Application Requirements

In addition to completion of a baccalaureate or equivalent degree at an accredited institution, the following materials are required for an applicant to be considered for graduate study at SUNY Fredonia:

• The Graduate Application must be submitted online or hard copies of application materials must be mailed or delivered in person to the Graduate Studies Office.
• A non-refundable application fee of $75 must accompany applications submitted by published deadlines. Late applications incur a $25 late fee for a total fee of $100. The application fee may be paid by credit or debit card, check, or money order (made out to SUNY Fredonia). Payment may be submitted with the online application or sent to the Graduate Studies Office.
• Applicants must submit a Statement of Intent, a one-page (minimum) essay explaining one's academic/professional/personal goals and how SUNY Fredonia is expected to help meet these goals. A strong statement of intent will also showcase an applicant's talents and experiences that make him/her an attractive candidate for graduate study at SUNY Fredonia. It is always a good idea for a trusted colleague, friend, or family member to proofread the statement of intent. A high-quality, grammatically correct statement is expected.
• A current résumé must accompany the graduate application. Applicants who wish to be considered for graduate assistantships must provide contact information for three (3) professional references. Additional materials may be required for those who wish to be considered for graduate assistantships; interested persons should see the graduate assistantship section of the Graduate Studies website for more information.
• A minimum of two current letters of recommendation are required. Letters must have been written during the one year prior to application submission (six months is preferred). Letters must be written by individuals who can attest to the applicant's qualifications for advanced study. The online recommendation center is the easiest and most secure way to solicit recommendations. Each recommendation must include both a scholarly criteria rating and a narrative evaluation. If the applicant does not wish to take advantage of the online recommendation process, recommendation letter forms (which must accompany all paper recommendation letters) are available in the downloadable forms section of the online application, at the Graduate Studies website, and in the Graduate Studies Office. For degree programs that lead to recommendation for teaching certification, one letter may be submitted by a teaching supervisor. If the applicant has been out of school for several years, letters from work supervisors may be acceptable. Recommendation letters for non-degree study are not required.
• Submission of ALL official transcripts covering prior graduate as well as all undergraduate preparation from all institutions attended (except SUNY Fredonia) is required. This includes college credit that was accepted for transfer to a student's main degree granting institution (i.e. community college credit). Applicants must submit transcripts even if he/she submitted them as part of his/her undergraduate application process to SUNY Fredonia. There are no exceptions. Applicants may log on to their application account at any time to see if their transcripts have been received by the Graduate Studies Office. Official transcripts are those which arrive at the SUNY Fredonia Graduate Studies Office in a sealed envelope with the institution registrar's signature or seal across the flap. Applicants may submit transcripts directly as long as they are submitted in a sealed envelope with the institution registrar's signature or seal across the flap.

  For students in programs leading to professional certification to teach in the public schools of New York, proof of the appropriate initial or provisional certification is required.

  International applicants must submit the following additional materials, available in the downloadable forms section of the online application and at the International Student Home section of the Graduate Studies website (http://www.fredonia.edu/gradstudies/prospective/international.asp):

  -FSA-3 form; English Proficiency Report: International students must show proof of English competency. Applicants whose native language is English are exempt.

  -English Proficiency Test Score Report: International applicants are required to show proficiency in the English language sufficient enough to successfully participate in graduate study. Proof of proficiency may be shown by achieving the following test scores:

  TOEFL: 508 (paper), 180 (computer), or 64 (internet) TOEIC: 594 IELTS: 5.0

  Fredonia's school code for reporting the TOEFL, TOEIC, and IELTS scores electronically is 2539.

  -SA-4 form: Financial Statement: All international applicants must submit evidence of full financial support for all expenses at SUNY Fredonia as a condition of being issued immigration documents for F-1 or J-1 status (i.e., the Certificate of Eligibility, form I-20AB or IAP-66). The FSA-4 form must be signed by both the applicant and the applicant's financial sponsor. The submitted form must contain an original signature.

  -Proof of financial support: Applicants must submit an original bank statement from the financial sponsor verifying the available funds. Only original financial documentation with original signatures and seals will be accepted.

  While an admission decision can be made without the financial documentation, the I-20 or DS-2019 forms cannot be issued until all documents are received.

  Applicants may upload the FSA-3 form to the online application, but he/she must send the FSA-4 form and supporting documentation directly to the SUNY Fredonia Graduate Studies Office at the following address:

  SUNY Fredonia Office of Graduate Studies
  2142 Fenton Hall
  SUNY Fredonia
  Fredonia, NY 14063
  (716) 673-3808
  (716) 673-3712 (fax)

  Persons who have further questions about these requirements should contact the SUNY Fredonia International Education Center at (716) 673-3451, or send the office an inquiry from the International Education Center's website at http://www.fredonia.edu/internationaleducation/.

• Individual departments/programs may have additional admissions requirements that must be met. Students should check the Graduate Studies website, degree program pages in this online University Catalog, the online application, and/or departmental websites.

An applicant will find information about the status of his/her application by logging on to his/her online application account. Applicants will be able to see when a supporting document (i.e. transcripts, international paperwork) has been received by the Graduate Studies Office, the status of their online and offline recommendations, and the stage of their application review. The application review process generally takes four to six weeks. At the final stage of the review process, applicants will be able to view their admission decision online and will receive official decision letters from the Graduate Studies Office.