Before You Apply

Before you submit your application to Temple University, read through these important details.

1. Review Temple's admissions requirements.

Review the information below to ensure that you meet the minimum level of study required for graduate admissions consideration at Temple University. Applicants from certain countries have specific requirements.

African Countries

For applicants from African countries (other than British- or French-patterned educations), university degree requiring four years of study.

Asian Countries

For applicants from Asian countries not specifically identified, university degree requiring four years of study. For requirements specific to applicants educated in China, please see below.

Requirements for Applicants Educated in China

CSSD Verification

The Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD), formerly known as China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center (CHESICC), verifies all higher education qualification certificates. Visit https://www.chsi.com.cn/en/ to request verification of all transcripts and degrees.

Please have CSSD email your degree and transcript verification reports for all post-secondary programs in PDF format to Colleen Baillie, Director of Student Services, Enrollment and Data Management, at colleenb@temple.edu.

Before ordering a report to be sent to Temple, please contact Colleen Baillie at colleenb@temple.edu so she knows to expect your report. You must be a current applicant or currently enrolled student. Matched reports are sent to the department to which you have applied or in which you are enrolled as a student. Your department will determine if further evaluation is required. Reports that we cannot match to an applicant or enrolled student will be discarded after 90 days.

Transcripts and Bachelor's Degree Certificate

If admitted to Temple University, you will be required to submit official copies of all transcripts, graduation certificates and degree certificates. All documents must be sent directly from the college or university in both the original language and English. Documents should be mailed in stamped, sealed envelopes from the college or university’s registrar or academic records office.

The Bachelor's Degree Certificate represents attainment of a level of education comparable to a bachelor’s degree in the United States. This is required for admission into our master’s and doctoral programs.

In lieu of the documents specified above, applicants may also request an evaluation of all transcripts and degrees from a NACES-accredited agency. Visit https://www.naces.org/members for more information.

Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan

For applicants educated in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan, a bachelor’s degree must be earned in agriculture, engineering, forestry, medicine, pharmacy or technology. Note: A three-year bachelor’s degree in arts, business administration, commerce, education or science is not considered sufficient for graduate study at Temple University. With a three-year degree, the student must have earned either a postgraduate diploma or a master’s degree in a related discipline to demonstrate equivalency with a U.S. bachelor’s degree. For requirements specific to applicants educated in India, please see below.

Requirements for Applicants Educated in India

All applicants for graduate study must have completed a postsecondary education program. To speed the admissions decision process, international applicants can submit photocopies of transcripts to the department or program of application. If admitted, you must then provide official copies of academic records, including transcripts and the diploma or certificate earned, to that department or program of application.

Documents may be presented in one of two ways.

All documents must be attested to, or verified by, the controller of examinations or registrar at the parent university. They then must be sealed by the examining authority and sent directly to the Temple University department or program to which you are applying. The envelope must bear the institution's seal or stamp and/or an appropriate signature across the sealed flap.
You may make photocopies and have the copies attested to by the controller of examinations or registrar at the parent university. The controller or registrar should then place the verified mark sheets in an envelope, seal the envelope, and sign it across the flap before returning it to you to forward to the Temple University department or program to which you are applying. If the seal is broken when the envelope reaches Temple University, the mark sheets will not be accepted. Confirmations from people outside the offices of the controller of examinations or registrar, such as individual professors or external notary publics, are not accepted.

Without exception, mark sheets, degree certificates, or provisional certificates from the affiliate college or faculty are not accepted.

British-Patterned Education

Bachelor’s degree with honors.

Canada

From Quebec, three-year bachelor’s degree; from other provinces, four-year bachelor’s degree.

Central and South America

University degree requiring four years of study.

European Countries

For applicants from European countries not specifically identified,

if the institution adheres to the Bologna Declaration and participates in the European Higher Education Area, students are required to have a university degree requiring three years of study, and
if not a participating institution, students are required to have a university degree requiring four years of study.

French-Patterned Education

Maîtrise from university or completion of diplôme d’ingénieur from grandes écoles.

Germany

University diplom is preferred, or at least one year of full-time higher study beyond vordiplom.

Middle East

University degree requiring four years of study.

Newly Independent States

Number of years of university study depends on the new nation; contact the Graduate School for clarification on documentation.

Philippines

A four- or five-year bachelor’s degree.

All Other Countries

Bachelor’s degree or degree comparable to a U.S. bachelor’s degree, as determined by Temple University, awarded by a postsecondary institution recognized by the country’s own Ministry of Education.

Students within Temple University's Lewis Katz School of Medicine work in small groups with a professor.

2. Take a test of academic English.

If you have not earned a bachelor's or graduate (master's or doctoral) degree from a U.S. institution, take a test of academic English, such as the TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic or Duolingo tests. These scores are required if you were not born in the U.S. and were educated at an international institution, or if you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident who earned a degree abroad from an institution for which the language of instruction was not English. Test scores must be reported by the testing service to Temple University within two years of the test date.

Note that if you earned your undergraduate or graduate degree from a country in which English is a commonly used language, you may be exempt from an English language test.

Countries Not Requiring English Language Test Scores

If your degree was earned in a country identified below, a TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic or Duolingo test is not required. Submit official academic credentials verifying your degree in accordance with Graduate School policy on international credentials.

Countries Requiring English Language Test Score Waivers

International applicants who do not meet the English proficiency exemptions should note that

no photocopies of TOEFL or PTE Academic score reports are accepted from applicants. These scores must be sent from the testing service directly to Temple University. The Graduate School uploads scores to your record.
IELTS scores can be submitted in three ways:
- You can send in an IELTS score report with other application materials. The Graduate School verifies the scores using the IELTS website and adds them to your record.
- You can send in the Test Report Form (TRF) number from the score report. The Graduate School verifies the scores using the IELTS website and adds them to your record.
- You can specify to IELTS that Temple University Graduate School can access your scores. If IELTS notifies Temple scores are available, the Graduate School accesses and loads the scores onto your record.
when the applicant lists Temple University Graduate School as a score recipient for the Duolingo test, the Graduate School obtains the scores and adds them to your record. If you identify another Temple school or college as the score recipient, score processing will be delayed.

The minimum acceptable scores are outlined below.

Note: These scores are set by the Graduate School; however, some degree programs may have a higher minimum. Applicants should consult the Graduate Bulletin for information on the minimum acceptable scores for their specific degree program.


Test	Minimum Score	Score Reporting
TOEFL iBT	79	Electronic report from Educational Testing Service to institution code 2906, with the exception of the College of Public Health and College of Science and Technology. For College of Public Health programs, please refer to your program’s application instructions. The code for the College of Science and Technology is B886.
TOEFL Essentials	9.0	Similar reporting as that for the TOEFL iBT from Educational Testing Service for this test first administered on August 21, 2021.
IELTS Academic	6.5	IELTS score report or the TRF number from the report to your admissions department or to the Graduate School at Temple University.
IELTS General Training	N/A	N/A
PTE Academic	53	Pearson's score report website accessed by the Graduate School online, provided you identify Temple University as a recipient of your scores.
Duolingo	110	Duolingo score report website accessed by the Graduate School online, provided you identify Temple University Graduate School as a recipient of your scores.

3. Plan to apply as early as possible.

Find your degree program of interest in the Graduate Bulletin, and learn its application deadline and admissions requirements. Deadlines vary by program, and your application must be complete by the program's stated deadline. Apply as early as possible—preferably 90 days before the stated program deadline and by Dec. 15 if you are interested in being nominated for a fellowship.

4. Gather the necessary information.

Begin gathering the documentation needed in support of your application. Some schools and colleges require additional information.

Statement of Goals

Transcripts

Request one certified copy of official transcripts from every college and university you have attended, even if only one course was taken. International degrees must be assessed for equivalency with a U.S. degree based on the characteristics of the national educational system, the type of institution attended and the level of studies completed. A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is ordinarily required for admissions consideration. If unofficial transcripts are submitted during the application process, submission of official academic records will be required by the end of your first term of graduate study if you are admitted and subsequently enroll at Temple University.

Standardized Test Scores

If required by your degree program of choice, take a standardized test of scholastic aptitude, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (general and/or subject) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). No photocopies of score reports for any standardized test will be accepted. Scores must be reported by the testing service within five years of your test date. Submission of scores should follow the requirements below.

For the GRE, scores should be sent electronically from Educational Testing Service to institution code 2906, except for the College of Public Health and College of Science and Technology. For College of Public Health programs, please refer to your program’s application instructions. The code for the College of Science and Technology is 4815.
For the GMAT, scores should be sent electronically from GMAC to institution code 2906.

Letters of Recommendation

Request letters of recommendation from faculty and/or employers who can write about your ability to succeed in graduate study. Your recommendations may be submitted on our Reference Report for Graduate Study or as a traditional letter of recommendation. Be sure to review the instructions for submitting letters of recommendation, which can be found in your anticipated degree program’s Graduate Bulletin.

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