The following items must be submitted to the Office of Academic Programs before an application for admission will be processed:
International students are encouraged to apply for graduate study in the William & Mary School of Education. The admission process of foreign students considers English language proficiency and academic qualifications.
English Language Proficiency
Applicants whose native language is not English must submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores to the Office of Academic Programs. Although a minimum score for admission has not been issued, international students who are typically admitted score at least 100 on the internet version of the TOEFL exam (or comparable score on other versions of the exam) or at least a 7 on the IELTS. Scores more than 2 years old cannot be reported or verified by the testing center.
Required Academic Qualifications
International students that have been awarded the baccalaureate degree (or its equivalent) from any institution other than a U.S. regionally accredited institution of higher education, must submit official copies of all transcripts from every college or university attended and certified literal translations where needed. These transcripts must show courses, grades received, annual mark sheets, examination sheets, and completion certificates as they apply in the student’s home country. Official copies must bear the seal of the issuing institution and the actual signature of the college or university registrar. Applicants pursuing a licensure program should submit an evaluation of foreign credits from an evaluator, such as World Education Services (WES).
An individual may apply to more than one degree program, but may only enroll in one degree program at a time. A student may take second-program courses, but cannot officially start the next degree program until the first degree is completed, or the student withdraws from the first program. Courses taken toward the second degree program while still in the first program must adhere to the policies pertaining to transfer credit.
Faculty in each department will review applications and recommend applicants for admission, wait list, deferred admission, or denial of admission. In general, students are selected on the basis of their academic preparation [quality of their undergraduate institution, undergraduate GPA and graduate GPA if applicable, and test scores], letters of recommendation, scholastic ability, professional work or volunteer experience, and commitment toward a career in education.
Admissions requirements do not state a minimum grade point average or standardized entrance examination score cutoff to be considered for admission. Instead, the program faculty will holistically review all completed applications to select the students with the most competitive characteristics on the admissions criteria.
The Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs can recommend to the faculty a review of candidates for off-cycle admission only upon the presentation of a compelling need for such a review. Off-cycle review of applications will be considered only when warranted by extenuating circumstances. Students seeking an off-cycle review must provide evidence that postponing the review until the next admissions cycle would create a severe hardship. Program faculty seeking an off-cycle review of a student must provide documentation in support of the review.
All applicants will receive official notification of admission decisions from the Office of Academic Programs immediately following action by the program faculty.
Students must submit the enrollment deposit in order to accept the admission offer. Students are assigned an advisor upon admission and are advised to contact the advisor as soon as possible following notice of admission.
Note: Students who accept an offer of admission but who fail to matriculate within two semesters after the formal date of entry will be withdrawn from the respective degree program. If a student wishes to pursue a graduate education degree at a later time, the student will need to reapply through the standard application and admission review process.
Students interested in deferring admission for one year must make the admission deposit in order to hold the space, and must notify the Office of Academic Programs of the intention to defer. A student can defer admission for no more than one year, after which time the admission to the School of Education will be withdrawn.
In cases where an admission decision has been deferred by the faculty, applicants will be required to furnish additional evidence of their aptitude for graduate study or other additional, pertinent information. After receipt of the requested additional information, the application will be reconsidered by the program faculty,
An applicant may request an exception to application policies and procedures by addressing an appeal to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs.
If an applicant is denied admission, the applicant may request reconsideration by addressing an appeal to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs. The appeal should include all available evidence and/or documentation that might indicate that the application decision may not have represented an accurate evaluation of demonstrated ability.