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FAQ'sHow do I apply?
Who
should write my letter of recommendation?
To apply for a degree, certification/certificate or non-degree
program, you must complete a Graduate Application and include
all the required credentials. To apply on-line, download an application
or submit an application request form, click
here. You can also request graduate admissions information
by contacting the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services at (973) 655-5147, (800) 331-9207;
or by fax at Submit your completed application to the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services and request that all the other credentials be submitted to The Graduate Admissions & Support Services, i.e., Official Transcripts, Official GRE/GMT score, letters of recommendation, etc. All of the credentials do not have to arrive at the same time. All credentials are kept on file for a maximum of one year and are automatically matched to an application. Click here to see what admission credentials are required for your particular program. Once an application is complete, it is forwarded to the appropriate department for admission review. Students are notified of all admission decisions via letter from the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services. Special information for international students may be viewed
by clicking here.
Completed applications begin the review process soon after they are received. The majority of Montclair State's graduate programs DO NOT have specific deadlines (Those that do are listed below.) For those programs without a specific deadline, The Graduate Admissions & Support Services recommends that students submit their credentials as early as possible. Registration begins several months before the term, some courses may have closed and late applicants are less likely to get the courses they need if they do not apply as early as possible.
INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION DEADLINES If the program to which you are applying has an application deadline that is earlier than the international deadline, the earlier program deadline would take precedence. PROGRAMS WITH SPECIFIC DEADLINES Can I enroll on a part-time basis? Most graduate and post-baccalaureate students attend Montclair
State University on a part-time basis. To accommodate these students,
academic departments have scheduled most graduate courses in late
afternoons and evenings. Most graduate courses meet once a week
in the fall and spring semesters. Summer sessions usually include
day and evening classes which meet more than once per week.
It depends on the course(s) you want to take because some programs do not allow non-degree students to enroll in their courses (see below). If you are applying to a particular program and you missed the deadline or you know that you will not complete the admission process (i.e. lacking GRE scores or letters of recommendation) in time for registration for the next term, you may request to be admitted as a Pre-Admit student for that term. If you decide to do this, you must submit a Pre-Admit Status Request form. By submitting this form, you may be allowed to register as a non-degree student for the upcoming term and still have your original application processed for the degree program for the following term. Please make note that a maximum of six credits (if applicable to the program) may be transferred into a graduate degree program with the Program Coordinator's approval. Pre-Admit forms are sent to those who have incomplete applications in May or June for the Fall and in December for the Spring. (These forms are not available prior to these periods. Applicants are urged to give top priority to completing their applications.) Students who studied in a foreign country must submit an official TOEFL score and have their transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES) to be considered for admission as a Pre-Admit student. Also, please keep in mind that Pre-Admit students are not eligible for any type of financial assistance and international students can not obtain a student visa if they enroll as a non-degree student. ELIGIBILITY Applicants to any programs except the following:
In addition, the following 2 programs require permission from the Graduate Coordinator before applicants can be approved to register for these courses. Applicants must contact the Program Coordinator listed below and the Program Coordinator notifies the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services if they can authorize the registration; MS in Computer Science MA in English What if I just want to take classes for personal/professional development purposes? Students may apply to the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services as "professional" non-degree students. Students admitted as professional non-degree may take as many credits as they like as long as they have the prerequisites required and the courses are not limited to degree program students, i.e. Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Fine Arts MFA), MA in Communication Science & Disorders with a concentration in Speech-Language Pathology. Please keep in mind that this "professional" non-degree
category is designed for students who want to take courses for
personal/professional development and who WILL NOT be applying
for a graduate program at Montclair State University. If you decide
to pursue a graduate program, please keep in mind that a maximum
of six credits (if applicable to the program) may be transferred
into a graduate degree program with the Program Coordinator's approval. How long can I take to complete my degree? Students in master's degree programs (except MBA and MFA) have
six years to complete their degree program. Students in the MBA
program have eight years and students in the MFA must study full-time
and have two years to complete their degree. If students need
an extension, they must request this in writing to the Associate
Dean of the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services. Under certain circumstances, a one-time
extension of one year may be granted. How can I receive more information about graduate entrance exams? Click here to see which test(s) are required for the program you are considering.
What is the most important part of the application? There is not one single most important part of the application.
When reviewing an application, admission decisions are made
based on all the materials submitted, i.e. educational
background and grades, work experience (if any), GMAT/GRE/MAT
scores, letters of recommendation, and the statement of
objectives. What are the minimum GRE/GMAT/MAT scores required for admission? There are no minimum scores set by the Office of Graduate Admissions &
Support Services. As
mentioned above, we review the entire application file. For
example, higher GRE/GMAT/MAT scores may compensate for a lower
GPA, and vice versa. Will my application be considered if I haven't taken my GRE/GMAT/MAT/TOEFL yet? Not if the exam is a requirement for the program you are
pursuing. The Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services does not review incomplete
applications. All credentials must be on file before an
application is reviewed. The TOEFL is required for ALL students,
regardless of program, who studied in a foreign institution
where English is not the official language of the host country. Do I need to submit GRE, GMAT or MAT scores if I already have a master's degree? If you have a Master's degree from an accredited institution in
the United States, the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services will automatically
consider waiving the GRE or MAT once your official transcript is
on file. MBA applicants can only waive the GMAT if they have a
terminal degree (Ph.D., J.D., M.D.) or a Master's of Science
(MS) degree in a technical or quantitative subject (such as
mathematics, engineering, computer science.) There are some
programs, such as the MA in English and the MA in Communication
Science & Disorders with a concentration in Speech-Language
Pathology which do not waive the exam requirement. In addition,
the Psychology subject test is not waived for the MA in
Psychology or the School Psychologist Certificate Program. When and how do I know if I have been accepted into The Graduate Admissions & Support Services? If you applied for a program that accepts students on a
rolling-admission basis (i.e. no application deadline), you will
receive notification about your admission decision via letter
directly from the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services approximately four to six weeks after
your application file is complete. If you applied for a program
with an application deadline, the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support
Services will notify
you via letter approximately four to six weeks after your
application is complete. Admission decisions are not given out
over the phone. What is the cost to attend Montclair State University? Visit Tuition and Fees Does MSU offer financial assistance? If you are a US citizen/resident and you are planning to apply for a student loan, you must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is located on-line and can be obtained from our website at: www.montclair.edu/financialaid. If you have any questions about the financial aid process, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at Montclair State University, 973 655-4461. A limited number of Graduate Assistantships are available for all students, including international students, and are awarded annually through the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services. The Graduate Assistantships cover university-wide tuition and fees and provide masters degree students with a $7,000/year stipend in exchange for part-time employment on campus. Click here for more information about the Graduate Assistantships. A limited number of Saul and Adelaide Goldfarb Graduate
Scholarships are available for all students, including
international students, and are awarded annually through The
Graduate Admissions & Support Services. The Scholarships cover university-wide tuition
and fees for one academic year. The deadline to apply for the
Goldfarb Scholarship is April 1st. Click
here for more information about the Saul and Adelaide
Goldfarb Graduate Scholarships and /or to download an
application. If my foreign transcripts are already translated in English, do I still need to have them evaluated by World Education Services (WES)? What is World Education Services(WES)? Yes. ALL foreign transcripts must receive a COURSE-BY-COURSE evaluation from World Education Services (WES). World Education Services established in 1974, is a not-for-profit organization specializing in foreign credential evaluation. Building on twenty-five years of experience, WES is the foremost credential evaluation agency in the United States. WES's regional offices in New York, Chicago, Miami, and Washington, D.C. provide quality service to nearly 30,000 clients annually. Please contact WES to receive an "Application for Evaluation of Foreign Credentials". Requests for evaluation are usually honored within twenty working days of receipt of all required materials and fees. You must include instructions on the application to send a copy of the evaluation to The Graduate Admissions & Support Services at Montclair State University. You must provide WES with copies of transcripts from all previous educational institutions and certified English translations. Students do not need to submit official transcripts to the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services. An official evaluation sent to Montclair State University from WES is the only requirement. To obtain information about WES, please contact them at: World Education Services, Inc. If I studied in an institution outside of the United States, what educational background is needed to be eligible to apply to graduate studies at Montclair State University? You must have the equivalent of a US bachelor's degree to be considered for graduate studies. The Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services at Montclair State University DOES NOT evaluate foreign transcripts. All foreign transcripts must receive a COURSE-by-COURSE evaluation by World Education Services (WES), and the WES evaluation must indicate that you have the equivalent of a US bachelor's degree. If you would like to know what educational background is needed from your country to be considered the equivalence to a US bachelor's degree, you must contact WES directly. Refer to question above for WES contact information. If the WES evaluation indicates that you do not have the
equivalence to a US bachelor's degree, then the only option you
have is to apply as a transfer student for undergraduate
admissions. We do not offer courses to make up the difference
required for a bachelor's degree. For information about
undergraduate transfer admission, please contact the Admissions
Office at undergraduate.admissions@montclair.edu or
973-655-4444.
How long will you keep my application materials on file? We will keep your application materials on file for one year
if you do not complete the application, if you are not admitted,
or if you do not enroll in classes. Space restrictions require
us to purge all inactive materials after one year. If you choose
to reapply after your application has been purged, you will need
to resubmit all required materials. Who should write my letter of recommendation? All applicants, except Non-Degree, are required to submit
letters of recommendation. They should be written by someone
familiar with your previous academic work. Recommendations from
professors in your undergraduate major field of study are ideal.
However, if you have been out of school for a considerable time
you should seek someone who can comment on your background,
experiences, capacity to succeed and motivation. Employers,
supervisors or other professionals are appropriate choices,
while friends, family or fellow students are not. Many graduate
programs will not review admission applications with references
from the latter. What if I have additional questions? If you have additional questions which are not addressed above,
you may contact the Office of Graduate Admissions & Support Services. |
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