Admissions FAQ
Q: Am I required to submit a separate application to be considered for a graduate assistantship?
No. All applicants to our doctoral program are considered for financial support in the form of a graduate assistantship at the time they are considered for admission. Please note that students in the M.A. and M.S. programs are not typically considered for assistantships.
Applicants who have their own financial support should mention this within their statement of purpose.
It is not our standard practice to admit doctoral students without financial support.
Q: Do you admit in Fall and Spring semesters?
Yes. We tend to admit more graduate students for Fall, and our Spring admissions depends largely on our budget. We recommend having all application materials submitted by September 15 for full consideration for Spring, and by December 15 for full consideration for Fall.
Q: Can you waive my application fee?
No. Neither the Department nor the University is able to waive the application fee.
Q: How do I submit my materials?
The online portal allows applicants to upload their materials. Further information on the submission process and transcript policy can be found at https://www.kent.edu/admissions/graduate-degree-student-requirements.
Q: As an international applicant, am I required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score?
All international applicants whose education has been primarily outside of the United States must provide objective evidence of proficiency in the English language. A list of exceptions to this can be found here.
Q: Do you have a GRE requirement?
We encourage applicants to submit the general GRE. Applicants should obtain a score at the 45th percentile or higher on the Quantitative section.
Q: Do you need my official transcripts to consider me for admission?
Kent State University requires applicants to submit either an official transcript or copy of an official transcript from each college or university in which the applicant completed 8 or more credit hours (undergraduate and graduate coursework as well as any coursework done while in high school).
Q: Can you tell me what my likelihood of admission is, given my credentials?
Admissions decisions are based on a holistic review of the applicant's file by our graduate committee, as well as departmental need. While we do provide you with our minimum requirements, we cannot determine in advance what the decision will be prior to the review process.
Q: Do I need to contact and choose an advisor prior to applying to the graduate program?
No. We do encourage you to look at our faculty research and provide information on your interests within your statement of purpose.