CONTENTS:
2.1     UNIVERSITY AND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CRITERIA
2.1.1  MINIMUM GPA AND EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATES OF U.S. INSTITUTIONS
2.1.2  REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATES OF NON-U.S. INSTITUTIONS
2.1.3  FACULTY AND STAFF AS STUDENTS
2.2.    ADMISSIONS PROCESS
2.2.1  APPLICATION
2.2.2  RECORDS
2.3     EXCEPTIONS, WAIVERS AND APPEALS
2.3.1  APPEAL PROCESS
2.3.2  10% ADMISSION WAIVERS
2.3.3  ACADEMIC UNIT OR DEPARTMENT ADMISSION EXCEPTIONS
2.4     TRANSFER CREDIT
2.4.1  TRANSFER OF GRADUATE CREDITS FROM OTHER INSTITUTIONS
2.4.2  TRANSFER OF GRADUATE CREDIT HOURS EARNED AT FIU BY NON-DEGREE-SEEKING STUDENTS
2.4.3  WAIVER OF TRANSFER CREDIT LIMITS
2.4.4  CREDIT FOR NON-COLLEGE LEARNING
2.5     DISMISSAL AND READMISSION
2.5.1  ACADEMIC DISMISSAL
2.5.2  READMISSION

2.1. UNIVERSITY AND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CRITERIA

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Applicants for admission to a graduate degree-granting program of the University must meet the minimum standards set forth by the Florida Board of Regents and the University as well as the specific requirements set by that program.

2.1.1. MINIMUM GPA AND EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATES OF U.S.INSTITUTIONS

Effective: February 15, 2005

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President
Dean of the University Graduate School

POLICY

A college graduate seeking admission into a graduate program of the University must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited institution.

Each graduate program may establish its own admissions policies subject to review and approval by the School or College, the Graduate Council, the Faculty Senate, and the Provost.

If a program does not have an approved policy, the default University policy is 3.0 GPA and either the 40^th percentile (master's and professional doctorates) or the 60^th percentile (Ph.D.) on a nationally-normed examination.

2.1.2. REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATES OF NON-U.S. INSTITUTIONS

Effective: February 15, 2005

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President
Dean of the University Graduate School

POLICY

Graduates of non-U.S. institutions must be academically eligible for further study in the country where the degree was earned. International graduate student applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Each graduate program may establish its own section minimums on either the TOEFL or the IELTS subject to review and approval by the School or College, the Graduate Council, the Faculty Senate, and the Provost.

If a program does not have an approved policy, the default University policy is a total of 80 on the iBT TOEFL or 6.3 overall on the IELTS.

Any graduate student admitted under this policy who holds a Graduate Teaching Assistantship must obtain a minimum score of 26 in the speaking portion of the iBT TOEFL or 7 in the speaking portion of the IELTS.

2.1.3. FACULTY AND STAFF AS STUDENTS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Faculty, as defined by the Florida Administrative Code, may not pursue graduate degrees in the same school or college to which they are appointed.

University staff may pursue graduate degrees at FIU by meeting the necessary requirements for the desired programs.

2.2. ADMISSIONS PROCESS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Each academic unit or department offering graduate degrees will develop written policies and procedures governing admission to its programs. These will include the policies and procedures for accepting or denying admission and other information relevant to the admissions process.

All requests for specific academic program information, including admission requirements, should be directed to the department or other academic unit housing the degree program.

2.2.1. APPLICATION

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

The completed application with a non-refundable fee must be sent to the Office of Admissions. That office then promptly acknowledges receipt, notifies the applicant of any deficiencies (e.g. missing transcripts) and forwards all relevant documents to the academic unit housing the degree program. Submission deadlines are indicated in the Academic Calendar for each year.

The department or academic unit housing the degree program recommends students to the academic dean for admission. The Office of Admissions formally notifies the applicants.

2.2.2. RECORDS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Two official copies of all transcripts and test scores must be sent to the FIU Office of Admissions.

Official transcripts of academic records from each college or university attended must be forwarded by the institution. Transcripts in the possession of applicants will not be accepted. It is the responsibility of all degree-seeking applicants to make arrangements to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), as appropriate, and it is the responsibility of applicants to request that the Educational Testing Service mail the official test results directly to FIU. Foreign applicants whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and have their scores submitted directly to FIU by the Educational Testing Service. In addition, foreign applicants are required to submit financial statements verifying adequate financial resources.

Medical History Reports are required of all students by Student Health Services. Completion and clearance of medical history and immunization reports are required to validate registration. A medical history form will be mailed shortly after receipt of the application by the FIU Office of Admissions.

2.3. EXCEPTIONS, WAIVERS AND APPEALS
2.3.1. APPEALS PROCESS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

A student whose application for a graduate program is denied, but who meets the SUS standards for admission to graduate status, is allowed under Rule 6C-6.003 to seek the reason for rejection in writing.The applicant may request reconsideration by written petition to the University within thirty (30) days of the date of denial. The route for reconsideration is first to the graduate program of interest, then to the academic dean who, in consultation with the program, makes the final decision.

2.3.2. 10% ADMISSION WAIVERS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

A BOR policy allows up to 10% of graduate students admitted in any given academic year to be admitted as exceptions to the minimum requirements. To facilitate dissemination of this policy each graduate program must have the 10% waiver policy included in its graduate policies and procedures manual. An applicant who is denied admission because of failure to meet minimum GPA and examination requirements for admission must be informed of the 10% waiver policy. Admissions under this policy must be requested by the applicant and are subject to approval by the appropriate faculty admissions committee and by the academic dean.

2.3.3. ACADEMIC UNIT OR DEPARTMENT ADMISSION EXCEPTIONS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

In those cases where the admission standards of specific graduate programs are higher than SUS standards, the academic unit or department must have published policies and procedures specifying the basis on which exceptions from the higher standard may be made.

2.4. TRANSFER CREDIT
2.4.1. TRANSFER OF GRADUATE CREDITS FROM OTHER INSTITUTIONS

Effective: August 31, 2004

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President
Dean of the University Graduate School

POLICY

Doctoral programs may accept a maximum of 6 semester hours of graduate credit earned from another institution beyond a bachelor's degree. An exception is made for courses contained within an earned master's or doctoral degree. For such courses, the maximum is one fewer than half of the total credits required for the program. (See Section 3.3.1. for total number of credit hours required in doctoral programs.)

Masters programs may accept a maximum of 6 semester hours of graduate credit earned from another institution beyond a bachelor's degree. (See Section 3.3.2. for total number of credit hours required in masters programs.)

Acceptance of transfer credits for a course is dependent upon the following provisions:

• the student received a grade of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale
• the course was taken at an accredited institution
• the course was relevant, as judged by an appropriate committee of the department or program, to the graduate program in which the student is accepted
• the course is listed on an official transcript received by the Graduate Admissions
• the course will be no older than 6 years or 9 years at the time of graduation with a master's or doctoral degree, respectively (does not apply to credits earned as part of a completed graduate degree)

2.4.2. TRANSFER OF GRADUATE CREDIT HOURS EARNED AT FIU BY NON-DEGREE SEEKING STUDENTS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Non-degree-seeking students include students seeking admission to graduate degree programs who enroll prior to completing the requirements for admission. Enrollment as a non-degree-seeking student does not imply a right to future admission as a regular degree-seeking student. A maximum of 12 graduate level credit hours earned at FIU as a non-degree-seeking student may be counted toward a graduate degree provided they were earned within the six years preceding admission to the degree program.

2.4.3. WAIVER OF CREDIT LIMITS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Waiver of any of these limits requires approval by the degree granting program, the academic dean and the Dean of the University Graduate School as indicated on the form entitled: "Petition for Exception to Requirements." All graduate programs must specify the procedures for requesting and recommending procedures for exception.

2.4.4. CREDIT FOR NON-COLLEGE LEARNING

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Graduate credit will not be awarded for life experiences.

2.5. DISMISSAL AND READMISSION
2.5.1. ACADEMIC DISMISSAL

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Failure to maintain an acceptable GPA, as defined in 3.2.1, will result in academic warning, probation or dismissal according to University rules. A regularly admitted graduate student who has not been registered for three consecutive semesters (including the summer semester) is deemed dismissed unless a leave of absence has been approved (See Section 3.2.9.). A student who does not complete all requirements for a graduate degree within the time limit (See Section 2.6.) is dismissed.

2.5.2. RE-ADMISSION

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

A student who has been academically dismissed from a graduate program may apply for readmission to the same or any other graduate program at F.I.U. under the regulations in force at the time of reapplication. A period of at least one calendar year must elapse after the date of dismissal before an application for readmission will be accepted for consideration. When the application is for readmission to the same program, admissions criteria shall include consideration of previous performance in that graduate program in addition to the normal admission requirements.