General Admission Information
Applicants seeking admission to the University of San Diego graduate programs must hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited and approved institution. Applicants seeking admission to either of the doctoral programs must also hold a master's degree. The University of San Diego Graduate School's applicant selections is competitive and based on evidence that the applicant will be able to successfully pursue a program leading to a post-baccalaureate degree, certificate, or credential in the field to which the student is applying.
Deadlines for each graduate program at USD vary. Please see the department for program deadlines or contact graduate admissions at (619) 260-4524 or grads@sandiego.edu.
Materials to be submitted by Applicants for Degrees, Credentials, or Certificates
Applicants must make sure that all of the following materials are sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions in order for their application to be reviewed:
- The completed application for Graduate Admission.
- The application fee of $45, ($80 for MBA applicants) made payable to the University of San Diego.
- Official transcripts documenting each course taken beyond the high school level (whether or not within a degree program) and all degrees awarded. Transcripts that do not bear the registrar's signature and/or the institution's seal are not official. International Applicants click here for transcript information.
- Three letters of recommendation, (two letters of recommendation are required for MBA) from professors familiar with the applicant's scholarly work or from professional supervisors who have had experience in a graduate program and who can provide information regarding the applicant's potential for success as a graduate student.
- Current resume
-
Personal statement or statements. Certain programs require specific questions to be answered in the personal statement and some programs require more than one statement. Be sure to check the department Web site for specifics. Most programs require that your statement of purpose succinctly explain your motivation for pursuing the degree, your future career plans, and why you believe USD is a good fit for you.
Marine Science applicants must address their specific research interests and its compatibility with the expertise of the Marine Science core and adjunct faculty. Information about those areas of expertise can be found on the Marine Science graduate faculty page.
Master of Business Administration applicants are required to submit a personal statement, value proposition and social responsibility statement.
Specialization in Montessori Education applicants must answer the following questions in their personal statement: Why are you interested in Montessori Education? How do you intend to use your Montessori Training? - Standardized admission test scores when required by department (see program section and "Admission Tests" below).
Please send all application materials to:
Office of Graduate Admissions
Serra Hall 202
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110-2492
Phone: (619) 260-4524, Fax (619) 260-4158
Financial Aid
Students applying for USD Financial Aid must submit applications for both admission and financial aid by April 1 for the Fall and/or Spring semesters. USD Financial Aid Web site.
Admission Tests
Some departments require applicants to submit the results of one of the following standardized tests listed below. Registration forms, fee schedules, priority deadlines, and additional information for these tests are available from the Office of Graduate Admissions or by writing or calling the testing services at the following locations. USD's Institution Code number for all of these tests is 4849; this number must be included on the test registration form in order to have the official results sent to the University.
- California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST)
CBEST Program, National Evaluation Systems, P.O. Box 340880, Sacramento, CA 95834-0880
Phone: (916) 928-4001, Fax (916) 928-9242 - Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000
Phone: (609) 771-7670, (510) 873-8100, Fax: (609) 771-7906, Internet: http://www.gre.org - Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6103, Princeton, NJ 08541-6103
Phone: (609) 771-7330, Fax: (609) 883-4349, Internet: http://www.mba.com - Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
The Psychological Corporation, 555 Academic Court, San Antonio, TX 78204-3956
Phone: (210) 921-8802, (800) 622-3231, Fax (210) 921-8861 - Administration Site: USD Office of Continuing Education
Phone (619) 260-4585 - Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Test of Written English (TWE)
TOEFL/TSE Services, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151
Phone: (609) 771-7100, Fax: (609) 771-7500, Internet: http://www.toefl.org
International Students
There are additional items needed to complete an application for international students. Please make sure your application states your immigration status and/or the status you are seeking.
Transcripts must be evaluated by an outside agency such as World Education Services, or WES. Be advised that the evaluation will take at least 20 days, sometimes much longer. Please contact the agency for more information: http://www.wes.org
All applicants must be proficient in the English language. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is mandatory of all applicants except those who are from English speaking countries. The University of San Diego's minimum scores are 237 on the computer-based, 580 on the paper-based, or 83 on the internet-based test. The School of Business graduate programs require a minimum score 92 on the internet-based exam.
For a full-list of additional items required for international students, please click here.
Graduate admissions will notify prospective students of their admission status.
The information on this page is not to be substituted for the admissions criteria given by each individual program. Please see the program department for specifics when filing out your application for admission.
