Graduate Degree Admission

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, comparable in standard and content to a bachelor’s degree from Hunter College.

Degrees granted on the basis of work completed at institutions which are not fully accredited, or on the basis of nonacademic prior learning, test scores, and other than organized supervised course work in academic subjects may not be considered comparable.

The student must demonstrate ability to pursue graduate work successfully. In general, the minimum requirements for consideration are an undergraduate average of B in the area in which the student wishes to specialize and an average of B- in the undergraduate record as a whole.

School of Arts and Sciences Programs

For admission in the School of Arts and Sciences, the student is generally required to present at least 18 credits of previous work in the area of specialization and two letters of reference. See specific program descriptions for additional requirements.

School of Education Programs

For admission to the School of Education, the student is generally required to present a liberal arts or science major of at least 30 credits. Some programs require coursework in the subject area. See specific program descriptions for detailed requirements.

To access the Graduate Admission Online Application account, you must first create your Online Application account by entering basic information and creating a username and password.

Once you have created your account, login with your username and password to begin.

Application instructions are available within the online application, please be sure to review and follow these instruction as you complete each section of the application to ensure that you are doing so accurately. If your application is successfully submitted you will receive an e-mail confirmation.

Be sure to start your application early, so that you are allow enough time to complete all the required and conditionally required questions prior to the deadline for your program.

Your application must include a Statement of Purpose of approximately 500 words indicating your purposes and objectives in undertaking graduate study, your special interests and plans, and your strengths and weakness in your chosen field. In reviewing applications, considerable importance is placed on the applicant’s relevant experience as well as his or her interest in and commitment to advanced study and professional development.

The Statement of Purpose should be uploaded to the online application prior to submission and should be typed in a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial.

Some graduate programs have specific requirements for the Statement of Purpose, including:

• Art History
• Creative Writing
• Counseling Programs
• Studio Art

Please visit the program’s webpage for details.

Some programs may require a 400-600 word supplemental essay, such as:

• Animal Behavior and Conservation
• Applied Behavior Analysis
• Counseling Programs
• Dance and Dance Education
• EdD Instructional Leadership
• Integrated Media Arts
• Playwriting
• Psychology
• Social Work

Not all programs that require a supplemental essay may be listed here. For other programs, the Supplemental Essay may be optional.

Please visit the specific graduate program’s webpage for more information.

In support of your application, Hunter College requires you to scan and upload transcripts from all college, university, and/or post-secondary institutions you have attended, including graduate and undergraduate institutions where you earned (or will earn) a degree, studied for one semester or more, or study abroad.

When applying to a graduate degree program at Hunter College, except for the Silberman School of Social Work, copies of original academic transcripts (in the native language) must be submitted and show the dates of enrollment; the subjects or courses taken; the units, credits or time allotted to each subject per term or year; marks or rating in each subject and, if rank is determined, rank in the total class or group. Evidence of conferral of all degrees, diplomas or professional titles must also be submitted.

Non-US Academic Credentials

If these documents are issued in a language other than English, they must be submitted with authorized, complete and exact English translations.

In addition, Hunter College now requires that applicants submit course – by – course evaluation reports of their non-US studies by one of the following private evaluation services listed below. Evaluations of academic transcripts can serve as English translations.

• Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. – https://acei-global.org/evaluation-services/
• Education Credential Evaluation Inc. – https://www.ece.org/
• Evaluation Service Inc. – http://www.evaluationservice.net/
• Foreign Credential Evaluations, Inc. – https://fceatlanta.net/
• International Education Evaluations (IEE) – https://myiee.org/
• Josef Silny & Associates Inc., International Education Consultants https://www.jsilny.org/ – Foreign Credential Evaluation Application Hunter College CUNY-Graduate 
• Scholaro – https://www.scholaro.com/reports/credential-evaluation
• SpanTran: The Evaluation Company – https://www.spantran.com/
• World Evaluation Services, Inc. – https://www.wes.org/

Silberman School of Social Work

Click the link below to see additional instructions for submitting non-US transcripts to the School of Social Work.

As an additional means of evaluating the qualifications of applicants, several graduate programs require completion of the nationally standardized competency exams such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).

If GRE or GMAT scores are required for the program to which you are applying, direct the Educational Testing Service (ETS) (www.gre.org) or the Graduate Management Admissions Council (www.gmac.com) to send your GRE or GMAT scores to Hunter College, Graduate Admissions Office.

Institutional Code for Hunter College:

• GRE scores : 2301 – graduate
• GMAT scores : 282 – 41- 20

It is strongly suggested that all nationally administered examinations be taken no later than February for fall admission and no later than September for spring admission.  An applicant’s likelihood of admission may be seriously jeopardized by failure to submit test scores by the application deadline.

TOEFL, TSE and TWE: Applicants whose native language is not English and whose post-secondary education was in a country where English is not the native language must present Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores. Admission is offered only to those students who are fully prepared in English as demonstrated by the TOEFL or IELTS.

Applications for students who are required to submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) will not be considered without the test scores.

The following minimum scores must be obtained:

• TOEFL iBT: 80/ Paper Based Test: 550/ Computer Administered Test: 233 (For information on taking the TOEFL, visit www.TOEFL.org)
• IELTS: 6.5 Overall Band Score (For information on taking the IELTS, visit www.ielts.org)

Please refer to the specific graduate program webpage to verify if the graduate degree program you wish to apply to requires TOEFL/IELTS scores that are higher than the College’s minimum requirement.

*The Duolingo Test is not acceptable for graduate studies.

Sending Your Official TOEFL Score Report

School of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, Communication Sciences, Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Nursing, Nutrition or Physical Therapy

• Direct the Educational Testing Service (ETS) (www.TOEFL.org) to send your official TOEFL scores to Hunter College, Graduate Admissions Office, institutional code is 2301.

Silberman School of Social Work

• Direct the Educational Testing Service (ETS) (www.TOEFL.org) to send your TOEFL scores to the School of Social Work, institutional code is 2308.

Sending Your Official IELTS Score Report

• Click here for more information, and please be sure to select ‘Hunter College’

In the Work History section, upload a copy of your resume to provide detailed information of your professional experience.

If the program you are applying to requires additional information, the system will prompt you to complete a supplemental section.

Through the online application, applicants must list the identities of at least two (2) people (three for applicants to the Integrated Media Arts Program) who will submit letters of recommendation on their behalf.

Recommendations should be provided from employers, supervisors, professors, or others who are able to comment on your professional and educational goals and potential (no friends or relatives please).

Applicants are not permitted to inspect letters of recommendation in their Hunter files.

Only students who are admitted and currently enrolled in a graduate degree program at Hunter College may make an appointment with the Graduate Admissions Office to view their letters of recommendation unless the right of access has been waived on the form.

Applicants to the School of Social Work

Applicants to the One Year Residence Program may count their Agency Executive Reference Letter from the agency where you are currently employed as one of the two required recommendations. Applicants to the Advanced Standing Program must obtain recommendations (“Advanced Standing Core Competency Forms” found under Downloadable Forms Section) from their undergraduate faculty advisor and from the field instructor for their most recent undergraduate placement. These will count as the two required recommendations.

Click the “Check Your Application” link to verify the completeness of your application before it is submitted. If all required or conditionally required fields are not complete, the system will identify which questions still need answers.

Please note that this section refers only to the minimum number of questions required by the system before submission is allowed.

A non-refundable $75 application processing fee is required to submit your application for consideration. The application fee is payable by credit card, check or money order.  Applications submitted without the fee will not processed.

To pay by check or money order, mail your payment to:

Office of the Bursar
Room 238, North Building
Hunter College
695 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10065

Application Fee Waivers for Hunter Students

All current Hunter College seniors and undergraduate alumni are eligible to receive an application fee waiver when applying to a graduate program in the Spring 2025 and Fall 2025 semester. To receive your application fee waiver:

1. In the Educational History section, be sure to indicate that you received or will receive your bachelor’s degree from Hunter College
2. After you have completed and reviewed your application, click the “Submit Application” button
3. Do not pay the $75 application processing fee. The online graduate degree application system, should bypass the payment method. If not, choose the “Pay by Check” payment option, but do not submit a payment.
4. Within a few days, we will confirm your Hunter College graduation status, and automatically process your application fee waiver.

CUNY-Sponsored Application Fee Waivers

Applicants who submit an application to the following programs prior to June 30, 2025 are eligible for a sponsored application fee. These programs are listed below:

• Adolescent Mathematics Education (Grades 7-12) – Master’s and Post Master’s Advanced Certificate
• Adolescent Mathematics Professional Certificate (Grades 7-12) – Master’s
• Childhood Education with a Specialization in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) – Master’s
• Elementary Math Specialist – Master’s
• Bilingual Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) -Master’s
• Bilingual Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 2) – Master’s
• Bilingual Education Extension for Teachers- Advanced Certificate
• Bilingual Extension for Pupil Personnel Services – Advanced Certificate

Veterans (including Active Duty, Reservists and National Guard)

Graduate applicants who are Veterans of the United States Military Service, currently on Active Duty or members of the National Guard or Reserves, are exempt from paying the graduate application fee.

Proof required includes a copy of either of the following:

• DD-214
• Current Military Card
• Deployment or Pre-separation orders

Send request along with proof of your Veteran/Military status to us via email to gradadmissions@hunter.cuny.edu or via mail to:

Hunter College Graduate Admissions
695 Park Ave, Room 223 North
New York, NY 10065
Attn: Veterans Fee Waiver