Before You Apply

Identify Your Program

Identify your program of study and deadlines for your program. You may apply to more than one program, but you must complete and submit your first application before you can apply to a second program. Contact your program if you need additional supporting materials or forms for the online application.

Request Official Transcripts

Request official transcript(s) from institutions you’ve attended, including Rutgers. Your institution(s) should send original, official transcripts, showing your degree awarded, to the appropriate graduate admissions office.

We can only accept official transcripts that are sent directly to Graduate Admissions from your institution. Any transcripts uploaded through the applicant portal will be considered unofficial.

If your institution is a sending member of Parchment, eScrip-Safe, or National Student Clearinghouse, Rutgers will be able to receive your official transcripts electronically. We also accept electronic transcripts from India sent via TrueCopy Credentials.

Applicants from Chinese institutions should request and submit official transcripts directly through CHESICC. Requests are processed by CHESICC and will be sent electronically to the admissions office. You will not need to submit a paper copy of your transcript. Visit CHESICC to get started.

Please check the detailed admissions information of the program to which you are applying to see if they require applicants to submit a transcript evaluation when their studies are accomplished outside the United States.

If you attended Rutgers at any time, your transcript will be sent to us automatically.

Request Official Test Scores

You must request your official test scores. When you take the GRE and TOEFL, you will be asked whether you want your scores sent to any schools. Use institution code 2790 to send scores to Rutgers. Rutgers does not use ETS department codes. We will forward your scores to the correct department and update your status.

Rutgers has no universitywide GRE requirement. Applicants should consult the website of the individual schools or the webpage of the individual program to determine any GRE requirements.  In general, GRE scores are good for 5 years and TOEFL/IELTS scores are good for 2 years.  The timeframe for both tests is at the discretion of the department.

Please note that once you have taken one of its standardized tests, ETS requires several weeks to grade your results.

While you are waiting for ETS to send us your official score, you should enter your unofficial test scores on the application under the Tests section of Rutgers online graduate application. You can request an unofficial copy of your scores from the ETS website.

Contact Your Recommenders

During the application, you will provide us with the email addresses of the people who will write your recommendations. Contact your recommenders in advance to get their email addresses and let them know that they will receive an email from Graduate Admissions requesting that they submit the recommendation online. You should also inform your recommenders to write recommendations specific to the program to which you are applying.

Your recommenders will be notified as soon as you complete the Recommendations section of the online application. You may want to contact your recommenders to ensure that they have received the email from the graduate admissions office and understand how to submit it online to our office.

Your letters of recommendation are confidential, and are generally not accessible to you during the admissions process. However, Public Law 93-380, Educational Amendments Act of 1974, grants enrolled students the right to inspect letters of recommendation. If the you do not waive the right to access the letters and are admitted and enrolled, you will be able to access the letters.

If any of your recommenders cannot submit your recommendation electronically, you should do the following:

  • Download the printed recommendation form.
  • Make sure you have entered your first name, last name, and RUID on the form, which will help us match the letter to your application file. Submit your application first in order to receive your RUID.
  • Place the printed recommendation form inside a pre-addressed, stamped envelope addressed to the appropriate admissions office and give the envelope to your recommender.

Prepare Your Personal Statement

In general, a personal statement is a short essay on why you are interested in applying to your program. Your program may have more specific requirements for what your personal statement should contain.

You should now be ready to apply.

Ready To Apply