Common Materials for your Graduate Application

If you’ve made the decision to attend graduate school, congratulations! Graduate school is a significant life change that requires lots of time, money, and dedication. Here are a few common application materials that almost all graduate programs require:

Letters of Recommendation: 

Be sure that you have at least 2-3 references on hand that are ready to write you a letter of recommendation. I would recommend at least one academic and one professional reference. If you’re applying to more than one school, be sure to let your references know. It’s also helpful to give them the application deadline so they know when to submit your letter.

Resume/CV

Some applications only require a resume, but others may require a full curriculum vitae (CV). The difference between the two is easy to distinguish. A resume normally only includes roles and details that are relevant to the role/program. A CV will contain all of your professional and academic details including volunteer work, any publications, and all professional experience.

Portfolios/Sample Work

If you are applying for a program that requires additional samples of your work, it’s helpful to have your portfolio at the ready. For example, if you are wanting a degree in Writing, many of these programs will ask you for a portfolio of your work including research papers, literature reviews, journal articles, etc. If you are applying for a degree in architecture, it may be helpful to combine your previous project plans into a PDF to show the variety of projects you’ve worked on. Work from internships, prior academic projects, or even volunteer work will still count! Add it to your portfolio!

Test Scores

While more schools are waiving the GRE/GMAT, it’s important to make sure your programs do not require any specific tests needed. If you’re a student coming from a country that does not speak English, there is often an English test required with your application. The 2 most common tests are the TOEFL or IELTS. If you're applying to a law or medical program, I highly recommend taking practice LSAT or MCAT tests in preparation.

Application Fees

Applications are expensive, sometimes fees go as high as $200 per application. Some programs will offer fee waivers based on financial need if you have documentation supporting your need. Other programs will offer "fee-waiver" events where if you attend an information session or webinar, your application fee might be waived. It never hurts to ask your specific Admissions Counselor what options are for a fee waiver if you need one.