Graduate College

Admission Information

For a University of Oklahoma Application for Admission, contact the Graduate College:

Online: gradweb.ou.edu
By phone: (405) 325-3811
By mail or in person:
Graduate College
University of Oklahoma
731 Elm Street
Robertson Hall, Room 100
Norman, OK 73019-4075

By e-mail: gradinfo@ou.edu

By Fax: (405) 325-5346

What to Include in the Application

The completed University of Oklahoma Application for Admission;
The application fee;
Official transcripts from all schools previously attended. Some schools will forward official transcripts only directly to the University. The applicant must request that these transcripts be sent.

Application Fee

The application fee for U.S. citizens and permanent residents is $40.00.
The application processing fee for international students is $90.00.

Where to Return the Completed Application

Graduate applicants should apply online at https://soonerspace.ou.edu, but if they choose not to apply online, they should submit the completed University of Oklahoma Application for Admission, your official transcripts, and the application fee to:

Office of Admissions
University of Oklahoma
1000 Asp Avenue Room 127
Norman, OK 73019-4076

Academic Unit Applications and Requirements

Applicants should also contact the academic unit to which they are seeking admission in order to verify admission requirements and obtain the academic unit's application.
Applicants should return the academic unit's application and required supporting documents, such as letters of recommendation and standardized test scores, directly to the academic unit.
The Graduate College endorses the use of, but does not require, the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). However, many departments do require GRE or GMAT scores.

Application Deadlines

Applicants seeking admission to graduate programs offered on the Norman campus should observe the following deadlines for submission of completed applications to the Office of Admissions.

U.S. Citizens and permanent residents
Fall Semester: June 1
Spring Semester: November 1
Summer Semester: April 1

International Students
Fall Semester: April 1
Spring Semester: September 1
Summer Semester: February 1

The Graduate College does not have an application deadline, but many departments have deadlines. Applicants are encouraged to contact the academic unit to which they are seeking admission for information about deadlines.
Applications cannot be considered until all required materials have been submitted.
To be eligible for enrollment for any given semester, the student must have been admitted to the University and to the Graduate College before the registration period ends.

Health Questionnaire

Every student admitted to the University of Oklahoma will receive a health questionnaire. This questionnaire must be completed and returned to Goddard Health Center before the student can enroll.

Admission Criteria

The admission process assesses the likelihood that an applicant will succeed in, and benefit from, a particular academic program.

GRADUATE COLLEGE ADMISSION CRITERIA

The Graduate Dean governs admission and enrollment in the Graduate College. Except for those in unclassified status, the student must be recommended for admission by an academic unit.
All admissions to the Graduate College require that the student hold a baccalaureate degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university.
Undergraduates in their final semester at accredited colleges and universities may apply for admission to the Graduate College.
The University of Oklahoma uses the following 4.0 scale to calculate grade point averages:

A = 4.0 points per credit hour

B = 3.0 points per credit hour

C = 2.0 points per credit hour

D = 1.0 point per credit hour

F = 0.0 points per credit hour

If an applicant’s prior college or university uses a different scale, the grade point average is converted to a 4.0 scale to determine whether the applicant meets University of Oklahoma grade point admission requirements.
The grade point average is based on the following:
If a bachelor’s degree has been earned at an accredited college or university, the grade point average is based on the semesters in which the last 60 credit hours of letter-graded degree work were completed. If the last 60 hours cannot be identified from the transcript, the entire transcript will be evaluated.
If graduate work has been completed at an accredited university, but no master’s degree has been earned, the grade point average is based on a minimum of 12 letter-graded credit hours of graduate credit.
If a master’s degree has been earned, the grade point average is based on the master’s degree plus any credits earned beyond the master’s degree.
If post-baccalaureate hours have been completed but no degree has been earned, those hours may be considered.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

For Marginal Undergraduate Records

Upon request by the applicant, the Graduate College will exclude one semester’s coursework in the calculation of the applicant’s undergraduate grade point average, provided that the semester’s grade point average is significantly lower than any other semester’s grade point average. (Ordinarily 0.50 grade points will constitute a significant deviation.)
The Graduate College will continue to base the grade point average on the semesters in which the last 60 credit hours of letter-graded undergraduate bachelor’s degree coursework were completed, not including the excluded semester.

For Marginal Graduate Records

Applicants whose graduate records do not meet admission standards may petition the Graduate Dean to consider their undergraduate record in the admission decision.
The undergraduate coursework must be related to the proposed course of study.
Twelve or more credit hours of the coursework to be considered must be at the junior level or higher.
The applicant must have maintained at least a 3.0 grade point average in the related courses.
In evaluating the petition, the Dean will consider such factors as the number of graduate hours earned, the grade point average for those hours, and the previous and proposed course of study.

ACADEMIC UNIT ADMISSION CRITERIA

Many academic units require additional materials such as letters of recommendation and/or test scores before the admission application can be considered.
To determine these additional requirements, applicants should consult with the graduate liaison of the academic unit to which they are applying.

SUPPLEMENTAL ADMISSION CRITERIA

With the approval of the Graduate College, academic units may develop supplemental admission criteria that can be used in lieu of a marginal academic record.
Supplemental admission criteria can usually be considered provided that at least three calendar years have elapsed since the applicant’s last college enrollment. Some academic units may require longer periods.
Supplemental admission criteria must reflect the specific skills and academic potential that students need in order to succeed in the degree program. These criteria assist in the evaluation of applicants who would not ordinarily be admissible to the Graduate College. In considering admission under these criteria, the dean will take into account the applicant’s entire academic record, including the relevance of any supplemental indices or credentials.
In some cases, it may be appropriate to supplement the standard evidence evaluated by the Graduate College with other materials, such as recent GRE scores, professional experiences, workshops or seminars.
For additional information, contact the academic unit of interest to determine whether it has approved supplemental admission criteria.
Applicants petitioning for admission based on supplemental admission criteria must include a proposed plan of study for their first 12 hours of enrollment.
The instructor of each course must consent to the proposed enrollment.
When the proposed enrollments span more than one semester, the required permissions for subsequent semesters must be obtained prior to the start of each semester.

FULFILLING THE CONDITIONS OF SUPPLEMENTAL ADMISSION

Students admitted under the supplemental admission criteria must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point on their first 12 hours of coursework and earn no grade of D, F, or U.

International Admission

Graduate applications and admission credentials from international applicants are processed in the same manner as described above, with the following additions.

International graduate applicants should apply online at https://soonerspace.ou.edu.
Other credentials will usually be required. These are detailed in the international graduate application process.
For applicants outside the U.S., the admission application and all credentials must be received by the following deadlines: Fall semester: April 1; Spring semester: September 1; Summer Session: February 1.
English proficiency requirements are detailed below:

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY

English Proficiency Requirements are discussed in detail on the Admissions and Records Web site at http://admissions.ou.edu/stuabrd.htm#ENGLISHPROFICIENCY.

Before being admitted to the Graduate College, all applicants for whom English is a second language must present documentation of proficiency in the English language in one of the following ways:

An official TOEFL score of 550 on the paper-based test (213 on the computer-based test or 79 on the internet-based test) or higher sent directly from the Educational Testing Service. Scores over two years old by the beginning of the term you wish to enter are not acceptable unless you have been attending school in the United States since the test date. Some graduate programs require a score higher than 550. Check with the individual department for more specific information. You may obtain information about the test by writing to: TOEFL, Box 899, Princeton, NJ 08541, U.S.A, or by accessing the TOEFL website.
An official IELTS score of 6.5. IELTS is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP:IELTS Australia, and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations .
Secondary school work in the United States, including completion of the high school curricular requirements required for freshman admission
Successful completion of 24 semester hours of college-level coursework or a bachelor's degree or higher degree from an accredited college in the United States or a country where English is the native language
Attendance at the University's Center for English as a Second Language (CESL) or one of the other Oklahoma State Regents-approved intensive English language programs in Oklahoma until a satisfactory level of English proficiency (determined by TOEFL or IELTS and classroom assessment) is achieved. For programs that require a 550/213/79 TOEFL or 6.5 IELTS only, English proficiency can be established by submitting a TOEFL score of at least 500/173/61 or IELTS score of 5.5 and then satisfactorily completing 12 weeks intensive English language training at a Regents-approved school immediately prior to beginning regular classes. No college credit is awarded for intensive English language study.

The following graduate programs will not review an applicant’s credentials for admission until the English proficiency requirement has first been satisfied:

TOEFL 550/213/79 or 7.0 IELTS required:
Aerospace Engineering
Art
Botany
Chemistry
Computer Science
Construction Administration
Economics
Education (except Music Education)
Electrical Engineering
Geography
Geological Engineering
Journalism
Mechanical Engineering
Meteorology
Microbiology
Natural Gas Engineering and Management
Petroleum Engineering

TOEFL 600/250/100 or 7.0 IELTS required:
Chemical Engineering
Engineering Physics
Physics and Astronomy
Political Science
Public Administration

Applicants who wish to be admitted to one of the above programs but have not fulfilled the English proficiency requirement may apply for CESL study only. No decision can be made on the applicant’s eligibility for the degree program until the requirement is fulfilled. The I-20 will indicate English study only, and will not specify a major area of study.

The following departments will not review an applicant's credentials for admission without an official TOEFL 500/173/61 or 5.5 IELTS score on file:
Civil Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Environmental Science

Financial Assistance

An international student may apply for aid offered by Financial Aid Services only if considered an “eligible non-citizen” by the U.S. Department of Education. Contact Financial Aid Services for additional information.

ADMISSION IN FULL STANDING

Applicants with a Baccalaureate Degree

An applicant may be admitted to the Graduate College in full standing if he or she:
has earned a baccalaureate degree or the equivalent from an accredited university or college, and
has earned at least a 3.0 grade point average through the semester in which the last 60 credit hours of letter-graded undergraduate bachelor’s coursework was earned, and
is recommended for admission in full standing by the appropriate academic unit, and
is accepted for admission by the Graduate Dean.
The admission recommendation may be based on many factors in addition to the applicant’s grade point average.

Applicants with Previous Graduate Studies

An applicant may be admitted to the Graduate College in full standing if he or she:
has either received a master’s degree or completed 12 semester hours of letter-grade graduate work at an accredited college or university and
has accumulated at least a 3.0 average in all graduate-level work and
is recommended for admission in full standing by the appropriate academic unit and
is accepted for admission by the Graduate Dean.
The admission recommendation may be based on many factors in addition to the applicant’s grade point average.

CONDITIONAL ADMISSION

An applicant who does not qualify for admission in full standing may be conditionally admitted to a degree program.
Conditional admission to a degree program is contingent on the recommendation of the academic unit and approval of the Graduate Dean.
Students who are admitted conditionally may not earn a grade of D, F or U during the period of the conditional admission.

Admission with Low Grades

An applicant may qualify for conditional low-grades admission with a 2.75 to 3.0 grade point average through the semester of the last 60 credit hours of letter-graded bachelor’s degree coursework earned at an accredited college or university.

Admission will depend heavily on other indices of the student’s ability to do successful graduate-level work.
These might include, but are not limited to, strong performance on standardized tests, a high grade point average in the major and/or subsequent experiences that clearly indicate strong academic ability.
The graduate liaison must provide the Graduate College with a Statement of Conditional Admission (Low Grades) form. The form must indicate:
The first 12 hours of letter-graded graduate coursework that will be required,
Any specific grade requirements beyond the Graduate College minimum 3.0 average, and
Any course deficiencies to be made up.
The Graduate College must approve the Statement of Conditional Admission. If the Statement is approved by the Graduate College and admission is granted, a copy of the Statement is included with the admission letter sent to the student.

COLLEGE SENIORS WITH LOW GRADES

A college senior who does not qualify for full admission due to low grades will not receive a final decision on conditional admission until the complete undergraduate transcript is available for review.

MEETING THE CONDITIONS

The student must earn at least a 3.0 grade point average in the first 12 hours of letter-graded OU coursework taken after admission to the Graduate College.
A student who earns an excessive number of grades of “I” or “W” during the period of conditional admission may be subject to disenrollment.
A student who accumulates more than 18 hours of graduate coursework but has not fulfilled the terms of the conditional admission may be subject to disenrollment.
After admission to the Graduate College, the student must maintain the required grade point average on all coursework attempted.
When the student has completed the terms specified in the Statement of Conditional Admission, the student’s status will be changed to full standing.
A student who fails to comply with the requirements listed in the Statement of Conditional Admission will be disenrolled.

Admission with Coursework Deficiencies

Academic units may recommend conditional admission for an applicant who has coursework deficiencies relevant to the field of study, provided the applicant has met all other requirements for admission in full standing.
In such cases, the graduate liaison must provide the Graduate College with a Statement of Conditional Admission form:
The form must indicate the coursework deficiencies to be made up.
The Graduate College must approve the Statement of Conditional Admission.
If the Statement is approved by the Graduate College and admission is granted, a copy of the Statement is included with the letter of admission sent to the student.

MEETING THE CONDITIONS

A student admitted to the Graduate College with coursework deficiencies must earn at least a C in each of the courses and must have an overall 3.0 grade point average in deficiency courses.
Coursework deficiencies should be completed within the first 18 credit hours of coursework. A student will be given two attempts at each course to satisfy deficiency requirements, but no course in which a B was obtained may be repeated.
Each attempt will be used in determining the overall grade point average for deficiency courses.
Courses used to fulfill coursework deficiencies cannot be applied toward a graduate degree.
Coursework deficiencies cannot be arbitrarily removed, but a department’s graduate liaison may petition the Graduate Dean for the removal of a deficiency, stating the justification.
When the student has completed the specified courses with grades that meet the minimum level specified in the terms of the conditions of admission, the student will be admitted as a student in full standing in a degree program.
A student who fails to comply with the requirements listed in the Statement of Conditional Admission will be disenrolled.

Admission with Incomplete Credentials

In rare circumstances, an academic unit may recommend conditional admission for an applicant with incomplete academic credentials. The incomplete credentials may not be a performance level on examination such as the TOEFL, GRE, or GMAT.
In such cases, the graduate liaison must provide the Graduate College with a Statement of Conditional Admission form.
The form outlines the terms of the conditional admission and the time frame for completing the application materials.
The Graduate College must approve the Statement of Conditional Admission.
If the Statement is approved by the Graduate College and admission is granted, a copy of the Statement is included with the letter of admission sent to the student.

MEETING THE CONDITIONS

Normally, the terms of the admission must be satisfied within the first semester of enrollment in the Graduate College.
A student who fails to satisfy the conditions of admission within the specified time period will be disenrolled.

UNCLASSIFIED ADMISSION

An applicant may be admitted to the Graduate College in unclassified status if he or she:

has earned a baccalaureate degree or the equivalent and
has earned at least a 3.0 grade point average through the semester in which the last 60 credit hours of letter-graded undergraduate bachelor’s degree coursework occurred at an accredited college or university or a 3.0 average over 12 hours of letter-graded graduate work from an accredited college or university.

A student in unclassified status is not a candidate for a degree, nor does unclassified status offer assurance of future admission to a degree program.

Special Restrictions

A graduate student can earn no more than 12 graduate credit hours in unclassified status. Therefore, a student in unclassified status who anticipates seeking a graduate degree at the University of Oklahoma should become a graduate degree-seeking student before completing 12 graduate credit hours. Graduate courses completed by unclassified graduate students may be used toward a graduate degree with the approval of the academic unit and the Graduate Dean. Courses taken as an unclassified student will be used in calculating the grade point average for purposes of satisfying Graduate College degree or retention requirements.

Low Grades

An applicant with a 2.8 to 3.0 grade point average through the semester in which the last 60 credit hours of letter-graded undergraduate bachelor’s degree coursework at an accredited college or university may qualify for conditional, low grades admission as an unclassified graduate student. A Statement of Conditional Admission will explicitly outline the first 12 hours of letter-graded graduate coursework that the student must take, and the time period for completion of these hours. A copy of the statement is included with the admission letter sent to the student.

An applicant with less than a 2.8 grade point average through the semester in which the last 60 hours of letter graded undergraduate bachelor’s degree coursework occurred will not qualify for unclassified admission.

MEETING THE CONDITIONS

When the student has completed the specified courses with grades that meet the minimum level specified in the terms of the conditions of admission, the student will be admitted as a student in full standing.
The Graduate College will carefully monitor the student’s academic performance.
Failure to comply with the requirements listed in the statement will result in disenrollment of the student.

Changing to Degree-Seeking Graduate Student Status

If an unclassified student is later accepted into a degree program, courses taken while in unclassified status may be used to fulfill graduate degree requirements only if the courses are accepted by the relevant academic unit.
Academic units may have specific limits on the number of credit hours earned in this status that may be accepted in meeting degree requirements. The student is responsible for checking these requriments before enrolling in the unclassified category.
A student must complete the Change of Major form, available in the Graduate College, or on the Web at gradweb.ou.edu, to initiate the change to degree-seeking status.

Financial Assistance for Unclassified Students

For financial aid purposes, students admitted in unclassified status are not eligible for financial aid. Additional information is available from Financial Aid Services.

POST-BACCALAUREATE SPECIAL STUDENT STATUS

Post-baccalaureate Special Students are those students who hold at least a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and wish to take undergraduate courses at the University of Oklahoma without pursuing a degree. They may not enroll in 5000 or 6,000 level coursework and may not receive graduate credit for 3,000 or 4,000 level coursework taken. Post-baccalaureate Special Students who wish to enroll and receive graduate credit must be admitted as a degree seeking or unclassified graduate student.`

Financial Assistance for Special Students

For financial aid purposes, special students may not be eligible for financial aid. Additional information is available from Financial Aid Services.

CERTIFICATION STATUS

A student wishing to fulfill requirements for a professional certificate may be admitted in certification status. Credits earned under this status may be used to fulfill graduate degree requirements only if accepted by the appropriate academic unit and the Graduate Dean. Academic units may have specific limits, and students are responsible for ascertaining these before enrolling in this status. Students fulfilling requirements for certificates other than teaching certificates are ineligible for federal need-based financial aid. Additional information is available from Financial Aid Services.

VISITOR STATUS

A graduate student in good academic standing at another accredited institution may take courses at the University of Oklahoma as a visitor. To be admitted as a visitor, a prospective graduate student must submit the following information to the Office of Admissions:

A completed University of Oklahoma Application for Admission, and
A letter of good standing from the home institution. This letter should be from the Dean of the applicant’s Graduate College and bear the seal of the University.

As a visitor, a graduate student has all the rights and privileges of other graduate students except the student is not in a degree program and, thus, is not pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Oklahoma.

A visitor who later wants to apply visitor credit toward an OU graduate degree must have been eligible for admission in full standing at the time the courses were taken. Should the visitor decide to pursue a graduate degree here, the student is required to file another application and submit official copies of all transcripts and any other materials required by the academic unit in order to be admitted as a graduate student. Visiting students are ineligible for federal financial aid because this assistance is limited to students seeking degrees at the University of Oklahoma. Additional information is available from Financial Aid Services.

ADMISSION OF UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATING SENIORS

A senior graduating from the University of Oklahoma who wishes to apply for admission to a graduate program should report to the Office of Admissions, 127 Buchanan Hall, during the final semester of the senior year in order to complete the Application for Admission of University of Oklahoma Graduating Seniors. The senior’s academic record will be referred to the Graduate College and then to the prospective academic unit for recommendation in accordance with the standard application process. If admitted, the graduating senior must inform the Graduate College if any requirements for the undergraduate degree have not been completed. If any requirements are not completed, the admission will be canceled and the student must reapply. A college senior who qualifies for conditional admission to the Graduate College due to low grades will not receive a final decision on conditional admission until the complete undergraduate transcript is available for review.

ADMISSION & REGISTRATION IN WORKSHOPS, SHORT COURSES OR OTHER SPECIAL COURSE OFFERINGS

Workshop, short course or other special course participants who have not yet been admitted to, or are not enrolled in, the Graduate College will be admitted as special students until the Graduate College can review all necessary credentials and make a decision. In the event that a student does not provide sufficient material for review prior to the end of the semester or summer session, or should a student be denied admission to the Graduate College, the student will remain a special student for that semester or session.

Change of Major

A student who is currently enrolled in, or who has been enrolled in, the Graduate College within the last three terms and wishes to change the major area of interest or degree program must complete a Change of Major Request. This form is available in the Graduate College, from the graduate liaison in each academic unit, and on the Graduate College Web site at http://gradweb.ou.edu/docs/forms/ChangeOfMajor.asp.

A student who is currently enrolled in a doctoral program and wishes to obtain a non-thesis or a thesis option master’s degree in the same major and then continue their doctoral program is not required to complete the Change of Major Request. (See “Obtaining a Master’s Degree While Working on a Doctoral Degree”). A student on any type of probation or in the first semester of a low grades conditional admission is not permitted to change his or her major. Requests for changes of major requests are not processed after the 13^th week of the semester (sixth week of the summer session) until the Graduate College receives student grades for that semester.

Readmission to the Graduate College

Readmission Process

A prospective student must register for courses at the University of Oklahoma for the term of admission in order to retain active status as a graduate student. The student is subject to the regulations applicable during the first term of enrollment so long as continuous enrollments are maintained. A student, whose initial enrollment as a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma is during the summer session, will be subject to the University of Oklahoma catalog or bulletin in effect for the year following that summer.

Updating an Admission

A prospective student who has been admitted and does not enroll for the term of admission may update that aadmission for up to one year from the original date of admission. Updating an application may require academic unit approval.

Lapsed Enrollment

A current graduate student who has a lapse of enrollment for one year must reapply for admission.

Stop-out Policy

A graduate student who finds it necessary to discontinue the program of study (i.e., stop-out) may petition the Graduate College for an exception (in order to return under the student’s original policy) to the readmission policy. The petition must detail the reasons for the “stop-out” and indicate the length of the “stop-out” period. The petition, whenever possible, must be processed while the student is still enrolled. The petition must be endorsed by the student’s graduate liaison. As a general rule, the “stop-out” period will not exceed two years from the student’s last enrollment. The period of the “stop-out” will count toward the time limits for completing the degree.

ADMISSION OF UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATING SENIORS

ADMISSION & REGISTRATION IN WORKSHOPS, SHORT COURSES OR OTHER SPECIAL COURSE OFFERINGS

Change of Major

A student who is currently enrolled in, or who has been enrolled in, the Graduate College within the last three terms and wishes to change the major area of interest or degree program must complete a Change of Major Request. This form is available in the Graduate College, from the graduate liaison in each academic unit, and on the Graduate College Web site at http://gradweb.ou.edu/docs/forms/ChangeOfMajor.asp.

Readmission to the Graduate College

Readmission Process

Updating an Admission

A prospective student who has been admitted and does not enroll for the term of admission may update that application for up to one year from the original date of admission. Updating an application may require academic unit approval.

Lapsed Enrollment

A current graduate student who has a lapse of enrollment for one year must reapply for admission.

Stop-out Policy

A graduate student who finds it necessary to discontinue the program of study (i.e., stop-out) may petition the Graduate College for an exception (in order to return under the student’s original policy) to the readmission policy. The petition must detail the reasons for the “stop-out” and indicate the length of the “stop-out” period. The petition, whenever possible, must be processed while the student is still enrolled. As a general rule, the “stop-out” period will not exceed two years from the student’s last enrollment. The period of the “stop-out” will count toward the time limits for completing the degree.

September 2007