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.
Technical Standards
Applicants admitted to, progressing through, and graduating from graduate programs are expected to possess the abilities, skills, and professional competencies to meet the academic and research requirements of the program, with or without reasonable accommodations consistent with applicable law.
Students must be able to demonstrate the following technical standards following provision of appropriate training and reasonable accommodations where applicable:
- Cognitive and Analytical Abilities
The ability to acquire, analyze, interpret, integrate, and apply complex scientific information. - Scholarly Work and Research Competencies
The ability to safely and effectively participate in research and other scholarly activity. - Communication Skills
The ability to communicate effectively and professionally in oral, written, and electronic formats with all members of the academic, professional and broader community. - Professional and Ethical Conduct
The ability to maintain professional integrity, adhere to standards of ethical conduct in research, and comply with all applicable institutional, state, and federal requirements governing academic and research conduct. - Interpersonal and Collaborative Skills
The ability to engage respectfully and effectively in collaborative learning, research teams, and professional interactions within varied academic and research environments. - Adaptability and Professional Resilience
The ability to adapt to dynamic academic and research demands, respond constructively to feedback, manage competing priorities, and persist through the challenges inherent in graduate education, scholarly activity, and scientific inquiry.
Individuals participating in programs with requirements for patient care or patient contact are subject to additional technical standards defined at the individual or program level.
UNMC welcomes qualified students with disabilities who can meet the technical standards of the program, with or without accommodations. If you are a student with a disability who needs reasonable accommodations to fully participate in a graduate program, including the interview process or other applicable admissions-related activities, please contact the Accessibility Services Center at UNMCASC@unmc.edu or 402-559-7276 or visit the Accessibility Services Center Website.
(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)
The GRE 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, IELTS, or Duolingo scores. For the TOEFL, a score of at least 550 on the paper-based exam, 60 for minimum total of the section scores on Revised TOEFL Paper-delivered test, or 80 on the internet-based exam is required. The minimum acceptable IELTS band score is 6.5-7.0. Duolingo minimum score is 120. Some graduate programs may require higher minimum scores.
Waivers of the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo 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, IELTS, or Duolingo scores that are more than two years old. We do not accept TOEFL BEST score reporting.
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 not demonstrated satisfactory level of achievement in a particular prerequisite course or have not met the criteria for admission (e.g. have attained below a 3.0 GPA in undergraduate or graduate studies). When provisional admission status is awarded, this fact and the criteria for transitioning to full graduate standing must be stated in the offer of admission letter. Students with provisional status will have their accounts placed on hold and cannot enroll for the second semester unless they have been granted full graduate standing or have received permission from their program's Graduate Committee and the Graduate Studies Dean. Students may not remain on provisional status for more than one year.
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, to demonstrate capacity to meet the academic requirements of graduate study at UNMC, or to transfer course credits to a degree program at another institution (and not in anticipation of 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.
Conditional Offer of Admission - A conditional offer of admission to the Graduate College may be made when the offer of admission is contingent upon the student securing required external funding. If the required external funding is not obtained, then the offer of admission is null and void. By contrast, if the required external funding is secured, then a new offer of admission letter that outlines what is being paid for by the external funding as well as internal sources should be provided.
A conditional offer of admission is not appropriate for situations in which there are deficiencies in prerequisite course work or have not met the criteria for admission.