Graduate Admissions Procedures
The Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions (OGRA) administers all advanced-degree program applications offered at Binghamton University, with the exception of Exclusively Online Programs.
Application instructions and forms are available online. Applicants should carefully read and review the detailed online instructions. These instructions assist applicants regarding the electronic submission of materials. Upon application submission and payment, the application is reviewed for completion, and forwarded to the academic department and/or program for review. The application is matched with appropriate official test scores, which are sent at the applicant’s request by the appropriate testing agency. Applications for the PharmD program are processed through the PharmCAS. Applications for the Entry Level: Occupational Therapy program are processed through OTCAS. Applications for the Physical Therapy program are processed through PTCAS. Applicants applying for the Master of Public Health are processed through SOPHAS. Applicants wishing to apply for these programs must use their respective CAS system.
Individual graduate programs have their own criteria for evaluation. Applicants should review the requirements specified by the program and should contact the academic department and/or program office if they have questions.
Like other highly competitive graduate institutions, Binghamton University has deadlines for the receipt of completed applications. Application deadlines vary by program. The Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions maintains a list of application deadlines on its webpage. Admission and funding decisions may be made beginning early in the spring semester for the following fall semester and, for programs with spring admissions, early in the fall semester for the following spring semester. Academic programs with a summer start may make admission or funding decisions in late fall or early winter. To be considered for University funding, students must submit completed applications to the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions by the deadline specified by the graduate program. International applicants are encouraged to apply at least one month before these deadlines for application and international documentation processing.
All applicants are evaluated and considered for fellowships and assistantships. There is no general application for funding. There may be additional application requirements for program-specific funding. Applicants should check directly with the academic program to which they are applying if they have questions.
Applicants admitted as matriculated students may be placed in one of the following two categories:
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Regular Admission: Students are admitted as fully qualified to undertake a program leading to a graduate degree, as determined and specified in the University’s offer of admission.
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Conditional admission: Students who do not meet all academic requirements for admission, as determined by the academic program, may be admitted conditionally. Specific conditions for admission to degree status and a timetable for fulfilling those conditions will be identified by the program at the time of conditional admission. Each semester, the program will review the student’s progress toward satisfying those conditions and recommend appropriate action to the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions. Due to federal regulations, international students are not eligible for conditional admission.
Requirements for Matriculation
To be eligible for graduate study, applicants must:
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Provide a complete set of undergraduate (and, if applicable, graduate) transcripts showing one of the following:
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The applicant has earned a bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent) from a nationally or regionally accredited college or university.
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The applicant is within one academic year of earning a bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent) from a nationally or regionally accredited college or university.
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The applicant is eligible to apply as part of a memorandum of understanding between their current institution and Binghamton University.
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Have earned, at minimum, one of the following:
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A 3.0 GPA over the entire undergraduate career.
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A 3.0 GPA during the last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits of the undergraduate degree, with most courses graded regularly (not as “Pass/Fail”).
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A 3.0 GPA in a graduate degree, with most courses graded regularly (not as “Pass/Fail”).
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In consideration of the different grading scales used around the world, each academic department evaluates international transcripts to determine on a case-by-case basis whether they demonstrate one of the above requirements.
Exception: Applicants for the PharmD program in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SOPPS) must meet the requirements listed in the SOPPS section of the Academic Guide. Applicants must have completed certain courses and must have, at minimum, a 2.75 GPA.
All applicants must submit:
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Online application
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Application fee
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Transcript(s) for all previous college or university coursework showing courses, grades and, if applicable, conferral of degree (submitted according to the guidelines outlined in the Graduate School Manual)
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Personal statement (unless otherwise specified by the program)
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Résumé or curriculum vitae (CV)
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Letters of recommendation from individuals who can comment authoritatively on the applicant’s academic achievements and/or work or internship experience related to the program (submitted according to the guidelines outlined in the Graduate School Manual)
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Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) scores, as specified by the program, unless otherwise specified by the program (submitted electronically according to the guidelines in the Graduate School Manual)
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Any program-specific application materials, such as writing and/or work samples, licenses and/or certifications, and/or other test scores
Exception: Applicants applying for the PharmD program in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SOPPS) must apply through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) and submit official Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores. Applicants applying for the Physical Therapy program in Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences must apply through the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). Applicants applying for the Entry Level Occupation Therapy program in Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences must apply through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS). Applicants applying for the Master of Public Health in the Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences and College of Community and Public Affairs may need to apply through the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) as it is integrated.
These and all other required documents must be submitted according to the instructions on the application and in the Graduate School Manual. Review program specific admission requirements before submitting an application, as different programs may have different requirements.
Students are admitted after recommendation from their respective department or program, followed by a review of their compliance with university-wide policies by the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions (OGRA).
Official test scores (e.g. GRE or GMAT), can be waived by the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions (OGRA) on an individual basis, at the request and recommendation of the graduate program.
Students who do not submit official test scores may be admitted, but may be required to submit test scores before they achieve regular matriculated status.
Admission to graduate study in any discipline does not imply admission to candidacy for a degree. Such candidacy is subject to specific requirements as defined by the academic programs and schools/colleges. Students must have the approval of the program or school/college in which they wish to major before they may become candidates for the degree in a specific subject.
International Graduate Student Admission
Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States, whether they are enrolled in a college/university in the United States or abroad, are required to meet academic standards for admission to a degree program, show proficiency in English at the college level and certify that they will have the required funds needed for at least one year of full-time study.
When applicants are offered admission to Binghamton University, the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) issues a Certificate of Eligibility: either Form I-20 (F-1 visa) or Form DS-2019 (J-1 visa). Although special circumstances may allow an individual to be admitted as a continuing education student for one term, international students (F-1 visa) generally are not eligible for admission in continuing education status. Admission into an online graduate program does not qualify international students for a F-1 or J-1 visa.
To certify English proficiency, international applicants must submit official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Pearson PTE Academic or Duolingo. For some programs, the TOEFL MyBest score is acceptable. Some academic programs may require higher minimum scores. Applicants are responsible for reviewing their program’s specific admission requirements, found on the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions webpage.
International applicants may be eligible for an English Proficiency test score waiver if they are a currently a Binghamton University Student; if they are a citizen or permanent resident, is expected to receive (or has received) a bachelor’s degree or higher, or has completed at least two years of full-time study at an accredited higher education institution where English is an official language and where English is the language of instruction from one of the following countries: United States, United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Gambia, Tanzania, and some Canadian provinces. Additional proof of medium of instruction may be required.
International applicants must guarantee and certify funds sufficient to cover the cost of education, as posted by the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions (OGRA) and the federal government. This figure includes living expenses, tuition, fees and insurance expenses. Additional funds are needed for a spouse and for each child accompanying the student to the United States. See the International Student Financial Statement (ISFS) Form located on Graduate Admissions’ International Student Requirements webpage for details.
Continuing Education Admission for Non-Matriculated/Non-Degree Study
Persons holding a baccalaureate degree may apply to enroll in graduate courses. Applications, for status as a non-matriculated/non-degree student, are processed by the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions.
Non-matriculated/non-degree students may take up to 12 credits total, though some academic departments and schools/colleges limit that number further. Academic departments and schools/colleges may also restrict enrollment in their courses to degree and certificate matriculated students. Degrees, certificates and financial assistantships are not granted to non-matriculated/ non-degree students.
Depending on the curriculum requirements of a program, some courses taken as a non-matriculated/ non-degree student may be applied toward a degree, if the student later gains admission to a Binghamton University graduate degree or certificate program. The maximum number of credits taken as a non-matriculated/non-degree student that can be applied toward a degree is 12 and toward a certificate is 8. Whether non-matriculated/non-degree credits will be applied toward a degree or certificate is determined at the time of admission to a degree or certificate program. Non-matriculated/non-degree credits will not be applied toward a degree or certificate once the student has begun the degree or certificate program. Students should take no more than 12 graduate-level credit hours as a non-matriculated/non-degree student if they plan to eventually pursue a graduate degree.
If, at a later date, a student decides to apply for admission to a degree program, a graduate degree application must be submitted electronically. If the student is admitted to a degree program, they should obtain an evaluation of graduate courses taken as a non-matriculated/non-degree student from the department. Through this evaluation, those courses that are found appropriate may be officially credited toward the student’s degree.
If a non-matriculated student seeks admission to a degree or certificate program with the intention of applying some of the student’s non-matriculated course credits to the degree or certificate, then it is the student’s responsibility to apply to the degree or certificate program in a timely way. For example, application and admission to a degree program should occur before the 12-credit limit is reached.
Non-matriculated credits applied to a degree program can also be applied toward the university residency requirement.
Readmission
All graduate students admitted to an on-campus degree program must register for each semester, generally excluding summer and winter, until all degree requirements have been completed. Some academic programs may require summer and winter course registration. Students are responsible for understanding the length of their program and when registration is required. Students who fail to maintain continuous registration, unless granted a formal leave of absence, are ineligible to resume graduate study until readmission has been approved. Students applying for readmission to a graduate program are subject to the rules, procedures, curriculum and standards in effect at the time of readmission. Readmission is not automatic and may be subject to additional conditions set by the Graduate School, academic program, college or school, or by the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions. Students admitted to an online program must refer to their program’s plan of study, which may include the need to register for summer sessions.
Continuing education students who fail to register for more than two consecutive semesters, generally excluding summer and winter, are not permitted to register for courses until they have been readmitted.
Students who need to apply for readmission must do so via the online application. The regular application fee is assessed for all applications for readmission to Binghamton University graduate degree or non-matriculated programs.
Special Circumstances
Consideration of Graduate Admissions Applications from Individuals Who Have Been Suspended or Expelled from a College or University for Disciplinary Reasons: Disciplinary suspension or expulsion from another college or university is not grounds for automatic rejection of an application for admission to Binghamton University. If the applicant is academically admissible, additional information is requested about the expulsion or suspension. A Special Admissions Committee requests a personal statement and signed release form giving Binghamton permission to obtain and discuss documents related to the incident.
The Special Admissions Committee may recommend acceptance of the applicant, acceptance of the applicant with restrictions on participation in University life at Binghamton University, or rejection of the applicant based on the nature of the incident(s) that caused the disciplinary suspension or expulsion. An appeal of the decision of the committee may be made to the provost and vice president for academic affairs. Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Provost, Binghamton University, PO Box 6000, Binghamton, New York 13902-6000.
Consideration of Graduate Admissions Applications from Individuals with Felony Convictions: Binghamton University adheres to the State University of New York policy that prohibits University-wide and individual SUNY campus admission applications from inquiring into an applicant’s prior criminal history. Note that students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs, to meet licensure requirements for certain professions and/or live in campus housing. Students who have concerns about felony convictions impeding their ability to gain admission are advised to contact the dean’s office of their intended academic program.
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