Graduate College Division of Research

To review the admission requirements for the program of your interest visit the Graduate Programs page and select the program that you would like to apply to. Each of our programs have different admission requirements and deadlines so be sure to start your application, as soon as possible. If the graduate program you chose requires it, the university application fee can be paid online by credit card or electronic check, within the online application. Application fees are nonrefundable.

Defer Admission for an Earlier/Later Semester: Your offer of admission into a graduate program is good for up to one year. If you're not able to enroll for the initial term you applied for, you may defer to a subsequent term. To defer your application, send an email to the Graduate Admissions Specialist who processed your application and your Program Director. After a year, you would need to re-apply.

Step 2: Request Official Transcripts

Request official academic credentials from all colleges and universities you have previously attended. All transcripts must arrive by the application deadline. Contact the colleges and universities you have attended about their process for providing official transcripts and have them sent electronically to gradapps@utrgv.edu or by mail to:

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Graduate Admissions
Marialice Shary Shivers Bldg. 1.102
1201 W. University Drive
Edinburg, TX 78539-2999

Note: If you attended one of our legacy institutions, The University of Texas- Pan American or The University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College, no formal request needs to be made. We will upload your official transcripts to your application, automatically.

Step 3: Submit Official Standardized Test Scores

Test requirements such as the GRE, GMAT, TOEFL etc., are program specific requirements that may or may not be required for the program you are applying to. Review the Graduate Programs page for details.

Request that official test scores from the testing agency to be sent to the UTRGV Graduate College. Below are the UTRGV school codes for the GRE and the GMAT exams.

GRE- 6570
GMAT- 9P3

The UTRGV Testing Services Office provides a variety of Testing Services for new students, contact them for more information on the exams they offer at 956-665-7583.

GRE Additional Information

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills. Scores are valid for five years after taking the exam. For more information or to register to take the GRE exam visit the Educational Testing Service website at www.ets.org/gre.

Financial Aid for the GRE

It is possible to get financial aid to pay for part of the cost of the GRE exam fee. For more information, and to apply for financial aid, please set up an appointment with any of the financial aid advisors.

GRE Financial Eligibility:

If the student is eligible, a waiver will be issued along with the Free application for Federal student aid (FAFSA) summary.

For more information please contact:

U Central
Edinburg Campus: 1st Floor Student Services Building (SSBL)
Brownsville Campus: The Tower, Main 1.100
Telephone: (956) 882-4026
E-Mail: finaid@utrgv.edu

GMAT Additional Information

The Graduate Management Admission Test is a standardized assessment, delivered in English, that helps business schools assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced study in business and management. For more information or to register to take this GMAT exam visit the Graduate Management Admission Council website at www.mba.com.

Exam Preparation Courses

If you are interested in taking a GRE or GMAT Preparation Course before taking the exam visit the UTRGV Office of Continuing Education website for more information.

Step 4: Additional Attendance University Requirements

You will be required to submit the following items if you fall into the criteria listed below. Please read carefully to see if any of these items apply to you.

Texas Residency

Under Texas State Law, an applicant or enrolled student is classified as a resident of Texas, a non-resident, or a foreign student. Residency for admission and tuition purposes at a public college or university in Texas is different from residency for voting or taxing purposes.

In order to qualify as a Texas resident, an individual must reside in Texas for 12 continuous months and establish domicile in Texas the 12 month prior to census date. An applicant or student who is claimed as a dependent on a parent’s most recent federal tax return will be classified based on the parent’s qualification for residency.

A student’s residency classification is based on information from his/her admission application. If an applicant or student is classified as a nonresident and wishes to be reclassified as a resident, it is necessary to submit the Residency Questionnaire prior to census date of the semester in which they are seeking reclassification.

In order to establish residency for a student or applicant, two or more of the following items must be used as proof. The applicant or student will need to determine whether he/she thinks there is sufficient documentation to prove residency. Documents must cover a period of more than 1 year.

Proof of Income
Utility Bill
Rent or Lease Contract
Deed of Trust

The Residency Regulations for the State of Texas can be found at the College for Texans Residency Information Page.

Complete tuition/admission residency regulations for the State of Texas can be found at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Website.

PLEASE SEND ALL RESIDENCY DOCUMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Graduate College
Marialice Shary Shivers Bldg. 1.158
1201 W. University Drive
Edinburg, Texas 78541-2999


Permanent Resident Card

Students who are not United States citizens, but hold Permanent Residence Status may be required to provide a copy of the valid Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) as proof of their legal status.
Submit these documents to gradcollege@utrgv.edu or mail to:

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Graduate College
Marialice Shary Shivers Bldg. 1.158
1201 W. University Drive
Edinburg, Texas 78541-2999

Meningitis Vaccination Policy

All new students under the age of 22 must provide certified proof from a health practitioner that they have received a valid bacterial meningitis vaccination or booster within the last five years. Students must submit their proof of vaccination or a booster at least 10 days prior to the first day of class for the intended term of enrollment.

Students who meet one of the following four specific exceptions permitted by the law do not have to provide proof of the vaccination:

*A student is considered a “new” student if they are enrolling for the first time at UTRGV or, if they have previously been enrolled at UTRGV and are now enrolling in a new undergraduate or graduate program at UTRGV.

Graduate students who do not meet the exceptions listed above will need to provide proof of vaccination to the Graduate College. In order to enroll, the vaccination must have been taken 10 days before the start of the semester. A registration hold will be placed on all graduate students that do not meet the exceptions. This hold will be removed once the Graduate College has received the required proof of the immunization.

Graduate students that are required to provide proof of the vaccination should submit copies of their immunization records, either in person or by postal mail, to:

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Graduate College
Marialice Shary Shivers Bldg. 1.158
1201 W. University Drive
Edinburg, Texas 78541-2999

Students may also email copies of their vaccination to the admissions staff. Refer to the staff contact page to determine the admissions staff responsible for your graduate program.

To find the vaccine, check with your:

Step 5: Additional Documents for Domestic Applicants who Attended Foreign Universities

If you studied outside of the United States, you will be required to submit a:

and you may also have to submit:

English Proficiency Exam Information:

Students whose native language is not English will be expected to provide test scores for either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo. Below you will find more information on these exams, the minimum score requirements, as well as, exemptions.

TOEFL Minimum Scores

TOEFL Essentials Minimum Scores

IELTS Minimum Score

Exemptions