Admissions

If you are looking for an introduction to what Emory has to offer,

visit our Prospective Students portal page (link on top of the page).

This page -- and the pages to the left -- provide general information about the process of applying to the Laney Graduate School, including information about admissions requirements.

If you are seeking information regarding specific programs, contact the program(s) of interest to you.  All the programs are listed on our Degree Programs page.

If you are a prospective student who is not a citizen of or permanent resident of the United States, your application will need to include some additional items.  Please visit our International Students page (link to the left).

Click or scroll down for information for students who are not seeking a degree (e.g. visiting students)

Check with the Program You Want to Apply to!

The requirements specified below are minimum requirements, and programs may have additional requirements.  Similarly, the general graduate school application deadline -- January 3 -- does not always coincide with programs' deadlines.  Some program deadlines are as early as December 1. 

A good place to start is our Program Brochures page (link to the left).

Students Seeking a Degree

We encourage you to use our online application process.  For information about the process, go to our Application page (link to the left).

Below, you'll find information about admissions requirements.

Admissions Requirements

A complete application must be received no later than January 3 -- earlier in some programs.  The requirements below are the mininum requirements established by the Laney Graduate School.  Many programs have additional requirements.

Transcripts

All applicants are required to submit one official copy of transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended, present school included.  All transcripts should be sent directly to the program(s) you are applying to (find them on our degree programs page).

If you are currently enrolled and your degree is not yet conferred, you must submit an additional, final transcript after you have graduated and before you enroll.  If we do not have an official, final transcript, you will not be permitted to enroll.

Standardized Test Scores

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) sends us  official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores of all applicants who request that Emory (institution code 5187) receive test results. The following three scores are reported:

1. Verbal score reported on a 200-800 score scale,
2. Quantitative score reported on 200-800 score scale, and
3. Analytical writing score reported on a 0-6 scale with half point increments.

The graduate school will not accept scores more than five years old.

Applicants to the PhD program in Business have the option of submitting Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) in lieu of the GRE.

Statement of Purpose

Applicants are required to provide a Statement of Purpose to be considered for admission to the Laney Graduate School.  The statement is part of the online application process.

The Statement of Purpose should incorporate the following:

1. A brief intellectual autobiography describing the formation of your academic interests and present concerns.
2. The special area of interest or particular problems, theories, movements, periods, etc., upon which your study would focus.
3. A description of tentative plans for research, either specific problems or general areas in which you hope to work.
4. If appropriate, include in your Statement of Purpose any ways in which you as a student at Emory would contribute to the diversity of the program to which you are applying.
5. Please submit a resume or list below of your collegiate or community activities and leadership positions that you have had, as well as any honors that you have received.  Please include any activities, dates of involvement, and positions held.

Letters of Recommendation

All applicants must submit three letters of recommendation from faculty members familiar with their academic performance. Teachers applying to the Division of Educational Studies may be recommended by a school principal. Make sure recommenders are able to meet the application deadline.

Federal legislation provides applicants with a right of access to recommendations, which may be waived. No school or person can require the applicant to waive this right.

If you waive your right of access, the letters of recommendation, except as used by Emory University, will be held in confidence from you and all other parties. If you do not waive your right and you matriculate, or if you do not sign the waiver statement at all and you matriculate, you will be permitted to see the recommendations on request.

Transfer of Credits from Other Institutions

If you have done graduate work at another institution, and that coursework was not applied towards a degree, then you may be able to transfer up to 12 semester hours of course credit to count towards your degree at Emory.

Any amount over 12 hours must be approved by the Dean of the Laney Graduate School with strong support from the program. In no case will more than 24 total hours be transferred.

Students admitted with general or specific deficiencies, or whose prior degrees were conferred eight or more years before admission may be expected to complete additional requirements. Consult the Director of Graduate Studies in the program of your interest regarding program specific requirements.

Deferred Admission

Students who are admitted may request that admission be deferred for one year. Programs may grant or deny requests for deferred admission.

Students not Seeking a Degree

If you want to take courses in the schools of Nursing, Publlic Health or Business, please contact those schools directly.

If you have at least a bachelor's degree and wish to take courses at Emory but do not wish to earn a degree, you may apply for admission as a non-degree student.  We refer to such students as special standing students. In order to be considered, you must have an overall undergraduate grade point average of " C" or better.

The special standing application is one page and currently available in paper form only. The application, official transcripts, written permission from course instructors, and one-time, non-refundable $50 application fee must be received 30 days before the semester begins.  The form, with instructions for applying, is posted in the column to the right.  A link to the Registrar's listing of courses is also posted.

Special standing students must obtain written permission from course instructors before enrolling. Some programs  require additional signatures -- check with program administrators to determine specific restrictions on course enrollment.  Non-degree students, including transient and special standing students, are not allowed to audit courses.

Faculty may grant permission by signing the special standing application, mailing or faxing (on department letterhead) or emailing a note to the Laney Graduate School. Degree-seeking students have priority in course enrollment.  A special standing student who wishes to enroll in a closed course must obtain explicit permission of the instructor to enroll in the course as an overload.

Students in special standing usually do not receive merit awards. Emory employees should consult the policy regarding courtesy scholarships for eligibility information at least 60 days prior to registration. Application for a courtesy scholarship is independent of application for admission.  Links to information are posted to the right.

Admission as a Degree Student

A student in special standing who later wishes to enroll in a degree program must submit a formal application for admission, including GRE scores, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a non-refundable $50 application fee.

Students admitted in special standing are not guaranteed subsequent admission to degree programs and should not expect preference in admission.

Programs enrolling special standing students in courses are not obligated to offer those students special consideration in admission to degree programs. Up to 12 semester hours of course work completed in special standing may be applied towards degree and residence requirements with the program's recommendation and the Dean's approval.