Graduate Admissions FAQ

No – the important thing is the application. Once you submit it, we can work with you to complete it. Applications received after the deadline will still be reviewed on a space-available basis. Programs that still have space will consider late applications.

No. You should apply and then submit your transcripts and test scores requests. We will email you and remind you of the materials you are missing. When your application is complete, we will notify you as well.

Somewhat. Applications completed after the deadline get reviewed for admission, but spaces get filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please keep this in mind if your application is highly late.

For our on-campus programs, admission notification for Spring applicants occurs by mid-November, while mid-March notifies Summer & Fall applicants. Please remember that we do not discuss decision information over the phone. Your admission decision letter will display inside the application portal once it is ready. You will receive an email to tell you to check your portal.

I’ve received notification of admittance; what do I do now?
You should visit the welcome page for information and instructions.

Yes, you can defer your admission up to one year from the semester of original entry. You will need to complete the change entry term form and submit your graduate program enrollment deposit to hold your spot.

Absolutely. Please email us at graduate@umw.edu or Call (540) 286-8030 to make an appointment. Our graduate staff can provide a tour of our facility.

Yes, please call us at (540) 286-8030 or email graduate@umw.edu, and we can assist you with setting up a visit. While you are here, we would also love to meet with you about the admissions process and provide a tour of our outstanding school of education facility.

How long does my essay need to be?
There is no set format for an essay. It can be as long or as short as you feel necessary, although 2-3 written pages seem to be the average among applicants.

Essay questions
The response should be two to three typed, double-spaced pages for each essay.

Initial teacher licensure with M.ED. option

• Why are you seeking teaching credentials? Why do you feel qualified to teach the subject/grade level of the endorsement you seek?
• Discuss a current issue in education and why you think it is important. Support your stance.

M.ED. for licensed teachers, certificate, and postgraduate applicants

• What do you hope to gain from the M.Ed. program? What contributions do you feel you can make to the program as a participant?
• Select a current instructional issue and discuss why you believe it is important. Support your stance.

Master of business administration

• No essay is required for application.

Master of science in geospatial analysis

• Statement of purpose
• A statement of purpose is required for admission to the Master of Science in Geospatial Analysis (MSGA) for both undergraduate and graduate applicants.
• We request a statement of purpose, or personal goals, which serves as a writing sample. How well can you articulate a research question?
• A statement of purpose or personal goals provides more personal reasons for your application, helps us consider how well you will fit with our program, and tells us what you hope to get out of the MSGA.
• How will you do that? Write in the first person! Why do you want to join the MSGA program?
• Please share your research idea: What topic would you like to write about for your capstone? (It is perfectly okay for this to change)
• What kinds of skills do you hope to master?
• Is there a particular career path you desire to follow?
• Why did you choose this program?
• What qualities make you a good candidate for this program?
• In what ways do you think you will excel?
• This statement should be 300-400 words in length.

Before submitting my application, I did not upload an unofficial transcript, but I have one now. How can I add it to my application?
We will use unofficial transcripts for initial review. If you did not upload it before submitting it, you could email it to graduate@umw.edu.

If you need to mail transcripts and you plan to send them via the US Postal service, you should send them to:

University of Mary Washington
Graduate Admissions
1301 College Ave
Fredericksburg, VA 22401

If you plan to send your materials by FEDEX, UPS, DHL, etc. The physical address for our office is:

University of Mary Washington
Graduate Admissions
1301 College Ave
Fredericksburg, VA 22401

Yes. Please have e-transcripts sent to graduate@umw.edu. If this option is available at your institution, we suggest that you take advantage of it.

Yes. Many colleges would not include grades from transfer courses on their transcripts or GPA calculations and grant transfer credits if the student achieved a specific grade. Studies get reviewed if taken after graduation, regardless of field, and taken into account when submitting your application. Therefore, we need official transcripts from every institution you have attended, even if those courses get reflected on another university’s transcript.

What do I do if my recommender says they didn’t receive the email with the link for uploading the recommendation?
It would be best to ask your recommender to check their junk mail folder. The email is automatically sent to your recommenders by the online system when you save your application. If your recommender cannot find the email in the junk mail folder, you can re-send it to your recommender via your application dashboard after you submit your application.

Can I upload a letter of recommendation to my application?
Applicants may not upload letters of recommendation to their applications. If your recommender has issues uploading their letter, please have them contact graduate@umw.edu for assistance.

The application requires letters from three persons qualified to evaluate the applicant’s professional, ethical, and academic qualifications for graduate study. We suggest that the applicant present a combination of professional and literary references. The University of Mary Washington will use written references exclusively for admission to graduate studies programs. The faculty are not looking for standardized responses but instead for the recommender to be as candid as possible in assessing your qualifications for graduate study. At least one academic reference from a faculty member is desirable.

Do I need to take a subject-specific GRE test?
No. For the programs that require the GRE, you only need to take the general test, comprised of verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections.

Yes. All completed applications get reviewed for admission. However, individuals whose materials arrive after reviewing begins will risk the program getting filled before your application is reviewed. It is, therefore, in your best interest to schedule your test during a time that will ensure your scores arrive by the deadline or shortly afterward.

The GRE & GMAT are optional at UMW. But if you wish to submit your scores, should you have them, graduate admissions do not omit any completed application from the review process. While we do not have minimum cut-offs, each area has guidelines for scores and GPAs that the faculty would like to see in all applicants. For most master’s programs, the policy is for GRE/GMAT scores to be in the 40th percentile or higher, and for doctoral programs, the procedure is in the 60th percentile or higher.

When sending test scores from GRE, our institution code is RA5394. When sending test scores from GMAT, our institution code is 5398. All programs accept the GRE; only a few take the GMAT.

The GRE & GMAT are optional at UMW. But if you wish to submit your scores, should you have them, graduate admissions does not omit any completed application from the review process.

The GRE & GMAT are optional at UMW. But if you wish to submit your scores, should you have them, graduate admissions does not omit any completed application from the review process.

Admission to the M.Ed. program does require an admission test. Passing scores on Praxis Core tests or qualifying substitute as defined by the Virginia Department of Education.

Yes, we accept IELTS (the minimum IELTS score is 6.5) and TOEFL scores (at least 88 on the Internet-based test or a 570 paper-based score.) for international students.

No.

How do I get an assistantship?
Persons wishing to get considered for graduate assistantships should check the box indicating an interest in an assistantship on the online application. Offices on campus and off, review resumes of interested admitted students, and select candidates based on skill set and experience.

Sometimes, we can notify students in the admission letter of an award of a graduate assistantship position. However, these decisions are often not made until a few weeks after the admission letter is sent and can be as late as the beginning of the following semester. Since graduate admissions do not control the hiring or the funding for some of these positions, it is sometimes difficult to coordinate the timing of notification.

You can learn more about financial aid & graduate assistantships at this link here Graduate
Student’s Financial Aid & Scholarship Information. You can also visit this link to view the available student aid positions Search Postings.

You can find the online arts and sciences program information here Graduate Arts and Sciences Programs.