Non-Degree (Post-Baccalaureate) Students

Non-degree (post-baccalaureate) students take graduate classes without being part of a degree program.

How to Apply for On-Campus Study

• Complete and submit the Graduate School Application. The Graduate School encourages applicants to use the online application. The submission of a hard-copy application (PDF) will slow the application review process.
• Submit the application fee, which is $45 (US) for domestic applicants and $60 (US) for nonresident international applicants. You can pay the fee online through the Graduate School’s online application.
• Official transcripts or mark sheets must be sent directly from each university or college you have attended to the Graduate Admission Office, 210 Jesse Hall, Columbia, MO 65211. Transcripts/mark sheets for all baccalaureate degrees or their equivalents and any additional degrees must be sent. At this time, the Graduate School only accepts hard copies of transcripts. All transcripts/mark sheets become the property of MU.
• Standardized test scores, such as the GRE, are not required for non-degree graduate applicants.
• Graduate Certificate Applicants: After applying for non-degree admission, contact the certificate program of your choice for further certificate requirements. Be sure that you have chosen to pursue a certificate that does not require degree-program enrollment. Please refer to the graduate certificates and policies section for details.

See below for the transfer and use policies for non-degree courses taken at MU.

Applying for Online Study

If you are planning to take course work online or at a distance, please contact MU Direct (Mizzou’s continuing and distance education unit) about course offerings and registration. The application process is different for online-only students.

About Non-Degree Graduate Study

The Non-Degree Graduate Student Program (post-baccalaureate) allows students to prepare for admission to a graduate degree program either at MU or elsewhere, explore a new discipline, take courses for career advancement, or simply to seek personal enrichment experiences. A non-degree graduate student has access to MU libraries, museums, laboratories, and recreational and athletic facilities. Some academic programs may limit the availability of their courses to non-degree graduate students. Contact the academic program in which you wish to take courses for more information.

The program is administered by the Graduate School. The non-degree graduate student may take undergraduate- or graduate-level courses but does not earn credit toward a graduate degree. Up to 12 hours of graduate credit taken as a non-degree graduate student may be applied to a graduate degree program upon approval of an academic program if the student is accepted to a degree program.

Eligibility

Applicants who hold a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from a U.S. university or a university in which instruction is in the English language may be admitted to MU as non-degree graduate students.

International Student Eligibility

International students residing in the United States who do not satisfy the above requirement and are seeking admission as post-baccalaureate graduate students must provide evidence of proficiency in English. Either a minimum score on the TOEFL or IELTS or a minimum of 24 semester credit hours in which the student maintains a 2.0 GPA (A=4.0) in a degree program in which English was the primary language is required. The minimum required TOEFL score for entrance to the Graduate School is 500 paper-based, 173 computer-based or 61 internet-based. The Graduate School also accepts a 5.5 Academic IELTS score for admission to the Graduate school. Please consult your academic program of interest to determine if it requires higher TOEFL or IELTS scores for admission. The University of Missouri will not issue I-20s to international students so that they may enter the United States to become non-degree graduate students.

Tuition and Fees

Non-degree graduate students must pay graduate educational and student activities fees regardless of whether they take graduate or undergraduate courses.

Financial Aid

Non-degree graduate students are not eligible to receive federal financial aid or veteran’s benefits or to hold campus-sponsored assistantships.

Maintaining Good Standing

Non-degree graduate students must maintain a 3.0 GPA. If the cumulative GPA is less than 3.0, the student will be given one automatic probationary semester. If, after one semester of probation, the student’s cumulative GPA does not reach 3.0, the student may be granted a second probationary semester following a successful written petition made directly to the vice provost/dean of the Graduate School. (Summer sessions are not counted as probationary semesters.) If the student fails to achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 following the second probationary semester, the student will be made ineligible to enroll as a non-degree or degree-seeking graduate student.

If at any time a student’s term or cumulative GPA falls below 2.0, the student will be ineligible to enroll as a non-degree or degree-seeking graduate student.

Switching Your Status to “Degree-Seeking”

Non-degree graduate students who want to earn a graduate degree (master’s, doctoral or educational specialist) must:

• Submit official scores, if required by the degree program of interest, from an appropriate graduate admission examination (GRE, GMAT, MAT). The scores must be sent directly from the examination service to Graduate School Admissions, 210 Jesse Hall, Columbia, MO 65211.
• Meet Graduate School admission requirements (see “Minimum, Campus-Wide Admission Criteria” on the Admission process overview page).
• Apply directly to the degree program of interest using a Change of Degree form (PDF).

At the discretion of an academic program, up to 12 hours of graduate-level courses completed while a non-degree graduate student with a grade of B or better may be applied toward a graduate degree in that academic program.