Admission Status

Admission to Degree Programs

Graduate students are admitted to a particular program for a specific objective and to either full or provisional status as outlined below:

Full Graduate Student Status

Students may be admitted to full graduate status if they have submitted official documents indicating a completed baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution or have earned a degree equivalent to a baccalaureate degree from another country, and are fully qualified in the judgment of the individual program and the Graduate School.

Provisional Graduate Student Status

Students may be admitted to provisional status if:

1. The previous academic record is not outstanding; or
2. The prerequisite course work in the chosen field is insufficient; or
3. The applicant has majored in another field with a creditable record but has not yet clearly demonstrated abilities in the proposed new field; or
4. The applicant has not provided official verification of information required by the graduate program or the Graduate School, such as the last semester's work or receipt of a degree. Official transcripts indicating receipt of the degree must be submitted before the end of the first semester. Registration for a second semester will not be permitted unless these documents are received by the Graduate School.

Other Admissions

Advanced Special Student Status

Although the primary mission of the Graduate School is to conduct programs of graduate instruction leading to advanced degrees, the Graduate Faculty will admit qualified students who have no degree objectives as advanced special students, to the extent that resources allow. Unofficial transcripts or photocopies of diplomas will be accepted with the application for evaluation purposes, but the student must submit official copies of all required documents before the end of the first semester of enrollment. Official transcripts must be submitted from all institutions except the University of Maryland, College Park.

The Advanced Special Student status is not available to students in F-1 or J-1 status. These students should consult with the Office of International Education Services at (301) 314-7740 if they have questions about exceptions in this category.

Applicants for admission to Advanced Special Student status must hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, with a cumulative 3.0 grade point average, and:

1. Submit official transcripts covering all credits used in satisfying the baccalaureate degree requirements, or
2. If the applicant holds a master's or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution, submit an official transcript showing the award of a master's or doctoral degree, or
3. Achieve a score that places the applicant in the upper 50th percentile of appropriate national standardized aptitude examinations including the Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test, the Miller Analogies Test, and the Graduate Management Admissions Test, (Where different percentiles are possible, the Graduate School will determine which score is acceptable), or
4. Provide a strong letter of support from the Graduate Director of the program in which the applicant plans to take a course.

Admission to Advanced Special Student status will continue for five years. If there is no registration in two consecutive academic semesters (Fall and Spring), the admitted status will lapse and a new application will be required.

Advanced Special Students must maintain a 2.75 grade point average. Advanced Special Students whose grade point average falls below 2.75 will not be permitted to register.

Advanced Special Students must pay all standard graduate fees. Students in this status are not eligible to hold appointments as Graduate Teaching or Research Assistants or Fellows, or to receive other forms of financial aid. All other services available to them (e.g., parking, library privileges) are the same as those accorded to other graduate students.

Successful completion of courses taken as an Advanced Special Student does not guarantee admission to a graduate degree or certificate program. Each program may accept such courses in satisfaction of program requirements to a maximum of twelve (12) credits, contingent on admission to the degree or certificate program and on the approval of the faculty in the program. For consideration of admission to a degree program at a later time, the student must submit a new application. See the Transfer Credit section for more information.

Advanced Graduate Specialist Certificate Status - College of Education

The Advanced Graduate Specialist Certificate Program is designed to promote a high level of professional competence in an area of specialization in the field of education. The candidate must be able to demonstrate that he or she can operate as an effective counselor, administrator, teacher or skilled person in a major field of professional endeavor. The Advanced Graduate Specialist Certificate is offered through most of the programs in the College of Education. This Certificate is awarded only by the College of Education. Requirements are as follows:

1. The same general criteria for admission to degree programs are applicable to Graduate Specialist Certificate applicants. Additionally, the applicant must have completed a master's degree or the equivalent in credits earned either at the University of Maryland or at another regionally accredited institution. Entrance exams are required at the time of application and vary for each department. Examinations that may be required are the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test.
2. Course work totaling not more than 30 credits with grades of at least a "B" from an accredited institution may be transferred to the program at the University.
3. The program must be developed in cooperation with an advisor and filed with the Graduate Studies Office in the College of Education.
4. The Advanced Graduate Specialist Certificate program requires a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit with no fewer than 30 semester hours of credit completed at the University of Maryland. At least one half of the credits earned either at other institutions or at the University of Maryland must be in courses comparable to those in the 600-800 series. The student may be required to take a substantial portion of the program in departments other than those in the College of Education. Registration in certain kinds of field study, field experience, apprenticeship or internship may also be required.
The Certificate requires completion of 60 hours of graduate credit with a 3.0 grade point average and no grades of “D” or “F”. There will be a written examination of not less than six hours. For additional details see "A Guide for Student Advisors” issued by the College of Education Graduate Studies Office, Room 1204, Benjamin Building, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-1121 or visit the website at www.education.umd.edu/studentinfo/graduate_info/Grad_Guide/.

Visiting Graduate Student Status

A graduate student matriculated in another graduate school who wishes to enroll in the Graduate School of the University of Maryland and who intends to return to the graduate school in which he or she is matriculated, may be admitted as a Visiting Graduate Student.

To apply, the applicant must submit a completed application (http://www.gradschool.umd.edu/admission) and pay the $60 application fee. Transcripts, letters of recommendation and test scores are not required. In lieu of transcripts, the applicant must submit a letter from the Graduate Dean at the applicant's institution confirming that the applicant is in good academic standing and that courses taken at the University of Maryland will be transferred to the home institution.

Golden Identification Card for Senior Citizens of Maryland

The University's services and courses are available without charge to citizens who are residents of the State of Maryland, 60 years of age or older, and retired (retired persons will be considered those who affirm that they are not engaged in gainful employment for more than 20 hours per week). Individuals who meet these requirements may apply for graduate admission, either as degree-seeking or non-degree-seeking students, and must meet all admissions criteria. Once admitted and issued the Golden Identification Card, senior citizens may register for courses in any session on a space-available basis, and use the library and other University facilities during the time they are enrolled in courses. Tuition will be waived for Golden Identification Card holders, but mandatory fees must be paid. Golden ID Card holders may register during the first week of classes for up to 3 courses; they may not pre-register. Please refer to the Schedule of Classes for more information on the Golden ID registration procedures.

Change of Status or Program

Students are admitted with a particular status to a specified program for a specified objective. A new application is required if:

1. The student wishes to change programs (students may be admitted to only one graduate program at any one time); or
2. The student wishes to change status (from non-degree to degree); or
3. The student wishes to pursue a new degree objective (e.g., change from master's to doctoral degree).

Admission to a new program and/or status is not granted automatically. Each application is subject to review and approval.

Admission of Members of the Faculty

No member of the faculty who is employed by the University of Maryland with the position of assistant professor or higher is permitted to enroll in a program leading to an advanced degree in his or her academic college or school. A faculty member who wishes to take course work for personal enrichment in his or her academic college or school may choose to investigate the Advanced Special Student status. A faculty member who wishes to pursue an advanced degree in a graduate program outside his or her academic college or school may do so by obtaining written consent from the Deans of both the academic college/school in which he or she is employed and that from which he or she seeks a degree, and, subsequently, from the Dean of the Graduate School.

Immunization

The University of Maryland requires all freshmen, new graduate students, and transfer students to provide documentation of measles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus / diphtheria immunizations. It is a student's responsibility to provide this information to the Health Center before school begins. This requirement will not be waived.

Residency Classification

An initial determination of in-state status for admission and tuition charges will be made by the University at the time a student's application for admission is under consideration. The determination made at that time and any determination made thereafter shall prevail in each semester unless the determination is successfully challenged in a timely manner. Please be advised that all students who are originally classified as nonresident students when they begin their studies at the University retain that classification unless they file a petition for resident status with the University’s Residency Classification Office. The deadline for meeting all requirements for resident status and for submitting all documents for reclassification is the last day of late registration for the semester for which the student wishes to be classified as a resident student.
The volume of requests for reclassification may necessitate a delay in completing the review process. It is hoped that a decision in each case will be made within ninety (90) days of a request for determination. During this period of time, or any further period of time required by the University, fees and charges based on the previous determination must be paid. If the determination is changed, excess charges will be refunded.
All Graduate Assistants and Graduate Fellows are responsible for the status of their own residency classification. Classification does not officially change when the student begins his or her appointment. Assistants and Fellows should be familiar with the policies regarding tuition remission and residency classification. The fact that Fellows and Teaching Assistants are billed at the In-State rate does not change their residency status.

Regents’ Policy on Residency

The Board of Regents establishes the criteria for the determination of residency. It is the policy of the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland (USM) to recognize the categories of In-State and Out-of-State students for the purpose of admission and tuition, and to charge differentials at those institutions where such differentiation has been established.

A. An In-State student is a student whom the University determines to be a permanent resident of the State of Maryland. For the purposes of this Policy, "permanent resident" is defined as a person who satisfies all the following conditions and has done so for at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to and including the last date available to register for courses in the semester/term for which the person seeks In-State Status:

1. Is not residing in the State of Maryland primarily to attend an educational institution; and,
2. Owns and continuously occupies or rents and continuously occupies living quarters in Maryland. There must exist a genuine deed or lease in the individual's name reflecting payments/rents and terms typical of those in the community at the time executed. Persons not having such a lease may submit an affidavit reflecting payments/rents and terms as well as the name and address of the person to whom payments are made which may be considered as meeting this condition. As an alternative to ownership or rental of living quarters in Maryland, a student may share living quarters in Maryland which are owned or rented and occupied by a parent, legal guardian, or spouse; and,
3. Maintains within Maryland substantially all personal property; and,
4. Pays Maryland income tax on all earned taxable income including all taxable income earned outside the State; and,
5. Registers all owned motor vehicles in Maryland in accordance with Maryland law; and,
6. Possesses a valid Maryland driver's license, if licensed, in accordance with Maryland law; and,
7. Is registered in Maryland, if registered to vote; and,
8. Receives no public assistance from a state other than the State of Maryland or from a city, county or municipal agency other than one in Maryland; and,
9. Has a legal ability under Federal and Maryland law to live permanently without interruption in Maryland.

B. In addition, persons with the following status shall be accorded the benefits of In-State Status for the period in which they hold such status:

1. A full-time or part-time (at least 50 percent time) regular employee of the University System of Maryland.
2. The spouse or financially dependent child of a full-time or part-time (at least 50 percent time) regular employee of the USM.
3. A full-time active member of the Armed Forces of the United States whose home of residency is Maryland or one who resides or is stationed in Maryland, or the spouse or a financially dependent child of such a person.
4. For UMUC, a full-time active member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, or the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty.
5. A graduate assistant appointed through the University System of Maryland for the semester/term of the appointment. Except through prior arrangement, this benefit is available only for enrollment at the institution awarding the assistantship.

C. Students not entitled to In-State Status under the preceding paragraphs shall be assigned Out-of-State Status for admission, tuition, and charge-differential purposes.

D. Assignment of In-State or Out-of-State classification will be made by the University upon an assessment of the totality of facts known or presented to it. The person seeking In-State Status shall have the burden of proving that he or she satisfies all requirements.

E. The following circumstances raise a presumption that the student is residing in the State of Maryland primarily for the purpose of attending an educational institution:

1. The student was attending high school or residing outside Maryland at the time of application for admission to a USM institution.
OR,
2. The student is both (a) not financially independent and (b) is financially dependent upon a person not a resident of Maryland.

The burden shall be on the student to rebut the presumption.

Residency Classification Procedures

For the procedure to apply for classification as a Maryland resident, please refer to the website located at http://www.testudo.umd.edu/rco/policy.html.