The Graduate School Application Deadline Countdown
Graduate school applications run on a calendar that starts long before the deadline does. For fall entry, most deadlines land between December and February, and the preparation behind them begins six to twelve months earlier. This guide walks you through what to do at each stage.
What You Should Do at Each Stage of Your Grad School Application
To understand what you should do at each stage of your grad school application process, you should first pick the deadline that you're aiming for, and then work backwards from there.
The stages below assume you are about 12 months out from your application deadline. If your deadline is sooner, compress the early stages and keep the order.
12 Months Out: Do Your Research
Build a list of programs and the faculty you'd like to work with.
Write down the program deadlines, required materials, and whether you need to take a standardized test.
Talk with a professor or advisor about your plan; they may become recommenders later, or pass along some helpful tips and tricks.
Set aside money for application and testing fees, and for your transcripts as well. Grad application fees usually run from $50 to $120 per school.
9 Months Out: Register for Tests and Start Drafting
If any program on your list requires the GRE, GMAT, or any other standardized test, register now and start studying. Plan on two or three months of steady prep work.
Advice on test timing varies, from four to six months before the deadline up to eight or nine months. Whatever timeline you choose for tests, start early enough that you can retake the test if needed.
Don't assume that similar programs require the same tests. Testing requirements differ by school.
Write a rough draft of your statement of purpose. This isn't your final draft; you'll make edits and refine it later.
6 Months Out: Find Recommenders and Gather Transcripts
Ask your recommenders now. Letters can take weeks or even months to draft and send. Two months before the deadline is the latest you should ask a recommender to help.
Start drafting your statements to each program.
3 Months Out: Finalize Your Writing and Double-Check the Paperwork
Finalize your statement of purpose and send it, along with your resume, and a list of deadlines to each recommender.
Gather any additional materials your programs ask for.
Check each program's application checklist line by line.
2 Months Out: Nail Your Funding Down
File the FAFSA and look up the assistantship, fellowship, and scholarship deadlines for each program. These often come before admission deadlines. (Make sure to see the funding section below.)
1 Month Out: Submit Materials Early
Send a polite reminder to any recommenders who haven't submitted their letter yet.
Make sure your transcripts and test scores have been sent.
Submit the rest of your materials at least a week before the deadline, just in case a technical problem comes up. You don't want that problem to make you miss any deadlines.
Can You Apply to Graduate School Before You Finish Your Degree?
Yes. Many universities accept applications before you complete your undergraduate degree, so seniors can apply during their final year. Be careful, though: you can't enroll as a graduate student until your bachelor's degree is conferred.
In this case, your bachelor's degree must be conferred before the first day of classes for your first graduate term.
You'll also need to show proof of conferral before you can enroll in later terms.
If your graduation date and your first day of grad school are close together, confirm the exact timing with the program as soon as you can.
If you're a senior, you'll be applying while still finishing coursework, so your transcript won't show your final degree yet. Undergraduates who take graduate courses early through an Accelerated Master's Degree Program follow separate rules and should contact their advisor.
What Counts as a Complete Application?
An application is complete when it meets the unique standards of the school you're applying to.
A complete application may include:
The online application and fee.
Official test scores, when your program requires them.
Official transcripts from the institution that conferred your bachelor's degree and from every college or university you attended after it. All transcripts should be sent directly from the school to the University of Mississippi.
Some departments will ask for more application materials, like writing samples, letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, or proof of immunization, so check your program's page for its full list.
The stakes are real when applying to grad school.
An incomplete application isn't reviewed by the program, and an applicant missing any required materials won't be considered for admission.
Universities often hold on to incomplete applications as inactive for a full year. If you don't successfully finish and submit your application in time, you'll have to start over and may have to pay a new application fee.
Meeting the application requirements and deadline doesn't mean you'll automatically get into the graduate program you're applying for. Graduate admissions are always competitive, and space and resources are often limited. Submit your application materials as early as you can so you don't miss an opportunity.
Do Funding Deadlines Come Before Admission Deadlines?
If you want an assistantship, fellowship, or scholarship, the deadline for these things may be earlier than the admission deadline. Keep in mind that many programs with rolling admissions may post a separate, earlier date for full funding consideration. Others may reserve fall funding opportunities for spring applicants.
Make sure to check if your program publishes a priority date for funding. If they do, treat it as your real deadline.
File the FAFSA early. Graduate students don't count their parents' financial information on their FAFSA. Don't let the FAFSA federal deadline confuse you. The federal deadline is after most due dates, from priority dates to state- and school-specific deadlines. Regardless of any deadlines, make sure to submit your FAFSA as your application window opens.
- Know how funding differs by degree.
While Ph.D. programs often fund most or all of their students, Master's students and students in professional programs generally find funding harder to come by. If you're applying to a master's or professional program, apply early and ask your program coordinator as many questions as you can about funding opportunities. Check your admission status. If you want as many funding options as possible, make sure that you're in full standing. If your GPA falls short of the usual benchmark, ask the program whether it can recommend full standing and what it would take to make that happen.
For a full look at the numbers, see our guide, How Much Does Graduate School Cost?
What if I’m Running Behind on My Grad School Application?
If you feel like you're running late on your grad application, make sure you have the correct deadline in mind. Priority dates and final deadlines are different things, and programs with rolling admissions review applications as they arrive. Once you're absolutely sure you have the right deadline, do your best with the time you have left.
Under four weeks out. Get in touch with the graduate program coordinator ASAP and ask what your options are. Even though some programs admit new students once a year, it's possible that the program could admit you for a future term. Remember that a rushed application for the present cycle might not be the best idea, especially when you can apply again next year without the stress.
Four to eight weeks out: Look back over your program list and circle the ones you're most interested in. Then send reach out to the graduate program coordinators of each program, and make sure you've got the right deadline and know the full materials list. Then you can give your recommenders a firm deadline of their own.
Eight or more weeks out: You still have time to build a strong application. Order your transcripts and see if your recommenders are willing to help this week. Start drafting your statement of purpose while you wait for the transcripts and letters of recommendation.
If you happen to miss a deadline, there may still be some options. Ask the program coordinator what's possible. Do they review late applications, offer a later start date, or have rolling admissions?
This isn't a time to be shy or stay silent. Graduate program coordinators deal with deadline pressures and application questions every year. Make sure to email early so you aren't rushing around at the last minute.
Common Graduate School Application Deadline Mistakes
Common graduate school application mistakes include:
- Incomplete application materials. Application materials can be complicated, and things like test scores and immunization records are easy to forget about. But incomplete applications won't be reviewed, regardless of what's missing.
Sending your own transcript. Graduate programs don't accept transcripts when they come directly from you (these are called unofficial transcripts). Official transcripts must pass from your previous university to the school you're applying to. You can keep an unofficial transcript for your records. But for a successful grad application, you'll have to send official transcripts to the programs you're interested in.
Asking recommenders too late. Recommendation letters can take a long time to write and aren't exactly easy to do. Make sure you give your recommenders enough time to craft the best recommendation letter possible. Think of it like any other writing process: give them time to brainstorm, draft, edit, and send the letter.
Missing the funding date. An assistantship or fellowship may have its own earlier deadline to keep track of, and the FAFSA is part of that picture. Start your FAFSA early and don't forget to add assistantships and fellowship application deadlines to your running list of dates.
Waiting until the deadline. Like any piece of software, application portals can be slow to load, fail to upload your files, or misplace your records. Give yourself at least week of cushion to protect you from any glitches.
Your Next Step When Applying to Graduate School
Pick the program you care about most and look up its deadlines today. Then count backward and put three dates in your calendar:
The day you'll ask your recommenders to write letters,
When you'll apply to all the necessary funding opportunities, and
When all of your application materials will be sent over.
You can find every University of Mississippi graduate program's deadlines, along with the graduate program coordinator to contact with questions on the Graduate School's programs and deadlines page and you can browse all of our graduate programs in our program directory.
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