Graduate Admissions
Applications to master’s degree programs, advanced certificate programs, and graduate nondegree study are managed by the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Office of Graduate Admissions
222 West Quad Center
Brooklyn College
2900 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11210
P: 718.951.4536
E: grads@brooklyn.cuny.edu
W: www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/gradadmissions
Admissions Criteria
The minimum graduate admission requirements are:
a bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;
a satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 (B) on a 4.00 scale in your undergraduate major and a 2.70 overall; and
sufficient undergraduate course work to do graduate work in your chosen program.
Satisfying minimal standards, however, does not guarantee your admission, as the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of places available. As a result, many well-qualified applicants cannot be accommodated in competitive programs.
Applicants may apply to only one program for any given semester. Admission decisions are based on departmental review, using a combination of factors, including academic degrees and records, the personal statement, letters of recommendation, test scores, and relevant work experience. Brooklyn College also considers the appropriateness of your goals to the degree program in which you are interested. Note: The admission criteria is subject to change.
Application Components
Application fee
A nonrefundable $75 application fee is required of all applicants. You can pay your application fee by credit card when you submit your online application, or mail a check or money order to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Make checks or money orders payable to Brooklyn College. Nondegree applicants pay the fee upon acceptance.
Academic transcripts
Transcripts can be sent electronically to Brooklyn College from your previous institutions to graddocs@brooklyn.cuny. edu if your institution participates in electronic transcripts. If not, they must be mailed to the Office of Graduate Admissions in a sealed envelope from your previous institutions. An official transcript is required from all colleges and universities attended for academic credit, showing all courses, grades, and degrees received (if any).
International transcript credential evaluation
International transcripts must be evaluated by a professional agency recognized by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Evaluations must include course-by-course analysis indicating the type of degree received, the U.S. equivalency of the degree, the graduation date, and a cumulative grade point average. This will help us understand your educational background and academic credentials. Allow plenty of time between the evaluation and the application deadline, especially if you are currently residing outside of the United States and require a student visa.
Letters of recommendation
You are required to send two letters of recommendation. Some programs require three recommenders. Letters should come from individuals who can assess your potential for graduate study, including college professors and professionals who have supervised your work in an area relevant to your intended field of study. We ask that you register your recommenders in our online application system, so that recommenders are able to submit their letters electronically.
Statement of Purpose/Essay
Most programs require a statement explaining your purpose in undertaking graduate study in your intended program. This is your opportunity to inform us about your goals, interests, and career plans as they relate to your intended academic study. Some programs require other essays in addition to, or in lieu of, the personal statement. Please review the program requirements to ensure you are writing about the correct topic.
Résumé
A copy of your most recent résumé is required by some programs.
Portfolios, manuscripts, and headshots
A portfolio of artwork, a manuscript, or headshots is required by some programs.
GRE
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required by some programs. We accept test scores sent to us directly from ETS only. Our ETS Institution code is 2046.
GMAT
The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is required by some programs. Our ETS Institution code is 2046.
English language proficiency
A TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearson score report is required from applicants whose home country’s first language is not English, and who did not receive the equivalent of a four-year undergraduate education from a U.S. institution where English is the official language of instruction and require an F-1 or J-1 visa to study in the United States. TOEFL, IELTS, and Pearson scores can be sent to us electronically. Our ETS code is 2046.
Teaching Certificate
Students applying for M.A., M.A.T., or M.S.Ed. programs in education might be required to submit copies of their state teaching certificates and/or Bilingual Education Assessment results.
Writing samples/Research papers
Some programs require applicants to submit writing samples or research papers on the subject they are planning to pursue at Brooklyn College.
Admission Status
Applicants for graduate study may be admitted with one of three statuses: matriculated, matriculated with conditions, or nondegree.
Matriculated
Degree-seeking applicants who fully meet the college’s and department’s admission requirements are admitted as matriculated students into master’s degree or advanced certificate programs.
Matriculated with conditions
Degree-seeking applicants who must complete a required prior degree prior to registration or do not fully meet college and departmental admission requirements must meet conditions that are stated in their offer of admissions from the Office of Graduate Admissions. Departments may specify that certain undergraduate classes be completed within a particular time frame. Grades in undergraduate classes do not contribute to the graduate grade point average (GPA).
Nondegree
Applicants who wish to take up to 15 credits of course work for personal or professional reasons without pursuing a degree may apply for nondegree status; they must still be academically qualified and admitted by a specific department that will oversee their course selection and academic progress.
Applicants for nondegree study complete the online application. They are to submit an unofficial copy of a transcript with bachelor’s degree notation. No additional supporting documents are required, except an essay for some programs.
Not all programs offer nondegree admission.
Nondegree students are not eligible for federal financial aid or F-1 international student visas. International students interested in doing a semester or academic year at Brooklyn College as a visiting student can apply for a J-1 international student visa if accepted.
Admission as a nondegree student does not guarantee later admittance as a matriculated student.
Change of Status
Nondegree students may later request a change to matriculated status with the Office of Graduate Admissions using the Status Change form. Students are required to supply additional materials, such as official transcripts and supporting documents requested by the department. Up to 15 credits taken in nondegree status may be applied toward a master’s degree. Nondegree students may register for courses beyond the 15-credit limit if they obtain the approval of the department chair maintain a GPA of 3.00 or higher.
Application Deadlines
Some programs have a fixed, or “hard,” application deadline, so that all applications can be reviewed together. Other programs offer rolling admissions after the deadline, whereby applicant files continue to be evaluated for a period of time until the program is full. Although there are admissions for both fall and spring semesters, not all programs admit for the spring. Details on application and processing deadlines may be found on the Graduate Admissions webpage.
Students who plan to attend in the fall may attend in the preceding summer if courses that fit their program are offered. However, in all cases, the applicable Bulletin will, at least initially, be that in effect in the fall semester of their official acceptance (see the section “Applicable Bulletin” in the chapter “Academic Regulations and Procedures”).
Additional Admission Requirements for Students With International Credentials
Students who require an F-1 visa may apply only for full-time matriculated status (see the section “Admission Status,” above). Exchange students on J-1 visas apply for nondegree study.
Applicants with international credits must have the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree. International transcripts must be evaluated by a professional agency recognized by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Evaluations must include course-by-course analysis indicating the type of degree received, the U.S. equivalency of the degree, the graduation date, and a cumulative grade point average. More information about this requirement, including information on the approved agencies, may be found on the Graduate Admissions webpage.
A TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearson score report is required from applicants whose first language is not English and who did not receive the equivalent of a four-year U.S. undergraduate education from an institution where English is the official language of instruction and needs an F-1 or a J-1 visa to attend Brooklyn College. Scores can be sent to us electronically. The minimum acceptable TOEFL score is 61 in the Internet-based version (iBT), the minimum acceptable IELTS score is 6, and the minimum acceptable Pearson score is 50. Many graduate programs require significantly higher scores.
Applicants who will require F-1 and J-1 visas to enter the United States for study at Brooklyn College must complete the confidential Declaration and Certification of Finances. Supporting financial documentation must be submitted in order to obtain the I-20 or DS2019, Certificate of Eligibility, from the college. J-1 international students admitted to the college are required to subscribe to a health insurance plan and to arrange for their own housing.
Soon after their arrival in New York, international students should check in with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISS), 235 West Quad Center.
Admissions Decisions
A departmental admissions committee bases admission decisions on review of a complete application. Once the department has conducted its review, the Office of Graduate Admissions sends official notification of the department’s admission decision to the applicant. Although the department or program may contact the student about admission, the college letter is the official indication of acceptance.
Deferring/Postponing Acceptance
Applicants who are admitted for the fall or spring and wish to defer or postpone their attendance must first receive permission from the graduate deputy. Admissions for a particular semester does not guarantee that an applicant will be admitted to a subsequent semester. Most programs will require an applicant to reapply.
Commitment Deposit
Incoming students are required to pay a $250 deposit by a particular deadline to indicate their intent to enroll and secure their seat in the class. The deposit is credited toward their tuition and fees in their first semester.
Change of Program
Currently enrolled students who intend to transfer from one degree or advanced certificate program to another are required to file a Change of Curriculum/Program Form, available on the Graduate Admissions webpage. The form should be filed in advance of the beginning of the intended semester of transfer. The application will be reviewed by the program to which the student wishes to move. Students changing programs should be sure to submit any additional application materials required by the new program. Students who are not currently enrolled must apply to the new program using the online graduate application form and submit an application fee and any additional materials required by the new program.
Readmission
After two semesters of absence, matriculated students who have not yet graduated from their degree programs and who wish to register must apply for readmission. Readmission is managed by the Office of the Registrar.
After two semesters of absence, nondegree graduate students must apply for readmission through the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Visiting Students
Students from other CUNY colleges who wish to take courses at Brooklyn College must, prior to registration, submit an ePermit online by logging onto CUNYfirst. Note that permission to take a permit course is not the same as registration for that course. The permit registration is not completed until the student pays at the home campus and completes the registration process at Brooklyn College. All three steps — the ePermit request at Brooklyn College, payment at the home campus, and registration at Brooklyn College — must be completed, or the student is not officially registered for the course at Brooklyn College.
Students in attendance at colleges other than CUNY colleges may be admitted as visiting students. They must file a Visiting Student Application Form and submit it to the Enrollment Services Center, along with an official letter certifying that they are in good academic standing at their home college and have permission to take course work at Brooklyn College. Visiting student status is valid for only one semester and requires a nonrefundable application processing fee.
Auditing Courses
Graduate students may register to audit graduate courses for no academic credit by presenting an approved Auditing Form to the Enrollment Services Center during the first week of classes. Courses audited may not be repeated for credit. The Auditing Form is available online and may also be obtained at the Enrollment Services Center. Students auditing a course must pay applicable tuition and fees. Unofficial auditing is not permitted.
New York State Health Law Requirements
New York State law requires students registered for six or more credits and born on or after January 1, 1957, to submit documentation proving immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella. The following constitutes proof of immunity: two doses of measles vaccine and one dose each of mumps and rubella or blood test results showing immunity to each disease.
Students may obtain immunization information and forms online or in the Health Programs/Immunization Requirements Office, 0710 James Hall, 718.951.4505. While certain students may be exempt because of age, medical reasons, or religious belief, they must still submit documentation of exemption before registering. Students who are not exempt must submit proof that they have received one dose each of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine before registering; they have 30 days to submit proof of the second dose of the measles vaccine.
After 30 days, students who have not submitted complete documentation will be prohibited from attending classes and will receive a grade of WA (withdrew for failure to satisfy immunization requirements; no academic penalty) in all courses for the semester. Tuition will not be refunded, and there may be consequences with regard to financial assistance and loan repayment schedules.
New York Public Health Law 2167 requires all students registering for six or more credits to submit a Meningococcal Meningitis Vaccination Response Form signed by the student or student’s parent or guardian to the Health Programs/ Immunization Requirements Office. Students who fail to return this form within 30 days from the beginning of the semester may not attend classes. The form acknowledges the receipt of mandatory meningococcal disease and vaccination information. Vaccination is not required.