The Graduate School Admissions Office

Mission Statement

The mission of the Graduate School Admissions Office is to efficiently and effectively process all applications for admission and applications for readmission/change of status for over 150 graduate programs that are part of the Graduate School and to provide support and information to students, faculty, staff, and other constituents.

We fulfill this mission by:

• Processing over 14,000 applications annually for over 150 graduate programs on the Twin Cities, Duluth, and Rochester campuses.
• Issuing the student visa form I-20 for all 2,594 international graduate students currently enrolled at the University of Minnesota.
• Authenticating and reviewing domestic and international transcripts and credentials and reviewing program application decisions.
• Managing the Apply Yourself online application system - including the development, maintenance, and assessment of numerous automated processes from database systems and providing training and support to each graduate program.
• Providing top quality service to prospective graduate students, student applicants, currently enrolled graduate students, faculty, program staff, university colleagues, and higher education partners throughout the United States and abroad.
• Developing and maintaining computer systems and resolving software issues for department/program users.
• Coordination of workshops and trainings related to Graduate Admissions.
• Providing accurate and timely information about the University of Minnesota and its commitment to enrolling a diverse student population by attending graduate and professional school fairs and receptions in Minnesota, the Upper Midwest Region, nationally, and internationally.
• Providing online resources for applicants and graduate programs.
• Supporting a diverse student body in recruiting, funding, retention, and graduation with strategies for clarifying goals, selecting an appropriate graduate program, preparing the best possible graduate school application, and funding graduate work through assistantships and fellowships.
• Encouraging undergraduate students to consider graduate study by participating in research and other academic projects outside of their regular coursework.
• Participation on campus-wide, regional, and international task forces and committees.