General Admission Information

Eligibility

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or the international equivalent, prior to beginning graduate study.

Admission Status

1. Unconditional. Applicants must have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework to be eligible for unconditional admission. Applicants who have completed a minimum of nine (9) graduate credit hours will have their graduate coursework evaluated and must meet the same minimum GPA requirement. All GPA and transcript evaluations are completed in-house by Bradley University admission staff. 
2. Conditional. Applicants with a minimum 2.5 GPA may be considered on the basis of a combination of other factors including, but not limited to, standardized tests scores, preparation at the undergraduate level, recommendation letters, and other relevant factors. A student may also be awarded conditional admission if admission requirements other than GPA are not fully met. Students admitted on a conditional basis are not eligible for scholarships awarded at admission. Students admitted conditionally will be informed in their admission letter of the conditions they must satisfy in order to continue their enrollment in the program and to become eligible for scholarships.
3. Non-degree-seeking Graduate Student. This admission status is for a student who holds a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, wishes to register for graduate or undergraduate courses, and is not currently seeking a graduate degree from Bradley University. The student must have met the GPA requirements as listed for unconditional or conditional admission. Exceptions for non-degree-seeking students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement may be made at the discretion of Graduate Admission.  
   • Non-degree-seeking graduate students must submit an application for graduate admission, application fee, and official transcripts. Admission as a non-degree-seeking student does not guarantee enrollment in a course. Students who do not meet specific course prerequisites may be dropped from courses.
   • Students studying on a visa who wish to enroll as a non-degree-seeking graduate student must also meet the additional requirements for international students, including English language proficiency.
   • Admission as a non-degree-seeking graduate student does not constitute admission to a degree program. A non-degree-seeking graduate student who wishes to apply to a degree program must meet all requirements for admission to that program. A maximum of nine (9) semester hours with grades of B or better earned as a non-degree-seeking graduate student may be applied toward a degree or certificate program, with approval of the program’s graduate coordinator.

Former Students

Students who have received an undergraduate or graduate degree from Bradley must reapply for admission if they wish to register for additional coursework.

Admission Requirements

Requirements for admission to graduate education are listed below. Individual programs may require additional application materials or have more selective admission requirements than those of graduate admission. Please refer to the program pages for specific information. Copies of all official documents may be used for admission. Note: official documents are required at a later date if not originally provided.

Before being considered for admission, degree-seeking students must submit the following materials. Some departments have additional requirements. Please refer to the program pages for additional admission requirements.

1. Application Form. All applicants must submit an application at gradschool.bradley.edu/apply/
2. Application Fee. A non-refundable application fee of $40 must be submitted. Applications will not be processed until the fee has been received. Bradley University does not offer application fee waivers.
3. Transcripts.
   1. Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended are required. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly from the institution electronically or by mail:

      Office of Admission
      Bradley University
      1501 W. Bradley Ave.
      Peoria, IL 61625

      Documents submitted by mail cannot be returned to the applicant.

   2. International Applications:
      1. In the U.S., a transcript is the name given to the official university report listing the subjects, grades, dates of attendance, and other information reflecting a student's academic performance at a specific institution. A transcript is considered official only when prepared by the registrar's office and submitted in a sealed, unopened envelope directly to Bradley University from the issuing university.
      2. One set of official copies of transcripts, academic records, or university mark sheets should be sent directly from the academic institution (normally the registrar's office) to Bradley’s Office of Admission. Transcripts should reflect subjects and examination results on a year-by-year or semester-by-semester basis. Transcripts in a language other than English must be accompanied by an official translation. An explanation of the grading system should be included, if not noted on the document. Certification of the degree and the date the degree was awarded is required.
      3. Applicants from countries using statements of marks, memorandum of marks, mark sheets, etc., are required to submit official (attested) copies of their annual and semester mark sheets from every examination session for all subjects passed, failed, and repeated. Consolidated mark sheets alone are not accepted.
4. Admission Essay. Applicants must provide a short essay addressing the following topics:
   1. Explain achievements and work experience that you consider relevant to your interest in and capacity for graduate study.
   2. Briefly state your career objectives and how the graduate program you have selected will assist you in attaining these goals.
   3. Some programs use a separate essay prompt. This information is included in the application. Applicants applying to a program with a specific essay requirement only need to submit the program-specific essay.
5. Recommendations. A minimum of two recommendations must be submitted as part of the application. Some programs require additional recommendations and this information will be included in the application. The recommendation requests are sent electronically after completing the application.
6. Resume/CV. The resume is not required by all programs. Programs that require a resume/CV will be identified in the application. However, it can be very useful in making admissions decisions, so we recommend all applicants submit one.
7. Standardized Test Scores.
   • If a program requires a standardized test score, the official score must be sent directly to the Office of Admission by the testing agency. Bradley's institutional code for score reporting is 1070.
8. Language Proficiency.
   1. Applicants who are not U.S. citizens, with the exception of Legal Permanent Residents, are required to provide proof of English language proficiency. Acceptable exams and minimum scores are listed below:

      TOEFL iBT minimum 79 (paper-based minimum 550)
      IELTS minimum 6.5 overall band
      PTE Academic minimum 56
      E3PT minimum 68
      Bradley's institutional code for score reporting is 1070. All scores should be sent directly to Bradley University. Graduate and International Admission does not accept language certificates; letters from counselors, advisors, or professors; or other assessments not listed above as proof of English language proficiency.

   2. Applicants eligible for a waiver of English language proficiency must meet one of the following requirements:
      1. graduated from a high school where the primary mode of instruction was English. Transcripts from the secondary institution must be provided for verification.
      2. One year of full-time study or more at post-secondary institution located in the U.S. within the last 4 years. Transcript and proof that academic courses were taught in English must be provided for verification.
      3. Two years or more of continuous full-time work experience in the U.S. within the last 4 years. A current resume and an employment letter on company letterhead stating the dates of employment for verification.

Applicants Studying on an F-1 Visa

Applicants who plan to apply for an F-1 student visa or are already in F-1 student status and will transfer their SEVIS record to Bradley University, must submit the following:

• Copy of passport photo page
• Bradley University F-1 International Student Affidavit of Support
• Proof of funds dated within six (6) months
  • Students studying on an F-1 visa are required to show proof of available funds to cover at least one year of study at Bradley University before an I-20 will be created. This includes the estimated full cost of living. All proof of funds must be dated within six (6) months of submission. 

Permanent Residents

Applicants who are permanent residents must submit proof of status along with their application if applying for an online program.

Application or Admission Deferral

Applicants or admitted students wishing to defer their application or admission to a subsequent semester must email Graduate Admission at gradadmission@bradley.edu prior to the start of the semester for which they intend to apply or are admitted.

Applicants may defer their application or admitted students may defer their admission to the next available semester (excluding summer and interim sessions) without reapplying. If the applicant wishes to defer to a semester further into the future or defers a second time, a new application, application fee, and enrollment fee (if admitted) must be submitted. Additional application materials may be required at the discretion of the Graduate Admission and the department.

Application Deadlines

Applications are processed on a rolling, or continuous, basis for most programs, although not all programs enroll students each term. Applicants are responsible for knowing and abiding by the university and program application deadlines. Application deadlines can be found at https://bradley.edu/admissions/graduate/requirements/. 

This is the official catalog for the 2023-2024 academic year. This catalog serves as a contract between a student and Bradley University. Should changes in a program of study become necessary prior to the next academic year every effort will be made to keep students advised of any such changes via the Dean of the College or Chair of the Department concerned, the Registrar's Office, u.Achieve degree audit system, and the Schedule of Classes. It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of the current program and graduation requirements for particular degree programs.