How to Apply
Start your application at www.utrgv.edu/graduate/onlineapplication.
To review the admission requirements for the program of your interest visit the Graduate Programs page and select the program that you would like to apply to. Each of our programs have different admission requirements and deadlines so be sure to start your application, as soon as possible. If the graduate program you chose requires it, the university application fee can be paid online by credit card or electronic check, within the online application. Application fees are nonrefundable.
Defer Admission for an Earlier/Later Semester: Your offer of admission into a graduate program is good for up to one year. If you're not able to enroll for the initial term you applied for, you may defer to a subsequent term. To defer your application, send an email to the Graduate Admissions Specialist who processed your application and your Program Director. After a year, you would need to re-apply.
Request official academic credentials from all colleges and universities you have previously attended. All transcripts must arrive by the application deadline. Contact the colleges and universities you have attended about their process for providing official transcripts and have them sent electronically to gradapps@utrgv.edu or by mail to:
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Graduate College
Marialice Shary Shivers Bldg. 1.158
1201 W. University Drive
Edinburg, TX 78539-2999
Note: If you attended one of our legacy institutions, The University of Texas- Pan American or The University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College, no formal request needs to be made. We will upload your official transcripts to your application, automatically.
Test requirements such as the GRE, GMAT, TOEFL etc., are program specific requirements that may or may not be required for the program you are applying to. Review the Graduate Programs page for details.
Request that official test scores from the testing agency to be sent to the UTRGV Graduate College. Below are the UTRGV school codes for the GRE and the GMAT exams.
GRE- 6570
GMAT- 9P3
The UTRGV Testing Services Office provides a variety of Testing Services for new students, contact them for more information on the exams they offer at 956-665-7583.
GRE Additional Information
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills. Scores are valid for five years after taking the exam. For more information or to register to take the GRE exam visit the Educational Testing Service website at www.ets.org/gre.
Financial Aid for the GRE
It is possible to get financial aid to pay for part of the cost of the GRE exam fee. For more information, and to apply for financial aid, please set up an appointment with any of the financial aid advisors.
GRE Financial Eligibility:
- Financial aid application
- Expected family contribution (EFC)
- Senior student or college graduate
- Should not enrolled in graduate classes
If the student is eligible, a waiver will be issued along with the Free application for Federal student aid (FAFSA) summary.
For more information please contact:
U Central
Edinburg Campus: 1st Floor Student Services Building (SSBL)
Brownsville Campus: The Tower, Main 1.100
Telephone: (956) 882-4026
E-Mail: finaid@utrgv.edu
GMAT Additional Information
The Graduate Management Admission Test is a standardized assessment, delivered in English, that helps business schools assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced study in business and management. For more information or to register to take this GMAT exam visit the Graduate Management Admission Council website at www.mba.com.
Exam Preparation Courses
If you are interested in taking a GRE or GMAT Preparation Course before taking the exam visit the UTRGV Office of Continuing Education website for more information.
You will be required to submit the following items if you fall into the criteria listed below. Please read carefully to see if any of these items apply to you.
Texas Residency
Under Texas State Law, an applicant or enrolled student is classified as a resident of Texas, a non-resident, or a foreign student. Residency for admission and tuition purposes at a public college or university in Texas is different from residency for voting or taxing purposes.
In order to qualify as a Texas resident, an individual must reside in Texas for 12 continuous months and establish domicile in Texas the 12 month prior to census date. An applicant or student who is claimed as a dependent on a parent’s most recent federal tax return will be classified based on the parent’s qualification for residency.
A student’s residency classification is based on information from his/her admission application. If an applicant or student is classified as a nonresident and wishes to be reclassified as a resident, it is necessary to submit the Residency Questionnaire prior to census date of the semester in which they are seeking reclassification.
In order to establish residency for a student or applicant, two or more of the following items must be used as proof. The applicant or student will need to determine whether he/she thinks there is sufficient documentation to prove residency. Documents must cover a period of more than 1 year.
Proof of Income
Utility Bill
Rent or Lease Contract
Deed of Trust
The Residency Regulations for the State of Texas can be found at the College for Texans Residency Information Page.
Complete tuition/admission residency regulations for the State of Texas can be found at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Website.
PLEASE SEND ALL RESIDENCY DOCUMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Graduate College
Marialice Shary Shivers Bldg. 1.158
1201 W. University Drive
Edinburg, Texas 78541-2999
Permanent Resident Card
Students who are not United States citizens, but hold Permanent Residence Status may be required to provide a copy of the valid Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) as proof of their legal status.
Submit these documents to gradcollege@utrgv.edu or mail to:
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Graduate College
Marialice Shary Shivers Bldg. 1.158
1201 W. University Drive
Edinburg, Texas 78541-2999
Meningitis Vaccination Policy
All new students under the age of 22 must provide certified proof from a health practitioner that they have received a valid bacterial meningitis vaccination or booster within the last five years. Students must submit their proof of vaccination or a booster at least 10 days prior to the first day of class for the intended term of enrollment.
Students who meet one of the following four specific exceptions permitted by the law do not have to provide proof of the vaccination:
- New students who are twenty-two years of age or older on first day of the semester
- New students who are enrolled only in on-line or distance classes
- New students who provide a medical excuse that states that the vaccination would be harmful to the student’s health
- New students who provide documentation of a moral or conscientious objection to the vaccine by using a form promulgated by the Texas Department of State Services. Learn more about the vaccine exemption for reasons of conscience.
*A student is considered a “new” student if they are enrolling for the first time at UTRGV or, if they have previously been enrolled at UTRGV and are now enrolling in a new undergraduate or graduate program at UTRGV.
Graduate students who do not meet the exceptions listed above will need to provide proof of vaccination to the Graduate College. In order to enroll, the vaccination must have been taken 10 days before the start of the semester. A registration hold will be placed on all graduate students that do not meet the exceptions. This hold will be removed once the Graduate College has received the required proof of the immunization.
Graduate students that are required to provide proof of the vaccination should submit copies of their immunization records, either in person or by postal mail, to:
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Graduate College
Marialice Shary Shivers Bldg. 1.158
1201 W. University Drive
Edinburg, Texas 78541-2999
Students may also email copies of their vaccination to the admissions staff. Refer to the staff contact page to determine the admissions staff responsible for your graduate program.
To find the vaccine, check with your:
- UTRGV Student Health Services
- Family doctor
- Local public health department
If you studied outside of the United States, you will be required to submit a:
- Certified English translation of your educational records.
- Credential Evaluation Process (Video)
and you may also have to submit:
- English Proficiency Exam Scores (TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo. Read below to see if you will be required to submit scores to an English Proficiency Exam.)
English Proficiency Exam Information:
Students whose native language is not English will be expected to provide test scores for either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo. Below you will find more information on these exams, the minimum score requirements, as well as, exemptions.
TOEFL Minimum Scores
- 550 Paper-Based
- 213 Computer-based
- 79 Internet-Based
TOEFL Essentials Minimum Scores
- 8.5
IELTS Minimum Score
- 6.5
Duolingo
- 105
Exemptions
- Exempt Countries:
-
- American Samoa
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Canada (except Quebec)
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Grand Cayman
- Guyana
- Ireland
- Jamaica
- Liberia
- New Zealand
- Sierra Leone
- Trinidad/Tobago
- United Kingdom
- U.S. Pacific Trust
- United States (other than Puerto Rico)
Other Exemptions:
- Students who have recently and successfully completed at least 30 credit hours of university level academic studies in one of the countries listed.
- Lifetime residents of Australia, Canada (other than Quebec), New Zealand, United Kingdom, or the United States (other than Puerto Rico).
- Students who have completed the Advanced Level of the Intensive Program from the English Language Institute (ELI) at UTRGV may submit their certificate of completion with their application.
Important Information
- Only test scores that are received directly from Educational Testing Services (ETS) or from the UTRGV Testing Center are acceptable for admission purposes. Since it normally takes 8-10 weeks for test results to arrive at UTRGV from the ETS, you should plan to take the tests well in advance of the appropriate application deadline to insure that scores will arrive on time.
- UTRGV will not accept residual TOEFL scores from exams taken at another institution.
- Test scores are only valid for 2 years. If you took either of these exams more than two years ago you will need to retake it.
- The test bulletin of information and registration forms, for these exams are usually available at American embassies and consulates, offices of the United States Information Agency, or online at www.ets.org.
The institution code to forward your scores to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is 6570.
If you are an international student, you will be required to submit the following items:
- English Proficiency Exam Scores
- Certified English translation of educational records.
- Financial Documentation
- Immigration Documents
- Foreign Credential Evaluation
Follow step-by-step instructions for International applicants. This page will give detailed information on these additional requirements.
After applying and submitting all additional requirements, please allow about 5 business days for the Graduate College to receive and process your application. After the Graduate College has processed your application, an Admissions Specialist will send your application over to the program where they will review and make a decision on your application. The timeframe for a decision on your application will vary from program to program.
To check on your application status, click on the link below:
Be sure to also take some time and fill out the UTRGV Scholarship Application and contact your Program Director if you are interested in applying for an assistantship.