In accordance with University Policy, UNMC prohibits the denial of admission, or of Medical Center privileges, to students or applicants on the basis of individual characteristics such as race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, religious or political beliefs, or sexual orientation. These privileges include but are not limited to admission, class assignments, scholarships, fellowships, assistantships, and financial aid, as well as housing and recreational facilities. Furthermore, student organizations must base their selection of students for membership on criteria which do not exclude students based upon individual characteristics such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation.
Applicants must hold the minimum of a baccalaureate degree or equivalent from a recognized college or university. Specific requirements for admission to each graduate program with full graduate standing are listed in the Programs & Requirements section of this Catalog. In general, admission to graduate programs requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 based on a four-point scale.
The qualification for admission to and graduation from the various programs of graduate study is dependent upon possession of the following technical standards:
- The intellectual capacity to meet curricular requirements.
- Physical ability to pursue administration, teaching and/or independent research.
- The ability to communicate effectively with mentors, peers and other professionals in the academic community.
- Sufficient emotional stability to permit management of the demands associated with the pursuit of professional activities.
These technical standards are minimum requirements for participation in UNMC graduate programs that require significant laboratory or research-oriented activities. Individuals wishing to participate in programs with requirements for patient care or patient contact must have technical standards defined individually.
(UNMC policies are in accord with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Sections 799A and 854 of the Public Health Services Act.)
Admission Requirements
The University of Nebraska Graduate College is open to graduates of all the colleges of this University and to graduates of other universities and colleges of recognized standing whose requirements for graduation are substantially the same as those in the corresponding college of this University. Persons who have completed the requirements for, but have not yet received, the bachelor's degree may register in the Graduate College provisionally.
Admissions by the Dean for Graduate Studies to pursue graduate work are limited to the number that can best be handled to the advantage of the college and the students. Preference is given to residents of Nebraska, to individuals who wish to pursue study that can be adequately supported by UNMC resources, and to those who have adequate preparation and time for their proposed program.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Applicants for admission are advised that their scores on the GRE constitute a desirable credential to submit in applying for admission and may be required for admission to certain programs. For programs requiring the GRE (General Test and any appropriate Subject Test), official scores must be received before the application can be considered; photocopies will not be accepted. Arrangements to take the GRE may be made through the Educational Testing Service, CN6000, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000. Under no circumstances will we accept GRE scores that are more than five years old. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) Institution Code for the UNMC Graduate College is 6896.
International Students
Applicants from foreign countries where English is not the primary language must present official TOEFL or IELTS scores. For the TOEFL, a score of at least 550 on the paper-based exam or 80 on the internet-based exam is required. The minimum acceptable IELTS band score is 6.5-7.0. Waivers of the TOEFL or IELTS requirement can be granted to international applicants who have been enrolled in a degree-granting program at a U.S. university inside the U.S. for at least one academic year, or attendance at a university in a country where the only official language is English (e.g., the U.K., Australia, or Canada excluding Quebec). Evaluation for a waiver of the English language proficiency exam is not determined by the prevalence of spoken English in a country or the language of instruction at a university. Under no circumstances will we accept TOEFL or IELTS scores that are more than two years old.
English proficiency exam update for February 3 - July 1, 2020
For international applicants, in response to Chinese testing centers closing for the month of February due to the novel Coronovirus, the Office of Graduate Studies has approved the temporary use of the Duolingo English Test in place of the in-person TOEFL and IELTS English proficiency exams. Duolingo English Tests taken between February 3 and July 1, 2020, will be accepted. Scores are valid for two years from the date the test was taken. The exam costs $49 (USD) and may be taken from any computer that has a camera, audio, and reliable internet. The exam portion of the Duolingo English Test contains a series of speaking, reading, writing, and listening exercises. Following the exam, there will be an interview portion that will ask the test-taker to respond to various prompts in 30-to-90 seconds. The exam will take about 45 minutes to complete, and the test-taker will need either a passport, driver license, or national or state ID to show the camera. The score results are generally received within a few days of exam completion. The minimum acceptable Duolingo English Test score is 110.
Duolingo English Test access information
Information on preparing for the exam | Take the exam or practice exam
A few days after completing the exam, the test-taker will receive a verification email containing a link to send your score to UNMC. For additional information, please review the frequently asked questions.
See below for information regarding international transcript evaluation requirements.
Application for Admission
Applications for admission must be submitted online. The application, a $60 application fee, three letters of recommendation, a narrative describing the applicant’s career goals, a felony disclosure statement, and official transcripts from each institution previously attended must be submitted by the deadline established by the degree program. Students applying late may encounter delays in admission and may not be able to register for the desired session. Transcripts and all other materials submitted in support of an application become the permanent property of the University and will not be returned.
Transcripts
For college-level work completed outside of the U.S., official transcripts must be sent to a credential evaluation service for evaluation. The transcript evaluation must be a course-by-course evaluation that identifies and describes each diploma or certificate with periods of education and equivalency of each document. Preferred evaluation services: Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or World Education Services (WES).
Official transcripts of all college-level work completed within or outside of the U.S. must be submitted directly from the college/university attended or through a credential evaluation service, and must be received by the Graduate Studies Office no later than 7 calendar days after the beginning of the first semester of enrollment at UNMC. A Service Indicator/Hold will be placed on the student's record if transcripts are not received by this date. Students who fail to provide official transcripts by the end of their first semester at UNMC are subject to dismissal.
Acceptance of Senior Credits
Undergraduate students with senior standing at an accredited institution who have obtained in advance the approval of the Dean for Graduate Studies may receive up to 12 hours of credit for graduate courses taken at any campus of the University of Nebraska, in addition to the courses necessary to complete their undergraduate work. Such credits must be earned within the twelve months prior to receipt of the baccalaureate.
Students in this University needing not more than nine hours of undergraduate credit to complete the bachelor’s degree and wishing to register for graduate credit may be granted provisional admission to the Graduate College, subject to receiving their baccalaureate degrees within one calendar year.
Applicants requesting acceptance of senior credits must follow the regular admission procedures. If admitted, such registration may count as residence in the Graduate College.
Course work taken for graduate credit at this institution prior to receipt of the baccalaureate degree may not always be accepted for transfer to other institutions as graduate work. Students admitted to professional colleges at the University of Nebraska may enroll in up to a total of nine credit hours of graduate-level courses (800- and 900-series) as electives in the professional curriculum with the approval of the Dean of the professional college, the instructors for the graduate courses, and the Dean for Graduate Studies. In exceptional circumstances, registrations above nine credit hours may be permitted subject to the same approval.
Admission Status
Graduate students will be admitted to the following categories:
Full Graduate Standing – Students who have met the minimum requirements for admission and who have been accepted by a degree program for work leading to the M.S. or Ph.D. degree.
Provisional Status – Students who show potential for successful graduate work but have deficiencies in prerequisite course work or other admission stipulations. Students with Provisional Status cannot become candidates for a degree unless they are recommended for Full Graduate Standing by their program's Graduate Committee.
Non-Degree-Seeking Status (Unclassified Students) – Students who satisfy minimum Admission Requirements and desire to complete a minimum of course work without a degree objective. Typically, such students wish to take graduate courses for professional growth, improvement of skills, or transfer of course credits to a degree program at another institution, but do not anticipate working for an advanced degree at UNMC. Registration as an Unclassified student is subject to the following conditions:
- The student must comply with all requirements for admission to the Graduate College, including submitting an unofficial transcript showing completion of a Bachelor's degree.
- Registration for each course taken as an Unclassified Student is subject to the approval of the course instructor and the Dean for Graduate Studies. In courses with limited enrollment, preference is given to degree-seeking students with full graduate standing.
- Re-admittance as an Unclassified Student for the purpose of enrolling in an additional course is required for each subsequent semester. Re-admittance is contingent upon the student maintaining the same academic standards as applicants for Full Graduate Standing.
Should an unclassified student subsequently desire to pursue an advanced degree, he/she may change from unclassified to Full Graduate Standing by submission of a complete application to the Graduate College as a degree-seeking student and admission into an appropriate program by the Dean for Graduate Studies. Appropriate credits earned in the Unclassified status may be used to fulfill graduate degree requirements only if approved by the program Graduate Committee, the student’s Advisory/Supervisory Committee, and the Dean for Graduate Studies. No more than one-third of the course work applied toward a graduate degree may be taken as an unclassified student.