Prospective Students

Graduate Students

Admission Information

• What are the requirements to be a graduate student?
• How do I apply?
• Are there any application deadlines?
• I want to apply, but my degree is not posted on my transcript yet, what do I do?
• Once I have submitted everything to the Graduate School, am I admitted?
• How soon will I be notified as to whether I have been admitted or not?
• I was denied admission, what do I do now?
• I have decided to withdraw my application; do I get my application fee back?
• I am not doing well in my current program; can I change to another?
• I have decided to double major, what do I need to do?
• Can I pursue both an undergraduate and graduate degree at the same time?
• I’m a senior at NMSU and I plan to pursue a graduate degree; can I start taking graduate classes?
• I am a graduate student at another university, and I would like to take a few classes at NMSU and transfer them back to my home university. Can I do this?

What are the requirements to be a graduate student?
To gain admission, a student must hold a Bachelor’s degree or other advanced degree from an accredited institution. For those seeking a Master’s degree, a GPA of 3.0 is required for admission as a regular student. Students whose GPA is between 2.5 and 2.9 can apply as a provisional student. All students applying for Doctoral degrees must have at least a 3.0 GPA.

How do I apply?
See our Apply page for details.

Are there any application deadlines?
The Graduate School does not have a set deadline; however, we recommend that you check with the graduate program as many departments do have deadlines. See our Graduate Programs page for details.

I want to apply, but my degree is not posted on my transcript yet, what do I do?
Submit your application. As long as you are in your last semester at your current institution, you can be admitted as a tentative student. Once your degree is posted, you will have a full semester to provide a final transcript to our office.

Once I have submitted everything to the Graduate School, am I admitted?
If you are applying as an undeclared major we will admit you provided you meet the requirements for admission. Students applying to a specific program will have their application materials sent to the department for their admission decision.

How soon will I be notified as to whether I have been admitted or not?
We notify students as soon as the graduate program gives us a decision. Contact the department for their review timeline.

I was denied admission, what do I do now?
If you were denied admission by the Graduate School because of your GPA and would like to proceed. You may apply to Undergraduate Admissions as a non-degree seeking student. You must successfully complete 9 credit hours of graduate coursework with a GPA of 3.0 or higher to be eligible to reapply to the Graduate School. Note: only 9 credits can be transferred.

If you were denied by an academic department contact the department directly to discuss your application result.

If you meet the basic requirements to be a graduate student, you may apply to another department by completing a new application.

I have decided to withdraw my application; do I get my application fee back?
The application fee is non-refundable.

I am not doing well in my current program; can I change to another?
Yes. Stop by our office in the Educational Services Building and complete a Change of Major Request form. We will then send your file to the requested department for their consideration.

I have decided to double major, what do I need to do?
Stop by our office in the Educational Services Building and complete a Change of Major Request form. We will then send your file out to the requested department for their consideration.

Can I pursue both an undergraduate and graduate degree at the same time?
No, you must be either a graduate student or an undergraduate student. You cannot have dual status unless you are in an approved Joint Degree Program. See the Graduate Catalog for more information.

I’m a senior at NMSU and I plan to pursue a graduate degree; can I start taking graduate classes?
Yes, an undergraduate student may take up to 6 credits of graduate-level courses for credit towards a graduate degree. The following outlines the requirements and restrictions:

• You must be in the last 15 credit hours of receiving a Bachelor’s degree
• You must be completing all requirements for graduation.
• You must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, or a 3.0 GPA for the last 45 credits you have completed.
• You need to file a Senior Petitioner form with the Graduate School at least 30 days prior to registration.
• You need to file a Senior Petitioner Course Form for each course by the deadline to add courses for that semester, and obtain approval from your undergraduate advisor and the graduate instructor(s).
• You then need to register for graduate level course(s) at the Graduate School. Please refer to the Graduate Catalog for more details.

I am a graduate student at another university, and I would like to take a few classes at NMSU and transfer them back to my home university. Can I do this?
Yes, you would be considered a Visiting Student at NMSU.

First, you must apply to the NMSU Graduate School and pay the application fee at least 30 days prior to registration. You must also have a letter sent from your home university’s graduate dean indicating that you are admitted to that institution, are in good standing, and that the courses taken at New Mexico State University are acceptable for transfer to your home university-- you are not required to submit transcripts or letters of recommendation. The review process is similar to degree applicants and the graduate program must also agree to admit you. Please note that the department may require other materials to be submitted before admitting a visiting student. Visiting Students are not eligible for graduate assistantships.