Admission to Graduate Programs

To be admitted to any graduate program, the applicant must meet the following academic criteria:

• Possess a bachelor’s degree in any field from an institutionally accredited college or university. If the bachelor’s degree was earned outside the United States, the program of study must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree program.
• Have an overall undergraduate grade-point average of at least a 2.5 (professional/state requirements may require a higher standard for specific graduate programs).
• Obtain acceptable scores on admission or professional tests, if required by the specific graduate program.
• Ability to appropriately use contemporary technology tools for communication and online learning as indicated by the signed Disclosure of Online Learning Expectations form.
• Specific programs may require interviews, essays, letters of recommendation, or other supplementary information prior to making admissions decisions. Undergraduate foundation courses may be required for graduate students who do not have adequate preparation to benefit from the graduate courses offered.

Note: Admission of F-1 students is based on the decision of the academic department.

For applicants who studied in educational systems outside the United States

• Official course-by-course evaluation completed for any international college courses taken.  Evaluations are accepted from any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) organization.  Discounted evaluations can be requested through SpanTran by submitting an Evaluation Request Form.

For applicants whose language of instruction was not English

• Minimum test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 79 (internet-based) or 213 (computer- based), minimum international English language testing system (IELTS) score of 6.5, or minimum Duolingo score of 100.

Admission to Eastern University is not automatic; that is, some applicants who meet or surpass minimum requirements may be denied acceptance. Each Eastern program reserves the right to accept or reject any applicant for reasons the University determines to be material to the applicant’s qualification to pursue a degree. For example, a violation of integrity and honesty in the application process is a serious offense, considered to be sufficient basis to deny admission.

Readmission Policies

Readmission after an absence of less than five years:

Students who withdrew from Eastern University and plan to resume their studies within the five year period following the exit date must apply for readmission through the Registrar’s Office. The Application for Readmission form with instructions is provided on the Registrar’s web page www.eastern.edu/registrar. A completed application form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office (registrar@eastern.edu) at least four weeks prior to the beginning of the readmission session. All official transcripts from other schools attended during the period of absence must be sent to the Office of the Registrar for evaluation. Academic credit for courses and grades earned at other academic institutions may be granted up to the maximum permitted by the specific Eastern University program. Qualified applicants are accepted in good standing or on academic probation once they have paid all past due balances to Eastern University and other schools attended since leaving Eastern. Notification of the readmission decision is communicated by the Registrar’s Office to the applicant by electronic mail.

Readmission after an absence of more than five years or a request to change programs of study:

Students who have not returned to Eastern within the period of five years or who plan to make significant changes in their programs of study, such as a change of degree objective or major, must apply through the Admissions Office. The online application is provided on Eastern’s web site admissions.eastern.edu. The applicant must have paid all past due balances to Eastern University and other schools attended since leaving Eastern and complete all steps in the current admissions process. Official transcripts from other schools attended during the period of absence must be sent to the Admissions Office for evaluation. Academic credit for courses completed at other academic institutions may be granted up to the maximum permitted by Eastern University policy. The accepted student must fulfill all graduation requirements in effect at the time of admission to the new degree or major.

Admissions Statuses and Definitions

Full Acceptance – The candidate provided all required credentials and fully meets the standards for admission.

Conditional Acceptance – The candidate provided all required credentials and fully meets the standards for admission once the baccalaureate degree is awarded or once a final official transcript is received by the Admissions Office. A final official transcript will be provided after the degree conferral date.

Provisional Acceptance – The candidate provided essential credentials and does not fully meet all standards for admission. A provisional acceptance allows the candidate to enroll in up to two courses in one semester to demonstrate an ability to be successful in graduate-level study and achieve the minimum grade-point average required by the program. Financial aid is not available to any student enrolled during the provisional status.

Student Classifications And Definitions

Enrolled Student – A student is enrolled as of the first date of the semester, term or academic session if all admissions requirements have been met, a deposit and registration and properly submitted, and arrangements for the payment of tuition and fees have been approved by the Student Accounts Office. The University reserves the right to cancel a student’s registration if admission or payment processes are not complete by the end of the full refund period.

Matriculated Student – An enrolled student becomes matriculated when accepted into a degree program.

Degree Student – A degree student is one who plans to pursue a degree and who has been formally admitted for advanced studies in a particular program.

Provisional Student – Provisional admission is a temporary classification in which an applicant may remain for a period of either one semester or up to two 7-week terms. If the deficiencies that caused the provisional admission are not corrected by the end of the period, the student may be dropped from the program. Note: Financial Aid is not available. Graduate Counseling Psychology and Education students are limited to six credits in this classification.

Non-degree Student – A non-degree student is one who meets all requirements for admission to a specific graduate program, but who does not intend to work for an advanced degree at this institution. This classification includes students who plan to transfer credits to another institution, students studying for personal enrichment, and those who plan special programs of study not connected with a specific department and not leading to an advanced degree. Students must complete and submit an application and proof of graduation in the form of a final transcript from an accredited undergraduate program prior to beginning course work. Courses with prerequisites may be taken only if the prerequisites have been met. A non-degree student wishing to take more than 18 graduate credits must apply through the Graduate Admissions Office to become a degree candidate in a specific program of study.

Certificate or Certification Student – A certificate student is one who is engaged in a program of study leading to a certificate or equivalent recognition of accomplishment rather than a graduate degree program. Candidates for certification must submit the same credentials as degree applicants (or whatever is required by that specific program) and be accepted before they can proceed with a program that will make them eligible for certification.

Note: External agencies have authority to impose new standards for certification before a student’s program of study is completed.