CAS Graduate Application Procedures and Requirements
A COMPLETE APPLICATION CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING:
Completed Application Form
The application form is available as an online
form or a paper
form.
Application Fee
The cost to apply is US$50 for the online application submitted
electronically. The fee for the paper-based application submitted
by mail, including those that are downloaded, is US $80 for a degree-granting
program or US $50 for a graduate certificate program. All applicants
except currently enrolled degree candidates, alumni, university
employees, and McNair Scholars must pay the application fee. Your
application will not be reviewed if the required fee is not paid.
You may pay by check or credit card. Please do not send cash.
College Transcripts
Please submit one official* transcript from each college, university,
professional school, or other postsecondary institution you have
attended. All institutions must be reported. Transcripts must be
in sealed envelopes from the school/college you attended. Students
who have completed a master's degree will still need to submit official
transcripts of their bachelor's degree. Undergraduate transcripts
must show conferral of Bachelor's degree.
Please calculate your grade point average for the final 60 credit
hours of undergraduate work and for all graduate work that you may
have completed. See computation instructions on our printable
instruction sheet.
If you attended a non-U.S. institution, one of our evaluators
will do an assessment of your undergraduate and graduate work. You
do not need to compute your GPA.
* * The term official means an original document or copy of your
original document which is certified, stamped, and sealed in an
envelope by an officer of your school or a notary public. All documents
must be received by American University in the sealed unopened envelope.
Faxed copies and photocopies that are not certified will not be
accepted. The university requires transcripts be written in the
native language of the school. If this language is not English,
the documents must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
GRE or Other Standardized Test Scores
Official scores from the Graduate
Record Examination (GRE General Test) are required for most
programs; please check the Requirements
Chart. Have the testing service send your scores to American
University as well as to you. Our school code number is 8439. Please
include a photocopy of your test scores, if available, when mailing
your other materials. Test scores may not be more than 5 years old.
Some programs require the GRE Subject Test in addition to the General
Test. Please check our Requirements
Chart to determine if your program requires GRE Subject Test
scores. Please include a photocopy of your test scores, if available,
when mailing your other materials.
For further information on the GRE or to request a registration
form, please contact the Educational Testing Service at <www.ets.org>.
All international students are required to submit scores from
the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Exemptions are
granted for students whose native language is English, or who have
obtained a 4-year undergraduate degree or a graduate degree from
an accredited institution in the United States. The minimum acceptable
TOEFL score is 600 on a paper-based exam, or 250 on the computerized
exam.
Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation are required for most programs; some
doctoral programs require three letters. Please check the Requirements
Chart to determine the number of recommendation letters required.
Recommendation letters can be submitted along with your other materials
by mail. Please use the printable Recommendation
Form to submit letters of recommendation.
Statement of Purpose
Your statement of purpose is a very important part of your application.
It should be a well-written and carefully crafted paper between
one and five typewritten pages in length. You should describe in
detail your personal and career goals; relevant employment experience;
reason for wanting to study at American University's College of
Arts and Sciences; ability and commitment to undertake graduate
education at this time. Be sure to include your name on every page
of your statement of purpose. If you are applying using the online
application form, you may submit your statement of purpose electronically
in the space provided on the online application form.
Please note: If using the online application, formatting such as
tabs, bullets, and italicized text in your Statement of Purpose
will not print on the copy of the application that the Graduate
Admissions office receives.
Résumé
Please include a current résumé if you have professional
work experience.
Additional Materials
Please check the Requirements
Chart for any additional materials required for admission to
your specific program, such as a writing sample or portfolio.
CERTIFICATE APPLICANTS
If you are applying to a graduate certificate program (rather than
to a master's or doctoral degree program), you should follow the
same instructions for this application with the following notations:
- Check the Requirements
Chart for any specific requirements set for each certificate
program.
- Your personal statement on the application should include a
brief (250 words or less) explanation of why you are interested
in the program
