Step-by-Step Guide to Applying

A welcome to the University of Maryland Graduate School, from Associate Provost and Dean Stephen Roth:

Your choice of a graduate program should be informed by the career pathways of previous students. PhD applicants can get information about the types of work our recent PhD graduates are doing here. This report's interactive dashboard uses three common industry and labor classification systems. Select a PhD program in the “field/discipline” drop-down menu in the upper right corner of the “overview” tab to see the proportion of graduates in academia and in tenured/tenure-track faculty positions. Click on one of the “classifications” tabs to see more details about other employer types (industry, government, non-profit) and the categories of positions held by alumni.

School of Public Health Applicants

Kinesiology, Couple and Family Therapy, Family Science, Gerontology (certificates), Global Health (certificate) programs please click here to apply.
SOPHAS application: All other programs in the School of Public Health. (Please note: SOPHAS applicants also need to complete a supplemental application to the Graduate School.)

All Other Applicants

STEP 1: Complete Online Application

Complete the online graduate application through the TerpEngage Graduate Admissions System, and upload a copy of the official transcript for each institution you attended. An official transcript(s) has to be received by the Graduate School upon enrollment. All non-domestic transcripts and diplomas should be in the original language and accompanied by a literal, certified English translation. In addition, an international degree certificate/diploma will be required for international applicants.

View the Admissions Requirements for program-specific information, including deadlines and additional materials that must be submitted with your application. It is important that your complete application be submitted by the program deadline.

If you have international credentials or currently hold a visa, please visit the International Admissions section for more information.

Note: Once submitted, your application and associated materials become the property of the University of Maryland. These materials will not be returned to you, nor will the materials be forwarded to another institution.

Read the university’s policy on collecting and using social security numbers.

STEP 2: Identify and Contact References for Letters of Recommendation

While completing other parts of your application, identify and contact references who will provide a strong letter of recommendation for you. Applicants should check with program requirements for the exact number of letters required. Recommenders should be the applicant’s current or former professors or other individuals who can speak to an applicant’s academic talents, work ethic, and intellectual strengths. The online application will ask applicants to provide their references' names and email addresses. The references will then be contacted via email with instructions on how to electronically submit a letter of recommendation. This process can begin prior to submitting of the application.

STEP 3: Submit Transcripts

Applicants are asked to upload a scanned version of their transcript(s) issued by each institution attended (in the original language, with literal English translation). Upon enrollment, you will need to have an official copy sent to the Graduate School by the institution. For a full description of the transcript requirements, please go to the FAQ section that describes Transcripts and Diplomas.

STEP 4: Submit Test Scores

The Graduate School will only accept official test scores sent directly by the testing agencies. When you request scores to be sent to the University of Maryland, College Park uses the following institutional codes:

GRE – 5814
GMAT – SQT-N8-78
TOEFL – 5814
Praxis – 5814
MAT – 4213

IELTS/PTE scores can also be sent electronically and by doing this, an institution code is not required. PTE test takers can send their score report to the University through their Pearson account. The University of Maryland downloads IELTS scores that have been transmitted to our e-download account. IELTS test takers should contact their IELTS test center directly to request electronic test scores be sent to the following IELTS e-download account:

University of Maryland - The Graduate School

2123 Lee Building

College Park, MD 20742

Please note: The Graduate School will not accept paper IELTS test report forms.

You will not be required to submit TOEFL/IELTS/PTE scores if you have or will be awarded a degree from the United States, United Kingdom, Anglophone Africa, Anglophone Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the Commonwealth Caribbean prior to enrolling in the University of Maryland. See a complete list of countries.

You will be required to submit TOEFL/IELTS/PTE scores if you are a US citizen or permanent resident with international credentials whose native language is not English and who do not hold a degree from an institution in the US or one of the areas listed above. Although they are U.S. citizens, applicants from Puerto Rico with degrees from Puerto Rican institutions will also be required to submit a TOEFL/IELTS/PTE score.

STEP 5: Pay Application Fee

You will be assessed a non-refundable $75 application processing fee for each program to which you apply. You are responsible for paying this fee whether or not you are offered admission or choose to enroll. You must pay your application fee online. Your application will not be processed until you pay your application fee and the payment is authorized.

STEP 6: See the After You Apply section