Application Timeline

Researching, choosing, and applying to graduate school can be a lengthy process.

We recommend starting the process in the spring semester of your junior year, or about 18 months prior to the date you intend to start a graduate program.

Plan to submit graduate school applications by the end of the first semester of your senior year, or about nine months prior to starting a program.

The following is a general timeline for applying to graduate school. The Pre-Professional Advising Center provides more detailed and longer timelines for pre-health and pre-law students.

About 18 to 20 months prior to starting the program

• Schedule an appointment with a career coach to walk through the graduate school application process.
• Research programs and request information directly from each program.
  
  • Aim for a minimum of six programs to which you will apply, depending on the degree:
    • Two “reach” schools
    • Two “strong possibility” schools
    • Two “safe” schools
• Register for and prepare to take the appropriate graduate school entrance exams, both general and subject tests, as required by individual programs.
  
• Request and review an unofficial copy of your transcript. Check it for errors.
• Investigate national scholarships and grants and their deadlines:
  • Peterson’s Grad School Scholarship Search
    
  • Fastweb Scholarships for First-Year Graduate Students
  • Scholarships.com Graduate Scholarships
    
  • APA Free Money for Education
    
  • Scholarships for Women
    
• Create a preliminary list of people to ask for letters of recommendation. Contact each person and ask for their help.

About 16 months prior to starting the program

• Take graduate entrance exams and submit results to your chosen schools.
• Request updated application materials from your chosen schools.
• Write your personal essay(s) and have them critiqued by a staff member in the Bearcat Promise Career Studio, a faculty member, and a friend or family member (someone who knows you well).
• Double-check application deadlines and rolling admissions policies at your chosen schools. (Many medical-related and law schools have separate national application processes as well.)
• Visit institutions you are most interested in, if possible.

About 12 months prior to starting the program

• Complete applications, personal essays, and any other required information.
  • Set your own deadlines four to six weeks earlier than the actual deadlines.
  • Keep copies of all materials.
• Request that official copies of your undergraduate transcripts be sent from the registrar's office directly to the graduate programs to which you are applying.
• Ask professors and employers to write letters of recommendation. Make the process as easy as possible for them and give them plenty of time to write the letter(s). Carefully follow the instructions given by each graduate program.
• After you submit your application(s), confirm that all application materials, recommendations, and test scores have been received by the deadlines. Do this well before the actual deadlines, in case you need to resend information, track down letters of recommendation, etc
• Note the application deadlines for each program or school’s graduate assistant, research assistant, and fellowship positions. These are often different from the program application deadlines.
• Apply for national scholarships and grants by their deadlines.

About eight months prior to starting the program

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), even if you don’t think you’ll qualify for federal aid.
• Relax and wait to hear from the school(s).

About five months prior to starting the program

• Visit institutions that accepted you and continue your decision-making process.
• Decide where you will enroll.
• Send a deposit to your institution of choice.
• Notify other institutions of your decision.
• Send thank you notes to people who wrote references or recommendations for you to inform them of your plans and your success!