School of Graduate Studies

Application Information

The School of Graduate Studies at Clayton State University welcomes your application for graduate study. The information in this packet includes instructions and all materials needed to complete an application for admission to graduate study at Clayton State University. These materials include:

Individual departments often have additional requirements, which are not provided herein. You must contact the department to which you are applying for information about special requirements, supplemental materials and departmental deadlines. Most of your questions concerning the admissions process will be answered if you read this information carefully.

Basic Requirements

Persons seeking admission to the Clayton State University Graduate Studies must hold a baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by an appropriate regional accrediting association or its international equivalent prior to the expected semester of matriculation.

Applicants are responsible for submitting all application materials required by the University and department by the application deadline. These items are described in this publication and include, but are not limited to, the following:

Application materials required by the Graduate School should be submitted in one envelope to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Applicants must be admitted to the Graduate School before they are eligible to register. Official acceptance is conveyed to the applicant in a formal letter issued by the Office of Graduate Admissions. Admission is granted for a specific semester and is validated by registration for that semester.

An applicant wishing to defer an application to a future semester should first consult with the academic department. An applicant may submit a one-time deferment request to Graduate Admissions in the School of Graduate Studies, as long as the request occurs prior to the start of the original semester of matriculation. After the original semester of matriculation has begun, the applicant must submit a new application and application fee to defer an application to a future semester. Deferred applications are referred to the department for reconsideration and a new admissions recommendation.

Admission to a Degree Program

Admission to Graduate Studies is separate from admissions to a graduate degree program. Applicants for particular degree programs must also complete admission requirements for that program in addition to the admissions to Graduate Studies.

An applicant may have no more than two applications for graduate degree programs current at any given time. An applicant who adds a second application for a new program or changes the current application to a new program is responsible for ensuring that all supplemental requirements and materials of the new academic department, including letters of recommendation, are sent to the new department.

Academic departments may refuse admission to applicants whose files are incomplete after the beginning of the semester of expected matriculation and when the applicants have not requested deferrals to future semesters.

The application and supporting documents become the property of the University and cannot be returned or forwarded elsewhere.

Communication

To expedite application processing and provide timely information, Graduate Admissions will communicate with applicants primarily by email, unless email correspondence is not possible. Notification of admissions decisions will be by official letter from the Graduate School.

Applicants are encouraged to provide a web-based email address that will remain valid regardless of changes made in the internet provider services. Email addresses that are provided by applicants will be used only for the purpose of carrying out admissions business.

Important: Email accounts need to have adequate memory; and message filters need to be set appropriately to be sure that messages are not filtered from your mailbox before you can view them. Applicants should check email messages frequently.

International Applicants Only

Certification of Finances, Financial Statement, and Visa Information Form (International Applicants)
Certification of finances must be completed before the Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20 or DS-2019) is issued. The University is required by immigration authorities to verify the financial resources of each applicant prior to issuing the Form I-20 or DS-2019; therefore, it is important that the applicant knows the costs of attending the University and has the necessary support funds for the entire period of enrollment. The Certification of Financial Responsibility form must be completed, signed by the sponsor, and verified by the sponsor’s bank or financial institution. The total amount of funds available to the student must be listed for each year and must equal the total estimate of institutional costs and living expenses. All questions on the Certification of Financial Responsibility form must be accurately answered to avoid unnecessary delay in processing. The Financial Statement and Visa Information Form must also be completed, signed, and returned to the School of Graduate Studies.