Graduate

The application deadlines for graduate programs vary by department. Many programs give the highest priority for admission and funding to applications that are complete and received early in the application cycle. Find the deadline for your program of interest at your home campus here.

• The equivalent bachelors and/or graduate degrees from a foreign institution. Bachelor’s degrees from institutions in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) are considered equivalent based on the Bologna Accord. For applicants with a 3-year Bachelor’s Degree with less than 120 hours, from Non-Bologna Accord Institutions, a transcript evaluation from a NACES member is required to confirm equivalency.
  
  
• Minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in one of the following ways:

• • All completed undergraduate coursework
  • All completed graduate coursework

• Applicants from countries where English is not the official language, and who have not earned at least a bachelor’s degree in the U.S., must also demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Minimum test scores required to determine proficiency are:

• • IELTS - 6.5
  • PTE-A - 53
  • TOEFL (iBT – 79; PBT – 550)
  • GRE Verbal – 153
  • Duolingo - 105

The TOEFL/IELTS requirement may be waived if the applicant has successfully met another requirement of proof of English proficiency as outlined in the USF academic catalog.

Please check with your program of interest to see if there are any additional application requirements (e.g. test scores, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose and resume).

One (1) complete official transcript from institutions of higher learning attended by the applicant where a bachelor’s and higher degree was awarded is required of all students who are admitted and matriculate at USF (reference USF Policy 10-044 - https://usf.app.box.com/v/usfpolicy10-044). Applicants should also include official transcripts from any institution that has graduate work (such as Graduate Certificates).  The University reserves the right to request any additional transcripts that may be needed to evaluate the application.  Applicants are strongly encouraged to upload unofficial copies of their transcripts which may include documents such as mark sheets, completion certificates, and diploma supplements through their online application to expedite the processing of their application.

Any offer of admission granted using unofficial transcripts/documents will not be finalized and future enrollment will be blocked until official, paper transcripts/documents are received in a sealed envelope from the Office of the Registrar where the applicant attended school.
Please note:

• Final transcripts must show that the required degree was earned prior to enrolling in the graduate program at USF. If the prior degree has not been completed by the start of the graduate program the applicant must contact Graduate Admissions to defer admission to a future semester.

• All transcripts must be in English; it is the applicant's responsibility to have transcripts/documents translated and evaluated* before submitting them as part of their graduate application packet. If you are applying while still completing a degree, you must submit transcripts of at least six (6) semesters of completed undergraduate work. Final transcripts/certificates showing that the bachelor's degree was awarded prior to graduate matriculation will be required if an applicant is admitted and enrolls, but they are not necessary unless the applicant is admitted.

*All foreign transcripts/documents that are not in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation. Documents signed by a notary or other person with no educational affiliation will not be accepted. Some graduate programs require a course-by-course evaluation from a foreign transcript evaluation service.

The credential evaluation must be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions at the following address. All documents used by the service that performs the evaluation must include a copy of the original document, along with an English translation (if necessary).

University of South Florida 
Office of Admissions
4202 E. Fowler Avenue, SVC 1036
Tampa, FL  33620

For your convenience, we have listed several credential evaluation services. Additional recommended services can be found at www.naces.org.

• Academic Evaluation Services
• Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
• Josef Silny and Associates, Inc.
• SpanTran Evaluation Company

Applications from the European Higher Education Area USF accepts applications from prospective graduate students with undergraduate degrees from countries that subscribe to the Bologna Process. Applicants with three-year degrees from universities in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) may be considered for admission to graduate majors, at the discretion of the Department (or equivalent) and College that offer the Major and with the approval of the Office of Graduate Studies, under the following condition: Official documentation is presented to demonstrate that a three-year degree (at least 180 ECTS) has been awarded prior to USF matriculation by an institution within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), defined by the Bologna Declaration of 1999. Where applicable, diploma supplements should be included with transcripts and other documents required to demonstrate degree completion. An up-to-date, official listing of Bologna signatory countries may be found at www.ehea.info.

Non-Bologna Institutions Transcripts for applicants from non-Bologna Accord Institutions must be accompanied by an evaluation of the bachelor's degree by an independent third-party member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Confirmation of the baccalaureate degree as equivalent is required and will be jointly determined by relevant major faculty, the office of Admissions, and the Office of Graduate Studies.

GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

All applicants to programs requiring the GRE* should submit GRE test scores earned within five (5) years of the desired term of entry. Official scores should be submitted to USF directly from Educational Testing Service (ETS), but applicants may provide unofficial copies of their test scores to expedite the processing of their applications. Any admission granted using unofficial scores will not be finalized until official scores from ETS are received. The institution code for USF is 5828.

* In special cases, the GRE requirement may be waived at the discretion of individual graduate programs. Please contact your program of interest directly for additional information.

GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test)

Applicants to programs in the College of Business should submit GMAT* scores earned within five (5) years of the desired term of entry. Official scores must be submitted to USF directly from the  , but applicants may provide unofficial copies of their test scores to expedite the processing of their applications. Any admission granted using unofficial scores will not be finalized until official scores from are received. The following are the institution codes for USF administered by Pearson VUE:

VP9-M4-23 VP9-M4-04 VP9-M4-97 VP9-M4-80 VP9-M4-01 VP9-M4-25 VP9-M4-18 VP9-M4-67 VP9-M4-86 VP9-M4-17 VP9-M4-66 VP9-M4-40 VP9-M4-74 VP9-M4-48 VP9-4J-76

PhD in Business Administration Executive MBA MBA, Full Time MBA, Part Time MBA, Sarasota-Manatee Campus MBA, St. Petersburg Campus Master of Accountancy MA in Economics MS in Finance MS in Management MS in Management Information Systems MSM in Marketing MSRE in Real Estate MS in Entrepreneur in Applied Technology Health Administration, College of Public Health

* Applicants may not have to submit a GMAT if they have taken the GRE. Please contact your program of interest directly for additional information. 

English Proficiency Requirement

Applicants from countries where English is not the official language must also demonstrate proficiency in English by submitting acceptable scores on one of the English proficiency tests listed below. Scores must have been earned within two (2) years of the desired term of entry. Applications submitted with English proficiency scores that do not meet the minimum requirements will be denied. 

Note – the following test scores are for the purposes of Admissions and do not demonstrate English Proficiency for Teaching Assistant (TA) positions.  For eligibility as a Teaching Assistant (TA), go to:  https://www.usf.edu/graduate-studies/funding/graduate-assistantships-resource-center/graduate-assistant-eligibility.aspx.

a. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT)	79 or higher
b. International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic)	6.5 or higher
c. Cambridge English First (FCE/B2 First)	176 or higher (with minimum sub scores of 169)
d. Cambridge English Level 1 Advanced/Business (C1)	180 or higher
e. Cambridge English Level 2 Proficiency/Business (C2)	200 or higher
f. Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE-A)	53 or higher
g. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Exam Verbal Score	153 or higher
h. Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) Verbal	30 or higher
i. Duolingo English Test (DET)	105 or higher
j. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL Essentials)	8.5 or higher

English Proficiency Exemptions

A student may qualify for an exemption from taking an English Proficiency Examination for the purpose of Admissions if one of the following criteria is met:

• Native speaker of English.  (List of English-Speaking Countries: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/graduate/admission-information/english-speaking-countries.aspx)
  Earned a baccalaureate or higher degree from an institution in the United States.
• Successfully completing INTO USF’s Academic English Program Level 6 or the following INTO USF courses: EAP 1850 and EAP 1851 with a satisfactory grade.
• Earned a baccalaureate degree or higher at a foreign institution where English is the language of instruction (for the institution and not just the major) may meet this requirement. However, other related factors (including test scores) will also be considered. Medium of Instruction must be documented on the transcript and on an official Certificate of Medium of Instruction from the Institution.

Applicants who are unable to meet this requirement should contact INTO University of South Florida for information on its Academic English program for international students.

INTO University of South Florida also offers Graduate Pathways programs for international applicants.

If you are from one of the English-speaking countries listed below, you are not required to submit TOEFL scores.

English Speaking Countries

• Antigua
• Australia
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Barbuda
• Belize
• Bermuda
• Botswana
• Canada, except Quebec (French)
• Cayman Islands
• Commonwealth Caribbean
• Dominica
• England (UK)
• Fiji
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Ireland (UK)
• Irish Republic
• Jamaica, Republic of
• Kenya
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Malawi
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Northern Ireland (UK)
• Papua New Guinea
• Rwanda (if secondary school completed after 2009)
• Scotland (UK)
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• South Africa (if Afrikaans is not listed as native language)
• St. Kitts & Nevis
• St. Lucia
• St. Vincent & the Grenadines
• Swaziland
• Tanzania
• Trinidad
• Tobago
• Uganda (UK)
• United Kingdom
• United States, except Puerto Rico
• Virgin Islands
• Wales (UK)
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

NOTE: International students from predominantly English-speaking countries who want to be considered for a teaching assistantship must show proficiency in spoken English even if their English proficiency examination requirement has been waived for admission to a graduate program.