Application for Admission

Responsible Office
Graduate School - Admission
Executive
Rodney D. Priestley, Dean of the Graduate School
Policy
  1. Policy Statement

    This policy describes the Graduate School’s application policy for all applicants.

  2. Who is Affected by this Policy

    This policy applies to all applicants to the Graduate School.

  3. Definitions

    N/A

  4. Policy

    The application for admission to the Graduate School’s programs will open in September for admission commencing in the fall term of the following academic year.

    An application can be made to only one department, program, or combined program per year.

    The Graduate School utilizes an online application. Access to this application as well as fees, deadlines, and all the information that an applicant will need to apply can be found in the Admission section of the Graduate School Website.

    Deadlines for applications vary by department, and no late applications are accepted.

    The Graduate School will not offer admission to an applicant seeking a second Ph.D. in the same or similar field of study.

    A bachelor’s degree (or its foreign equivalent) is required to apply. 

    The Graduate School, in addition to the application and the application fee, requires the following materials from all applicants:

    ·      Resume or curriculum vitae

    ·      Statement of academic purpose

    ·      Transcripts (in English) from each academic institution from which a degree was earned or expected to be earned

    ·      Three letters of recommendation

    Valid Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test Scores if applicable (The Finance department will accept valid Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores in place of the GRE)

    Each department may have additional application requirements which are available via the Admission Website.  It is the responsibility of the applicant to carefully review the deadline and requirements of the department.

    GRE, which is administered in the United States and abroad by Educational Testing Service (ETS), should be taken no later than three weeks before the department deadline to ensure that official scores are released and received in time for the review process. Departments may also require subject tests.

    Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate a level of oral proficiency in the English language by submitting scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), which is administered by ETS, or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). An applicant will only be exempt from this requirement if the undergraduate degree was earned in its entirety in a country where the native language is English. The computer based TOEFL examination, if required, should be taken no later than December 1, or the paper based TOEFL no later than October 31, to ensure that official scores are released and received in time for the review process.

    The Graduate School reserves the right to verify all materials in support of an application. All transcripts, recommendations, publications, test scores, and supplemental materials may be traced to their sources to confirm their authenticity.

    All applicants will be notified of their admission decision between January 15 and March 15 via email. All decisions are final.

    Graduate Admission will not release any application materials to the applicant, other institutions, or agencies for any purpose.

    The Graduate School does not require or conduct interviews, although some departments may welcome them.

    Departments recommend admission by comparing the academic merits of all applicants applying in the same field. Academic records are examined to determine whether the applicant has established a firm basis for graduate work in the proposed field of study. Letters of recommendation and the statement of academic purpose are given very serious consideration, and some departments require submission of prior work. The results of the GRE provide additional evidence of the applicant’s aptitude and knowledge. Consideration is given to scholarly promise as well as achievement.

  5. Procedures (if applicable)

    Applicants to the Graduate School must use the application which can be accessed from the Admission Website.  Applications must be submitted by the department deadline. Support material must be uploaded by the applicant to the application, except for letters of recommendation, which must be registered in the application, and test scores.  Applicants must request official scores be sent to the Graduate School at Princeton University through the official score reporting agency.

    After an application has been submitted the applicant should view the application checklist to see the status of receipt of letters of recommendation and test scores. If there is a date next to an item it has been received.  It is the responsibility of the applicant to view the checklist to confirm that all required items are received.

  6. Related Documents/Pages/Forms (if applicable)

    See above.

  7. Roles and Responsibilities

    Dean of the Graduate School
    Oversees Graduate School policies and associated procedures.

    Director of Graduate Admission
    Approves admission materials.

    Department Admission Committees
    Fair and adequate review of all files.

    Academic Affairs
    Fair and adequate review of all files.

    Student
    Submits a complete and timely application.