The Graduate School's Academic Programs
Before starting the application process, please be sure to check The Graduate School's academic program list. Only the programs on this list are administered through The Graduate School. A number of professional degrees (for example, the master of business administration, master of sports administration, master and doctor of music, doctor of audiology, doctor of medicine, and a variety of engineering, law, and journalism degrees) are not conferred by The Graduate School, but by the respective professional schools: the Feinberg School of Medicine, Kellogg School of Management, Medill School of Journalism, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Communication, School of Education and Social Policy, School of Law, School of Music, and School of Continuing Studies. If you would like to apply to a program outside the purview of The Graduate School, you should not use The Graduate School's online application. For application information, please contact these schools directly.

Academic Requirements 
Admitted students must hold a U.S. bachelor’s degree, or a comparable non-U.S. degree, from a regionally accredited institution.  The Graduate School will accept applications from international students with 3-year bachelor's degrees. You may be considered for admission before you finish your undergraduate degree, but you must have the degree in hand before you matriculate. 

You may be considered for admission in the midst of a graduate degree program at another institution, but applicants who have received one PhD degree or its equivalent generally may not be considered for admission to a doctoral program at Northwestern University.

Attributes of the Successful Applicant
As an applicant for graduate study, your scholastic record should show evidence of distinction, breadth and appropriate preparation for advanced study in your selected field.  Typically, GRE scores of admitted students are above 600 on both the Verbal and Quantitative sections.  Analytical Writing scores are generally 5 or above on the 6-point scale.  In most cases, admitted students have earned well above a 3.0 undergraduate GPA.

Admission decisions at Northwestern University are rendered by the individual graduate programs.  If you have specific questions regarding your admissibility, testing or application requirements, please contact your admitting program.  Contact information for The Graduate School's programs is available via the Program Contact List.

New Students
If you are applying for admission as a degree seeking or nondegree seeking student  through The Graduate School, you will need to submit an Online Application.  If you are applying as a nondegree seeking student through The Office of Special Students, you will not need to complete The Graduate School's application.

Readmission

Students that have been admitted to TGS but are not registered for more than two terms will be withdrawn from the university and must apply for readmission through Student Services using the Application for Readmission. The decision to readmit a former student is at the discretion of the program. Please contact Student Services with questions.

Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Program 
The Graduate School (TGS) offers academically strong, motivated Northwestern University undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue a concurrent, combined bachelor’s/master's degree program. This program is restricted to Northwestern University undergraduates and limited to certain degree programs within the University. For more information regarding admission to this program, click here.

Northwestern University Admissions Policy
It is the policy of Northwestern University not to discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, age, disability, citizenship, or veteran status in matters of admissions, employment, housing or services, or in the educational program or activities it operates, in accordance with civil rights legislation and University commitment. Any alleged violations of this policy or questions regarding the law with respect to nondiscrimination should be addressed to the Director of Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Labor Relations, 720 University Place, Evanston, Illinois 60208-1147; phone 847/491-7458; or the office of the Provost, Rebecca Crown Center, Evanston, Illinois 60208-1101; phone 847/491-7041; Web site www.northwestern.edu/hr/eeo.

Applicants seeking disability accommodations should contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 847-467-5530 in Evanston or 312-503-4042 in Chicago. Information regarding Services for Students with Disabilities is avilable via the following website: http://www.northwestern.edu/disability/.