General Application Information
GRADUATE ADMISSIONS AND ENROLLMENT
The responsibilities of Graduate Admissions and Enrollment are to review policies related to the management, verification, and review of submitted graduate admission applications to facilitate timely review and admission decision-making by graduate academic programs. The department will provide guidance and clear communication to applicants, ensuring a positive experience throughout the admission process. Furthermore, Graduate Admissions and Enrollment will collaborate with academic departments to uphold institutional policies and regulations related to the admission of students into graduate programs.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Admission requirements for graduate programs are designated for students who have a high probability of success in graduate-level work at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The university establishes minimum standards for admission to any graduate program. Each graduate program may establish higher minimum admission standards with the approval of the Graduate Committee. The application to all graduate programs can be found here.
Graduate degree programs are housed in academic departments. Each department establishes its requirements for admission in consultation with the Graduate Committee. Graduate program requirements are in addition to the minimum requirements established for admission by the Graduate Admissions at the university.
Normally, all undergraduate work must be satisfactorily completed prior to taking graduate courses, or at least be completed during the first semester of enrollment in graduate courses. Any student who would like to enroll in a graduate-level course (courses numbered 5000-9000) must apply and be accepted for graduate study at UTRGV. Students accepted for graduate study are also eligible to enroll in undergraduate courses. Admission procedures and criteria specific to the master's and doctoral programs are located in the relevant sections of this catalog.
APPLICATION PROCESS
To be admitted to a graduate program, the student must meet all requirements for admission to UTRGV as well as the program-specific requirements. The application for admission to the university must be submitted online and is available here. Once submitted, applicants can check the status of their applications by logging into their Graduate Application portal or by contacting Graduate Recruitment.
The application to Graduate Admissions consists of:
- Application: Submitted online by the appropriate deadline.
- Application Fee: Nonrefundable application fee, $50 for domestic applicants and $100 for international applicants.
- Submitted Documents: All submitted documents become the property of UTRGV and will not be returned. Application documents will remain on file for one year if the applicant does not attend the university. Documents will be retained for seven years for students enrolling in a master’s program and 10 years for students enrolling in a doctoral
program.
- Official Transcripts: Submit an official transcript(s) that certifies the four-year bachelor’s degree or international equivalent degree awarded and, at minimum, contains the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework leading to the bachelor’s degree, unless otherwise required or requested by a program. Electronic transcripts are preferred and should be sent to gradapps@utrgv.edu
Doctoral applicants who have submitted official transcripts for a relevant conferred master's degree or international equivalent are only required to submit unofficial copies of their four-year bachelor’s degree or international equivalent unless otherwise required or requested by a program.
If the student is sending hard copy transcripts, the student is advised to request that the transcript(s) be sent directly to Graduate Admissions at the following address:
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Graduate Admissions
Maryalice Shary Shivers Blg. 1.102
1201 West University Dr.
Edinburg, TX 78539
If the applicant attended the University of Texas-Pan American or the University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College at any time, the UTRGV Graduate Admissions will obtain those official transcripts; however, the applicant is responsible for requesting official transcripts to be sent directly from all other institution(s). Transcripts must be sealed and sent directly from the institution to be considered official.
Transcripts will be considered unofficial if they are hand delivered by the applicant or third party even if they are sealed by the institution.
- Test Scores: GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS, DuoLingo and other test scores, if applicable, should be requested by the student to be sent directly to the Graduate
College.
- Additional Documents: Each graduate program establishes its own admission standards in consultation with the university Graduate Committee and may
require that additional documents be submitted with the online application.
INCORRECT OR INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS
Failure to submit a complete and correct application and official transcripts as required by the application process will result in one of the following: rejection of application, withdrawal of admission offers, or disciplinary action which may include expulsion if the student is enrolled.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
Application deadlines for graduate programs are available on the Graduate Admissions website here. Please note that deadlines vary among the programs.
International students may have more restrictive application deadlines as a result of visa processing requirements. Please refer to the dates listed on the UTRGV Graduate Admissions and International Student Services websites.
Registration deadlines are listed in the University Calendar section of this catalog or can be found online at my.utrgv.edu through ASSIST.
NOTICE OF ADMISSIONS
Official admission offers will be made only by the UTRGV Graduate Admissions Office and are valid only for the semester or term requested on the application. Students who are accepted but do not enroll in the term of admission must reapply. A notification (letter, email, or phone call) from a graduate department/program stating you have been recommended for admission does not constitute a formal offer of admission.
DEFERRAL OF ADMISSION
Official admission offers are made only by UTRGV Graduate Admissions and are valid only for the semester or module requested on the application.
Students who are admitted but do not enroll in the semester or module of admission must reapply. Students who are admitted but determine they cannot attend in the semester or module of admission may request a one-time deferral of one semester or up to two modules within the same academic year.
Some graduate programs may have additional requirements for admission deferrals, may require students to reapply, or may not offer deferrals.
APPEALING ADMISSION DECISIONS
The applicant may appeal admission decisions. The appeal must be in writing to the department chair or the program to which the student is applying and should provide an explanation of any extenuating circumstances to be considered. If the student is dissatisfied with the decision made by the chair or program, the student may appeal to the Dean of the academic college. If the student is still dissatisfied with the outcome, the student may appeal to the Associate Vice President for Strategic Enrollment over Graduate Admissions. The decision of the Associate Vice President shall be final. A student admitted due to an appeal will be granted conditional admission.
ACADEMIC FRESH START
An applicant who has earned a baccalaureate degree under the Academic Fresh Start statute, Texas Education Code, § 51.931, will be evaluated on only the grade point average of the coursework completed for that baccalaureate degree and the other criteria stated herein.
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS
Certain programs require students to submit to and satisfactorily complete a criminal background check (CBC) as a condition of admission and/or participation in education experiences. Fees associated with the CBC are the responsibility of the student. UTRGV does not reimburse students for expenses related to the CBC. Students who refuse to submit to a background check or who do not pass the background check may not be admitted or may be dismissed from the program. See the UTRGV Handbook of Operating Procedures for more information.
ADMISSION CATEGORIES
Graduate Degree-Seeking Students
Students pursuing a master’s degree, doctoral degree or graduate certificate may apply as graduate degree-seeking students. A graduate degree-seeking student admitted into a specific degree program will be evaluated on a series of criteria created by both the university and the graduate program.
Graduate Non-Degree Seeking Students
Students wanting to take graduate coursework for professional improvement may be admitted to UTRGV as a graduate non-degree-seeking student. Graduate non-degree students must submit a graduate application online, pay the required fees, and submit an official transcript showing the awarding of a bachelor’s or higher degree. This must be sent to UTRGV Graduate Admissions directly from the awarding institution.
Please note that non-degree-seeking students are not permitted to enroll in accelerated online courses. If a non-degree-seeking students seeks admission as degree-seeking student, a maximum of 6 hours completed at UTRGV as a non-degree seeking student can be applied to a graduate degree with the approval of the faculty director or the academic program coordinator of the graduate program.
Please note: Non-Degree seeking students or students in only a certificate program are not eligible for most forms of financial aid and are not eligible to obtain an F-1 Visa.
Vaquero Pathway Program for Graduate Admission
The Vaquero Pathway Program (VPP) is a program that offers outstanding UTRGV undergraduate students an expedited path to graduate studies at UTRGV by facilitating their entry into a participating graduate degree program.
Outstanding UTRGV degree-seeking students must be enrolled in the last semester of undergraduate coursework and must have a cumulative institutional GPA of 3.30 and be in good academic standing. For additional program information and to see a list of participating degree programs, go here.