Eligibility

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from an institutionally accredited college or university, or the international equivalent, prior to beginning graduate study.

Admission Requirements

Successful applicants typically have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours or equivalent of undergraduate coursework to be admitted. GPA alone does not guarantee admission. Applicants who have completed a minimum of nine (9) graduate credit hours or the equivalent will also have their graduate coursework evaluated. All GPA and transcript evaluations are completed in-house by Bradley University admission staff. Applicants with a lower GPA may be considered on the basis of a combination of other factors including, but not limited to, standardized tests scores, preparation at the undergraduate level, recommendation letters, and other relevant factors. Applicants with a GPA below 2.5, as calculated by the Graduate Admissions Office, will not be admitted.

Non-degree-seeking Graduate Students

This admission status is for a student who holds a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, wishes to register for graduate or undergraduate courses, and is not currently seeking a graduate degree from Bradley University. The student must have met the GPA requirements as listed for unconditional or conditional admission. Exceptions for non-degree-seeking students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement may be made at the discretion of Graduate Admission.  

• Non-degree-seeking graduate students must submit an application for graduate admission, application fee, and official transcripts. Admission as a non-degree-seeking student does not guarantee enrollment in a course. Students who do not meet specific course prerequisites may be dropped from courses.
• Students studying on a visa who wish to enroll as a non-degree-seeking graduate student must also meet the additional requirements for international students, including English language proficiency.
• Admission as a non-degree-seeking graduate student does not constitute admission to a degree program. A non-degree-seeking graduate student who wishes to apply to a degree program must meet all requirements for admission to that program. A maximum of nine (9) semester hours with grades of B or better earned as a non-degree-seeking graduate student may be applied toward a degree or certificate program, with approval of the program’s graduate coordinator.

Former Students

Students who have received an undergraduate or graduate degree from Bradley must reapply for admission if they wish to register for additional coursework.

Admission Requirements

Requirements for admission to graduate education are listed below. Individual programs may require additional application materials or have more selective admission requirements than those of Graduate Admissions. Please refer to the program pages and the current graduate application for admission for specific information on the most current requirements. Unofficial copies of transcripts and other documents may usually be used for admission. If official documents are required for admission, applicants will be notified by Graduate Admissions. Students who accept an offer of admission will be required to submit official transcripts showing degree conferral if not provided in the application. may be used for admission. 

Before being considered for admission, degree-seeking students must submit the following materials. Some departments have additional requirements. Please refer to the program pages for additional admission requirements.

1. Application Form. All applicants must submit an application at https://gradschool.bradley.edu/apply/
2. Application Fee. A non-refundable application fee of $40 must be submitted. Applications will not be processed until the fee has been received. Bradley University does not offer application fee waivers.
3. Transcripts.
   1. Unofficial transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended are required. 
   2. International Applications:
      1. Applicants who have attended institutions which use semester mark sheets, exam results, or other systems of recording course and exam results must provide copies of all documents in the application. Consolidated mark sheets alone are not accepted.
      2. Students who accept an offer of admission must provide official copies of final transcripts or mark sheets and diploma or degree conferred prior to matriculation. Documents mailed to the Admissions Office will not be returned; official documents may be presented in person in the Admissions Office if they are the sole copy.​
4. Admission Essay. Applicants must provide a short essay. The specific topic varies by program; consult the current application for admission for details. Most will ask you to describe your reasons for interest in the program at Bradley; to explain your relevant achievements, work experience, or research; and to address your career objectives and how the graduate program will assist you in achieving those goals.
5. Recommendations. A minimum of two recommendations must be submitted as part of the application. Some programs require additional recommendations and this information will be included in the application. The recommendation requests are sent electronically to your recommender as soon as you enter them in the application system. Recommendations do not have to already have been received in order for you to submit your application, but the required number must be received before your file will be reviewed for admission.
6. Resume/CV. The resume is not required by all programs; however, it can be very useful in making admissions decisions, so we recommend all applicants submit one.. Programs that require a resume/CV will be identified in the application.
7. Standardized Test Scores. If a program requires a standardized test score, the official score must be sent directly to the Office of Admission by the testing agency. Bradley's institutional code for GRE and TOEFL score reporting is 1070. Information on sending other scores may be found on the Graduate Admissions website.
8. Language Proficiency. Applicants who are not U.S. citizens, with the exception of Legal Permanent Residents, may be required to provide proof of English language proficiency. Details on acceptable exams, minimum scores, and eligibility criteria for a waiver of the testing requirement may be found on the Graduate Admissions website.

Permanent Residents

Applicants who are permanent residents must submit proof of status along with their application if applying for an online program.

Application or Admission Deferral

Applicants or admitted students wishing to defer their application or admission to a subsequent semester must follow the instructions in their application status portal. 

Applicants who are unable to complete their application by the deadline for their original application term may defer their application to the following term, using the requiest form in their application status portal. Admitted students may defer their admission to a different term without reapplying one time; this deferral may be requested only after the applicant has accepted the offer of admission and paid the enrollment fee. If the applicant wishes to defer to a semester further into the future or defers a second time, a new application, application fee, and enrollment fee (if admitted) must be submitted. Additional application materials may be required at the discretion of the Graduate Admission and the department.

Application Deadlines

Applications are processed on a rolling, or continuous, basis for most programs, although not all programs enroll students each term. Applicants are responsible for knowing and abiding by the university and program application deadlines. Application deadlines can be found at https://bradley.edu/admissions/graduate/requirements/.