[Major revision–posted 10/27/22 (replaces 7/24/20 edition)]
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Texas Tech University Double T

Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 64.01: Admission to the Graduate School

DATE: October 27, 2022

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to specify the process by which students are admitted to graduate study at Texas Tech.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed in July of even-numbered years, or as needed, by the Dean of the Graduate School with substantive revisions forwarded to the Graduate Council and the Provost and Senior Vice President.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1. General Admission Criteria

Admission to the Texas Tech University Graduate School is granted by the Dean of the Graduate School. If the student has applied to a degree program or certain non-degree programs, the admission is dependent upon the recommendation of the department of proposed study. Only students who have submitted completed applications will be considered for admission. Students applying to degree programs should consult their prospective departments since many departments impose additional requirements. Departments may specify conditions of admission for any applicant they recommend for admission, but it is their responsibility to monitor such conditions.

The following general categories are used to evaluate all applicants for admission and competitive scholarships:

a. Academic Records

All academic records may be considered. If the applicant's bachelor's degree is not complete when the application is made, six semesters or three years of coursework are required. After the degree is completed, a final transcript showing the degree awarded must be submitted. The only exception is for accelerated bachelor-master's programs, sometimes called 150-hour programs.

b. Test Scores

The only test scores required for admission consideration by the Graduate School are English proficiency scores for international applicants. International applicants must submit proof of English proficiency as part of their application materials. Academic programs may require additional standardized tests (e.g., GRE, GMAT).

c. Individual Profile

Profiles may include recommendations, research background, motivation, multilingual proficiency, undergraduate institution, presentations, portfolios, interviews, work experience, demonstrated commitment to a particular field of study, community involvement, family and socioeconomic background, and standardized test scores. Scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) should be no more than five years old. Verbal, quantitative, and writing scores will be considered separately. In accordance with Texas Education Code § 51.842, the applicant's performance on a standardized test may not be used in the admissions or competitive scholarship process as the sole criterion for consideration of the applicant or as the primary criterion to end consideration of the applicant.

2. Types of Admission

Admission is granted in the following non-degree and degree categories:

a. Non-Degree Programs – Applicants seeking non-degree admission in any category must provide the same application materials as those seeking admission to a degree program (Refer to section 3, Domestic Applicants, or section 4, International Applicants, below). International applicants may be eligible to enroll as non-degree students depending on their visa category; therefore, international applicants are strongly urged to contact the Graduate School to find out if they are eligible for non-degree status before applying. 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.

(1) Post-Graduate (PGRD) – 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.

(2) Graduate Temporary (GTMP) – A student in this category is considered a temporary non-degree student and may enroll for no more than 12 hours. GTMP students are not eligible for financial aid. 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. Admission decisions for GTMP applications are made by the Office of Graduate Admissions.

(3) Teacher Certification (CERT or FCSC) – A student who desires to earn teacher certification through the College of Education (CERT) or 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. CERT and FCSC students may be eligible for financial aid if they are concurrently enrolled in a graduate degree-seeking program.

(4) Continuing Professional Educational Development (CPED) – 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.

(5) Graduate Certificate (GCRT) – 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 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.

b. Degree Programs

(1) Admission to a master's degree program

(2) Admission to a doctoral degree program

3. Domestic Applicants

Domestic applicants are U.S. citizens and immigrant permanent residents. The following procedures should be followed in order for domestic applicants to be considered for admission to a graduate program at Texas Tech University. Applications will not be evaluated until all admission requirements have been met. All materials become the property of Texas Tech University and are not returnable or refundable. A completed domestic Graduate School application consists of the following:

a. Application – Applications should be submitted at least three months prior to the date of intended enrollment. Preferred deadlines for priority processing are June 1 for fall, September 1 for spring, and March 1 for summer. All institutions attended must be included on the application. Falsification of application information will void admission to Texas Tech University.

b. Non-refundable Application Fee – An application fee, as approved by the Board of Regents, is required for the initial application and for any subsequent application.

Application Fee Waivers – The following groups of domestic applicants are eligible for an application fee waiver:

(1) Texas Tech University System personnel (faculty and staff) who are employed at least half time, their spouses, and dependents under age 25 are exempt from this fee. The faculty/staff fee waiver form is located online at go.grad.ttu.edu/staffwaiver.

(2) McNair Scholars and GEM (National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering) Scholars will receive an application fee waiver by submitting documentation from the McNair Scholar coordinator at their current/former institution or by supplying proof of their GEM fellowship.

(3) U.S. military personnel, active duty or veterans, are exempt from the application fee. The Military Application Fee Waiver form is located online at go.grad.ttu.edu/militarywaiver.

c. Post-Secondary Transcripts – The applicant must have earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution in the United States or its equivalent from a foreign institution with substantially similar degree requirements as Texas Tech University; foreign institutions must be recognized by their government/government ministry or department to award undergraduate and/or post-graduate degrees. The applicant must submit a transcript from each degree-awarding post-secondary college or university attended. Failure to list all institutions will be considered an intentional omission and may lead to forced withdrawal. Unofficial copies of transcripts are required for evaluation purposes. Copies of all transcripts must be received before the application will be evaluated. All degrees earned must appear on an official transcript. If a domestic applicant received a university-level degree from a non-U.S. college/university, an official diploma or degree certificate will be required for that degree, only if an applicant is admitted. The applicant who, because of current enrollment, cannot provide final transcripts at the time of application must submit transcripts of all completed study. Consideration may then be given for tentative admission upon the condition that final transcripts are provided within the initial semester of enrollment at Texas Tech. The applicant must have been in good standing in all schools attended at final matriculation.

If admitted, a student will be required to submit official transcripts from each degree-awarding post-secondary college/university attended by the 12th class day of the term to which the student is admitted. All degrees earned must appear on an official transcript. If a domestic applicant received a university-level degree from a non-U.S. college/university, an official diploma or degree certificate will be required for that degree, only if an applicant is admitted.

d. Resident Alien Card – Immigrant permanent residents must provide a copy of the front and back of their Resident Alien Card. Applicants with pending applications for permanent residency may submit alternative documentation (contact the Office of Graduate Admissions for a list of alternative documentation).

e. Proof of Citizenship for Foreign-Born U.S. Citizens – Foreign-born U.S. citizens, including U.S. citizens born abroad and naturalized U.S. citizens, must submit proof of citizenship. The following documents can be submitted to meet this requirement:

(1) Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA, or Form FS-240)

(2) Certificate of Citizenship

(3) Certificate of Citizenship (DHS Form N-560 or N-561)

(4) Certificate of Naturalization (DHS Form N-550 or N-570)

(5) Certification of Foreign Birth (FS-545, DS-1350, or FS-240)

(6) U.S. Citizenship Identification Card (I-197 or I-179)

(7) Birth certificate from the following American territories, commonwealths, and protectorates – U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Swains Island, the Panama Canal Zone before 1 October 1979, the Philippines before 4 July 1946, and the Northern Mariana Islands after 3 November 1986.

Citizens who cannot provide the documentation above should contact the Office of Graduate Admissions to find out what other documentation may suffice.

f. Residency Questionnaire – A Residency Questionnaire is required of all domestic Texas Tech University graduate applicants. The core residency questions from the questionnaire are incorporated into the application. However, the Residency Questionnaire is available online at go.grad.ttu.edu/residency for those applicants and current students who wish to be considered for residency reclassification. Applicants and current students wishing to be considered for residency reclassification must submit a Residency Questionnaire along with supporting documentation to prove they have met the requirements to be classified as a Texas resident for tuition purposes prior to the official census date of the semester for which they are seeking reclassification. Graduate Admissions may request additional documentation as needed.

Please note: It is the responsibility of each student to verify his/her residency status prior to the start of a semester and request any change or update anyerrors to their residency status prior to the census date of that semester.

4. International Applicants

All applicants who are not U.S. citizens or immigrant permanent residents are considered international applicants. International students must have a visa type that allows for academic study. Undocumented immigrants are eligible to apply for graduate admission consideration and must apply as international applicants. The following procedures should be followed in order for international applicants to be considered for admission to a graduate program at Texas Tech University. Applications will not be evaluated until all admission requirements have been met. All materials become the property of Texas Tech University and are not returnable or refundable.

The Graduate School has the following priority deadlines for international applications:

• January 15 for summer and fall
• June 15 for spring

International applicants may apply after the deadline. However, the Office of Graduate Admissions cannot guarantee that there will be sufficient time for late applications to be entered and reviewed by Graduate Admissions, for departments to review late applications, and for late applicants to make any necessary visa/travel arrangements if admitted.

A completed international Graduate School application consists of the following:

a. Application

b. Non-refundable Application Fee – An application fee, as approved by the Board of Regents, is required for the initial application and for any subsequent application.

Application Fee Waivers – The following groups of international applicants are eligible for an application fee waiver:

c. Post-Secondary Academic Transcripts – The applicant must have earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or its equivalent from a foreign institution. Foreign institutions must be recognized by their government/governmental ministry as a degree-granting institution. A list of acceptable credentials for international graduate admission consideration is available online at go.grad.ttu.edu/degequiv. The applicant must have been in good standing in all schools attended at final matriculation. Unofficial copies of transcripts are required for evaluation purposes. Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended must be received before the application will be evaluated. All uploaded academic credentials and test scores provided with an application are considered unofficial.

If admitted, an applicant must submit an official transcript from each college or university attended, including transcripts/marksheets for each semester. An applicant who, because of current enrollment, cannot provide final transcripts at the time of application must submit transcripts of all completed study. Consideration may then be given for tentative admission upon the condition that final transcripts are provided within the initial semester of enrollment at Texas Tech. Applicants must submit at least six semesters of coursework to be eligible for admission consideration.

d. Additional Documentation – Graduate Admissions reserves the right to request additional documentation as needed for evaluation, which may include degree certificates and diplomas.

If admitted, the applicant is required to submit an official copy of the degree certificate, diploma, or official statement that the degree has been granted if date of degree completion is not provided on official transcript.

e. Certified English Translations of Transcripts/Diplomas – International applicants must also provide a certified English translation of all transcripts and diplomas/degree certificates if the documents are not provided in English by the issuing institution. The Office of Graduate Admissions will not accept public notary-certified translations. If certified English translations are not supplied by the applicant's institution(s), the applicant must provide a translation done by an American Translators Association-certified translator. A list of ATA-certified translators is available online at www.atanet.org/onlinedirectories.

f. Proof of English Proficiency – All international applicants must provide proof of English proficiency before their applications can be considered for admission. This test is waived only for graduates of U.S. universities or universities in English proficiency-exempt countries. Applicants who have completed at least two consecutive years at a college or university in the U.S. or in an English proficiency-exempt country are also exempted from the English proficiency requirements. A list of exempt countries can be found online at go.grad.ttu.edu/exemptcountry. Applicants may submit one of the following measures of English proficiency:

(1) TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language; www.ets.org/toefl) – The minimum TOEFL score required is 550 (paper-based version) or 79 (internet-based version). The TOEFL score must be received directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Texas Tech University's institutional code is 6827. TOEFL scores are valid for only two years. Applicants may provide a copy of their Examinee Score Report for application evaluation purposes; screenshots of the TOEFL results from the ETS website are not acceptable.

(2) IELTS (International English Language Testing Service; www.ielts.org) – The minimum IELTS required score is an overall band score of 6.5 on the Academic version; IELTS General Training results are not acceptable. There is no IELTS institution code for Texas Tech University. IELTS scores are valid for only two years.

(3) PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English Academic; http://pearsonpte.com) – The minimum required PTE Academic score is 60. PTE General and PTE Young Learners results are not acceptable. There is no PTE Academic institution code for Texas Tech University. PTE Academic scores are valid for only two years.

(4) Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (Cambridge CPE; https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/proficiency/) – The minimum required Cambridge CPE grade is C. There is no institutional code for the Cambridge CPE. The Cambridge CPE is valid for life.

(5) Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (Cambridge CAE; https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/advanced/) – The minimum required Cambridge CAE grade is B. There is no institutional code for the Cambridge CAE. The Cambridge CAE is valid for life.

(6) ELS English for Academic Purposes Program (www.els.edu) – Texas Tech will accept completion of Level 112 of the ELS English for Academic Purposes program. An official transcript and certificate of completion must be submitted.

(7) Duolingo English Test (englishtest.duolingo.com) – The minimum required Duolingo score is 100. There is no institutional code for Duolingo. Scores are reported within 48 hours and are valid for two years.

5. Application Changes

a. Request to Change the Initial Entry Date – Students who wish to defer admission to a semester for which they did not originally apply must reapply for the term they wish to defer to. Automatic readmission is not guaranteed; departments will consider students on a case-by-case basis. The Office of Graduate Admissions will notify the student of the decision via email.

b. Add/Change Application – Applicants who wish to add or change their application major must submit an application for the major they wish to change to. Automatic admission is not guaranteed. The Office of Graduate Admissions will notify the applicant of the decision via email.

c. Readmission to the Graduate School – Students who fail to register or who leave school during a spring or fall semester must submit an application for readmission. Automatic readmission is not guaranteed; departments will consider students on a case-by-case basis. The Office of Graduate Admissions will notify the applicant of the decision via email.

6. Academic Integrity in the Application Process

All prospective graduate students applying to Texas Tech University are expected to adhere to the university's Statement of Academic Integrity. This includes entering all secondary and post-secondary institutions attended on applications for admission as well as submitting official academic credentials from degree-awarding institutions attended. Failure to provide complete academic information on the application or not submitting all academic credentials is considered falsification of academic records and will result in the voiding of the application or other disciplinary action.

7. Admission Decision Appeals

Texas Tech University graduate applicants have the right to appeal admissions decisions. The appeal must first be filed with the graduate program coordinator in the academic department responsible for the admissions decision. The department will reconsider the application and inform the applicant of its decision on the applicant's request for reconsideration; a copy of the decision will be forwarded to the Director of Graduate Admissions. An unfavorable ruling at the department level may be appealed to the Graduate School in writing by submitting a formal letter of appeal to the Director of Graduate Admissions within 30 days of the date on the correspondence that the applicant received from the academic department's decision on the initial appeal. The appeal will be forwarded to the Student Affairs Committee of the Graduate Council for its review. Decisions will be made within 30 days and the applicant, the department, and the Director of Graduate Admissions will be informed in writing of the Student Affairs Committee's decision. Applicants can only appeal once, and decisions resulting from an appeal are final. Application fees are non-refundable regardless of the result of an appeal.

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