Admission Requirements

Applicants must complete and submit the Graduate School online application and pay the non-refundable $65 application fee.

Applicants for admission to the Graduate School are expected to hold a minimum of a bachelor's-level degree from a regionally accredited college or university prior to beginning a program of study. Certain programs may require specific degrees or coursework as a requirement for admission (see Program Admission Requirements for individual programs). An applicant may be required to take additional coursework as either co-requisites or prerequisites to strengthen or supplement the undergraduate background.

Some programs may require GRE, GMAT, or other standardized test results (check your academic program for specific requirements).

Test Resources: 

• Exam Prep Resources
• GRE Test Dates at WCU
• GRE: Graduate Record Examination
• GMAT: Graduate Management Admission Test
• MAT: Miller Analogies Test
• TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language
• WCU School Code: 5897

*Not all degree programs require entrance exams.

Unofficial transcripts showing any completed degrees should be uploaded, and any coursework from any college/university attended in the last five years should also be uploaded within the online application*. If you are offered admission, one official transcript showing a conferred baccalaureate or higher-level degree will be required prior to the first day of the enrollment term.

Former WCU students who graduated from WCU are not required to submit official transcripts for their WCU degrees. Please do not send transcripts to the Graduate School.  All uploaded transcripts are considered unofficial and are sufficient for admission review.

*Please note: some programs may require additional undergraduate transcripts or transcripts older than five years to verify coursework for licensure purposes, completion of course prerequisites, etc. In addition, an applicant may submit transcripts for any other coursework they would like to have considered.

Acceptable upload formats:

• • • Scanned copies of transcripts in PDF format
    • Electronic Transcripts in PDF format
    • Unofficial transcripts retrieved from the institution's student portal only if they contain:
      • The applicant's name
      • The name of the institution
      • GPA
      • Degree conferral date (if applicable)
      • Do not upload photographs or screenshots. Do not split transcript pages into separate files.
    • Applicants who earned a degree from an institution outside the United States must have a Foreign Transcript evaluation completed by

      one of the current members (WES is preferred) in the link below:
      National Association of Credential Evaluation Services

If you have any questions, please contact an admission specialist at gradadmissions@wcu.edu

Transcripts/ Foreign Transcript Evaluation:  Applicants who earned a degree from an institution outside the United States must have their transcripts evaluated by one of the current members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services

A document-level transcript evaluation verifying baccalaureate-level degree must be submitted to the Graduate School directly from an approved third-party transcript agency. Programs may require course-level transcript evaluation for admission and/or transfer credit requests.

Official foreign transcript evaluations must be sent directly to WCU’s graduate school from the evaluator. Unofficial copies of your foreign transcript evaluation may be uploaded for application review, but official evaluations are still required in order to register for classes.

Order the Foreign Transcript Evaluation to be sent to either:

WCU Graduate School                                                                                
1 University Drive                                                 OR                       gradadmissions@wcu.edu
110 Cordelia Camp
Cullowhee, NC 28723

For more information on this requirement, visit our International Student FAQ page.

If you have any questions, please contact an admission specialist at gradadmissions@wcu.edu

 Tests of Language Proficiency

Official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Duolingo English Test are required for applicants from countries where English is not the primary language (scores cannot be more than 2 years old). A minimum score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 79 (Internet-based) is required on the TOEFL. A minimum overall band score of 6.5 is required on IELTS, with a minimum band score of 6 on each of the four modules.

As a result of test center closings in many countries impacted by COVID-19 pandemic, the Graduate School now accepts Duolingo English Test examination results. Duolingo English tests taken after January 1, 2021 will be accepted.

To be admitted, a minimum score of 105 will be required. In addition to providing a score at or above the minimum, the Graduate School or graduate programs may choose to require students to participate in a video conference interview prior to making an admission decision.

A TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo is not required for applicants who

• Are from countries where English is the SOLE OFFICIAL language of instruction (Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada-except Quebec, England, Ghana, Ireland, India, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines, Trinidad, Tobago, Uganda, and Wales)
• Have received or will receive a degree from an accredited university in the United States. If you are currently enrolled at a US institution, you must submit an official transcript and verification of degree candidate status from that institution to qualify for a standardized test exemption.
• Have received or will receive a degree from an accredited university where English is the SOLE language of instruction. If you are a degree candidate in a university where English is the SOLE language of instruction, you must submit an official verification from that English is the SOLE language of instruction along with your anticipated date of graduation to qualify for a testing exemption.

 

GRE/ GMAT/ Other Standardized Tests

Some programs may require GRE, GMAT, or other standardized test results (check your academic program for specific requirements).

WCU School Code: 5897

 

Test Resources: 

• Exam Prep Resources
• GRE Test Dates at WCU
• GRE: Graduate Record Examination
• GMAT: Graduate Management Admission Test
• MAT: Miller Analogies Test
• TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language
• WCU School Code: 5897 

*Not all degree programs require entrance exams.

Official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are required for applicants from countries where English is not the primary language.

• A minimum score of 550 (paper-based)
• 213 (computer-based)
• 79 (Internet-based) is required on the TOEFL.
• A minimum overall band score of 6.5 is required on the IELTS, with a minimum band score of 6 on each of the four modules.

This requirement will be waived for applicants who:

• successfully complete WCU's Intensive English Program (IEP). 
• Are from countries with English as Primary Native Language:
  • Anguilla Antigua, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Greenland, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tobago, Tonga, Trinidad, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Some graduate programs require applicants to submit supplemental material as part of the online application process. Please familiarize yourself with any additional requirements of your program prior to completing the online application.

Some programs may require GRE, GMAT, or other standardized test results (check your academic program for specific requirements).

WCU School Code: 5897

Test Resources: 

• Exam Prep Resources
• GRE Test Dates at WCU
• GRE: Graduate Record Examination
• GMAT: Graduate Management Admission Test
• MAT: Miller Analogies Test
• TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language
• WCU School Code: 5897 

*Not all degree programs require entrance exams.