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How to Apply to Graduate Programs

Drury University > Graduate Studies > How to Apply to Graduate Programs

Application Deadlines

The College of Graduate Studies has application deadlines for each semester of instruction (Fall, Spring, and Summer) as well as for the second session period within each semester (8-week, B Block courses). Students seeking admission into a master’s program must submit all required materials by the deadline for their anticipated start date. Individuals missing a deadline due to an incomplete application will be encouraged to complete their application prior to the start of the next available academic session (semester or block).

Application deadlines are as follows:

  Full Semester & A Block B Block
Summer 2023 May 25 N/A
Fall 2023 August 11 October 13
Spring 2024 January 5 March 8

What type of applicant are you?

Graduate Degree or Certificate (U.S. Student)

Admission to Drury University’s College of Graduate Studies require the following. Additional program-specific requirements may exist. Please check for your program of interest’s requirements at the bottom of this page.

Baccalaureate degree. Applicants for admission to graduate study must hold a baccalaureate or equivalent degree from an accredited four-year college or university.

Two references. Your references must be academic and/or professional contacts. You may not use a family member as a reference. In your application, you will be asked to provide the name, title, email, and phone number for each reference. More than two references may be submitted. Your references will be sent a questionnaire and asked to submit a letter of recommendation or to provide comments in a text box. Get in touch with your references ahead of time so that they can prepare.

Personal Statement. You will be asked to submit a statement of approximately 500 words indicating your professional goal(s) and desire to earn a master’s degree or graduate certificate from Drury University.

Resume. A resume or CV is not required, but strongly encouraged for MBA, Communication, and Nonprofit and Civic Leadership applicants.

GPA Requirement. Most programs require a minimum 3.0 GPA earned from your undergraduate institution. See program-specific requirements below to check if your program of interest has different requirements.

How to apply:

  1. Complete this online application form

  2. Pay the $25 application fee (waived for active-duty military and veterans).

  3. Request official transcripts from the college or university that awarded your bachelor’s degree AND if you are seeking teacher certification, submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities ever attended. The issuing institution must send transcripts to Drury University College of Graduate Studies (electronically to grad@drury.edu or via mail). We can not accept transcripts directly from applicants.

    Drury Students –
    If you earned your bachelor’s degree from Drury, we will add your official Drury University transcripts to your file for you. No action is needed from you.

  4. Notify your references to expect an email from druryad@drury.edu containing a link to our recommendation form.If you wish to send a recommendation reminder (after submitting your application) please log in to your application portal and follow the directions on the screen.

  5. Your personal statement and resume may be uploaded while completing the online application, or via the application portal after submission.

Graduate Degree or Certificate (International Student)

If you have questions about visa procedures, financial documentation, or health insurance for international students, please contact Barry Armstrong, Director of International Support Services at barmstrong004@drury.edu or 417.873.7885.

F-1 Student Visa Considerations for Graduate International Students

International students who intend to study in the United States and apply for an F-1 visa should note that only a few of Drury’s graduate programs meet the seated course requirement for the F-1 visa. The programs that comply with this requirement are:

Visa maintenance is the responsibility of the student.

New Students: To enroll in a U.S. university, international students must be fully admitted as full-time students. Students who are accepted to the university are issued a Form I-20, the government Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant Student Status. This document, the letter of acceptance, and complete documentation of financial resources are then presented to the U.S. Consulate in the student’s home country in application for an F-1 student visa. After students have a complete and accurate Form I-20 they must pay the I-901 SEVIS fee (fmjfee.com).

Transfer Students: International students who seek to transfer from a U.S. college or university and already have F-1 student visa status are granted a new I-20 once they have successfully had their SEVIS record transferred from their previous institution. SEVIS Transfer forms may be sent to iss@drury.edu for processing.

College of Graduate Studies Admission Requirements

Admission to Drury University’s College of Graduate Studies requires the following of international students: *(Additional program-specific requirements may exist. Please check for your program of interest’s requirements at the bottom of this page.)

Baccalaureate degree. Applicants for admission to graduate study must hold a baccalaureate or equivalent degree from an accredited four-year college or university.

Transcript Evaluations (for non-American baccalaureate degrees). Drury University requires transcript evaluations of all post-secondary education earned outside the United States. Evaluations must be documented by a recognized international credential evaluator. Drury accepts evaluations from World Education Services, Inc., Educational Credential Evaluators, and SpanTran: TEC. Evaluations must be submitted in terms of U.S. semester credits, grade equivalents, grade point average, and authentication of documents. Drury reserves the right to interpret the evaluation report to be consistent with institutional transfer policy guidelines.

Two references. Your references must be academic and/or professional contacts. You may not use a family member as a reference. In your application, you will be asked to provide the name, title, email, and phone number for each reference. More than two references may be submitted. Your references will be sent a questionnaire and asked to submit a letter of recommendation or to provide comments in a text box. Get in touch with your references ahead of time so that they can prepare.

Personal Statement. You will be asked to submit a statement of approximately 500 words indicating your professional goal(s) and desire to earn a master’s degree or graduate certificate from Drury University.

Resume. A resume or CV is not required, but strongly encouraged for MBA, Communication, and Nonprofit and Civic Leadership applicants.

GPA Requirement. Most programs require a minimum 3.0 GPA earned from your undergraduate institution. See program-specific requirements below to check if your program of interest has different requirements.

Proof of English Proficiency. Proof of an applicant’s proficiency in English is required if English is not the official language of the applicant’s home country.

  • A valid, non-expired Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score: 80 (minimum)

OR

  • A valid, non-expired University of Cambridge International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score: 6.5 (minimum)

OR

  • Completed at least two years of full-time college-level study at a school in a country where English is the official

Documentation of Financial Resources.

The Department of Homeland Security requires that international applicants document all sources of funding before the university can issue the form I-20. The U.S. Government and Drury want students to be well-informed and well-prepared to cover expenses before applying for admission and entering the U.S. All financial documents are verified for authenticity.

International applicants are asked to provide documentation of sufficient financial resources to cover costs of the first year of studies (USD $20,000-$24,000 estimated cost). Documentation includes:

  • Applicant’s bank statement(s) with a current (within the past six months) balance of the account(s) including the bank’s mailing address, telephone and fax numbers;

OR

  • A sponsor(s)’s bank statement(s) with a current (within the past six months) balance of the account(s) including the bank’s mailing address, telephone and fax number, AND an affidavit of support from the sponsor(s) stating they will support the applicant during their education at Drury University.

International Student Health Insurance. International students are required by Drury University to have health insurance. Drury offers health insurance through Aetna (administered by LewerMark Student Insurance). Detailed information about the plan and how to petition for a waiver can be obtained by contacting International Student Services at iss@drury.edu. The annual (1 August – 31 July) costs are subject to change.

How to apply:

  1. Complete this online application form
  2. Pay the $25 application fee.
  3. Request official transcripts from the college or university that awarded your bachelor’s degree. The issuing institution must send transcripts to Drury University College of Graduate Studies (electronically to grad@drury.edu or via mail). We cannot accept transcripts directly from applicants.

    Drury Students –
    If you earned your bachelor’s degree from Drury, we will add your official Drury University transcripts to your file for you. No action is needed from you.

  4. Request transcript evaluations for bachelor’s degrees earned outside of the U.S. Evaluations must be from World Education Services, Inc. (wes.org), Educational Credential Evaluators (ece.org), or SpanTran (spantran.com). Evaluation must be submitted in terms of U.S. semester credits, grade equivalents, grade point average, and authentication of documents. Evaluations must be sent to grad@drury.eduWe cannot accept transcript evaluations directly from applicants.

  5. Notify your references to expect an email from druryad@drury.edu containing a link to our recommendation form. We cannot accept letters of recommendations directly from applicants.
  6. Your personal statement and resume may be uploaded while completing the online application, or via the Status Portal after submission.
  7. Your proof of English proficiency and documentation of financial resources can be uploaded through your Status Portal after submission.
  8. Proof of health insurance will be submitted to the Director of International Support Services and won’t be required until after admission to the graduate school.

Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies

Our Physician Assistant Studies program follows a different admissions process. Please visit this page to learn about admission requirements, program costs, and a link to the online application.

U.S. Active-Duty Military and Veterans

Follow the application process outlined above for Graduate Degree or Certificate (U.S. Student). The $25 application fee will be waived for you.

Then, visit this page to learn more about the benefits available to you.

Visiting (Non-Degree Seeking) Student

Students who wish to take graduate-level courses for personal or professional development, and do not wish to pursue a master’s degree or graduate certificate, may do so by seeking approval to take coursework as a visiting student.

Visiting students are allowed to take a maximum of 9 graduate credit hours.

How to apply:

  1. Complete this online application form
  2. Pay the $25 application fee (waived for active-duty military and veterans).

  3. Request official transcripts from the college or university that awarded your bachelor’s degree. The issuing institution must send transcripts to Drury University College of Graduate Studies (electronically to grad@drury.edu or via mail). We can not accept transcripts directly from applicants.

Drury Students –
If you earned your bachelor’s degree from Drury, we will add your official Drury University transcripts to your file for you. No action is needed from you.

Additional Requirements by Program

Master in Business Administration (MBA) Applicant

Follow the application process outlined above for either Graduate Degree or Certificate (U.S. Student) or Graduate Degree or Certificate (International Student).

The MBA has the three additional application requirements.

  1. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0. However, this requirement may be waived if additional evidence of academic promise is presented (e.g., high GMAT score, extensive professional experience, strong letters of recommendation).
  2. Potential for Program Completion requirement. All MBA applicants must demonstrate potential for successful completion of the MBA program. This requirement can be satisfied in one of the following three ways:
      • Minimum GMAT score of 450;
      • OR an undergraduate GPA of 3.5+;
      • OR 4+ years of business experience

    • The program director will review your resume and transcripts first to determine if a GMAT score is necessary.
  1. Business Prerequisites. MBA applicants must have a foundational knowledge of business concepts. This requirement can be satisfied in one of two ways:
    • A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater in the following courses (or approved equivalents) from an approved institution:
      • Statistics
      • Financial Accounting
      • Managerial Accounting
      • Microeconomics
      • Macroeconomics
      • Corporate Finance
      • Principles of Management
      • Principles of Marketing;
    • OR successful completion of MBA Boot Camp; a 5-week course offered each summer. Click here for more information on MBA Boot Camp.

      The program director will review your transcripts first to determine if MBA Boot Camp is necessary.

Master in Education or Dyslexia Certificate Applicant

Follow the application process outlined above for either Graduate Degree or Certificate (U.S. Student).

Master in Education applicants (regardless of program) are required to have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 from the degree-conferring institution.

Master in Education, DATSE Applicant

Follow the application process outlined above for either Graduate Degree or Certificate (U.S. Student).

The DATSE program has two additional application requirements.

  1. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 from the degree-conferring institution.
  2. Admission interview with the School of Education and Child Development. This will be scheduled after all other required materials are submitted for graduate admission.

Business Venture Leadership Certificate Applicant

Follow the application process outlined above for either Graduate Degree or Certificate (U.S. Student) or Graduate Degree or Certificate (International Student).

The Business Venture Leadership Certificate has the three additional application requirements.

  1. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0. However, this requirement may be waived if additional evidence of academic promise is presented (e.g., high GMAT score, extensive professional experience, strong letters of recommendation).
  2. Potential for certificate completion requirement. All Business Venture Leadership Certificate applicants must demonstrate potential for successful completion of the certificate. This requirement can be satisfied in one of the following three ways:
    • Minimum GMAT score of 450;
    • OR an undergraduate GPA of 3.5+;
    • OR 4+ years of business experience

The program director will review your resume and transcripts first to determine if a GMAT score is necessary.

  1. Business prerequisites. Business Venture Leadership Certificate applicants must have a foundational knowledge of business concepts. This requirement can be satisfied in one of two ways:
    • A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater in the following courses (or approved equivalents) from an approved institution:
      • Statistics
      • Financial Accounting
      • Managerial Accounting
      • Microeconomics
      • Macroeconomics
      • Corporate Finance
      • Principles of Management
      • Principles of Marketing;
    • OR successful completion of MBA Bootcamp; a 3-week course offered in July prior to the start of the program. Click here for more information on MBA Bootcamp.

The program director will review your transcripts first to determine if MBA Bootcamp is necessary.

Data Leadership Certificate Applicant

Follow the application process outlined above for either Graduate Degree or Certificate (U.S. Student).

It is recommended, though not required, that Data Leadership Certificate applicants have previous exposure to statistics. Individuals with a limited background in statistics are encouraged to discuss educational resources in statistical foundations that can be consulted prior to enrollment.