Graduate Degree-Seeking Student Admission

University-Wide Admission Requirements

In order to be considered for unconditional admission to a graduate program, an applicant must submit a graduate application along with a non-refundable application fee and meet the following criteria:

1. Earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited ­college or university in the United States or have proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution.
2. A minimum grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) from an awarded master's or bachelor's degree. Departments may consider the grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in the last 60 semester credit hours.
3. Completed adequate credit hours or foreign institution equivalent coursework as preparation for the program. Evidence of adequate preparation varies by program. 
4. Program-specific, an official GRE/GMAT score may be required. Please check the program requirements.
5. International applicants whose native language is not English must also submit English Language Proficiency Scores from one of the following agencies: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo (DET). For more information on which countries qualify for a waiver of this requirement, please see the International Graduate Student Admission section.
6. Meet additional admission criteria set forth by the graduate program of interest (see program descriptions in the Graduate Catalog).

Students granted admission to a master’s or doctoral program at UTSA who do not register for courses by the census date of their first admitted semester must reapply for admission unless they have deferred their admission start date. Students who request and are granted a deferral can defer admission up to one year (three semesters) beyond the original term of admission.

Students who do not register for classes by the one-year deferral must reapply and pay a non-refundable application fee for the next available term by the application deadline. Any subsequent application for admission must be in accordance with current admission requirements and deadlines. New transcripts, test scores, and other supporting documents are required after one academic year, since files for admitted students who do not register for courses are not retained after that period. (See program descriptions in the Graduate Catalog, Table of Contents, for specific program admission requirements.)

Admission decisions are based on a careful, holistic review of all aspects of the applicant’s file, including standardized tests, undergraduate grade point average, letters of recommendation, research and teaching experience, etc. Some graduate programs have additional admissions criteria that applicants must meet; please see the individual listings under the Graduate School Website and contact individual programs for full details.

Please note that meeting the above minimum standards does not guarantee admission because the number of qualified applicants far exceeds the number of spaces available. Consequently, many well-qualified applicants may not be admitted.

Admission Classifications

Graduate applicants are admitted to the Graduate School in one of two classifications: graduate degree-seeking or special graduate (non-degree seeking). Additionally, provisional limitations of conditional or conditional on academic probation may be used in conjunction with admission.

Graduate Degree-Seeking 

A graduate degree-seeking student is one admitted to a graduate degree program. Admission as a graduate degree-seeking student may be unconditional, conditional, or conditional on academic probation.

Unconditional Admission

An applicant who has met the University-wide admission criteria and is admitted unconditionally upon recommendation of the Graduate Program Committee and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Conditional Admission

An applicant who has insufficient preparation in their intended graduate degree program or who lacks certain supporting documentation required for unconditional admission may be admitted conditionally upon recommendation of the Graduate Program Committee and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Notification of condition(s), along with time limitations imposed by the Graduate Program Committee, will be included in the notification of admission. If the student does not adhere to the conditions, they will be automatically dismissed from UTSA. The dismissal cannot be petitioned by the department.

Conditional Admission on Academic Probation

An applicant who has insufficient preparation in their intended graduate degree program and does not meet the criteria for conditional admission basis may be admitted on academic probation upon recommendation of the appropriate Graduate Program Committee and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School. Such admission requires that coursework taken during the first semester be completed with a grade point average of “B” (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better. Failure to earn this average will result in academic dismissal. The dismissal cannot be petitioned by the department.

Denial of Admission as a Graduate Degree-Seeking Student

If an applicant is not eligible for either unconditional admission or conditional admission, the applicant is denied admission as a graduate degree-seeking student. In such cases, the appropriate Graduate Program Committee may recommend the applicant’s admission or denial of admission as a special graduate student.