Apply
Congratulations on taking the first step toward becoming a graduate student at ECU! We commend you for your decision to seek admission and embark on a new educational journey that has the potential to enhance your career and earning potential. Welcome to the Pirate Nation!
Preparing to Apply
If you’re contemplating applying and need a sense of what is expected as part of the application process, select this option.
Preparing to Apply Information
Start to Application
Click here if you need to create an account and have already:
- Reviewed the ‘Preparing to Apply’ information
- Identified the application deadline for your intended program of study
- Reviewed the required materials for admission to your program of interest
Return to Application
If you have already created an account and wish to:
- Start/Complete an Application
- Upload Graduate Supplemental Documents (after submission of application)
- Check the status of required application materials
- Review/Change your recommender(s)
- View your decision Letter
- Schedule a tour
- View Graduate School resources
If you have been admitted:
- Respond to your offer of admission
- View your Next Steps
Check Your Application Status
After you apply, please be sure to retain your account username and password. You will be able to check the status of your application by logging into your Self-Service Center. You will receive occasional emails letting you know about missing documents as well as when your application is complete and sent to your program for review.
Once the application is sent to the program for review and decision, the Graduate Admissions office can no longer update you on the status of your application. Some programs review and make admission decisions as soon as the application is received; others review their full pool of applicants at one time. For information about the timeline for an admission decision, please contact your program directly. Consequently, you are strongly encouraged to proactively monitor your application status by logging into your Graduate Student Center at least weekly.
Admission Types
Admissions to a graduate program at ECU is based on an evaluation of an applicant’s overall record, experience, personal qualifications, and proposed area of study. Applications and supporting credentials are reviewed by the Office of Graduate Admissions and by the graduate program to which you seek admission. The criteria used for admission decisions vary according to programs and schools/colleges and reflect an evaluation of the applicant’s potential for graduate work. The Graduate Council established guidelines for admission types, and those types are identified below.
Regular Admission – applicant meets or exceeds programs admission standards.
Admission by Exception – applicant doesn’t meet one or more of the program admission standards but has other offsetting strengths as identified in the holistic review process that provides reasonable assurance that the applicant can successfully navigate the curriculum. Admission by exception requires the student to earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the first 9 or more completed hours to remain in the program. Students who are admitted under Admit by Exception status will still have the AE designation on their record and will have to meet the academic requirements as such, but the AE hold will NOT prevent registration in the subsequent terms. Students will still be reviewed each term to document whether they are making progress toward a 3.0 or not.
Provisional Admission – Applicant is determined to be admissible, but one or more required final documents have not yet been received by the Graduate School at the time of admission. Most often, this refers to an official final transcript with the degree and conferral date posted or a copy of a license required by the program. The student is allowed to register for the first term of admission and is able to apply for financial aid, but the aid will not be applied until the required document is received by the Graduate School. Registration for future terms is restricted pending receipt of the final document. Students admitted provisionally can attain full graduate standing and receive their financial aid award after submitting the required missing document(s).
Conditional Admission (international) – Programs may elect to participate in conditional admission, which is reserved for international applicants only. Conditional admission is a deferred admission type. Programs who choose to engage in conditional admission basically agree to review an international applicants’ credentials without the submission of a TOEFL or IELTS score and possibly entrance exam scores for the specific purpose of seeing whether the applicant would be admissible for a future semester pending successful completion of ECU’s Language Academy (ECULA) or a degree program in the US prior to full admission to ECU. Applicants pursuing conditional admission still must submit all other required items. Upon successful completion of the language academy and any other condition of admission, the applicant would then be eligible for regular admission and may begin taking graduate courses at ECU.
Admission Decisions
When the program selection committee or program director makes a decision about an applicants admissibility, you will receive an email prompting you to log into your Graduate Student Portal to review your official decision letter. Decision letters will reflect one of three potential decisions – accepted, waitlisted or denied. Only limited programs utilize a waitlist option and they are generally for programs that are in the health professions.
Respond to Your Offer of Admission
If you were extended an offer of admission, we would love to for you to let us know if you’re planning to attend ECU. Please notify us of your intent to enroll by logging into your Graduate Student Portal and viewing your decision letter. There, you will have the option to either ‘Accept Offer’ or ‘Decline Offer’. NOTE: Accept or Declining your offer is non-binding. If you change your mind at any point, please contact our office and we’d be happy to update your application accordingly.
- Accepted – I hereby confirm my intent to enroll as a graduate student at East Carolina University
- Declined – I will not enroll and hereby forfeit my acceptance as a graduate student at East Carolina University. I understand that if I change my mind, I must submit a new application.
- Deferred – I request to defer my graduate admission offer because I am unable to attend this year/semester. I understand that I must secure program approval to defer to a subsequent term and my admission term will not be changed until the program director has contacted the Graduate Admission Office to approve the change.
Questions about the application process may be directed to the Graduate School by emailing gradschool@ecu.edu or calling 252-328-6012