Admissions

What are the requirements to transfer in a course?

Up to 6 hours of graduate credit for a 30-hour masters program or up to 12 hours for a 60-hour masters program may be transferred with appropriate approvals. For doctoral degrees, transfer credit is allowed to fulfill the course requirements of the doctoral degree at the discretion and request of the department/program. For the courses to be eligible to transfer, they must follow the below regulations:

Criteria for Acceptable Transfer Credit (Masters and Doctoral)

  • The course must have been regularly offered (not special problems or individual study) by a regionally accredited graduate school.
  • The course must have been a bona fide graduate level course, approved for graduate credit and taught by a member of the graduate faculty.
  • The course must appear on an official transcript as graduate credit from the institution offering the course.
  • Only graded courses are subject to transfer and the course grade must be a “B” or “A.” (The student’s grade point average does NOT include grades on transfer courses.)
  • The course must be recommended by the student’s major adviser and be applicable to the degree requirement at the University of Arkansas.
  • The course must not have been taken by correspondence or for extension credit.
  • The course must be acceptable to the department concerned and to the Graduate Dean.
  • The student must have satisfied the 24 hour residence requirement. (The student must have satisfactorily completed a total of 24 hours of graded graduate course work taken in residence.)
  • The course must have been taken within the time limit of the student’s program at the University of Arkansas.
  • For doctoral degrees, the transcript must say either that the student was admitted to a doctoral program, the coursework was completed after an earned master’s degree, or a master’s degree was not earned while the student was attending the institution.
  • Petitions for transfer of credit from foreign universities may be made to the Graduate Dean by the department/program on a case by case basis.
Note: Graduate credit cannot be transferred to satisfy any of the requirements for the M.B.A. degree unless the school at which the course was taken is accredited by A.A.C.S.B. This requirement is not specified by the Graduate School, but by the Graduate School of Business.

What do I need to submit to transfer in a course from another institution?

Master's students will need to submit an original transcript, along with a Transfer of Credit — Master's form signed by the major advisor, to the graduate school.

Graduate Certificate students will need to submit an original transcript, along with a Transfer of Credit form signed by the major advisor, to the graduate school.

Doctoral students will need to submit an original transcript, along with a Transfer of Credit — Doctoral form signed by the major advisor, to the graduate school.

What is the mailing address for transcripts and application materials?

Our mailing address is

Graduate Admissions
Gearhart Hall 213
340 N. Campus Dr.
1 University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR 72701

Can I arrange a campus visit?

We strongly encourage prospective students to visit campus. The Graduate School will plan a custom visit based on your needs. Campus Visit Request

Where should I send my letters of recommendation (LOR)?

After submitting your application for admission, you will provide the names and email addresses for your recommenders and submit an automated request for their recommendation. You may track the receipt of these LORs through your Applicant Portal. You can update your recommender list or send reminders at any time via your Applicant Portal. LORs that are in hardcopy should be sent to the department to which you are applying.

How can I check the status of my application?

Applicants can check the status of their application online through the Applicant Portal. Once you have applied, you will be automatically directed to the Applicant Portal where you will be able to upload unofficial transcripts and other required materials. There will be a checklist displaying the items still needed and those received. We recommend you check your Applicant Portal on a regular basis for updates throughout the application process.

How does the graduate application process work?

The application process at the University of Arkansas is two-fold. First, you will submit your application, fee, unofficial transcripts, and graduate level test score to the Graduate School. Our admissions specialists will evaluate your academic credentials and test score. Qualifying applications are forwarded to the department for which you are applying for the final decision. Some programs require a supplemental application and additional documents. Please check with your department. An application fee is required for each program you apply to if you are applying to more than one. The Application for Admission can be found online.

What is the application deadline for admission?

Since applying to the Graduate School is a two-step process (both the Graduate School and to a specific academic department), our applications have different deadlines depending on which department you are applying to. The Graduate School’s deadline will always match the deadline for the academic department. If an academic department does not have their own deadline, you should follow these deadlines for application consideration:

Domestic Students

  • Fall: August 1st
  • Spring: December 1st
  • Summer: April 15th

Keep in mind, many of our departments have separate application deadlines that you will need to meet in order to be considered for their program and for graduate assistantships. A late fee of $25 will be assessed to all applications that are received after the Graduate School deadline, so we strongly encourage you to complete the application early.

International students are encouraged to apply even earlier to allow time to obtain a student visa or to transfer a current visa. A late fee will not be charged until the dates listed above. If an academic department does not have their own deadline, international students should follow these recommended deadlines for application consideration:

International Students

  • Fall: April 1st
  • Spring: October 1st
  • Summer: March 1st

What is the application fee?

The application fee is $60 for all new domestic graduate applicants. The application fee is $75 for all new international graduate applicants. For applicants who have current graduate enrollment at the UA, the fee is $30. The application fee is a mandatory fee approved by the Board of Trustees for the 2023-24 academic period.

Are there circumstances in which the fee can be waived?

An application fee waiver will be granted to individuals that qualify under these circumstances:

  • Full-time employees at the U of A main campus
  • U of A summer REU program participants
  • Senior Citizens age 60+ (Arkansas residents only)

What are the minimum Graduate School admission requirements?

You must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education, with a grade point average of 3.0 on the last 60 credit hours of academic coursework OR a 3.0 cumulative grade average. You must also meet the minimum requirements for the program to which you are applying; requirements vary by program.

Am I required to take the GRE or another standardized test for admission to the U of A?

The University of Arkansas Graduate School does not require a standardized test score (GRE, GMAT or other graduate-level standardized test) for official admission to the university. However, individual programs may require a standardized test score. Contact your program directly for more information.

The Walton Graduate School of Business has a waiver process for qualifying master’s students – please visit their admissions page for further information, Apply for Admission: Graduate School of Business

What is the minimum acceptable GRE score?

Acceptable GRE scores are determined by the individual programs.

What kind of financial assistance is available to graduate students at the University of Arkansas?

The University of Arkansas awarded over $3 million in fellowships just this year alone! Some of the numerous funding opportunities available include:

  • Graduate Assistant Positions: All graduate assistants receive a monthly stipend, and most cover the cost of tuition.
  • Benjamin Franklin Lever Tuition Fellowship: A tuition only fellowship for graduate students who contribute to the diversity needs of their program.
  • Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship and Doctoral Academy Fellowship: These are the university’s highest awards, and include a 12-month or 9-month graduate assistant position (see above), PLUS a fellowship stipend of either $22,000 per year or $12,000 per year for four years.

Additional information about these opportunities can be found on the Cost and Funding page.

I started my degree at another institution and am now moving to Arkansas. Can I finish my graduate degree at the U of A?

You would need to apply for admission to your desired program, and then apply to receive transfer credit for your previous studies. Please see the above entry for the requirements to transfer in a course.

How do I establish state residency?

To establish state residency you will need to establish a domicile in the state of Arkansas and continue that residency for a period of six months. After six months you can appeal for a change of residency status with the Office of the Registrar. If you live in Texarkana or Bowie County, Texas you are already considered in-state. See Resident Reclassification for Fee Purposes for more information.

Is there on-campus housing for graduate students or married students?

The University of Arkansas currently has on-campus housing for graduate students in the Duncan Ave. Apartments. For information visit the University Housing website. Currently there is no on-campus housing for married students. The Fayetteville area does offer several other housing options for students many of which are on the university bus routes. More information can be found on the Off-Campus Housing site. 

What is the minority population on campus? Are there resources for people of color at the U of A?

Minority students make up 20 percent of the student body, with the largest groups being Hispanic (8.1%) and African American (4.6%).  The Multicultural Center, located in the Student Union is an academic retention center that supports cultural enrichment and celebrates inclusive excellence through community outreach and scholarship. The Center encourages students to share ideas and resources through academic and cultural programming, empowering students to be agents of social change in an increasingly diverse society. Visit the Multicultural Center website for more information.

What is the international student population on campus? Are there resources for international students at the U of A?

There are currently 1387 international students on campus, 706 which are graduate students. We invite you to visit the International Education webpages. This link is a portal leading to the websites of the various offices on campus that serve our valued international students. This link highlights the University of Arkansas’s commitment to international students and international services for the entire community. Here students may explore the offices of International Admissions, International Students & Scholars, English Language and Cultural Studies, International Sponsored Students, and Study Abroad & International Exchange.

What is the average cost to complete a graduate degree at the U of A?

Cost information for completing a degree differs based on the number of hours in the program. Masters programs can range anywhere from 30 hours to more than 60 hours total. You can use the Graduate Catalog to find out how many credit hours are required for your degree program. A useful tool for calculating an average cost per semester can be found on the Treasurer’s Office website. You can calculate cost based on your specific degree program and how many hours you would like to take each semester.