Applying to Clemson
Admission Information and Electronic Application for Clemson University Graduate School

General Information

Application to Clemson’s graduate programs may be made online. Please read these instructions, then follow the link at the end of the instructions to access the application. If you are an international applicant, some extra instructions are given toward the end that are specific for you.

Application Deadlines

Applications from U.S. citizens and permanent residents should be received no later than five weeks prior to the first day of class. Every required item in support of the application (completed application, application fee, transcripts from each postsecondary school attended, letters of recommendation, and test scores) must be on file with the Office of Graduate Admissions by this date. Note: Some programs have earlier deadlines or stricter admission requirements. Applicants are encouraged to contact academic departments and programs for additional information. For a list of programs with contact information, click here.

Applications from international applicants should be completed by April 15 for fall semester enrollment and September 15 for spring semester enrollment. Every required item in support of the application (completed application, application fee, transcripts from each postsecondary school attended, letters of recommendation, test scores, and financial certificate) must be on file with the Office of Graduate Admissions by these dates. For applicants who have submitted an acceptable financial certification form, issuance of the appropriate form I-20 or form DS-2019 to be used in obtaining a student visa will normally be completed by the Clemson Office of International Affairs by June 1 and October 15 for registration in the fall and spring semesters, respectively.

Initial enrollment of international students in summer sessions is discouraged.

Application Fee

A $55 nonrefundable application fee payable to Clemson University is required. If you apply online you may pay the fee via credit card, debit card, or electronic check (US banks only) . If you apply to more than one program, each program after the first will require an additional $55 fee. The application fee must be received before the application will be processed.

There are circumstances under which an online application may be received and processed without a fee. The circumstances under which this could happen are as follows:

(1) The applicant may provide a valid fee waiver code, which was received from the graduate dean or from a Clemson graduate program.

Or;

(2) The applicant may indicate that he/she has a "special circumstance" whereby the application may be submitted without a fee. The special circumstances are as follows:

  • " I am a graduate of the Clemson University Graduate School, and am applying within one year of completing my initial degree."
  • " I am currently enrolled in Graduate School at Clemson University, and wish to apply for another program in which I plan to enroll after receiving my initial degree. "
  • " I am enrolled in the Clemson University Graduate School as a post-baccalaureate student in a degree program, and am now re-applying to the same degree program."
  • "I am currently enrolled in the Clemson University Graduate School in a non-degree status and am now applying to a program as a degree-seeking applicant."
  • "I am a participant in the McNair Scholars Program."

If one of these special circumstances applies to you, then you will be asked to indicate this fact in the appropriate place in the online application.

Instructions

Clemson’s online graduate application is provided by the CollegeNet company. The instructions provided with the application are self-explanatory and should be followed as given. The instructions provided here are intended only to help you to prepare in advance to complete the online application.

Questions about how to complete the online application itself may be addressed to the CollegeNet Help Desk. Contact information is provided below.

Email: help@applyweb.com

Phone: 877-214-3932

Online Help form: https://www.applyweb.com/public/input?helpapp

Step 1. Read the Instructions and all relevant materials

Before attempting to complete the online application, you are encouraged to read these instructions completely, and also to view any relevant materials on the web site of the program or programs to which application is being made. For a list of Clemson graduate programs with contact information, click here.

Step 2. Select a major, and a degree, and a term.

Any application submitted for graduate study at Clemson must be for a specific degree (examples; PhD, MS, MAT, etc.) and a specific program (major). The online application includes a list of degree programs from which you will choose. (Click here for a list of Clemson graduate degrees and degree programs.) In some cases you will also be asked to select a specialization area within the major area. Under most circumstances, only one major / degree combination is selected. You may if you like select more than one major / degree combination in your application; however, a separate application fee is required for each selection.

You must also select a term for which you intend to begin graduate study. This can be the fall term, the spring term, or one of two summer terms. Most people select the fall term although spring admission is possible in some programs. Summer admission is discouraged for graduate students except under special circumstances. If you are uncertain as to which term to select, you should obtain guidance from the program to which you intend to apply. For a link to contact information for programs, click here.

Note that special circumstances may apply for applicants in the following situations: nondegree students; teacher certification/recertification/ advanced certification; currently enrolled students; applicants who are Clemson University employees; and former graduate students seeking readmission.

Step 3. Locate any relevant student numbers.

If you are currently or have previously been a student at Clemson then you will have a CUID number, which you will be asked to provide. If you are an international applicant then you may have already been provided with an NR number (NR = non-resident). You will be asked to provide this number on the application. Please have these numbers available to enter into the online application at the appropriate place.

Step 4. Write a statement of purpose.

The online application includes a statement of purpose page on which you will be asked to answer the following two questions:

A. Why do you want to pursue a graduate degree in your chosen field of study?

B. Why do you want to pursue a graduate degree at Clemson University?

You may find it helpful to use a word processor to prepare your answers to these questions in advance. You will then be able to paste the answers into text boxes in the application.

Step 5. Transcripts.

You should arrange to have one official transcript of your academic work from each previously attended college and/or university sent to the Clemson Graduate Admissions office. Please use the following mailing address:

Office of Graduate Admissions
E-209 Martin Hall
Clemson University
Clemson SC 29634

Transcripts from prior work at both undergraduate and graduate levels (if any) are required. You may omit any colleges and/or universities where insignificant or non-relevant course work was taken. You may have the transcripts sent directly to Clemson by the registrar's office at each institution.Refer to the following Request Forms (pdf format or MSWord format) to request that transcripts be provided to Clemson. Alternatively, you may request that the registrar's office at each institution give you official transcripts in sealed envelope(s) with an official signature over the seal, and then send them to Clemson yourself. If you do this, please DO NOT open the original envelopes before sending them to Clemson. If you do this the transcripts cannot be considered official. Clemson University transcripts do not need to be requested.

Step 6. Test scores.

Most Clemson graduate programs require that applicants provide scores from one of several standardized tests. The most common is the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) which is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). You will be asked on the application to report your scores if you have already taken the exam. This is an optional element in the application; however, if you have access to your test scores when you complete the application, it may speed review if you provide them. If you have not yet taken the required exam when completing the application, then you should register to do so as soon as possible. If you have registered to take the relevant exam at the time you are completing the application, then you should provide your registration number in the appropriate place in the online application.

Even if you provide your test scores unofficially via the online application, you must also arrange with the relevant testing service to have official copies of your test scores sent to Clemson. For the GRE, the relevant testing service is ETS. When you ask ETS to provide test scores to Clemson, please use Clemson’s ETS institutional code, which is 5111. Test scores must be recent; scores more than five (5) years old will not be accepted.

Some Clemson graduate programs require other tests in addition to, or as an alternative to, the GRE. Up-to-date information on required tests is provided on programs web sites and within the online application. Please consult with the program if you have any questions about which test(s) are required for the program to which you are applying.

Step 7. Letters of Recommendation.

You will be asked to provide the names of two or three persons who will write letters of recommendation in support of your application. Normally these would be persons who are familiar with your collegiate work and who can comment on your potential for graduate-level studies. The online application includes a feature whereby letter-writers may provide their recommendations online via an online letter-of-recommendation form. To use this form it will be necessary for you to provide a name and email address for each letter-writer, so you will want to have this information available when you complete the form. The online letter-of-recommendation feature is optional, so if you wish to have your recommenders provide letters to Clemson in hard-copy form, that is acceptable. In that case, please request that the recommenders complete the Recommendation Form (GSL), and have the letters mailed in sealed envelopes to:

Office of Graduate Admissions
E-209 Martin Hall
Clemson University
Clemson SC 29634

If you apply to multiple programs, or if you apply to a second program after initially applying to a different program, then you will need to provide names of letter-writers for each program to which you apply. You may enter the same person’s name as a recommender for more than one program, or you may enter different names for each program. If you use the same recommender for more than one program, the recommender will be asked to provide a separate recommendation for you for each program to which you have applied.

Step 8. South Carolina Residency.

This step applies to you only if you indicate South Carolina as your state of legal residence. If this applies to you, then you will need to provide a completed copy of form GS 35 - Request for Certification of South Carolina Residency Form. It should be returned by mail to the following address:

Financial Aid
Clemson University
G01 Sikes Hall
Clemson, SC 29634-5713

Or by FAX to this number: 864-656-1831.

Step 9. Supplementary materials.

For most programs the items indicated above are all that is required for the application to be considered complete. However, for some programs additional supplementary materials (e.g., specialized personal statement, resume, thesis, portfolio, etc.) are requested to aid with application evaluation. When supplementary materials are required, you will be advised of this fact at the point in the online application where you select a major area. In most cases these items should be sent directly to the programs. You are also advised to check separately with the program to see if they require any additional materials.

Step 10. Special instructions for international applicants.

If you are not a US citizen or permanent resident (i.e. a green-card holder) then some special instructions apply to you. They are as follows:

Step 10A. NR number.

Applicants to Clemson graduate programs who are non-residents of the US are assigned an NR number. If you already have an NR number, please have it available when you complete the online application, so that you can enter it at the appropriate place. If you do not already have an NR number, you will be provided one when you complete the online application. PLEASE SAVE THIS NUMBER, AS YOU WILL NEED IT TO INQUIRE ABOUT YOUR APPLICATION!

Step 10B. Transcripts.

Applicants to graduate programs at Clemson University must hold a four-year bachelor's degree (or equivalent) or a master's degree from an institution whose scholastic rating is satisfactory to the University. If you are uncertain whether an institution from which you received a degree is a qualifying institution, then you are encouraged to consult with the program to which you intend to apply. Click here for a link to contact information for programs.

Step 10C. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Applicants for whom English is not their native language and who received their secondary education and beyond at institutions where English is not the primary language of instruction are required to submit scores for the TOEFL exam as part of the application. Procedures are the same as for the GRE; unofficial scores may be provided via the online application but official scores must be provided directly to Clemson by ETS. TOEFL scores must be no more than two (2) years old; outdated scores will not be accepted.

Step 10D. International Student Financial Certification

U.S. universities are required by law to verify that students entering the United States on F-1 and J-1 visas have adequate financial resources to meet expenses. This information is provided to Clemson via the International Student Financial Certification Form. A minimum of one (1) year's expenses must be available to the student upon arrival. The Certificate of Eligibility for F-1 visa (Form I-20) or Certificate of Eligibility for J-1 visa (Form DS-2019) will not be issued without the receipt by Clemson University of approved documents verifying availability of adequate funds. All documentation must be current, and signatures must be original. Photocopies or FAX copies of the documentation will not be accepted. A completed copy of the International Student Financial Certification Form should be provided to the Office of International Affairs by mail, to the following address:

E-302 Martin Hall 
Box 345714 
Clemson, SC
29634-5714

The deadline for submitting this Financial Certification Form is May 1 for the fall semester and October 1 for the spring semester.

Please note that Clemson University requires all fees to be paid on the first day of late registration. Loans and deferred payments generally are not available to international students. Tuition and fees may increase without prior notice.

Step 10E. Internationals Transferring F-1 or J-1 Immigration Status

Foreign students currently inside the US who are transferring their immigration status (F-1 or J-1) to Clemson after graduation from a program of study or after applying for their OPT benefit must request their current US educational institution to "release" their SEVIS immigration record to Clemson University before the ending date on the I-20 or DS-2019. If traveling outside the US prior to beginning classes at Clemson, the student must be issued a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019) by Clemson for purposes of re-entering the US. If not traveling outside the US prior to beginning classes at Clemson, the I-20 or DS-2019 will be issued upon arrival in Clemson and submission of financial certification (see Step 10D above).

Other Important Information for International Applicants:

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 protects information provided by applicants to the University which is retained as official records and documents. University staff are not allowed to divulge certain information contained in these document to applicants, relatives or friends.

DO NOT ask friends or relatives to inquire about the status of applications, admission decisions, etc. Processing of applications and visa eligibility certificates is affected adversely by telephone calls from abroad, e-mail or visits to the Graduate Admissions Office, the Graduate School, or the Office of International Affairs by friends attending Clemson University. In order to serve prospective students better, please read carefully the information provided below.

An applicant to Clemson University (who can establish proper identity) may call the Graduate Admissions Office, (864) 656-3195 or email the graduate admissions office at grdapp@clemson.edu to inquire about receipt of official test scores (GRE, TOEFL, GMAT or TWE) from ETS.

An applicant may call the Office of International Affairs at (864) 656-3614 or email cbiehl@clemson.edu if errors are found on Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 issued from Clemson University..

Decisions to admit students to the University are made by individual programs and departments. DO NOT call, email or write Graduate Admissions or International Affairs offices to inquire whether or not admission has been granted.

Approximate notification of admission decision: three months following receipt of completed application.

Remember to use your NR identification number, which is assigned when application is submitted, when corresponding with the Office of International Affairs, the Graduate School and/or the academic department or program.

Step 11. Electronic Application

If you are ready to complete the electronic application, click below to "Apply".

 

Apply

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