The Admission File

Completing a graduate application for admission at UW Oshkosh may take from six to eight weeks. Use the application checklist (domestic or international) to guide you in completing the application.

In accordance with FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974), a student has the right to inspect his/her file in the Office of Graduate Studies. Reference letters submitted as part of a degree program application may also be inspected if all of the following conditions have been met:

1. The student has been admitted to the degree program for which the letters were submitted.

2. The student has attended graduate level courses within the program.

3. The admission file does not contain a written waver of the right to see reference letters.

Students should be aware that because of this legislation, all credentials submitted as part of an application become the property of the University and will not be returned to the applicant or forwarded to a third-party. However, copies of some educational records from other institutions may be forwarded to a third-party provided the applicant submits a signed and dated written request specifying:

• The records he/she wishes to be released.

• The purpose of this disclosure.

• The party or class of parties to whom disclosure may be made

• Note: Individuals who are denied admission to a program are not entitled to have access to materials relating to the denied application.

The Office of Graduate Studies is not permitted to make copies of any other university's transcripts for release to the student for an any office other than the student's academic department. Students may request copies of their transcripts be sent directly from the universities where the credits were earned to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Preliminary Evaluation

When the application file is complete, UW Oshkosh's Office of Graduate Studies makes an evaluation to determine if the applicant meets the minimum admission requirements. If the applicant does not meet the minimum requirements for graduate school at UW Oshkosh, admission to the degree program may be denied. The applicant will receive a copy of the summary evaluation and an explanation of the denial. The appropriate graduate program coordinator will also receive a copy of the summary evaluation.

Review by the Graduate Program Adviser

If the applicant is eligible for admission at UW Oshkosh, the file and summary evaluation are sent to the appropriate graduate program coordinator for a recommendation on the applicant's potential to succeed in the degree program. This recommendation is based primarily on the applicant's academic program record. No applicant is admitted to a degree program without a favorable recommendation from the program coordinator. If the application is denied, the applicant will receive a copy of the explanation of the denial.

Review by the Office of Graduate Studies

The Director of Graduate Services reviews the program coordinator's recommendation. If the recommendation is favorable, the applicant is accepted into the degree program and assigned an admitted student classification.