Admission to Graduate Study
A bachelor's degree graduate of an accredited college or university may be considered for admission to graduate study. The decision to admit a student rests with the applicant’s major department and stands for one year following the first semester for which admission was offered. If more than one year elapses the application will be closed unless special consideration is granted by the prospective student’s department. Additional information about the application process as well as a link to our graduate admissions portal can be found here.
An applicant may enter the graduate program as a student in the following categories: regular, associate, or non-degree. Except for qualified Lehigh undergraduates, only those who have been admitted officially by the graduate program office of an appropriate college or by a department in one of the categories above may register for graduate courses or take them for credit.
Regular Graduate Students
Only regular graduate students are candidates for graduate degrees. Applications for admission as a regular graduate student must be filed by the required department or program deadlines. Applicants should consult their respective departments or their dean's office. In order to be considered for admission as a regular graduate student, the applicant must satisfy at least one of the following conditions: have an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75 out of 4.00 (note: the majority of programs in the College of Education have a minimum GPA of 3.0); have an average of at least 3.00 for the last two semesters of undergraduate study; have a graduate grade point average of at least 3.00 for a minimum of twelve credit hours of graduate work completed at other institutions; or have successfully satisfied the probationary conditions as an associate graduate student (discussed below). Satisfying one of these conditions is necessary for admission as a regular graduate student but may not be the only condition required.
All graduate applicants are required to show English proficiency. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways including English language testing, a review of previous degree curriculum, interviews or other methods. Please contact your department or program of choice for details about their proficiency policy, methods of satisfying the requirement, acceptable test(s) and associated minimum scores.
Individual departments may evaluate their candidates for admission according to higher standards and additional criteria. Students seeking admission to programs that lead to eligibility to apply for Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) certifications may have to meet additional requirements to comply with PDE regulations. Departments should be consulted for information regarding required examinations for admission. In some cases, GRE subject tests are required.
Admission of a student to graduate standing is executed through the Office of Graduate Studies in each college or the respective dean’s office. Colleges and departments have specific deadlines by which applications must be submitted in order to be considered for university financial awards. Please consult the college and/or department you wish to apply to for this information. Applications received after the deadline will be considered subject to remaining capacity.
Associate Graduate Students
Associate graduate student status may be offered to applicants who apply but fail to qualify for regular graduate student status. Applicants should consult their respective departments.
Associate graduate students are allowed to take up to nine credits of coursework numbered 300 or higher before they must petition for regular student status. In order to be granted regular student status, they must have completed those nine credits with at most one final course mark below B-. Associate graduate students receiving a final course mark lower than a C- will be dropped from the program. Students should note that individual departments may impose more rigorous probationary standards. For example, the College of Education has more stringent probationary standards; please consult your department for details.
When the probationary period of nine credit hours is completed, associate graduate students must petition for regular student status in order to enroll for additional coursework. Such a petition requires the submission of any regular admission documents not already on file. Courses completed during a successful probationary period may count toward a graduate degree if they are part of an approved program.
Non-Degree Students
Students may seek enrollment in graduate courses with non-degree status. Students in this category are generally seeking admission to a certificate program or evaluating their ability to formally enroll in a degree program. Prospective non-degree graduate students must complete an online application. Information and a link to our graduate admissions portal can be found here. The admissions criteria for non-degree graduate students are: 1) a bachelor’s degree from an approved institution with an overall grade point average that meets the minimum requirement of the college to which they are applying (applicants with undergraduate GPAs below the minimum requirement may be admitted with the approval of the department in which they wish to take courses); or 2) evidence that the applicant is presently a student in good standing in an appropriate graduate program at an approved institution; or 3) evidence that the applicant has received an appropriate graduate or other advanced degree from an approved institution. In addition, all applicants are required to demonstrate English proficiency following the same guidelines as applicants seeking Regular Graduate Student status. In some programs, non-degree students must receive permission from the course instructor or program director before enrolling. Requirements may vary by college.
Admission decisions for non-degree students are made by the designated reviewer in the appropriate college or other responsible official designated by him/her for this purpose. Informal transcripts will be accepted for initial admission, but formal transcripts must be on record before the student can receive any transcript or grade report from the university or register for additional courses. Non-degree students must abide by Lehigh’s student code of conduct.
Additional Non-degree Options
There are two additional non-degree options:
(1) Students may take as many courses as they wish towards professional development/personal enrichment.
(2) Students may take courses for external certification. Students pursuing external certification will complete coursework for the appropriate certification, with the number of credits dictated by the external accrediting agency. Given this external control of credit requirements, the number of credits will vary.
In some programs and within limits, students may apply non-degree courses towards a degree. Students who wish to apply credits taken as a non-degree student to a degree must apply for formal enrollment in a graduate program after no more than 12 credits of graduate coursework. Further, no more than 12 credits taken as a non-degree student may be applied to any graduate degree. Note that all coursework applied to a Master’s degree must be completed within a 6-year timeframe. Non-degree students seeking admission to a degree program must submit all the components required for admissions consideration by that degree program and must meet the required criteria for the degree. Students should consult their respective college dean's office for proper procedure.
Graduate Course Auditing
Graduate students can submit a petition requesting permission to audit a specific course. This course will not count for credit towards any graduate degree, and may not subsequently be taken for credit. In no case shall a student who has attended a course as an auditor be given an anticipatory examination for credit or register for the same course in the future. A student completing a course in this manner will have the course and the notation “AU” indicated on the permanent record. A student rostered on an audit basis may be withdrawn from the course with a grade of “W” for poor attendance. If approved, the audited course will carry a tuition charge equivalent to one credit at student’s home college or program rate.
Lehigh University Undergraduates
A Lehigh undergraduate with a 3.0 cumulative grade point average who has achieved Junior standing may request permission to take a 400-level course for which she or he is qualified. The qualifications are defined by the department and are certified by the course instructor and undergraduate advisor through a petition to the Standing of Graduate Students Committee. Additional information on constraints on undergraduates taking graduate-level courses can be found in Guidelines for Undergraduates to Take Graduate Level Courses.
Undergraduates at Lehigh who wish to take graduate-level coursework should follow the guidelines found here. Lehigh undergraduates may apply up to 12 course credits taken in the undergraduate program toward a graduate degree under the following conditions: 1) the course credits are not submitted as part of the requirement for an undergraduate degree; 2) approval is granted by the graduate program director, department chairperson and the dean of the college or their designee. The student must receive a final course mark of B- or better. Students should submit a Petition to Reserve Credits For Graduate Degree form with the required approvals.
Accelerated 4+1 Bachelor/Master degree programs are available in each college. Interested students can find additional information on the Special Undergraduate Academic Opportunities page.
Readmission
A student who has not been registered in a Lehigh graduate program for one year must petition for readmission. Petitions approved by the student’s major department must be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar. The procedure may vary by college.
International Students and Scholars
International applicants must hold an American bachelor’s degree or the equivalent from a foreign institution of higher education. International applicants applying for regular graduate student status must submit all documents required for that status, as outlined in the respective college’s admission policies.
