How to Apply

Step 1.
Complete the online application form of the Graduate School.

Provide all of the information requested in the sections on
a) Personal Information, b) Application Information, c) Languages, d) Educational Background, e) Employment/Residence Information, f) Honors, Awards, Activities, g) Legal Agent/Privacy Statement, h) Statements, and i) Signature.

A very important part of the application is the Personal Statement. In this essay you are asked to give a statement explaining your immediate and long-range career objectives in relation to your major field, being specific about your areas of interest. If there is a particular faculty member with whom you wish to study, please list that person’s name and explain why you want to study with that person. Also, if known, indicate a proposed minor field or emphasis.
Transcripts: At this point you only need to provide legible copies of your transcripts. You do not need to send official trancripts/credentials, if you are admitted, we will notify you then that you must request official or certified transcripts/credentials to be sent directly from your institution(s). Transcripts/credentials can be faxed to 612-625-6002 or mailed to:

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

You also are required to have three letters of recommendation from instructors or professional associates who have had an opportunity to observe you in an academic or work environment and assess your potential for graduate work. The Plant Pathology Department will only accept on-line recommendations.

Thus, to request recommendation letters from your references, click on the “Recommendations” link on the left right hand side of the “Apply Yourself” webpage. Under this link, you will be instructed to provide information about each of your recommenders, i.e. name, address, e-mail address, etc. The listed individuals will be notified by e-mail of your request and be given the website for the on-line recommendation form. An automatic e-mail acknowledgment will be sent to those who have submitted recommendations, and to the applicant indicating when a recommendation has been submitted.

Step 2.
Once the application form is completed, you must then pay the application fee using a credit card. This application fee cannot be waived or deferred and is not refundable. The application fee for U.S. applicants and permanent residents is $55. The fee for international applicants is $75. Please note that this fee is subject to change. The most detailed and up-to-date information about the fee is included in the instructions that accompany The Graduate School Application for Admission.

Payment of the fee does not assure admission unless all the necessary requirements are met.

Step 3.
You must also send a copy of your transcripts to the Plant Pathology Department. This can be done by mail, fax (612-625-9728) or e-mail (i.e. scanning the document and sending to plpathgp@umn.edu).

Step 4.
As indicated in the Admissions Requirements section, all applicants are required to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Your official GRE scores should be sent to the University of Minnesota (institution code 6874) under the major field of “Plant Sciences” (code 0112).

Step 5.
To speed up the time in completing your application, we also request that you send a copy of these GRE scores to the Plant Pathology Department by mail, fax (612-625-9728) or e-mail (i.e. scanning the document and sending to plpathgp@umn.edu).

Step 6.
For those students whose native language is not English, you are required to send the official TOEFL scores to the Graduate School. In addition, please send a copy of these TOEFL scores to the Plant Pathology Department by mail, fax (612-625-9728) or e-mail (i.e. scanning the document and sending to plpathgp@umn.edu).

We will act on your application as quickly as possible, but we must have all of the necessary application materials before our Admissions Committee can begin its evaluation.

Deadlines:
For fall semester admission, completed applications must be received by January 10th. This deadline will ensure that applicants will be considered for university fellowships and assisstantships.

For spring semester admission, completed applications must be received by May 10th.

To obtain general information about the University of Minnesota Graduate School, see: http://www.grad.umn.edu/. Specific information about the application process can be found by clicking on the link “Applying to the Graduate School.”