Texas Tech University

Non-Degree Student Admission Procedures

Applicants seeking non-degree admission in any category must provide the same application requirements as those seeking admission to a degree program. Please see either Domestic/Permanent Resident Admission or International Admission requirements above. NOTE: International students may not be eligible to apply for non-degree status depending on their visa type. International applicants considering applying for non-degree status are strongly encouraged to email the Office of Graduate and International Admissions at graduate.admissions@ttu.edu before submitting an application for a non-degree status. Admission to a non-degree program is not a guarantee of admission to a graduate degree program at a later date, nor does it guarantee that credits earned in a non-degree program will count toward a graduate degree.


• PGRD (Post Graduate)

The PGRD category is for students who have earned an undergraduate degree and desire to take only undergraduate courses, typically for leveling purposes. In this status, a student may register indefinitely as a non-degree graduate student but cannot be appointed to teaching assistantships or research assistantships, nor are they eligible to receive an undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University while registered as a PGRD student. Students in this category may not register for graduate courses. PGRD students are not eligible for financial aid. Admission decisions for PGRD applications are made by the Office of Graduate Admissions.


• GTMP (Graduate Temporary)

A student in this category is considered a temporary non-degree student and may enroll for no more than twelve (12) hours. All GTMP students should be aware that completion of courses as a GTMP does not ensure that the student will be accepted into a degree program, nor does it ensure that any courses taken while enrolled as a GTMP will be accepted for credit if the student is subsequently accepted into a degree program. GTMP students are not eligible for financial aid. Admission decisions for GTMP applications are made by the Office of Graduate Admissions.


• Teacher Certification, (CERT or FCSC)

A student who desires to earn teacher certification through the College of Education (CERT) or Family and Consumer Sciences teacher certification through the College of Human Sciences (FCSC) may apply for this type of non-degree status. Graduate courses may be taken, but if the student wishes to pursue a degree at a later time, only 12 graduate hours completed before admission to a degree program can be counted toward a degree. The student must also apply through the College of Education or the College of Human Sciences in addition to the Office of Graduate Admissions. CERT and FCSC students may be eligible for financial aid if they are concurrently enrolled in a graduate degree-seeking program.


• CPED (Continuing Professional Education Development)

The CPED status is designed to meet the needs of professionals such as engineers, certified public accountants, architects, social workers, teachers, and others who require continuing professional educational development. CPED students are not eligible for financial aid. Admission decisions for CPED applications are made by the Office of Graduate Admissions.

• GCRT (Graduate Certificate Program)

GCRT is intended to meet the supplemental educational needs of professionals. A graduate certificate program is comprised of a set of courses that provide a coherent knowledge base. These courses may be derived from more than one (1) academic program and may be more practice-oriented than the courses in a graduate academic program. Students applying for a graduate certificate program may not be required to submit GRE or GMAT scores (although some of the programs do require these scores). GCRT students may be eligible for financial aid if they are concurrently enrolled in a graduate degree-seeking program.