Applying to Graduate School
Congratulations on your decision to apply to graduate school at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock! This is an exciting and meaningful step toward deepening your knowledge and advancing your career.
Please take time to read each section carefully before proceeding. This will help ensure that you complete every step successfully.
- To start your application, go to apply.ualr.edu and create an account. Please use an email address that you will check regularly, as much of our communication with you about your application will use that email address.
- Once you have set up an account, you will be able to “Start a New Application.” Please choose the application cycle during which you would like to start taking classes (e.g. Fall 2023-Summer 2024) and then choose the “graduate application.”
- To apply as a non-degree seeking student, follow the steps here.
- Once you have provided your personal information as well as some additional information, you will be asked to specify the highest degree you have earned. Most applicants will have only received a bachelor’s degree, but some will have already completed a graduate degree.
- Next, you will be asked whether you will take classes on the main campus or the online campus. “Online Campus” refers to a select group of programs that are offered completely online with no in-person component. (You can find a list of these programs by visiting the UA Little Rock Online graduate programs webpage.) Most programs offer a combination of in-person and online courses and can be found on the “Main Campus.”
- Next, you will select your program from a dropdown list. Please note that the list is alphabetical: the program name appears first, followed by the degree type you would like to obtain. Many programs have more than one degree, so be careful to select the right program for you from this list.
- Finally, select the term indicating when you would like to start the program.
- Depending on the program you have selected, you may have additional forms to complete before you can submit your application. One of the most common is references. To submit a reference, click on the “Add Recommender” link. This will provide you the opportunity to enter the personal information and email address of your reference. Once you have added contact info for your references, they will be sent an email with a link to upload their reference letter.
- Complete the “Academic History” section. In this section you will list all institutions from which you received a degree.
- You are almost there. To finish your application, you will need to electronically sign it and review it. At this point, you will be informed if you have failed to complete any information required for submission.
- Submit your application! Once you have submitted, you will be required to pay the $40 application fee. Your application cannot be processed until this payment has been made. In rare circumstances, an application fee waiver may be requested. Please email gradschool@ualr.edu if you believe you have extenuating circumstances that may qualify you for this waiver.
Required Documents: Once you have submitted your application, you will see a list of required documents. Your application is not considered complete until these required documents have been submitted. For more information on submitting these documents, please go to the section on Submitting Documents.
Next Steps for Applicants
Congratulations on completing your application! Here’s what you should do next:
New Application Review: New applications are reviewed by an admissions counselor in the Graduate School to verify that you have the correct documents needed for an admission decision. Once this verification is complete, your application is sent to your program’s graduate coordinator, who will submit a decision on your application. You can monitor your application’s current status by going to your status page. You will need to log in using the username and password that you set up when you first created your application.
- Click on the relevant application to view the current status.
- A list of any required documents will be displayed on this page.
From here, you can see if your application has been reviewed as well as the status of the documents you submitted. Processing a document and adding it to your admissions file usually takes 5-7 business days once the document arrives in our office.
Once a decision has been made and all official documents have been received, you will receive an email containing your admission letter. For more information on what to do once you are admitted, please visit our Guide for Newly Admitted Graduate Students.
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application to receive federal, state, and many university-sponsored sources of funding. UA Little Rock’s FAFSA school code is 001101.
For more information on funding opportunities for graduate students please visit
- The Graduate School webpage on applying for graduate assistantships
- The Graduate School webpage on finding graduate-level scholarships
You can view and accept offered financial aid awards in BOSS.
Tip: Although there are fewer scholarships for graduate education, graduate assistantships and student loans are possible routes to paying for graduate school.
Military Students and Dependents: If you are entitled to the GI Bill, contact our Office of Military Student Success at 501-569-8171 or military@ualr.edu.
Submit Your Required Documents
All admissions applications require documents. A list of those documents can be found on the status page of your application.
To mail your documents, please use this mailing address:
UA Little Rock
Office of Graduate Admissions – LIB 501
2801 South University Ave.
Little Rock, AR 72204-1099
Tip: Academic documents like transcripts and exam scores must meet specific standards to be considered official. If you submit only unofficial documents, we cannot use them to admit you.
Shot records (or immunization records) can be sent via postal mail, emailed to gradschool@ualr.edu, or delivered in person to the 5th floor of Ottenheimer Library. These records must include proof of two measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines, including the month and year each dose was received.
Haven’t received 2 MMR vaccines? You can provide one of the following:
- An MMR titer test that shows immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella. The MMR titer can be drawn in Health Services for a fee (view fees).
- An Immunization Exemption letter, which is granted by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH). Complete and submit this application to ADH by following the instructions on the application. After you have received an approval letter, you are responsible for notifying the Office of Admissions that the exemption request has been approved. You are also responsible for retaining the original letter.
- Proof of birth before Jan. 1, 1957.
Online & Military Students: The Graduate School will waive your shot record requirement. (Military students can review the section called Proof of Military Service for more information.)
You can view UA Little Rock’s immunization records policy for more information and exceptions.
Exam scores are required for admission to some graduate programs across campus. These may include the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, etc. In addition to these, international students are required to submit test scores (TOEFL or IELTS) showing competency in English (see the English Language Requirement section below).
- You can have your scores sent to UA Little Rock by the testing entity, or you can deliver them in-person.
Tip: Not all applicants are required to submit exam scores, so check your status page to see which documents are required after your application has been reviewed.
Transcripts should come from your school’s registrar to be considered “official” for an admissions decision.
- Transcripts can be sent by an electronic service if this option is made available by your college or university’s registrar.
- If a paper transcript is provided by the registrar, the document must be in the sealed, unopened envelope provided by your college or university. You can have them mailed to our office (see the earlier section called Submit Required Documents by Mail) or drop them off in-person on the 5th floor of the Ottenheimer Library.
- Transcripts from UA Little Rock are accessed by your admissions counselor during your new application review (see the earlier section called Check Your Application Status & Needed Documents). You do not have to send us any transcripts from degrees earned at UA Little Rock.
- International students must submit English translations of their transcripts. Students who cannot obtain an official English transcript by one of the methods mentioned above must submit articulated transcripts. The Graduate School accepts articulated transcripts provided by any current member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
Need an email address for your electronic transcript? Please use gradschool@ualr.edu.
Military students (active-duty, guard, reserve, and veterans who were separated under honorable conditions) are eligible to receive additional assistance offered to military students. Spouses and dependents are not considered military students.
Please provide one of the following to show proof of military service:
- Military orders assigning you to current duty station
- Current military ID card (not a VA card)
- An electronic copy of DD214 – member copy 4 showing character of service (Member Copies 2-8)
- Arkansas Driver’s License showing veteran status
- Copy of your Service Verification Letter (available online at www.va.gov/records/download-va-letters)
- DD215 (with corrected discharge status)
- NGB-22
- DD256/257
If you provide discharge paperwork, the documentation must be a federal government form that includes your full name at time of discharge, SSN/Service Number and a discharge status that is either “honorable” or “general under honorable conditions.”
Updating Your Status:
If you did not indicate current active duty or a history of honorable discharge on your admissions application, you can complete the Military Residency form and add your proof of military service. You can also email your documentation to admissions@ualr.edu.
Additional support for military students is available through UA Little Rock’s Military Student Success Center.
UA Little Rock will accept the following for your English Language Requirement:
- TOEFL Exam Score – Master’s or educational specialist applicants must achieve a score of 525 on the paper-based test, 197 on the computer-based version, or 71 on the Internet-based version. Doctoral applicants must achieve a score of 550 on the paper-based test, 213 on the computer-based version, or 79 on the Internet-based version.
- UA Little Rock’s code is 6368.
- IELTS Exam Score of 6.5 or higher. To be accepted as official, it must be sent to the Graduate School from IELTS.
- Graduation from UA Little Rock’s IELP program.
- Native English speakers with citizenship of an exempt country: Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, or the Commonwealth Caribbean.
Submit your Immigration Verification Form with Demonstration of Financial Support. Admissions requires that this form is received and processed by the Office of International Student Services.
Questions about this? Please contact the Office of International Student Services.