Frequently Asked Questions

The Graduate Application Deadline can be found here.

The Graduate School must receive all requirements before reviewing an application and sending it to the department. This includes, but is not limited to, the application fee, transcripts, and all departmental requirements. This does not include graduate admission test scores that may be waived by the department after review.

After the initial evaluation in the Graduate School is complete, the application materials are sent to the department for an admission decision. Most departments meet in committees to review admission files. Departments can take as long as it deems necessary to review the file, and the Graduate School has no control over this length of time. The department may choose to withhold a decision until test scores or other departmental materials arrive for review.

Once the department makes a decision, the Graduate School is notified, and we then notify the applicant. Most applicants can expect to receive an admission decision within about a month from the time all application materials are received.

Applicants are welcome to review their Application Portal, or call or email the Graduate School at any time to inquire about their application status.

The University requires:*

• Submission of the Graduate admission application
• $30 application processing fee
• Official transcript from every college or university attended for more than 15 hours

* International applicants may have additional requirements.

Departmental requirements vary based on each program. Check with the prospective department or view the program page to find out what materials may be required (ex: letters of recommendation, letter of intent, etc.).

 

There is no university minimum for graduate admission tests. Applicants should check with their prospective departments to find out if they have a minimum required test score.

For the majority of departments, it is recommended that the graduate admission test be taken no later than April for the fall semester, August for the spring semester, or January for the summer semester. Applicants should contact the specific department for departmental deadlines for admission tests. Applicants to the Ed.D. program should take the GRE or MAT one year prior to desired admission.

Departments have the option of provisionally admitting applicants without test scores. The applicant would then have until the middle of the first semester of graduate work to submit test scores. However, some departments place great weight on the test score, so the applicant should contact the department to find out if they require the test score to make an admission decision. Other departments allow for a graduate admission test waiver.

Review whether your program requires testing for admission.

Graduate Admissions will accept unofficial transcripts from applicants who attended domestic institutions to expedite the admission review process for certain programs.

Please note applicants who attended international institutions may not submit unofficial transcripts from those institutions and are required to submit an official credential evaluation from one of the UWF-approved agencies. If the credential evaluation is based on official transcripts provided to the agency, applicants do not have to submit an additional transcript to UWF.

Applicants who are admitted are required to submit final, official transcripts from all institutions previously attended by the end of the drop/add period of his/her admission semester or risk removal from the program.

Currently, Graduate Admissions requires official test score reports; however, some individual departments will accept unofficial copies for review if an applicant wants to get a preliminary idea of their chances of success in the program.

Acceptable forms of unofficial transcripts are PDF document types of unofficial transcripts direct from the university's student portal and/or PDF document types of student issued copies of transcripts. Please do not submit pictures of transcripts, degree audits, or degree plans.

Transcripts are considered 'official' when they are sent from a college or university directly to the Graduate School and bear an official seal and signature. Transcripts are considered 'final' when they show all completed coursework and/or awarded degree(s) from the institution. Transcripts bearing the statement "Issued to Student," faxed transcripts, or transcripts submitted by the applicants are not considered official. Original documents or signed, officially certified photocopies of original documents may be submitted by the student only when institutions outside the U.S. will not send academic records to other institutions. The verifying signature preferably should be that of an officer of the institution attended. All academic records that are not in English must be accompanied by certified English translations.

To expedite the admission review process, certain programs may allow you to submit unofficial transcripts; however we encourage you to submit official transcripts upfront.  If you choose to submit unofficial copies, if/when you are admitted, you will be required to submit official copies of all transcripts by the end of the drop/add week period of your admission semester or risk removal from the program (this includes official partial transcripts). You can upload your unofficial transcripts directly to your Application Status app in MyUWF.

No, we require an official transcript from every institution attended for more than 15 hours regardless of whether or not a degree was earned. If you attended for fewer than 15 hours, you are not required to submit the transcript.

For master's programs, the University requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point scale, or a 3.0 on a 4-point scale on the last 60 hours of coursework in the baccalaureate degree.

For specialist programs, the University requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 on a 4-point scale.

For the doctoral program, the University requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4-point scale.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements for regular admission may be admitted by a department on a conditional basis. In order to be considered for conditional admission, applicants must submit all required admission materials. Applicants admitted on a conditional basis are permitted to register for up to 12 semester hours identified by the department as appropriate to the degree. Admission on a conditional basis is not routine. The applicant should contact the department to find out how frequently they offer conditional admission and if that applicant’s GPA is one they might consider.

We must have a request in writing in order to process the cancellation. Applicants who wish to cancel an application that we are processing must submit a cancellation request form. 

Submit Application Cancellation Request Form

If an applicant wishes to move their original application to a new start term within 3 semesters, they must submit a term change form. You can also find the term change form on the Application Portal. Select the Term Change button on the screen's right side and complete the form. If the program is available for the preferred term, Graduate Admissions will cancel the previous application and create an application for the new term within 3-5 business days.

Independent applicants must submit information for two of the following documents: Florida driver license, Florida vehicle registration, or Florida voter registration. The information must be at least one-year-old to qualify. The original issue date, not the renewal date, should be used.

We can accept residency information in person at the Graduate School in Building 11 on the UWF main campus, by email at gradadmissions@uwf.edu, or by fax at (850) 473-7714. Copies of documents are not necessary, just the information from the document is needed.

Non-degree students are students who are taking courses but are not working toward a degree. Applicants interested only in a certificate program or taking courses for personal interest can apply as a non-degree seeking student.

Non-degree applicants complete a non-degree seeking application and are NOT required to submit the application processing fee, transcripts, test scores, or departmental requirements. Residency is required for non-degree seeking applicants. Non-degree seeking applicants are also usually cleared to register for classes within 2 business days.

Non-degree students can, at the department's discretion, also transfer up to 12 credit hours of non-degree coursework toward an applicable degree program if they decide to become degree-seeking in that program. Non-degree students do not qualify for financial aid, so these students must pay for their courses out of pocket.

Please note: Graduate Degree Seeking students get priority when registering for classes. As a non-degree student some classes may be unavailable or at capacity. Reach out to the department if you have questions. 

Students in a program with multiple specializations may change specializations by submitting a Graduate Major Track Change form. Students wishing to change departments entirely must submit a new graduate admission application, pay another application processing fee, and reprove Florida residency, if claiming it.

Graduate student must be admitted and registered in order to submit a major track change or doctoral change of specialization form.

Examples

Changing from Psychology-I/O to Psychology-Counseling = Track Change form

Changing from Psychology-I/O to Social Work = New graduate admission application, processing fee, and departmental documents

Students who have not enrolled for more than three semesters but fewer than five years must submit a Graduate Readmission Application if they wish to re-enroll in their same graduate program. Doctoral candidates are not eligible for readmission and must submit a regular application.

Students who have not enrolled for more than five years must submit a new graduate application, application processing fee, and transcripts if they attended another institution during non-enrollment at UWF. These students should also check with the department to see if they need to resubmit department materials.

Students who want to enroll in a different program must submit a new graduate admission application.

For all questions regarding the GI Bill®, please contact the Military & Veterans Resource Center. You may call them at 850.474.2550 or email them at mvrc@uwf.edu.

Many graduate students at UWF are funded through assistantships. There are different types of assistantships available.

• Graduate Assistants (GA) provide support for academic departments, programs, faculty, or personnel and perform professional or service duties outside of teaching or research.
• Teaching Assistants (TA) often assist a professor with teaching a course or solely teaching a lower-level undergraduate course.
• Research Assistants (RA) often engage in research for professors in an academic department.

Assistants are granted a tuition waiver as well as a stipend. Most assistantships (GA, TA, RA) are offered through academic departments. Available Graduate Assistantships will sometimes be listed on the HR website. Students should contact their academic department to find what types of assistantships are offered and how to go about obtaining them.