Prospective Graduate Students

Prospective graduate students must follow deadlines and procedures for both the New Brunswick School of Graduate Studies (NBSGS) as well as the department to which they are applying in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.

Application Requirements for the New Brunswick School of Graduate Studies

Below is a list of the basic requirements for NBSGS, there may be additional requirements based on your program of study. Please note that if you upload supporting materials, you do not need to also mail them in to the graduate admissions office.

1. Online application
   1. Please visit the Graduate and Professional Admissions online portal to start your application.
   2. A sample application is provided online, so you can see what information is needed ahead of time.
   3. Please note that if your Grade Point Average (GPA) is not based on a 4-point scale, you may enter “0.00” on the electronic application. GPA’s are only requested for statistical purposes and your transcripts will clarify your academic achievement.
2. $70 nonrefundable application fee
   1. This fee can be paid online by credit or debit card.
3. One official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended
   1. You must request official transcripts from each post-secondary institution you’ve attended. The transcripts should be original and official, indicating your degree awarded. The address to send these transcripts to is:Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions
      Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
      56 College Ave
      New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8541
      U.S.A.
      
   2. If your institution is a sending member of Parchment, eScrip-Safe, or National Student Clearinghouse, Rutgers will be able to receive your official transcripts electronically.
4. Three letters of recommendation
   1. Ask your recommenders well in advance to write a letter of recommendation for you so they are prepared.
   2. In your online application, you will be asked to provide your recommenders’ email addresses. They will receive an email asking to submit your letter of recommendation online once your application has been submitted.
      1. If recommenders are not able to submit their letters online, please use the Recommendation Form provided by Graduate and Professional Admissions.
   3. You should inform your recommenders to write their letter based on the specifics of the program to which you are applying. You want them to demonstrate why this is the program for you specifically.
   4. It is a good idea to follow up with your recommenders once you have submitted your online application to ensure that they have indeed received an email from Graduate and Professional Admissions requesting a letter of recommendation.
   5. If your online status shows that these letters have not been received, you can send a reminder email to your recommenders through the online application portal.
5. A personal statement
   1. Personal statements are a way for you to advocate for yourself and show why you are interested in this program and why it is a good fit.
6. Current Test ResultsOnce you have taken your tests, it may take several weeks to grade your results, depending on the test. In the meantime, please enter your unofficial test scores under the Tests section of the Rutgers online graduate application so that the department can review your application before your official results arrive. In most cases you can request an unofficial copy of your scores from the test provider’s website.
   1. GRE*
      1. Rutgers has no university-wide GRE score minimum. Please consult your program for specific requirements.
      2. In order to have your official scores sent to Rutgers, you will need to include Rutgers’ institution code of 2790 when you take the GRE test. You can find out more about sending your scores on the ETS GRE score page.
      3. Please note that test scores are valid for 5 years.
      *Not required for 3+2 applicants
   2. English-language Proficiency Tests*Graduate and Professional Admissions accepts either TOEFL or IELTS scores to fulfill this requirement. Minimum score requirements depend upon the department to which you are applying.*Students who have an undergraduate degree from a U.S. institution, who are coming from an English-speaking country, or who have a minimum of 3 years of undergraduate education during which instruction was in English do not need to submit English language proficiency scores.
      1. TOEFL
         1. When you take the TOEFL test, you can request that your scores be sent to Rutgers. The institution code for Rutgers is 2790. You can find more information about sending your TOEFL scores on the ETS TOEFL website. If you are sending your TOEFL scores via the ETS website, please note that you only need to select the School of Graduate Studies in the drop-down menu. You do not need to select a department.
         2. Please note that TOEFL test scores are valid for 2 years.
      2. IELTS
         1. For information on requesting your IELTS score, please see the IELTS website.
         2. Please note that IETLS test scores are valid for 2 years.
7. Supporting materials, as required by the program

All supporting materials for your application can be uploaded on the Graduate and Professional Admissions’ Supporting Materials portal. You will need your login ID and pin number.

3+2 students: Please see our information page regarding specifics for applying to your program.

After you Submit your Application

1. Check your Status.
   1. Frequently check the status of your online application to make sure that all your documents have been received and that all of your recommenders have been able to submit their letters of recommendation.
   2. Be patient. It may take a few months for your department’s admissions committees to make a decision once your application has been fully submitted.
2. Accept your offer of admission.
   1. You can accept your offer of admission online when you check your status.
   2. Once you are accepted, please see our Admitted International Graduate Students page