How to Apply to Grad School
Ready to Start Your Graduate Degree Journey at Creighton?
You’ve made a smart decision in choosing the Graduate School at Creighton University to reach your degree goals. Your first step in this exciting journey is to review the full list of admission requirements and then submit a completed admissions application. We’re here to help with the rest.
If you have questions, our enrollment specialists are always ready with answers. Reach out to one directly any time you have questions about the process.
“A graduate degree is an investment—in both time and money. Creighton ensures our programs are flexible and accessible to as many people as possible. Students graduate ready to take what they’ve learned and apply it to make improvements in peoples’ lives. Creighton makes sure the investment is worth it.”
— Dustin Ormond, PhD | Assistant Professor, Heider College of Business
Admission Requirements
Admission requirements vary by program. Whether you already know which program you want to pursue or are still early in your graduate research process, you can explore a complete list of program offerings. Program-specific admissions requirements are outlined in full on each program detail page.
In general, most of Creighton’s graduate programs require that you have or provide the following:
- Bachelor’s degree with a recommended 3.0 GPA or higher. Some programs require a higher GPA and/or that you earned a bachelor’s degree in a related field.
Official transcripts from all educational institutions attended.
Resume or curriculum vitae.
Personal statement. Specific requirements are provided in the application process.
Letters of recommendation from persons other than friends or family members who can speak to your performance in an academic or professional setting. The number of letters required varies by program, and specific requirements are provided in the application.
Some programs have additional requirements that must be met. For example, certain programs require GRE, GMAT, Praxis or other test scores in addition to the standard requirements shown above. Find a complete list of admission requirements by visiting the program page for your intended field of study.
Conditional Admission
If you have an undergraduate degree but are unable to meet the other requirements for your program, you may be eligible for admission on a conditional basis. Conditional admission allows you to complete up to six credit hours of graduate-level coursework before gaining full admittance. See the program page for your desired field of study for more details and to find out if it accepts students with conditional admission. For more information, contact an enrollment specialist for one-on-one guidance.
International Applicants
English Language Proficiency Requirements
English Language Proficiency is an important part of the application process for those whose first language is not English. The Faculty Admission Committee for each Creighton graduate program has the discretion to determine individual standards for how this requirement will be met using one or more of the following:
- Your English language exam scores. See below for the exams currently allowed and minimum scores accepted.
- Completion of an undergraduate degree from one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guam, Ireland, Jamaica, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Scotland, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States, and Virgin Islands.
- Individual graduate programs have the discretion to utilize face-to-face interviews or other means to verify that English language proficiency has been met.
General Requirements
| TOEFL Score | 90 or above (no section below 20) |
|---|---|
| IELTS Score | Overall 6.5 (no section below 6.0) |
| Duolingo Score | 110 or above |
Nursing Programs Only
| TOEFL Score | 100 or above (no section below 20) |
|---|---|
| IELTS Score | Overall 7.0 (no section below 6.0) |
| Duolingo Score | 120 or above |
Certification of Available Finances
International applicants who are formally admitted to an on-campus program must complete and submit a Certification of Available Finances Form through the Global Engagement Office.
International applicants who are formally admitted to an on-campus program must complete and submit a Certification of Available Finances Form, which will be available to you in your Student Portal with additional instructions on how to obtain and/or transfer your visa.
Application Deadlines
In order to ensure that all necessary paperwork is completed in time for your intended start date, international applicants should submit their materials three months prior to the beginning of the class.
Transcript Evaluations
If you attended a university outside of the United States, we require an official credit evaluation of your transcripts. Credit evaluations must be completed by a NACES-approved service. SpanTran is our recommended international transcript evaluation service. They have created a custom application for Creighton University that will ensure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. You can access their application here: SpanTran Application - Creighton University.
Transfer Credits
A graduate student who has taken a graduate-level course at another accredited institution which the student believes will substitute for a required or elective course in the graduate program at Creighton University may request transfer credit for the course. Only courses completed within the last seven (7) years, and courses in which the student earned a grade of A or B may be considered for transfer credit. Ordinarily, not more than six (6) transfer credits can be applied toward a master’s program.
Steps to Transfer Credits
- Access and fill out the Request for Transfer Credit.
- Submit the transfer form, along with syllabus and transcript for each requested course, to your program director.
- The program director will evaluate the transfer request. Upon review, Graduate School will grant or deny the transfer request. Approved transfer credits will be reflected on the student’s transcript, however, the credits will not be calculated in the student’s grade point average.
- Graduate School will send an official letter to the student with the transfer decision.
