Graduate Application Guidelines

Whether you’re starting an application or waiting to hear our decision, our graduate application guidelines provide helpful information for you to prepare for enrollment.

Two graduate students sitting at a table in the library.

Graduate Admission Requirements, Process, and Application Tracking

In general, completed applications include official transcripts, test scores, and one or more letters of recommendation. (Some programs require more and some less. You can learn exactly what you need from your Department or the Items to Send page.)

The University of Mississippi Graduate Admission Requirements

You must submit the following by the appropriate application deadline:

  • A complete online application. This includes:
    • A $50 nonrefundable online application fee
    • Official transcripts from all undergraduate institutions where you obtained a degree. Do NOT send junior college or community college transcripts.

Some departments also maintain additional application requirements, which you can verify by contacting the Department or visiting its webpage.

  • Additional requirements may include:
    • Official standardized test scores. Required tests vary by Department. GRE, GMAT, and PRAXIS scores must be less than five years old; TOEFL scores must be less than two years old. The testing service must transmit your scores to UM.
    • Letters of recommendation. Have individuals who are able to discuss your potential for graduate study write your recommendations.
    • A statement of purpose. Some programs may ask you to address specific topics in this letter, which gives you a chance to discuss your academic interests and career goals.
    • Writing samples.

Graduate Application Process

Some advice: don’t put your application off until the last minute. Once you’ve taken care of all the requirements and verified your program’s deadline, complete your online graduate application.

NOTE: The Ole Miss Graduate School cannot fully review and, therefore, denies incomplete applications.

How Do I Track the Status of My Graduate Application?

You receive a unique application number when you start the online process. Use it, along with your date of birth, to confirm whether we’ve received all your application materials. However, we notify you of our admission decision separately via email; the tracking system doesn’t share that information.

Track My Graduate Application

  • Important Graduation Application Deadlines

    In order for the University of Mississippi to consider your application, you must submit all parts of it — including test scores — by the appropriate deadline. (Deadlines vary by program. Be sure to confirm yours.)

    Application Deadlines
  • Need Help With Your Application?

    If you need help, ask! Our Graduate Admissions team is happy to answer any questions you have or steer you to somebody who can.

    Contact an Admissions Adviser
  • Admitted to Graduate School?

    Congratulations! If you have been accepted to Ole Miss’s Graduate School, take your next step and confirm your enrollment.

    Admitted Students
  • Scholarships & Financial Aid

    The Graduate School provides a wide range of scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships that not only help with tuition but provide a stipend as well.

    Explore Financial Aid at Ole Miss

Graduate Application FAQs

Find answers to common concerns below, or review the Graduate School’s Frequently Asked Questions page.

Official transcripts should be sent to the Graduate School using the following address:

The University of Mississippi
Graduate School
P.O. Box 1848
54 Galtney-Lott Plaza
University, MS 38677-1848
U.S.A.

Official electronic transcripts from domestic institutions may be sent to gschool@olemiss.edu.

If you have already completed the application, take down your application number, full name, and date of birth from the application. Email us the correction at gschool@olemiss.edu.

If you missed the graduate application deadline, you must contact gschool@olemiss.edu.

All international students interested in master’s or doctoral degrees — with the exception of law degrees — must submit a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score. The University of Mississippi accepts a minimum TOEFL score of 79.

Contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and have them send the documents to us electronically.

The institutional code for the University of Mississippi is 1840.

GRE — Department Code: 5199
TOEFL — Department Code: 99

Yes. You need to fill out a new application for each graduate program.

In general, a committee of faculty within each program reviews your application. These faculty committees then recommend whether to admit an applicant. You can confirm your application has been received and is complete 48 hours after submission. The Graduate School then contacts you via email when a decision has been made about your admission.

Ole Miss bases admission to our graduate programs on multiple criteria, including an applicant’s undergraduate GPA and courses, scores on standardized tests, the match of expressed interests with those of the faculty, and the availability of resources.

Though you can be recommended for admission to the Graduate School before completing your undergraduate degree, you must present evidence of a completed undergraduate degree before you register for a graduate course. As an exception, a UM senior may enroll in a graduate course after meeting certain conditions.

You can take the GRE, TOEFL, and Praxis on the UM campus in our Office of Outreach and Continuing Education (contact by phone at 662-915-7283). Please note that the UM campus no longer offers GMAT testing. You must register directly for the GMAT at 1-800-717-GMAT.

Yes.

Each graduate program sets its requirement for acceptable minimum scores for consideration of admission.

Find graduate program coordinator information on our list of graduate programs and deadlines.

The Graduate School hosts an orientation for entering students each fall. We strongly encourage all entering students to attend.