As a global university, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is proud to have a diverse and inclusive community of faculty, staff, and students. International students are a vibrant part of our campus, and we look forward to learning more about you through your application for admission.
In fall 2023, 34% of UMass Amherst graduate students were from outside the United States—that’s 2,677 students from 101 countries.
Below, you’ll find information about the application process. Be sure to read the application instructions on our How to Apply page as well. Feel free to gradadm [at] grad [dot] umass [dot] edu (contact us) if you have questions.
If your native language is not English, and you are not a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, you must submit your scores from a standardized English language proficiency test in addition to your other required application materials (unless you meet one of the waiver conditions listed below).
Minimum scores required for admission are set by our Graduate Council; however, many graduate programs expect higher scores for admission. Please consult your program’s page for specific requirements.
The UMass Amherst Graduate School accepts the following:
We do not accept results from the IELTS Indicator, the TOEFL ITP Plus for China, or TOEFL Essentials. The Graduate School does not superscore any English language proficiency tests (e.g. we do not accept the ETS MyBest Score set).
Sending Your Scores
Official test scores must be transmitted electronically from the test agency to the UMass Amherst Graduate School. Scores expire after two years and must still be valid for your anticipated date of entrance.
Send us your TOEFL Scores: Add us as a score report recipient through your ETS account. The institutional code for the University of Massachusetts Amherst is 3917.
Send us your IELTS Academic Scores: Contact the test center where you took IELTS and request that your test scores be transmitted to the e-download account for the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Send us your Duolingo English Test Scores: Add us as a score report recipient through your Duolingo account. Look for the University of Massachusetts Amherst Graduate School in the list of institutions.
Send us your PTE Academic Scores: Assign your scores to the University of Massachusetts Amherst through the PTE portal.
Waiver Conditions
Your standardized English language proficiency test requirement may be waived if one of these conditions exists:
As an international student applicant (non-U.S. citizens who do not hold U.S. permanent resident status), you may be considered for admission to master’s or doctoral degree programs if you have attained your baccalaureate degree at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or possess an equivalent credential from a qualifying international institution. “Equivalent credential” generally means a four-year degree comprised of university undergraduate work at a regionally accredited institution, preceded by at least 12 years of elementary and secondary school studies.
Three-year Indian bachelor of arts, science, and commerce degrees and other three-year Asian degrees are not considered to be equivalent to a four-year US baccalaureate degree earned from a regionally accredited institution. Additionally, the National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) are not considered to be equivalent to a four-year US baccalaureate degree for the purpose of admission to the Graduate School.
Most foreign four-year degrees are recognized as being equivalent. A three-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a year of full-time master’s degree coursework may be considered sufficient if an official credential evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) indicates your education is equivalent to a four year U.S. baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution.
If you are not sure if your degree is equivalent to a U.S. four-year degree, please use this free online degree equivalency tool prior to submitting your application.
Transcripts and degree documents that are in a language other than English must be accompanied by an official English translation or an official course-by-course credential evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
Commonly used Credential Evaluation Services (visit the NACES website for additional options):
In order to make your graduate education more affordable, UMass Amherst offers a number of funding opportunities that are available to international students.
To get a sense of how much your graduate tuition at UMass Amherst will cost, please refer to our International Programs Office Expense Estimates. Other possible expenses not included in this estimate are:
Once you confirm your acceptance with the Graduate School you will receive a visa sponsorship email with instructions from the UMass Amherst International Programs Office.
United States student visa regulations require that newly admitted graduate students show advance proof of all funding sufficient for a full 12-month calendar year. This financial information will need to be confirmed by the UMass International Programs Office before they can issue the I-20 form (F-1 visa) or DS-2019 form (J-1 visa).