Admission Requirements and Application Procedures

To access the Graduate School’s application on-line, click the following link:

http://www.grad.umn.edu/Prospective_Students/apply_online.html

If you wish to complete a paper version of the Graduate School application, please contact the program directly.  Program contact information is listed at the bottom of this page.

Admission Requirements and Application Procedures:

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to rehabilitation science, such as: biomedical engineering, kinesiology, medicine, occupational therapy, physical therapy, public health, speech/audiology etc.  International students must hold a comparable foreign degree from an accredited program.  Depending on the educational background of the applicant, admission may be contingent upon completion of selected prerequisite course work (i.e. physics, etc.).  If you are unsure whether your bachelor’s degree is applicable, please contact the program directly.  Program contact information is listed at the bottom of this page.

In addition to the above, applicants must submit the following materials and meet the following requirements:

• Graduate School application and fee (US citizens and permanent residents = US$55; international students = US$75).  Click here for the on-line version.
• Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores.  For information on taking the GRE, please visit the following: http://www.gre.org/.
• Official Transcripts of undergraduate and graduate work.
• Three letters of reference.  Letters of reference should be one page in length and addressed to “Admissions Committee.”  References should come from colleagues, professors, advisors, employers, and/or research professionals.
• For international students, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score (for international students).  A minimum score on the the new INternet based TOEFL (IBT) is at least 79 plus a minimum score of 21 on the Writing section and 19 on the Reading section.  For the old version of the TOEFL exam, a preferred score of 213 on the computer version and 550 on the paper version is desired.  For information on taking the TOEFL, visit the following:  http://www.toefl.org.  For information on taking the IELTS, visit the following:  http://www.ielts.org.
• A preferred undergraduate GPA of 3.0, and, if applicable, a preferred Graduate School GPA of 3.0, is desired.
• All applicants must have agreement from a Rehabilitation Science faculty member to serve as an advisor.  Only faculty holding a PhD may serve as advisor.  For more information regarding advisors, please read the “Advisor” section below.

 All materials except the three letters of reference should be mailed to the following address:

Graduate School
University of Minnesota
309 Johnston Hall
101 Pleasant St SE
Minneapolis, MN  55455-0421

Letters of reference should be mailed in sealed and signed envelopes to:

Rich Adamczak
Student Personnel Coordinator
Program in Rehabilitation Science
MMC 388
420 Delaware St SE
Minneapolis, MN  55455

Deadline for Admission:

Rehabilitation Science students do not enter the program by class.  Students enter during the semester that best meets the student’s needs.  Therefore, applicants should apply at least 3 months prior to the start date of the semester intended as first enrollment.  For example, if you desire a Fall Semester admission (early September), you should have all materials submitted by early June.  If it is possible to submit your application and materials in advance of 3 months prior to your desired start date, then it is encouraged that you do so.  Please allow for adequate timing for GRE and TOEFL score reporting.  Please allow for adequate timing for the Graduate School to process your materials, and for the Program in Rehabilitation Science to review your application and vote on your application.

Advisor:

As part of the application process, each prospective student should identify a faculty member who best matches prospective student’s area of research interest.  Once identified, prospective student should contact the faculty member and explore the possibility of the faculty member serving as advisor.  The Rehabilitation Science homepage has a link to Research Themes, including information on faculty expertise and contact information.  Remember: faculty members eligible to serve as advisor are those members who hold a PhD.

Compatibility of research interest is a major determinant in the mutual selection of an advisor by the student and of the student by the advisor.  Since some advisors may already be at capacity with graduate student advisees, availability of faculty is another determinant.  Finally, funding in the form of teaching and research assistantships has bearing on the number of applicants admitted.  Selection of, and consent from, an advisor is important to the application process.  Students in Rehabilitation Science do not enter by class, and, in consultation with advisor, complete the curriculum at the student’s discretion and pace.  This makes the student/advisor relationship especially important as the student works out a program of study that best meets the student’s needs.

Contact Information:

Rich Adamczak
Student Personnel Coordinator
Program in Rehabilitation Science
MMC 388
420 Delaware St SE
Minneapolis, MN  55455
Phone:  612-625-3966
Email:  adamc002@umn.edu