Applying to graduate school is a bit different from the undergraduate process. The key to a great experience is finding a project that you can get really passionate about with a faculty mentor with whom you would like to work. This will take some "homework" on your part. As you get to know the faculty in each program you are considering, try to get a sense of their current research, papers they are publishing, and grants they have received.

The most important thing, aside from identifying your specific area of research interest and completing the application process (see check list below), is to identify and cultivate a relationship with a faculty member who will agree to serve as your advisor should you be accepted by the Graduate College. Having an advisor on-board is not a pre-requisite for applying to the program; however, a faculty member must have agreed to be your advisor before you can be accepted into our program. A list of graduate faculty can be found on our graduate academic programs webpage. You can then supplement this information with your own web research (e.g., Google) and library research.

Once you have identified appropriate potential graduate faculty, contact our Graduate Student Services Specialist Carolyn Goodwin Kueffner at cgoodwin@uvm.edu, 802.656.2511, to get more information on their availability and the process for connecting with them.

Prior to contacting a potential advisor, read a few of their published papers. Once you are connected, ask each faculty member questions about his or her work and be ready to tell something about yourself and your preparation for working in that specific field of research. Mail/email a copy of your resume prior to your meeting with them. Getting into graduate school is a competitive process, so the better the fit between your academic record and work/research experience, the more likely it is that a professor will consider your application.

VISIT! We encourage you to visit the Rubenstein School to get a sense for the school and to meet with faculty members who specialize in your area of interest, members of our Rubenstein Graduate Student Association, and Carolyn Goodwin Kueffner, who coordinates the application process. Being here helps you find out if the program and people are a good fit for you. It also gives your prospective advisor a way to know you as more than some pieces of paper in an application file.

Talking with other graduate students helps you get their perspectives on the program. The University has regularly-scheduled campus tours that are a great way to see the entire campus, as well. Tour the Burlington area...you'll be spending a few years of your life here.

For questions regarding the general University of Vermont admission process, see the Graduate College admissions webpages, where you will also find Graduate College Application Information.

Please be sure to indicate your interest in any particular concentration or faculty member in your Statement of Purpose when you apply. That will help us get your application in front of the proper faculty for review.

We receive many questions about the GRE and TOEFL tests. Our average GRE score for incoming students is 157. The GRE is required by our Graduate College for students who will receive any funding through the University. In addition, if your native or first language is not English, you must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). UVM Institution Code for test scores is 3920.

The Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, associated with the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, offers a Certificate in Graduate Study for Ecological Economics. This certificate programs provides students with opportunities to venture beyond academia and into a new world of solution-oriented learning even as they continue their concentrated studies in a traditional discipline. This certificate is open to any graduate student who is interested in this transdisciplinary and contemporary field. More information can be found on the Gund Institute website.

Most of our graduate students are provided with some funding, and information on some of our research assistantships can be found on our assistantships and fellowships webpage. We also have many part-time teaching assistantships available. Simply mark the box on your application if you are interested in any of these opportunities and/or contact pertinent research faculty to see what they might have available. Information about the different types of graduate funding at the University of Vermont can be found on the Graduate College funding page.

Application form (online only at: Graduate College Application Information)

Transcripts sent to Graduate College

GRE scores (general exam) sent to Graduate College (For those candidates who have more than 10 years of professional experience and have demonstrated analytical ability through their profession, a waiver request may be submitted to the graduate college at the discretion of The Rubenstein School Graduate Program Coordinator. However, applicants MUST have a current GRE score (within the past five years) to be eligible for ANY University funding. Hence, this waiver cannot apply to PhD applicants since they must have documentation for two years of guaranteed funding to be accepted into the program.

Three recommendations sent to Graduate College (This is the step that most frequently holds up the application review process; start early to make sure your application is reviewed on schedule.)

Reviewed several faculty research profiles to find a common interest; communicated your interests to them

While most of the School's funding and admissions to the Masters and Ph.D. programs take place for fall admissions, The Rubenstein School admits a few students at other times of the year. These off-cycle admissions occur as a result of grant opportunities that faculty receive at different times of the year. There is no guarantee that any funds will be available in any particular year, but it never hurts to ask specific faculty about funding opportunities.

At The Rubenstein School, we welcome your inquiries and visits. Please contact Graduate Program Student Services Specialist Carolyn Goodwin Kueffner at cgoodwin@uvm.edu or (802) 656-2511 for more information. We look forward to meeting you.