Admissions

All applications require the following:

• $75 application fee
• Essay articulating your qualifications and interest in the program
• Current professional résumé
• One letter of recommendation
• Official transcripts from each college or university you have attended
• Official GMAT/GRE test scores are required for all business masters programs except:
  • MS in Accounting
  • MS in Information Systems
  • MS in Management Studies (MiM)
  • MS in Supply Chain Management
  • NOTE: U.S. applicants using the Maryland Advantage incentive are exempt from submitting GMAT/GRE test scores.
  • Business Analytics and Marketing Analytics applicants may be eligible for a waiver if they qualify. Evaluate yourself for the waiver.
• TOEFL or IELTS exam (if you do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution or an English-speaking country)
• Exposure to program-specific relevant coursework.
• Optional Essay if you have below a 3.0 GPA, gap years within your work experience and any issues with the Office of Student Conduct.

U.S. applicants using the Maryland Advantage incentive and those applying to the Online Master of Science in Management Studies program are exempt from submitting GMAT/GRE test scores.

Accounting, Information Systems, Management Studies, Supply Chain Management:

• Do not require GMAT/GRE but submitting test scores is still encouraged.

Finance and Quantitative Finance: 

• Require GMAT/GRE.

Business Analytics, Marketing Analytics: 

• Require GMAT/GRE but applicants may qualify for a GMAT/GRE waiver if they meet the following requirements:
  • GPA of a 3.2/4, 4/5, 8/10, 80/100 in a QUANTITATIVE degree
    AND
    24 months of relevant post-undergraduate work experience

If an applicant meets the requirements listed above, they may request a waiver. Applicants must start an application and upload their resume and transcript to be reviewed for the GMAT/GRE waiver. Please allow up to 10 business days for a decision.

For more information on the GMAT, and to request an official score report, please visit www.mba.com. For more information on the GRE, and to request an official score report, please visit www.ets.org/gre. When requesting a score report be sent to the University of Maryland, please use the following institutional codes:

GMAT

• Master of Finance SQT-N8-48
• Master of Quantitative Finance SQT-N8-90
• MS in Accounting SQT-N8-88
• MS in Business Analytics SQT-N8-49
• MS in Management Studies SQT-N8-91
• MS in Information Systems SQT-N8-16
• MS in Marketing Analytics SQT-N8-45
• MS in Supply Chain Management SQT-N8-31

GRE

• The institution code is 5814 

Application Deadlines

Candidates can expect an admissions decision within 4 weeks after submitting a complete application. This timeframe assumes the applicant promptly replies to requests from the university during the review process, if applicable.

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Admitted students will need to submit a $1,000 deposit 4 weeks after their decision is released and a second $1,000 deposit 8 weeks after their decision is released in order to confirm their seat in the program. Candidates admitted within 3 months of the program start date will have a shorter deposit deadline timeframe. Log in to your application portal to view your admission letter for the exact deposit deadlines. You will also be able to confirm your decision and submit your deposits in the portal.

Application Portal

Maryland Advantage is an incentive for business master’s degree applicants with an undergraduate and/or master’s degree in the U.S. to simplify their admissions process. If admitted into a program, a financial award and other benefits are also available.

Download the Maryland Advantage Fact Sheet

Incentives include:

• A scholarship award
• A GMAT/GRE waiver
• Priority admissions decision
• A career coaching session 

All incentives listed above - with the exception of the GMAT/GRE waiver - are guaranteed to all Maryland Advantage applicants. Applicants seeking a GMAT/GRE waiver through Maryland Advantage must meet the additional criteria outlined below.

Obtaining a GMAT/GRE Waiver

If the degree program you are applying to requires GMAT/GRE test scores and you are seeking a waiver through Maryland Advantage, you must be an applicant who has completed their undergraduate and/or graduate degree in the U.S. and also meets the following criteria:

• Earned at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA
• Earned grades of B or better in statistics and/or other mathematical coursework, depending on whether your program requires a strong quantitative background

Receiving a GMAT/GRE waiver does not guarantee admission into the program.

How to Participate in Maryland Advantage

If you are interested:

• Begin an application.
• Complete the Demographics, Educational Intent and Previous Education tabs on the left side of the application.
• Upload your transcripts in the Previous Education tab.
• Click on the Business School Questions tab and complete the Maryland Advantage section.
• Maryland Smith will notify you of your approval status within 14 business days.

UMD Smith appreciates the value active duty members and veterans bring to our community. We offer application fee waivers and GMAT/GRE waivers to active members, veterans and veteran family members of the U.S. military.

• Application Fee Waivers
  This waiver is available to active-duty members, veterans or veteran family members using transferred VA GI-Bill benefits. When applying for the waiver, contact the MS Admissions Office at least 48 hours before submitting your application to ensure all paperwork is managed accordingly. To activate your waiver, email a copy of your transcript, DD Form 214 or proof of Active Duty to smithmasters@umd.edu. Your fee waiver must be activated before submitting your application.
• GMAT or GRE Waivers
  Active members and veterans, you may qualify for a GMAT or GRE waiver to our Specialty Master's degree programs if you've earned one of the following:
  • An undergraduate degree from a U.S.-accredited university or college with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
  • An undergraduate grade of B or higher in statistics or other quantitative courses.

Email smithmasters@umd.edu to request the waiver. Your military experience will be taken into consideration with your professional resume, required essay and letter of recommendation.

For TOEFL scores, contact www.toefl.org to request an official copy of your TOEFL test score to be sent to the University of Maryland at College Park. We will accept the "My Best" TOEFL score from ETS. For IELTS, the University of Maryland downloads scores that have been transmitted to our e-download account. IELTS test takers should contact their IELTS test center directly to request electronic test scores be sent to the following IELTS e-download account:

University of Maryland — The Graduate School
The Graduate School
2123 Lee Building
College Park, Maryland 20742-1815

Please note we cannot accept paper IELTS forms.

If you have earned a four-year bachelor's or graduate degree from an institution in the United States or from any of these countries, you are not required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. PTE test takers can send their score reports to the University of Maryland through their Pearson account. 

TOEFL institutional code is 5814.

TOEFL scores are valid for two years.

MINIMUM REQUIRED SCORES

International applicants must submit complete applications by March 15.

Academic Credentials

By the application deadline date, the admissions office must receive:

• A transcript/mark sheet in the original language must be uploaded into the online application. If your transcript is not in English, please also upload a transcript/mark sheet translated into English.
• Copy of diploma/degree received if this information is not listed on your transcript. If your diploma is not in English, please also submit a diploma translated into English. This documentation should be uploaded into the online application.

Applicants who have completed the full sequence of preparatory studies and examinations equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree from an approved institution and who have demonstrated high academic achievement will be considered for admission.

Translations should not be interpretive, and actual names of all degrees, diplomas, and certificates must appear in the translation. If you are in need of a translation service, a list of English translation companies can be found on this website.

For those with 3-year bachelor's degrees, you are eligible if you meet the following criteria:

• If you will be awarded a master’s degree by the time you begin graduate study at the University of Maryland, or your 3-year bachelor’s degree was earned in a country with 13 years of pre-university formal education, then you are eligible for graduate study.
• We will also consider those with a 3-year bachelor’s degree and a post-graduate diploma from a nationally recognized institution to be eligible.
• If your 3-year bachelor’s degree would qualify you for admission to academic graduate programs in the country in which it was earned, then you are welcome to submit an application which will be reviewed by the department to determine whether you are a strong enough candidate for an exception to be made.
• The 3-year bachelor’s degree must already have been earned at the time of application.
• The 3-year bachelor’s degree needs to be in a field closely related to the field of study that you are applying to with strong grades in order to be considered for an exception.

You are not eligible if your sole qualification is a 3-year bachelor’s degree from a country with 12 years of pre-university education, and your degree would not qualify you for admission to an academic graduate program in that country.

Financial Resources

Admitted international students who need an I-20 must show evidence of funding for the first year of their studies. The funding amount includes tuition, fees, housing, and miscellaneous expenses for one year. This financial documentation is not required until after a student is formally admitted.  Additional information will be provided to international students after they are admitted to the University of Maryland.

Immigration Documents

International applicants admitted to graduate study will be issued student visas where appropriate. Foreign students should not leave their home country before obtaining an official offer of admission from the dean of graduate studies.

To enter the United States most foreign students will need a passport from their government and a visa from the U.S. Consulate. To apply for a visa, the student must provide evidence of a minimum of 48 graduate unit hours, or the equivalent of a full course of study. The accompanying spouse or child of an F-1 student enters the U.S. on an F-2 visa, which does not permit employment of any kind. Another commonly granted visa is the exchange visitor visa (J-1), generally for students sponsored by agencies, foundations, or their home governments. It is granted only with the presentation of a Certificate of Eligibility Form (IAP-66). The accompanying spouse or child enters the U.S. on a J-2 visa, which may in some circumstances permit employment with approval from the U.S.

For further information, please refer to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or the U.S. Department of State.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

It is important to note that, in many cases, an exchange visitor must leave the U.S. at the conclusion of the program, may not change visa status, and may not be eligible for any other visa until a two-year home country residency has been completed.

For further information concerning visas, please consult with the U.S. Consulate in your country.

Note: The visitor visa (B-2) is not appropriate for students intending to study in the U.S. Once an individual is in the U.S. on a B-2 visa, it is difficult to change to a student or exchange visitor visa unless that individual has previously discussed study plans with the U.S. Consulate and has been issued a B-2 visa designated “prospective student.”

All students admitted to full-time in-person specialty master’s programs are considered for limited financial awards on a first-come, first-serve basis. Candidates are reviewed for these awards holistically based on their application materials.

Award Types

• University of Maryland, College Park - Double Terp Award
  In celebration of Maryland undergraduates returning to pursue their master's at UMD Smith, all UMD College Park applicants who apply and are admitted will receive a $10,000 financial award. Plus 1 students are not eligible for the Double Terp Award.
• Terrapin Scholar
  A financial award that is evenly dispersed between the fall and spring semesters. It is a merit-based award with amounts ranging between $2,500 - $15,000. Awards are based on a holistic review of your application.