Graduate School Admission Requirements

To be eligible for graduate study, you must have and provide:

1. A bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a nationally or regionally accredited college or university

2. Complete set of your undergraduate and graduate transcripts. At minimum, one or more of the following is required:

• A 3.0 GPA over entire undergraduate career
• A 3.0 GPA during last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits of undergraduate degree, with most courses graded regularly (not pass/fail)
• A 3.0 GPA or better in a graduate degree, with most courses graded regularly

You must submit the following required documents with your application. Use the chart and explanations to learn more. 

As you prepare your application, please refer to your academic program for any additional admission requirements (such as writing samples, GRE Subject Test Scores, teaching certification, etc.).

Online Application

All applicants must complete the online graduate degree application, which requires a valid e-mail address. Once you create your account, you will be able to designate the program you are applying to.

You will upload your admission materials to the online application. Do not mail hard (paper) copies of any materials unless specifically requested by the Graduate School.

Transcript(s)

For application review, upload scanned copies of your transcript(s) from each college or university you have attended.

• Scanned copies of your official transcript(s) are preferred. Web printouts of transcripts are not acceptable unless you are a current Binghamton University student
  
  • Only at the time of admission will we require hard copies of your official, final transcript(s) documenting your previous college and/or university coursework and degree(s)
• Each transcript must indicate what degree you received and when it was conferred. If you are in the process of completing a degree, you may submit an up-to-date transcript with your application
• Please cross out or cover your Social Security Number (SSN) prior to scanning your transcript. Your SSN should not appear on your scanned transcript
• Make sure your transcript is clear and legible. The admission review committee will review the file that you upload

Special Situations

International Students:

All transcripts submitted to The Graduate School must be officially translated into English for review. Transcripts from some international institutions do not specifically state that a degree has been conferred. If this is the case, you will also need to submit an official (attested) diploma showing conferral of the degree.

Students from India:

We require individual mark sheets in addition to your consolidated transcript. We will accept a Provisional Certificate of Degree as final. If you are admitted, however, you will need to provide proof that you have completed your degree in order to register past the first semester.

Letters of Recommendation

The Graduate School requires two letters of recommendation from people who can comment authoritatively on your academic achievements and/or work or internship experience related to your program. Check your program requirements for specific instructions related to letters of recommendation (for example, some programs require three letters).

• Make sure to give your recommenders enough time to complete and upload the letters prior to your application deadline
• Fall 2013 applicants:
  • You can submit your online application before your recommenders have uploaded their recommendations. You will continue to have full access to your recommender list if you need to send reminders or change recommenders.
  • When you submit your recommenders' contact information on the online application, they will receive an e-mail with instructions for uploading their letter. To ensure that your recommenders receive the letter request, please inform them that the request will come from messages@notification.embark.com, with "Embark Online Recommendations" in the "From" field and "Your Name Online Recommendation" as the "Subject" line.
  • You will receive an e-mail confirmation when your recommender has uploaded his/her letter of recommendation
  • If your recommender does not want to submit his/her recommendation online: The preferred method of submission is online. If necessary, your recommender may send his/her recommendation in a sealed and signed envelope to The Graduate School at Binghamton University / State University of New York / PO Box 6000 / Binghamton, NY 13902-6000. However, you must register your recommender on the online application AND submit your online application.

Personal Statement

The personal statement offers you an opportunity to discuss the talents, experiences and goals that qualify you for acceptance to the graduate program at Binghamton University. In preparing your statement, please realize that the Graduate Admission Committee is seeking evidence of your qualifications and aptitude, as well as your ability to communicate clearly and professionally.

Please refer to your program's web pages for specific content and page length/word count requirements (if any). Typically, the personal statement will incorporate the following:

• Your reasons for pursuing graduate study at Binghamton University
• Your personal background
• Your academic background
• Your work experience
• Your future plans
• Other information that may be of special interest and importance to the Graduate Admission Committee

Unless noted otherwise by your program, the personal statement should not be longer than two pages, single spaced. Make sure you use standard fonts.

For a general guide to personal statements, look at "Writing a Personal Statement" (PDF), from the Binghamton University Career Development Center.

Resume or Curriculum Vitae

Your up-to-date resume or curriculum vitae (CV) should include your name, contact information, educational degrees and certificates, and your work and volunteer experience listed in reverse chronological order. You should also include additional information relevant to your program, such as research experience, teaching experience, published works, grants or fellowships, awards, professional associations and professional licenses.

Maximum two pages in length.

Official Test Scores

Check your program carefully to see what test scores are required, and make sure you take tests early enough to provide scores by the program application deadline. All official test scores must be sent electronically from the official testing agency.

GRE

GRE scores are required for nearly all of Binghamton University's graduate programs. Some departments also require a GRE "subject" test. A minority of programs do not require GRE scores. View your program's admission information for details.

• Although The Graduate School does not require a minimum score, admission is competitive, so strive for a score that demonstrates your potential
• The Graduate School will accept scores on the revised scale or the old scale
• Submit your scores from an exam taken within the last 5 years. Scores more than 5 years old are invalid.

To find a test center, access free preparation material, or register to take the test, visit the GRE website. Submit test scores electronically. Binghamton University Graduate School's code is 2535.

GMAT

Some programs require GMAT scores rather than GRE scores.

• Applicants for admission to the School of Management should submit GMAT scores in lieu of GRE scores.
• Some programs will accept GMAT scores in place of GRE scores. View your program's admission information for details.

To learn more about the test, find a test center, or register to take the test, visit the GMAT website. Submit test scores electronically, using Binghamton University's Graduate School code: 2535.

On June 5, 2012, GMAT began using the Next Generation GMAT exam, which adds a new 30-minute Integrated Reasoning section and eliminates one prompt from the analytical writing assessment. To learn more about the Next Generation GMAT, click here.

Additional Requirements for International Students

International students who hold, or hope to obtain, an F-1 or J-1 visa, need to submit the documents below as part of the application process.

Financial Documentation

Please note: This information is required for immigration and visa purposes. Faculty members do not have access to your financial documents, and they make admission and funding decisions based on merit alone. Assistantships are awarded competitively to the most academically qualified students.

To expedite the issuing of an I-20 and the processing of your application materials, we urge you to submit the following two items with your application:

International Student Financial Statement (ISFS)

Use the International Student Financial Statement (ISFS) form to certify that you have enough funds for all tuition, fees, and personal expenses for at least one year of study at Binghamton University. View the ISFS form for complete instructions.

For Spring and Fall 2013, you must certify the following amount: $33,400 U.S. ($35,300 for MBA applicants; $48,900 for PhD Nursing Applicants). The amount is per year for a minimum of one year for yourself only. (Since all costs may increase, please certify 10-15 percent more than this minimum amount if possible.) See the ISFS form for details.

Official Bank Statement/Proof of Support

The International Student Financial Statement requires you to include supporting documentation that proves you have enough funds for a year at graduate school. Most often, this means including official bank statements with your ISFS form. See the ISFS form for complete instructions.

Note: If you do not have sufficient funds to cover your educational expenses, and you must rely partially or wholly on funding from the graduate program to which you are applying, please provide a statement explaining your situation and upload it to the online application. If accepted, you will need to submit proof of sufficient funds. Waiting until acceptance to provide proof of support will delay the issuing of an I-20.

Upload your ISFS and all Official Bank Statements/Proof of Support to the online application.

TOEFL or IELTS Scores

The TOEFL/IELTS help demonstrate your proficiency in English at the college level. As with all official test scores, the TOEFL or IELTS must be sent electronically through the testing agency. Binghamton University's code is R2535.

• We require a minimum TOEFL score of 80 (on the Internet-based test) for admission. Teaching Assistants must have a minimum score of 107 on the Internet-based test.
  • Depending on your location, the TOEFL may be either Internet-based or paper-based
• We require a minimum IELTS score of 6.5, with no band below 5.0. Teaching Assistants must score a minimum of 7.5.
• If you have received a college or university degree from an institution in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, or some Canadian provinces, you are not required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score. If you are unsure whether or not your institution is exempt, please contact the Graduate School.

Visit the official TOEFL website. Visit the official IELTS website. Be sure to plan accordingly based upon your academic program's application deadline.

Policies

Honesty

Please note that any deliberate falsification or omission of application data may result in rescinding of admission, denial of permission to enroll, or dismissal from courses. Through online applications submissions, all applicants affirm acceptance of these terms and conditions.

Affirmative Action

Binghamton University is strongly committed to affirmative action. We offer access to services and recruit students and employees without regard to race, color, sex, religion, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or national origin.

Admission Materials

All materials submitted by applicants become the property of the University.