Admissions

Admission to Radford University is selective and based on a review of each applicant’s academic qualifications. Spaces are limited and applicants are encouraged to apply well in advance of the term in which they wish to attend.  As the number of applicants who meet the essential requirements for admission exceeds the number that can be admitted, the university selects those students who present the strongest qualifications in scholastic achievement, character, personality, performance in relevant extracurricular activities and evidence of aptitude for achievement in the field of study for which the applicant seeks training.

Categories of Graduate Study

1. Degree Program: Any program that is designed to culminate in a student obtaining a master’s degree, Educational Specialist degree, or doctoral degree.
2. Certificate:  Any program that is designed to culminate in the student obtaining a post-baccalaureate, graduate, or post-graduate certificate.
3. Initial Teaching Licensure: Any program that is designed to culminate in the student obtaining initial teaching licensure.
4. Non-degree Seeking: Enrollment in one or more courses for reasons other than degree, certificate or initial licensure purposes.

Application Procedures

A prospective student desiring to enter Radford University should apply using the online application available at www.radford.edu/gradcollege by selecting the Apply Now option.  Applicants will receive a series of electronic notifications throughout the application process and will have the opportunity to follow the progression of the application online through the MyRU portal. Only applications that are complete will be reviewed for an admission recommendation by the specified department.  A complete application for degree seeking applicants includes:

1. An official application completed online and submitted with a nonrefundable application fee of $50;
2. Official transcripts from all institutions from which the applicant has earned a degree or course credit following a degree conferral. Unofficial transcripts are sufficient from institutions from which course credit has been transferred. If a degree has not been conferred at the time of application, a final transcript must be sent within 30 days of the start of the first term of enrollment. If the degree has not been conferred prior to the beginning of the term of admission to graduate school, admission will be rescinded;
3. Official test scores (GRE, MAT, GMAT) if required by the program;
4. At least two letters of recommendation (some programs require three);
5. A resume;
6. A writing requirement if required by the program.
7. Additional program specific documents if required by the program.
8. International applicants require additional materials. This information is defined below.

Prospective students for the Communications Sciences and Disorders and Physical Therapy programs are required to apply through the Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS and PTCAS respectively) in addition submitting the online  “Supplemental Application for Admission to the Graduate College for CAS Applicants Only” with the required $50 non-refundable supplemental fee.  The supplemental fee to Radford University is in addition to the standard CSDCAS and PTCAS application fees.  Applicants are encouraged to apply very early to CDSCAS and PTCAS to allow sufficient time (up to four weeks) for verification by the respective Centralized Application Service in order for the CAS application to be electronically mailed to Radford University by the admission deadlines.  The CSDCAS/PTCAS application and supplemental applications must be received to Radford by the application deadlines in order to be considered for admission.

A complete application for non-degree applicants is listed below. 

Additional requirements for international applicants is listed below.

Applicants should check departmental information for specific admission requirements. Applications and all supporting materials should be received no later than a program’s deadline.  If a program has rolling admission, applications and all supporting materials should be received as early as possible prior to the start of the application term in order to receive fullest consideration. Refer to Application Requirements.

For applicants who are graduates of Radford University, only transcripts for coursework taken at other institutions after graduation need to be submitted. Radford University transcripts and transcripts for institutions from which transfer credit was accepted by Radford University can be obtained by the Graduate Admissions Office. If an applicant’s undergraduate transcripts does not include the applicant’s entire undergraduate program, copies of all transcripts also must be sent to the Graduate Admissions Office. Students, excluding Radford University graduates, must have official final transcripts, including the award of the bachelor’s degree, sent to the Graduate Admissions Office if the degree is not conferred at the time of application.

Applicants must arrange to have official test scores sent directly to the Graduate Admissions Office if required by the specified program. Consult the program admission policy here to determine which of the following test scores to submit: GRE - Graduate Record Exam, GMAT Graduate Management Admissions Test and/or MAT– Miller Analogies Test. English language proficiency is demonstrated by (1) an official TOEFL score of 550 or higher on the written test, 79-80 on the Internet-based test, (2) an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher, or (3) possession of a degree from an accredited institution where English is the primary language of instruction.  Please be certain that the correct college code for Radford University Graduate Level is being used when requesting scores.  Note that Communication Sciences and Disorders and Physical Therapy have unique GRE codes. 

Specific grade point averages have been established for admission. (See here.) Some degree programs have higher admission standards. For those programs requiring standardized test scores, the score will be considered in conjunction with other indicators of academic aptitude (grades, experience, recommendations). A high test score, for example, may offset weaker grades and vice versa.

Students may be enrolled in only one graduate program and only one level at Radford University (graduate or undergraduate) in a given term. However, if an applicant wishes to apply for admission to more than one program for any given term, a complete separate application (including a separate application fee and program specific supplemental materials) must be submitted for each program. If a student is in a doctoral program that offers a master’s degree in the same field, a student may request to switch to the master’s program from the doctoral program. Students interested in doing so should consult their program coordinator and students must still meet all program specific criteria. To request a change a student should complete the Request for Program Changes form found online, and the request must be approved by the program coordinator. Students may not use this form to switch from one master’s program to a different master’s program or from a master’s program to a doctoral program. A student switching from the doctoral to master’s level within the same program will not have to pay an additional application fee. If recommended for admission to more than one program, a student must decide which program to enter by accepting the offer of admission to only one program.

In some graduate programs, the number of applicants who meet minimum admission requirements may exceed the number of new students who can be accommodated in the programs. In these instances, departmental admission committees will have to select the strongest applicants and regrettably, deny admission to others who meet minimum requirements. Admission recommendations will be made by the departments based on the qualifications of the applicant pool for the given admission term.

Admission for International Students

An international student who plans to enter Radford University in fall semester is encouraged to apply by December 1 and by October 1 for the spring semester.  International applicants should apply online using the online application available at www.radford.edu/gradcollege by selecting the Apply Now option.  A Supplemental International Application is available as part of the standard online application (and the Supplemental Application for Admission to the Graduate College for CAS Applicants Only for international applicants applying to either the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program or Physical Therapy Program).  

Applicants must submit an official transcript for each college or university attended to the Graduate College.  All records from non-U.S. institutions must be certified and translated into English by an evaluation service. International applicants are required to use one of the following credential evaluation services: World Education Services (WES), Foreign Credential Service of America (FCSA), International Educational Equivalency Evaluation Services Inc. (IEEES), or Transcript Research.  Applicants are required to select the course-by-course report option from the preferred credential evaluation service.  General reports are not sufficient.

In addition to the standard graduate application procedure and requirements indicated by the specific program, an international applicant whose native language is not English or has not earned a degree from an institution at which English is the primary language of instruction must take the TOEFL or the IELTS. Official scores must be submitted to the Graduate Admissions Office to complete the application in order to be reviewed by the department.

A TOEFL minimum score of 550 on the paper-based test or, 79-80 on the Internet-based test is required for admission. A minimum score of 6.5 is required for the IELTS.  The minimum required scores for the TOEFL and IELTS are strictly upheld.  Applicants who do not achieve a minimum score on either of these English proficiency exams will not be considered for admission. Official scores on the TOEFL or IELTS cannot be more than two years old from the term to which the applicant is applying.

Official bank statement - An original and certified statement dated no more than 12 months prior to the term of entry which states the specific amount of money (in U.S. dollars) immediately available for your first academic year of graduate study must be submitted. The official funds estimate required for I-20 processing for the 2018-2019 academic year is $37,009.  This amount includes tuition, fees, and living expenses. Please note that if you will be participating in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), Master of Occupational Therapy (M.O.T.), or the Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) program, the estimates are different.  The official funds estimate required for I-20 processing for the 2018-2019 academic year is $40,939 - $50,335 for D.N.P., $57,472 for M.O.T., and $68,836 for D.P.T.  Please note that these amounts are subject to change.

For more information about financial requirements, contact the Assistant Director in the International Education Center, 540-831-6200.

An I-20 Form, used to obtain an F1 student visa, will be prepared by the International Education Center (IEC) after the application and all necessary information have been received and the Graduate College has made a decision to accept the applicant as a Radford student. The I-20 Form cannot be prepared before an application is officially reviewed, the applicant has been accepted and all required documentation indicating financial support has been received. Applicants with questions about the I-20 Form or immigration matters should contact the International Education Center (540-831-6200 or Teresa King at tking54@radford.edu).

All international students are required to present proof of adequate health insurance coverage prior to enrollment, or purchase acceptable insurance immediately upon arrival. Please contact the International Education Center with questions or if you need more information concerning various health insurance policies.

Notification of Admission

Admission to a graduate program is granted by the dean of the Graduate College on recommendation from the faculty of the specific program. The decision is made, in the best professional judgment of the educators involved, on the basis of evidence that the applicant can benefit from graduate study at Radford University and is likely to complete the proposed program successfully.  After an admission recommendation has been submitted to the Graduate Admissions Office and a decision is made by the dean, the applicant will receive written official notification of the college’s admission decision. A letter of admission will indicate the student’s admission status, program requirements and the name, phone number and e-mail of the student’s program coordinator/director. It also will indicate any special conditions to be met when necessary. A doctoral student may not be admitted with any deficiencies or any conditions to be met.

Acceptance into the Graduate College is effective for one semester. If an accepted student does not matriculate, enroll for the first time, for the term in which initial acceptance was offered according to the letter of admission, it will be necessary to reapply. If an accepted student wishes to defer his/her admission, he/she may do so for up to one academic year by submitting a term change request form that requires the permission of the graduate program coordinator/director and the Graduate College. Degree seeking students who have not enrolled in a course for two years or more, but are still within the time limit of completing their programs, must contact the program coordinator/director to be reinstated.  The program coordinator/director will have the discretion to require reapplication to the program when a student status is inactive. For further information, contact:

Graduate Admissions Office
P.O. Box 6928
Radford University
Radford, VA 24142
email: gradcollege@radford.edu
phone: 540-831-5431 

Graduate Seat Deposit

Upon the student’s acceptance of the offer of admission from the Graduate College, new students may have to pay a non-refundable seat deposit of $500. Information on whether a deposit is required and the deadline for payment is program-specific and included in the student’s acceptance letter. The deposit will be credited to the student’s first semester tuition and may be paid online through the MyRU portal.  An admission offer for programs requiring the seat deposit will not be confirmed until the full deposit is posted.  In order to accept the offer of admission and secure one’s seat in the program, students are encouraged to submit the seat deposit as soon as possible.  A registration hold will be placed on the student’s account at the time of admission.  Registration will not be allowed until the full $500 deposit is posted.  If the full deposit is not received by the deadline designated by the department in the admission letter, the offer of admission will be rescinded and the student will be required to reapply.

Graduate seat deposits are program specific.  A deposit required by and paid to accept the offer of admission to one program may not be transferred to another program.  Seat deposits will be forfeited if the student elects not to attend, for any reason, the program to which the deposit is paid.  Forfeited deposits are non-refundable.

Graduate seat deposits may not be waived and may not be covered by financial aid or grant funds. However, students who have US Military or Veteran benefits may use these funds to cover the graduate seat deposit. Students will need to contact Graduate Admissions to facilitate the use of benefits for the deposit. If a student requests and is approved to defer his or her admission term, a seat deposit is required for the original admission term as well as for the deferred admission term.  The deposit for the original admission term will be forfeited, but reapplication will not be required as seat will be confirmed for the deferred term by the deferred deposit. The date for which a deferred seat deposit is due will be determined by the program when a deferral is approved.

In the event of a returned check for a seat deposit, the Bursar’s Office will contact the student and allow 10 days to rectify the deposit.  If the deposit is not rectified by this time, the Graduate College will be contacted accordingly and admission may be rescinded depending on the deadline deposit. The Bursar will also impose up to a maximum $75 state mandated fee for all returned checks.

Students who have a break in enrollment and are approved for reinstatement to a program will not be required to pay a seat deposit.

Disciplinary or Criminal Offenses

Undergraduate, graduate and students seeking readmission who have disciplinary records at their previous institutions or who have a criminal record will be reviewed by the Special Admission Committee. Non-disclosure or falsification in the reporting of disciplinary and/or criminal offenses on an application will result in automatic denial.

Classifications of Graduate Admission Status

Regular

Regular status may be granted to students who have met all entrance requirements for the Graduate College and the program in which they wish to study. In addition to all other Graduate College and program requirements, minimum requirements for regular status include:

• A complete graduate application;
• Official scores on required tests;
• Two or three letters of recommendation depending on the program;
• An official final transcript showing a bachelor’s degree conferred from a regionally-accredited baccalaureate institution with additional transcripts provided from all other institutions attended (official copies from those institutions attended following a degree conferral and unofficial copies from those in which credit was transferred) and, in the case of some doctoral programs, an official final master’s degree transcript from a regionally-accredited institution;
• A minimum 2.75 grade point average on a 4.0 scale; (Some degree programs have higher admission standards.)
• Completion of all deficient coursework;
• A writing requirement depending on the program;
• A resume.

Programs, with the approval of the dean of the Graduate College, may establish and maintain additional requirements for admission and regular status.

Conditional

Students may be admitted on conditional status only if they are missing an official test score or one or more letters of recommendation; have deficient coursework; have a grade point average below 2.75; or have a test score below the minimum acceptable to the program. A student will be approved for regular status upon completion of all conditions of his/her admission. The student, program coordinator, and Financial Aid Office will be notified electronically by Graduate Admissions of the status update.

Students must remedy all conditions of admission by the end of the first semester or term in which they are enrolled or earlier if required by program policy. Students who are unable to remedy a deficiency in the time frame established as indicated in the admission letter will be blocked from further registration in graduate courses and dismissed. Doctoral programs may not admit a student with any deficiencies.

Students who are admitted with the condition of earning a grade of B or better in all first term coursework will be blocked from enrolling in subsequent terms until final grades have been processed and evaluated by the Graduate College. If this condition is not met, a student earns any one grade of B- or lower, the student will be blocked from further registration in graduate courses and dismissed.

Programs or schools may have more stringent requirements or rules than those listed above regarding retention.  Following the first term of enrollment, a student may remain on conditional status with the program and progress will be monitored by the program accordingly.

Students on conditional admission status will be eligible for financial aid for the initial term of enrollment, and will not receive additional aid until the admission status is updated to regular.  Conditional students are also ineligible to receive graduate assistantships until their admission status is updated to regular.

Temporary

Students may be admitted under temporary status if they are missing only the conferral of their undergraduate degree or in the case of some doctoral programs, graduate degree. Students admitted under this status will not be eligible for financial aid until receipt of a final official transcript showing the degree is conferred. A final conferred official transcript must be received in the Graduate College within 30 days of the start of the term of initial enrollment. At that time the temporary status will be updated to regular. The student, program coordinator, and Financial Aid Office will be notified electronically by Graduate Admissions of the status update.  Noncompliance with this policy will result in administrative removal from all courses and dismissal from the graduate program.

Conditional-Temporary

Students may be admitted under conditional-temporary status if they are missing the conferral of their undergraduate degree or in the case of some doctoral programs, graduate degree in addition to having a deficiency such as missing an official test score or one or more letters of recommendation; lacks prerequisite course work, a grade point average below 2.75, or a test score below the minimum required by the program. A student will be approved for regular status upon completion of all conditions of his/her admission and the receipt of an official final conferred transcript.

Students must remedy all admission deficiencies by the end of the first semester or term in which they are enrolled or earlier if required by program policy. A final official transcript must be received in the Graduate College with 30 days of the start of the term of initial enrollment. Students who are unable to remedy a deficiency or provide an official conferred transcript in the time frame established will be blocked from further registration in graduate courses and dismissed.

Students who are admitted with the condition of earning a grade of “B” or better in all first term coursework will be blocked from enrolling in subsequent terms until final grades have been processed and evaluated by the Graduate College. If this condition is not met, a student earns any one grade of “B-” or lower, the student will be blocked from further registration in graduate courses and dismissed.

Programs or schools may have more stringent requirements or rules than those listed above regarding retention. Following the first term of enrollment, a student may remain on conditional status with the program and progress will be monitored by the program accordingly.

Students are ineligible to receive financial aid on conditional-temporary status.  Upon receipt of the official conferred transcript, the student’s status will be updated to conditional only admission status.  At this time the student will be eligible for financial aid for the initial term of enrollment, but will not receive additional aid until the admission status is updated to regular.  Conditional-temporary students are also ineligible to receive graduate assistantships until their admission status is updated to regular.

Certificate Seeking Students

The post-baccalaureate certificate is generally a series of 12-18 credit hours of graduate level coursework related to a focused academic topic or competency area. A post-baccalaureate certificate may enhance the education of degree seeking students as well as provide continuing education of certificate seeking only students, generally in a specialized or emerging field. The certificate indicates to a prospective employer that the university validates the particular collection of courses as a coherent substantive area of study. While the award of a certificate means the holder has completed the required courses and related work at an acceptable level of academic accomplishment, it does not constitute a degree program and it neither certifies nor licenses the student.

An applicant who is currently a matriculated graduate degree seeking student at Radford University may apply for a certificate by submitting an approved “Add a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Form” to the Graduate College. Applicants who are not in a degree program and are seeking only the certificate should apply as “Certificate Students” and must meet the established criteria for admission, as well as other requirements indicated by the specific certificate.  Certificate seeking applications may be submitted online on a rolling admissions basis for all terms with a non-refundable application fee of $50. A current list of Post-Baccalaureate Certificates being offered, along with specific entry requirements, is available at www.radford.edu/gradcollege under the “Academics” tab.  Applicants are encouraged to contact certificate coordinators to determine an appropriate admission term prior to starting the application process. 

Certificate seeking students are subject to all established policies of retention, probation, and dismissal.

Initial Teaching Licensure

An applicant who holds a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution and who wishes to take graduate courses to meet initial teaching licensure requirements may apply to be admitted under this classification. Applications for initial teaching licensure may be submitted online on a rolling admissions basis for all terms with a non-refundable application fee of $50.

In addition to an official transcript showing a conferred bachelor’s degree conferred with a minimum G.P.A. of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, applicants seeking admission for initial teaching licensure are required to submit three letters of recommendation and a professional resume. Recommendation letters should be written by persons familiar with the applicant’s academic background and/or work experience. An applicant who has had experience in the public schools and who plans to continue working in the area of professional education is encouraged to have one of the recommendations submitted by the immediate supervisor in the school system or, if not currently employed by a school system, by a supervisor in the last school system in which the applicant worked.

A letter of reference is required from at least three of the following:

1. The director of the teacher education program at the undergraduate college if the applicant was enrolled in a baccalaureate teacher education program;
2. The chair of the department or a faculty member who served as advisor for the applicant from the major department if the applicant was not enrolled in an undergraduate teacher education program;
3. The clinical faculty member (cooperating teacher) who supervised the applicant if the applicant participated in any field experiences or practica associated with teacher preparation;
4. The chair of the department or a faculty member who served as advisor for the applicant from the major department if the applicant has been enrolled in a graduate program following graduation;
5. A direct supervisor to whom the applicant reported if the applicant has been employed since receiving the baccalaureate degree.

Normally, courses taken under this admission category may not be counted toward a degree; however, a professional licensure student in this classification who subsequently decides to pursue a degree may petition the Graduate College through the appropriate department to have a maximum of nine graduate hours evaluated to be applied toward a graduate degree.

It would be to the advantage of initial teaching licensure students to formally apply to a degree program as soon as possible after registration in order to protect the potential future value of courses toward a graduate degree.

Initial teaching licensure students are subject to all established policies of retention, probation, and dismissal.

Non-Degree Seeking Status

An applicant who does not plan to pursue a degree, post-baccalaureate certificate or initial teaching licensure, but wishes to take one or more courses may complete an enrollment request for non-degree seeking status. Non-degree enrollment requests may be submitted online on a rolling basis for all terms, with a non-refundable fee of $25.

Non-degree seeking students must complete the online non-degree enrollment request form. Documentation of eligibility for enrollment must be received within 30 days of the start of the term of initial enrollment. Noncompliance with this policy will result administrative removal from all courses. Approval of enrollment request is not guaranteed and enrollment is subject to availability, with department/program permission.  Additional information may be required by some departments or programs as part of the approval process to enroll in particular course(s). In courses with limited enrollment, first priority goes to students seeking a degree, certificate or licensure. Non-degree seeking students must meet any course prerequisites. Registration for non-degree seeking students will begin approximately 30 days before the first day of classes.

Non-degree graduate students are only eligible for enrollment in courses at the 500-level or above, and not all graduate courses may be taken by non-degree seeking students. Students are advised to check with the specific department or program as well as catalog requirements to determine eligibility and availability for enrollment in particular graduate courses. Non- degree students are subject to all established policies of probation and suspension.

Applicants who have been denied admission to a graduate degree-seeking program at Radford University may be permitted to enroll in courses as a non-degree student, at the discretion of the department/program.

Non-degree students who subsequently decide to pursue a degree or certificate program may have a maximum of nine graduate hours evaluated for acceptance toward a graduate degree. Students must go through the appropriate program to have the course(s) evaluated. Only courses with a grade of B or better (credit for grades of “B-” will not count) will be eligible to be applied toward a degree or certificate.

Non-degree students who seek admission to a graduate program must apply following the application procedure of a degree-seeking applicant for the specific program in which he/she seeks enrollment. Enrollment as a non-degree seeking student at Radford University does not guarantee admission to a Radford University graduate degree program. Non-degree seeking graduate students who seek admission to a degree program are encouraged to formally apply to the degree program as soon as possible after registration in order to protect the potential future value of courses toward a graduate degree.

Graduate Enrollment Checklist for First Semester of Enrollment

If a student applied to the Graduate College before his or her undergraduate degree was conferred, it is the student’s responsibility to ask his or her undergraduate institution to send a final transcript verifying conferral of the degree to the Graduate College within 30 days of the start of the first term of his or her enrollment.

If a student is admitted conditionally with the condition of earning grades of “B” or better in all classes his or her first term of enrollment, his or her status will automatically be approved for regular status once his or her final grades are posted and show that the condition has been met. If the student has been admitted with any other conditions, including but not limited to, lacks official supporting documentation (test scores, a letter of reference, etc.) or has deficient prerequisite coursework to successfully complete, his or her status will be changed to regular with the department’s approval as the specific conditions are met. All conditionally admitted students must also have a complete application on file, including an official final transcript verifying a conferred undergraduate degree and in the case of some doctoral programs, a master’s degree conferred, in order to be eligible for his or her status to be updated to regular status.

If a student is admitted to a graduate program that requires a graduate seat deposit, the deposit must be paid in full by the deadline established by the program.