Frequently Asked Questions:
Admission
1. What degree programs are available?
2. What are the admission requirements and minimum GPA?
3. What are the departmental requirements?
4. My program requires letters of recommendation. Can I use the Graduate Studies Rating Form?
6. Would you mail me a catalog and application and departmental forms?
7. What is the deadline for admission?
8. How do I know if my application is complete?
9. Now that I am admitted, what do I need to do next?
10. I need to delay my entrance for graduate study; do I need to resubmit another application?
Tests
11. What standardized tests are required?
12. What are the minimum scores?
13. How do I register for the test?
14. What is UT’s institutional code for the standardized tests?
15. How long do you keep test scores without an application?
Costs and Financial Assistance
16. How much is the application fee and how can I
pay the fee?
17. What are the costs of graduate study?
18. What kind of financial assistance is available for graduate students?
Residency Classification
19. Why am I classified out-of-state?
20. How long does it take for an in-state residency application to be processed?
Admission
1. What degree programs are available?
More than 120 degree and certificate programs are available at UT.
Check the list of Programs
of Study to find your program of choice. -- Back
to Top.
2. What are the admission requirements and minimum GPA?
The Graduate Council requires a bachelor’s degree from a regionally
accredited college or university or foreign equivalent.
The minimum GPA is 2.7 out of a possible 4.0 on undergraduate coursework
or a 3.0 on a 4-point scale for any graduate work. Other conditions
may apply. Refer to the Graduate
Catalog for additional information.
For international student admission, the minimum GPA is a B average
on all academic coursework. A Foreign undergraduate degree must be equivalent to a 4-year U.S. Bachelor's Degree. Refer to the Graduate
Catalog or the Admission
Guide for International Students.
Many departments and degree programs require a higher GPA and may
require additional information. -- Back to Top.
3. What are the departmental requirements?
Departmental requirements vary according to the program.
Follow the link from the Programs
of Study to either the program homepage or to the catalog listing. It is important to contact the program directly for specific information.
-- Back to Top.
4. My program requires letters of recommendation. Can I use the Graduate Studies Rating Form?
Some programs will accept either the Graduate Studies Rating Form
or a letter of recommendation. Other programs specify the rating
form or the letter. You should check the program
requirements to determine whether to send letters or the rating
form. In either case, the recommendation should be sent directly
to the program. -- Back to Top.
You may apply in one of three ways:
To request an application form, email graduateadmissions@utk.edu, fax a request to 865-974-6541, call Graduate Admissions at 865-974-3251 or send a request to 201 Student Services Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0230. -- Back to Top.
6. How can I obtain a catalog and application and departmental forms?
View
the Graduate Catalog online. Due to prohibitive costs we do
not mail catalogs.
Request departmental forms from the appropriate department. See
Programs
of Study. -- Back to Top.
7. What is the deadline for admission?
For domestic students, there is no deadline for admission. However,
many departments do have deadlines, especially for financial assistance.
Therefore, you should apply at least nine months prior to the desired
term of entry.
For international students, see the dates
and deadlines section of our website.
8. How do I know if my application is complete?
Check the status of your application online by clicking
here (Status Page). Questions can be answered by phone, mail
or email. Contact information is listed on the receipt of application
form you receive as well as by clicking here
(Contacts). -- Back to Top.
9. Now that I am admitted, what do I need to do next?
Your letter of admission explains the first
steps for registration, and you will receive additional information
concerning orientation
for Fall term in June or July.
You may also wish to obtain University
housing and Parking Services
information from their websites. -- Back to Top.
10. I need to delay my entrance for graduate study; do I need to resubmit another application and application fee?
The Graduate Admissions office maintains your original application
for a period of one year. During that time, you may change the term
of entry by notifying the office of the term you want to enter.
After that time, your file is destroyed and you will need to submit
a new application and fee. --
Tests
11. What standardized tests are required?
There are three standardized tests that may be required for admission:
The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required by the Graduate Council for all non-native speakers of English.
The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) may be required by the program. Check the program requirements to determine if your program requires the exam or not.
The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is required for the MBA degree program and some other programs in Business. Check the program requirements to determine if your program requires the exam or not. -- Back to Top.
12. What are the minimum scores?
There is no minimum score for the GRE or GMAT. You may wish to check
with the program to see if your score is competitive.
The minimum score for the TOEFL is 213 on the computer-based test
and 550 on the paper-based test. Some departments require a higher
score. -- Back to Top.
13. How do I register for the test?
You can find all information concerning the examinations, registration,
score requests, etc. on Educational
Testing Service’s website. -- Back to Top.
14. What is UT’s institutional code for the standardized tests?
To have your scores sent to the University of Tennessee, use the
institutional code 1843. GRE and TOEFL scores are reported to Graduate
Admissions. The GMAT scores go directly to the College of Business
Administration. -- Back to Top.
15. How long do you keep test scores without an application?
Test scores that are received without a current application are kept for a period of 6 months. After 6 months test scores without current applicaions are destroyed.
Costs and Financial Assistance
16. How much is the application fee and
how can I pay the fee?
The $35.00 non-refundable processing fee is payable by personal
check, cashier’s check, money order or credit card (if applying
online). Checks should be made payable to the University of Tennessee
and must be drawn on a US bank. -- Back to Top.
17. What are the costs of graduate study?
You can find the current in-state and out-of-state fees on the Bursar’s
website. -- Back to Top.
18. What kind of financial assistance is
available for graduate students?
Financial assistance is available in various forms for graduate
students. The following resources will help you locate possible
funding:
GradSources
- a publication compiling various financial sources.
Fellowships and Other Funding Sources
Assistantships - Contact the department to which you are applying.
Financial Aid Office - For loans, employment, and other scholarship opportunities.
Residency Classification
19. Why am I classified out-of-state?
Initial classification is based on information supplied on the Graduate
Application for Admission. You cannot acquire in-state status on
the basis of full-time enrollment at a higher educational institution
in Tennessee. If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and
can prove that you are domiciled in the state of Tennessee, you
should complete the reclassification form and submit it to the Administrative
Services Assistant in the Office of Graduate Admissions. -- Back
to Top.
20 . How long does it take for the reclassification
for in-state residency form to be processed?
Allow 2-3 days for your application to be processed. The deadline
for submission of the application is the day before classes begin
each term. If you have not found the answer to your questions, please
contact graduateadmissions@utk.edu.
-- Back to Top.
Contact Information
Graduate and International Admissions
201 Student Services Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-0230 USA
Phone: (865) 974-3251
Fax: (865) 974-6541
Email: graduateadmissions@utk.edu