Admissions Requirements

  ______________________________________________________________________________

Undergraduate Student Admission

Clark University welcomes applicants for undergraduate admission regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, handicap, national origin or financial condition. Selection is competitive and based primarily on academic promise as indicated by secondary-school performance, recommendations, writing ability and extracurricular involvement. Standardized test (SAT, ACT) scores are considered when an applicant chooses to provide them, but are not required for US Citizens and Permanent Residents. Admissions decisions may also reflect consideration of the individual experience and particular circumstances unique to each candidate.

Entrance Requirements 

A diploma from an accredited secondary school or G.E.D. equivalency is required for admission to Clark. The suggested academic preparation for successful candidates includes four years of English; three years of mathematics; three years of science; three years of social science; and two years of a foreign language (or American Sign Language); and other credit electives recognized in the secondary-school curriculum.

First-Year Admission

First-year applicants must submit their applications through the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Official transcripts for all secondary and post-secondary coursework must be submitted by the student’s high school or college. First-year applicants are also required to submit two letters of recommendation, one from an academic teacher and one from a school counselor.

International Admission

International students applying to Clark must submit their applications through the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Official transcripts covering the student’s prior three (full) years of education must be submitted by the student’s school. Two letters of recommendation are required, one from an academic teacher and one from a school counselor.

All applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit evidence of English proficiency either through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Duolingo, regardless of the length of time they have spent in the United States. The Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) necessary to obtain a student visa will be granted only after full admission and receipt of complete financial documentation (in the form of an official bank statement reflecting the student’s family’s financial resources).

Early Decision

First-year applicants who are certain that Clark is their first-choice institution are strongly encouraged to apply Early Decision (ED).  Students who submit their complete applications by the November 1st (ED I) or January 15th (ED II) deadline will receive early notification of their admission decision in mid-December (ED I)/Mid-February (ED II).  Because Early Decision is a binding agreement, any student admitted in the ED round must commit to enrolling at Clark by submitting a nonrefundable deposit and withdrawing any remaining applications to other schools by January 15 (ED I)/February 28 (ED II).

Early Action

First-year applicants who are ready to start their college applications at the beginning of senior year are encouraged to apply Early Action (EA). Students who submit their complete applications by the November 1 deadline will receive early notification of their admission decision in mid-January.  Early Action is a nonbinding agreement, allowing admitted EA students to submit their enrollment deposits no later than May 1.

Regular Admission

First-year students who wish to apply for fall semester enrollment under our regular decision deadline must submit their applications and supporting credentials by January 15. (November1 for January admission.)

Transfer Admission

Clark welcomes applications for admission with advanced standing from students attending two-and four-year institutions. Transfer applicants must submit their applications through the Clark website. Applicants for fall-semester enrollment should submit their applications by May 1; spring-semester enrollment by November 1. All transfer candidates are required to submit evidence of good standing, complete transcripts of all previous academic work (secondary and post-secondary), a recommendation from a faculty member, and any other information requested by the Admissions Committee (e.g., course descriptions).
Normally, credit is given for academic courses in the liberal arts previously taken at regionally accredited colleges and universities and by advanced standing procedures, described above. No credit is given for grades lower than C. Evaluation of credits for college courses is made at the time of admission or upon receipt of final transcripts and is used in planning a program of study at the University. Up to 50 percent of Clark’s degree and major requirements may be awarded on this basis, and a minimum of two academic years at Clark is necessary for completion of degree requirements.

Standardized Test Scores

All US Citizens and Permanent Residents applying for first-year or transfer admission have the option of submitting standardized admissions test scores to be included in their admissions applications, but these results are not required. Students who choose to submit test scores may send either SAT or American College Test (ACT) scores for consideration.
All applicants whose first language is not English (regardless of citizenship or amount of time spent in the United States) are required to submit evidence of English proficiency, either through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Doulingo.

Admission Notification and Deposits

All notifications of admissions decisions are released electronically. Upon receipt of his or her application, the applicant will be given access to an online account for this purpose. First-year, fall-semester applicants who applied under the Early Action or Early Decision deadline will be notified of their decisions in December or mid-January; first-year applicants who applied under the Early Decision II deadlines will be notified in February; all other first-year, fall-semester applicants will be notified in March. All first-year, fall-semester admitted students who wish to enroll must submit a nonrefundable deposit to be paid no later than May 1, with the exception of Early Decision admitted students, who must deposit earlier. The deposit is credited toward first-semester charges. First-year, spring-semester applicants can expect to receive their admission decisions in late November with the deposit due within two weeks of notification. Transfer applicants are notified of their admission decisions on a rolling basis following submission of their applications, and will be notified of their deposit deadline when they receive their admission decisions.

Deferred Enrollment

An admitted student who wishes to postpone his or her enrollment for up to a year must submit a request through the defer request form available through Admissions by May 1. A nonrefundable deposit (credited toward first-semester charges) is required. A student who enrolls in a degree-seeking program in the interim may not defer enrollment but must reactivate his or her application and submit official transcripts for review.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Graduate Admission Policies and Procedures

The first step in starting an application to a Clark graduate program is to review the program requirements for the degree the student plans to pursue.

Every program requires the submission of an online application and several supporting credentials (recommendations, resumes, writing samples, etc.). All applicants are required to hold a bachelor’s degree. We encourage all applicants to familiarize themselves with the requirements of the program they plan to pursue prior to starting their online application.

• Online application form
• Application fee (non-refundable): $75
• Your résumé
• A personal statement in which you discuss your professional goals, your academic and/or research interests, and your plans for achieving these goals. Please outline your specific educational, professional, or other experiences that will contribute to your success in the program and in your career. This statement should not exceed 800 words.
• Two letters of recommendation from employers, supervisors, professors, instructors, or others who are able to comment on your professional and educational goals and potential (no friends or relatives, please). These references should be able to judge your qualifications necessary for success in graduate coursework, including intellectual and analytical ability, oral and written communication skills, independence, initiative, and drive. Note: Three letters are required for the MAT and the MA in English, and must come from academic professionals who have taught or supervised you and can attest to your academic capability.
• Full academic transcripts from all institutions attended (individual marksheets, consolidated transcript and confirmation of degree)
• English Language Proficiency test (Unless student qualifies for a waiver - see English Language Requirements below)
• Test scores and other program-specific requirements:
  • GMAT or GRE scores ARE required for all School of Business programs (see GMAT/GRE Waiver Policy below). GMAT or GRE scores are NOT required for other programs.
  • The MFA in Interactive Media requires submission of a portfolio that includes examples of traditional and/or digital works of visual art or interactive media. Portfolio pieces may represent classroom assignments as well as independent projects. The portfolio should be purposeful, demonstrate originality of concept, visual literacy, and an understanding of current industry standard software.
  • The MFA in Visual Arts equires submission of a portfolio that includes examples of traditional and/or digital works of visual art. The MFA-VA does not require letters of recommendation.
  • The MA in English requires submission of a formal essay of at least 2,500 words on some aspect of American or English literature.

• Online application form
• Application fee (non-refundable): $75
• Personal statement: Please indicate your reasons for undertaking graduate study, research interests, and the faculty member(s) whose research is of interest to you. Include your current research interests as well as your long-range research, teaching, or other professional objectives. Reference any relevant published articles, books, research, inventions, or other creative work in your discussion.
• Three letters of recommendation are required from academic professionals who have taught or supervised you and can attest to your academic capability.
• Résumé
• Full academic transcripts from all institutions attended (individual marksheets, consolidated transcript and confirmation of degree)
• English Language Proficiency test (Unless student qualifies for a waiver - see English Language Requirements below)
• Writing samples are required for Ph.D. Psychology, Ph.D. Geography, Ph.D. in History (Holocaust and Genocide History), and Ph.D. in Genocide Studies. Submissions should include a copy of one or more papers that the applicant has written that are good representations of their interests and the way in which they think and write about them. The applicant should be sole author of at least one of these papers.

All application materials should be submitted through the online application portal. Unofficial transcripts can be provided for application review. Official final bachelor’s degree transcripts, including confirmation of earned degree, are required prior to enrollment. If an applicant is admitted while still a candidate for a degree from another institution, an updated official transcript noting the conferring of that degree is required prior to enrollment.

A fee of $75 must accompany the application for admission to Clark University. This fee is not refundable. On a case-by-case basis, the application fee may be waived. We grant waivers for the following populations:

• Applicants from organizations partnered with Clark (e.g., AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, City Year, Fulbright, Teach for America, McNair Scholars, National Association of Black Accountants, among others)
• Clark alumni
• Current Clark employees

To request a fee waiver outside of these populations, please email gradadmissions@clarku.edu for more information.

In addition to an application and fee, international applicants should provide a certified English translation of official transcripts if they are not already in English. English language proficiency tests are required of all international applicants. Clark University accepts the following English language tests: TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS Academic, Duolingo English Test, or the Pearson Academic Test.

All master’s programs have the following requirements:

• TOEFL (ETS code 5969): 85 overall, sub-score minimum of 20, or
• IELTS: 6.5 overall, sub-score minimum of 6, or
• PTE: 61 overall with no band below 55, or
• Duolingo: 120, sub-score minimum of 100, or
• Completion of ELS 112, or 
• Completion of EC English B2+ Pre-Advanced Level

Students who are citizens of the following countries, or who have graduated from an accredited degree program at a university in these countries are exempt from the English language requirements:

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Liberia, Lesotho, Malta, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Rwanda, Scotland, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, St. Helen, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, The U.S. Virgin Islands, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

Please note that the I-20 process is necessary for international applicants to complete in order to receive a visa. Applicants must accept their offer of admission and pay the non-refundable enrollment deposit to begin the I-20 process. The International Students and Scholars Office manages the I-20 issuance process. All required documents are collected by their team through a secure upload portal. I-20s are typically issued within two weeks of document submission.

For more information regarding the I-20 process and how to obtain a visa, please visit the International Students and Scholars Office’s webpage.

Graduate Application Process

Once an applicant is ready to begin their application to a graduate program at Clark they must:

• Create an account on our online application portal
• Follow instructions within the portal to complete the application form for a specific program, including uploading additional credentials as required
• Pay the application fee
• Monitor the status of their application via the online application portal to ensure all credentials have been received and to view the final decision.

An applicant can request to withdraw their application for admission at any time. An applicant who would like to reactivate their application has one year to do so from the time of their application withdrawal.

Decision Notification

Once the application is complete, Graduate Admission will forward the application to the appropriate admissions committee. The time it takes to receive a decision will vary depending on the program applied to and when a completed application is submitted. Master’s and certificate applicants will typically receive an admission decision within 2-4 weeks. Ph.D. applicants receive admission decisions during February and March of each year. Once a decision has been reached, applicants will be notified via email, with their decision letter, which will include awarded scholarship if applicable. All documents, letters, and information are available in the application portal.

Admitted students are required to follow the program requirements that are in effect the term for which they have been admitted or, in the case of a formal deferral, the future term to which they have deferred. Students are encouraged to review the curricular requirements at the beginning of their start term to ensure they have the most up-to-date information.

School of Business Policies

Test Score Waiver Policy

GRE/GMAT Scores: GRE/GMAT scores are required for all School of Business (CUSB) programs. Students may qualify for a GRE/GMAT waiver if they meet at least one of the following criteria:  

• An earned bachelor’s degree in a business or STEM major with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.20 on a 4.0 scale. International applicants may be asked to obtain a credential evaluation to confirm equivalency. 
• An earned bachelor’s degree in a major other than business or STEM with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.50 on a 4.0 scale. International applicants may be asked to obtain a credential evaluation to confirm equivalency. 
• An earned graduate degree (master’s or doctoral) with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. International applicants may be asked to obtain a credential evaluation to confirm equivalency. 
• Fully completed business licensure, e.g. CPA, CFA, or Chartered Accountancy. 
• Five years of post-bachelor’s degree professional managerial work experience, with increased responsibility over that time period. 
• Membership in the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. 
• Affiliation with an articulated relationship with Clark University, e.g. City Year, Americorps, Fulbright. Applicants will be asked to show proof of affiliation and need to hold a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. International applicants may be asked to obtain a credential evaluation to confirm equivalency. 

If you qualify for a GRE/GMAT waiver, the requirement will be automatically waived during the application review process. If you do not meet any of the above criteria for a GRE/GMAT waiver, you must submit GRE/GMAT scores for your application.  

Prerequisite Requirements

Some programs in the School of Business (CUSB) have additional prerequisite requirements. These prerequisites must have been completed through an accredited undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate degree program. If you completed any prerequisites during your degree program, they will automatically be waived during the review process. If you did not complete them during your degree program, they must be completed prior to your first day of classes.

To complete your prerequisites, you have several options: 

1. You can complete your prerequisites through Clark University. The School of Business offers prerequisite courses online throughout the academic year. The courses last 4-6 weeks. You must achieve a passing (C) grade in the prerequisite course to enroll in your respective program. Please contact gradadmissions@clarku.edu for more information.  
2. You can complete your prerequisites through an accredited university. Please submit a copy of your transcript showing completion of your prerequisites to gradadmissions@clarku.edu.  
3. You can complete your prerequisites through a Clark-approved online course (listed below). Once completed, please email your completions certificate to gradadmissions@clarku.edu. Please note that if you have multiple incomplete prerequisites, you may only take one online course; the others must be completed through Clark University or an accredited university.

Programs with prerequisite courses are listed below. You may complete one of your prerequisite courses using the online links listed below:  

Master of Business Administration (MBA) and M.S. in Management (MSM)

• Economics

M.S. in Business Analytics (MSBA)

• Statistics
• Programming

M.S. in Finance (MSF)

• Calculus
• Economics
• Statistics
• Fintech concentration only - Programming

Non-Matriculated Student Status and Polices

Students who are interested in taking graduate level courses without pursuing a degree may do so by submitting the following information:

• Completed online form
• Submission of undergraduate transcript

Non-matriculated students not affiliated with an articulated exchange or visiting students program can take up to two (2) courses in non-matriculated status. Students in non-matriculated status who would like to matriculate (i.e., pursue a degree or certificate) may do so by applying to the program. Up to two (2) courses taken as a non-matriculated student can be applied to the intended degree or certificate program. Non-matriculated students are not eligible for financial aid or scholarships. With academic approval, non-matriculated students can take courses in the School of Professional Studies, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business and the Becker School of Design and Technology.

Admission Deferral Policy

Admitted students may defer admission for up to one full year from their term of admission (i.e. Fall 2024 admitted students can defer to Spring or Fall 2025). Only students that have accepted an offer of admission are eligible to defer. Clark University does not require students to submit an enrollment deposit when accepting their offer of admission.

All deferral requests must be submitted by the end of the semester’s add/drop period. After that date, applicants will need to re-apply to their program of interest if interested in attending Clark in a future term.

Enrollment Deposit Refund Policy

Deposits are non-refundable unless the student receives a rejection to their visa application in the term of their original application. All refund requests must be submitted by the end of the semester’s add/drop period. After that date, refunds will not be issued, and applicants must re-apply and re-deposit if interested in attending Clark in a future term.

Deposit refunds are not granted if a student chooses to defer their admission. All deposit refunds are at the discretion of the Office of Graduate Admission.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Undergraduate SPS Student Admission

General Admissions and Transfer

The School of Professional Studies (SPS) takes pride in its mission to provide access to a Clark University education.  Our approach focuses on practical education, integrating hands-on experiences with coursework taught by faculty practitioners who are leaders in their respective fields. Students come to SPS to gain the skills they need to get ahead. When they graduate, they leave with tools needed to create positive, meaningful change in their jobs, companies, and communities.

Our bachelor’s degree programs are intended for degree completers, e.g., applicants who have previous college experience, earned military credits, pursuing a second credential, or who have participated in one of Clark University’s Pathway programs.  No SATs are required.

Visit SPS UG admissions for more information.

When to Apply

The School of Professional Studies Undergraduate Programs admissions process operates on a rolling basis. To ensure a timely start of your studies including a full review of your transfer credits, it is recommended that all required documents are received:

Six weeks prior to your desired start term for domestic students

International students should apply at least two months before the semester start date to allow time to process immigration paperwork

Application Information

Application Requirements

Admissions requirements include the following:

Personal essay

Official high school transcript or equivalent (unless high school completion is noted on an official college transcript)

In lieu of a high school transcript, transfer students can submit an official copy of their domestic college transcript in combination with our Attestation Form.  This will waive the need for a high school transcript submission.)

Proof of English proficiency required for international applicants whose primary language is not English. 

     You must submit:

Official associate degree transcript

Official TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo scores

Proof of successful completion of Clark University’s Pathway program or English Academic Success program, if applicable

For Transfer Credit Evaluation:

Official transcript from previously attended college/university

Foreign transcripts-official transcripts and English translation; we recommend you submit a course-by-course evaluation of your diploma(s) and transcript(s) 

College-level examinations-official examination

Military evaluation

Applicants should refer to the following information to submit application documents:

Email, Mail or Drop Off

Mail or drop off supporting documents to the following address:

Clark University
Office of Graduate Admissions
Carriage House
123 Woodland Street
Worcester, MA 01610

Email: spsugadmissions@clarku.edu

Transcripts

Official transcripts must be sent directly to Clark University School of Professional Studies from the originating institution by mail or email-through Parchment Exchange, National Student Clearinghouse, Docufide, etc.

Important Codes

TOEFL (ETS) code: 5969

FAFSA code: 002139

Admission Policies

Application Withdrawal Due to Inactivity

An application can be incomplete until the term stops accepting applications, at which point it is automatically withdrawn due to inactivity. An applicant who would like to reactivate their application has one year to do so from the time of their application withdrawal. They may be asked to provide additional documentation based on the time away from their application.

Request to Withdraw an Application

An applicant can request to withdraw their application for admission at any time. An applicant who would like to reactivate their application has one year to do so from the time of their application withdrawal.

Admissions Acceptance Deferral

A student who is not able to start their studies during the academic term for which they gained acceptance must contact the School of Professional Studies Office of Admissions to request a deferral of admission. A student may request a deferral for up to one year, unless otherwise noted for specific programs.

If a student does not request or get approved for an acceptance deferral and does not begin their studies in their academic terms of acceptance they forfeit their acceptance and must reapply to the program for a future term. It is important for the student to inform the School of Professional Studies Office of Admissions about deferral requests as this may impact the student’s time limit on program completion and financial aid.