AR 4.2.2 Graduate School Admissions

4.2.2 GRADUATE SCHOOL

4.2.2.1 REGULAR GRADUATE STUDENT ADMISSIONS

The Office of the Provost shall establish and implement the graduate admissions policy. The Office of the Provost shall review the policy and associated academic standards each year

4.2.2.1.1 ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Students applying for regular admission to the University of Kentucky Graduate School must meet all of the following requirements, except where otherwise provided under “Exceptions to Regular Graduate Admissions Requirements”:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning.
2. An undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.
3. A graduate GPA (if applicable) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, for all graduate work.
4. Only if a program requires them, submission of scores on the verbal, quantitative and analytical portions of the aptitude section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or scores from the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). The advanced portion of the GRE may be required by individual programs.
5. Has been accepted by the graduate program to which the individual has applied.

4.2.2.1.2 TRANSFER OF COURSE CREDIT HOURS

Upon request of the Director of Graduate Studies, a total of nine (9) hours of graduate-level course work (or 25% of regular course degree requirements) may be transferred into a master’s degree program.

4.2.2.2 EXCEPTIONS TO REGULAR GRADUATE ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

4.2.2.2.1 INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

International applicants are required to have completed a baccalaureate degree and demonstrate English proficiency. One of the following methods can be used to demonstrate this proficiency:

1. An awarded degree from a fully accredited US institution (bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree).
2. Official, valid scores from an English Language Proficiency Test approved by the Graduate Council, sent directly to The Graduate School.
3. Statement on the official transcript or an attestation letter sent directly from the Office of the University Registrar of the degree-granting institution confirming that English was the language of instruction.

4.2.2.2.2 COOPERATIVE EDUCATION ARRANGEMENTS

In cases where students applying for admission to the Graduate School under approved cooperative education agreements with a United States or international partner institution, the requirement of a completed bachelor’s degree may be temporarily waived for up to 12 months from enrollment, or as specified in the cooperative agreement. No graduate degree will be awarded until a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning has been awarded.

These cooperative education agreements must consider several criteria regarding the potential benefit to both UK and the US or international partner institution. These criteria include alignment with the academic, research, service priorities and plans of the University and the department and college proposing the agreement. Additionally, they must align with the University’s mission and offer anticipated benefits to students, faculty members, the University and University partners. Institutional quality such as reputation, international/national ranking and accreditation status, will also be considered.

The Office of the Provost shall ensure that approval procedures for cooperative education agreements, including approval by the faculty of the affected degree program(s), are created, maintained and published in accordance with the considerations listed above.

4.2.2.2.3 EXCEPTIONS TO GRE REQUIREMENT

     1.   For Fall 2024 admissions and onwards, GRE/GMAT scores are no longer mandatory for admission to the Graduate School. However, individual programs may still choose to require GRE/GMAT scores if they find them useful for their admissions decisions. All programs that require GRE/GMAT scores as of May 1, 2023, will continue to maintain this requirement.

     2.  Programs that wish to change their GRE/GMAT requirement must do so via the Office of the Provost’s approval process.

4.2.2.2.4 CONDITIONAL GRADUATE STUDENT ADMISSIONS

A student who wishes to pursue a higher degree, but who (for one or more of the reasons listed below) is temporarily ineligible for regular admissions may be recommended by the respective Director of Graduate Studies as a conditional student.

A.  Both domestic and international students may be admitted “conditionally”:

1. Until receipt of a final undergraduate transcript showing an awarded bachelor’s degree.
2. Until receipt of official GRE/GMAT scores for programs that have this as an admissions requirement.

3. Until a student with a GPA of less than 2.75, or a graduate of a non-accredited institution, provides evidence acceptable to the program and the Dean of the Graduate School indicating that the student is capable of conducting satisfactory graduate work. Individual programs may establish higher requirements.

   These requirements will be monitored by the Graduate School and must be met prior to the date set for priority registration during the first semester of enrollment. Students will not be allowed to priority register if these requirements are not met. The specific registration dates for their semester of entry and the consequences of failure to meet these requirements will be clearly spelled out in their acceptance letter.

B.  Programs will have the option to recommend that both domestic and international students will be admitted “conditionally” for:

1. Deficiencies determined by the programs, such as taking specific required undergraduate courses.

2. Review by the program upon completion of a specified number of hours of coursework.

   Approval to proceed with the doctoral QE or the master’s final examination will not be granted to students remaining in conditional status.

C. Graduating Seniors/Part-time Graduate Students

Graduating University of Kentucky seniors lacking no more than six (6) hours for graduation, but otherwise meet admissions requirements, may be admitted into the Graduate School in “conditional status.” In this case, the consent of the respective college dean and the Dean of the Graduate School and the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies are necessary. Such students may take no more than 12 credit hours and must complete the undergraduate degree during the semester in which they enroll in the conditional status.

4.2.2.2.5 POSTBACCALAUREATE STUDENT

Students who hold a bachelor’s degree and wish to take graduate courses without enrollment in a graduate degree program or graduate certificate program may apply for admission as a postbaccalaureate student.

A postbaccalaureate student may take an unlimited number of graduate-level courses. If the student later decides to work toward a graduate degree, the courses and number of UK graduate credit hours eligible for transfer will be determined by the respective Director of Graduate Studies and subsequently approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. Only courses assigned a grade of “B” or better can be transferred. Courses must have been taken no more than 10 years (master’s/specialist) or eight (8) years (doctoral) prior to the semester the transfer is requested.

Permission to enroll in any graduate class as a postbaccalaureate student will be granted only if the student meets the prerequisites and if space is available.

Permission to enroll in any graduate class as a postbaccalaureate student will be granted only if the student meets the prerequisites and if space is available.

4.2.2.2.6 UNIVERSITY SCHOLARS PROGRAM (USP)

4.2.2.2.6.1 ADMISSIONS TO UNIVERSITY SCHOLARS PROGRAM (USP)

Applications to the (USP will follow current procedures and rules for admission to the Graduate School with the following additions:

1. The graduate program faculty concur the field of the undergraduate major is in the same or related field as the master’s or doctoral program.
2. The program is open to undergraduate seniors who have completed at least 90 hours of course work and satisfied all UK Core requirements. Application to the program should be at the end of the student's junior year.
3. The undergraduate GPA should be greater than or equal to 3.5 in the student's major and 3.2 overall.

Application to the USP will follow the current procedures for application to the Graduate School, subject to the above conditions. Admissions decisions will be made by the Graduate Dean or their appointee.

4.2.2.2.7 POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR OR POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

University educational policies concerning postdoctoral scholars and postdoctoral fellows enrolled in PD 099 are supervised through the Dean of the Graduate School, including the handling of academic offenses, in which case the Rules of the Graduate School shall apply.