How to Apply

Carefully consider which graduate program you plan to apply to. Contact program directors, potential academic advisors, and other faculty members to learn about the program(s) you're interested in.

Review UMD's general admission requirements, the program's specific deadlines and any additional requirements.

Apply online through the University of Maryland Graduate School. The application is in two parts. Part I is the Common General University Application, which requires general student information. Part II is the Application Supplementary Form (ASF), which requires more detailed and complex information material, specific to each graduate program. A non-refundable $75 fee is required for each program to which you apply. Your application will not be considered submitted or processed until the application fee is paid online and it is authorized.

Completed applications are reviewed by an admissions committee in each graduate degree program. The recommendations of the committees are submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School, who will make the final admission decision. Students seeking to complete graduate work at the University of Maryland for degree purposes must be formally admitted to the Graduate School by the Dean.

FAQ about the application process.

Financial Aid, Assistantships and Fellowships

Decisions on financial aid are made by individual degree programs. Aid and admission are granted on a competitive basis, usually with the expectation that doctoral students who are offered admission will receive aid in some combination of fellowship or assistantship funding. Master’s students may or may not be offered financial aid, depending on the policies of their programs.

Financial aid packages typically include full-time tuition (usually 10 credits) and a stipend. Graduate fellows and assistants are eligible for health coverage through the University. However, aid packages do not cover mandatory fees imposed by the University.

Graduate fellows have no responsibilities aside from their studies. Graduate assistants (GAs) may be either teaching assistants or research assistants, depending on the needs of their programs. They perform their duties under the supervision of a faculty member, typically 20 hours per week for a full-time GA.