graduate School office after the exam. Assessment test scores should be relatively recent; scores more than five years old (two years for English proficiency exams) may not be accepted.
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
    Some graduate programs request a GRE (General Test) score. Departments may require applicants to take a “Subject” (advanced) GRE Test. Consult the Programs section of this bulletin for specific information.
    Test takers applying to the Graduate School must enter the code 1448 in the Score Report Recipient section of the GRE registration form. Failure to enter the correct code may delay the admission decision.
  • Proof of English Proficiency—International Students Only
    International students whose language of instruction for their bachelor’s degree education (or master’s, if applicable) was not English must provide proof of English proficiency, displaying an adequate command of both written and spoken English. Programs through TOEFL, WESLI, ELS and IELTS satisfy this requirement.
    Minimum requirements:
    • TOEFL: The Internet-based, or iBT, version of TOEFL tests students in four areas: reading, writing, speaking and listening. In general, a minimum score of 20 is required for each of the four sections, with an overall minimum score of 80.
    • WESLI: Level 700 is required.
    • ELS: Level 112 with a grade point average of 3.000 or higher is required.
    • UW-Milwaukee ELA: Level B2 with an 85% in the following IEP classes: listening/speaking, reading, content and composition.
    • IELTS: Total overall score of 6.5 or higher is required, with no less than 6.5 in each of the four sections.
      Applicants should consult the Graduate School Programs section of this bulletin for any specific information, as some graduate departments may require scores higher than these minimums. Test scores may not be more than two years old.

Students already holding a Marquette master’s degree may earn a second Marquette master’s degree in another discipline by applying for and receiving admission, and by completing all of the requirements necessary for the second master’s degree.

During the first term of study of the second master’s degree, students must complete a Master’s Program Plan Form, have it approved and submit it to the Graduate School. Additionally, if students intend to request and transfer credits from their first master’s degree, they must complete the Master’s Degree Transfer of Credit Request form, available online on the Graduate School forms website. Between 9 and 15 credits may be transferred from the first master’s degree, depending on the total number of credits required to complete the second master’s degree. Normal transfer credit policy applies. Credits to be transferred in must normally have been earned within six years prior to admission into the second master’s degree. For more information, see Transfer Course Credit.

Rescission  

Students who do not complete required steps following admission (e.g., completing prerequisites, submitting official transcripts) can have their admission rescinded. 

Readmission

Students who have been discontinued due to failure to enroll for one or more terms and who otherwise were performing in a satisfactory manner may apply for readmission by email to the department. The director of graduate studies or chair of the department endorse the request either positively or negatively and then forward the request to the Graduate School for processing. To be readmitted, students must receive a positive departmental endorsement.

Students who have withdrawn from the university, were dismissed from their program or who were suspended for any reason must be formally readmitted to the Graduate School before resuming their studies. To be readmitted, students must receive a positive departmental endorsement, as explained below. Furthermore, no application for readmission is considered for any former Marquette student with an outstanding balance owed to the university. The dean of the Graduate School and the major department jointly decide if a student is readmitted.

In any case, no application for readmission is considered for any former Marquette student with an outstanding balance of $3,000 or more owed to the university.

Students who are dismissed for failure to register must request readmission in writing to the Graduate School via their home departments. The request must include an explanation as to why they failed to register. Departments make a recommendation to the Graduate School to either readmit the student or deny readmission, and the Graduate School makes the official determination. In addition, a student must pay a fee to the Graduate School for back-continuous enrollment for each unregistered fall and spring term since discontinuation. Once the back-continuous enrollment fee is paid, students are then readmitted to the next available term, provided the time to complete the degree has not expired.

Students who have been dismissed or suspended must submit a new application for a future term that does not immediately follow the term of dismissal, which must include a statement by the student addressing previous weaknesses, steps taken to correct the weaknesses and an explanation of why the student feels they have the ability to succeed in graduate studies. If the program supports the student’s readmission, they notify the Graduate School through standard admissions processes. If a student has been Required to Withdraw for Academic Reasons (academically dismissed) or Required to Withdraw for Non-Academic Reasons, and if the academic program supports readmission, then an Appeal Academic Dismissal/Satisfactory Academic Progress form, located on the Marquette Central academic forms website, must be completed and submitted for standard review. The official decision for readmission resides with the Graduate School, and submitting an appeal is not a guarantee that the appeal will be accepted.

Students may not be readmitted to a program that is no longer active at the time of requested readmission.

In being readmitted, students face the possibility that previously completed work might not be accepted with the readmission decision, even if taken within the same program. The major department and dean of the Graduate School may also set readmission conditions on students' resumption of work toward a degree, such as registering for additional course work, retaking examinations, completing the degree within a specified time period or other appropriate terms.