USM Graduate School Extending Admissions Test Waiver to Spring 2021

Thu, 05/21/2020 - 03:56pm | By: David Tisdale

As most academic testing centers across the country remain closed due to concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and at-home testing is prohibitive for many individuals, The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Graduate School will extend its waiver on standardized admission exams (GRE/GMAT) for applications to the university’s graduate programs to include spring 2021 admissions.

This waiver does not apply to programs whose accrediting bodies require a standardized exam as a part of the admissions application. Previously, USM suspended these exams for the summer and fall 2020 semesters.

“With so many testing centers still closed, securing a standardized test score for admission into graduate programs becomes more challenging,” said Dr. Karen Coats, dean of the USM Graduate School. “This creates an unnecessary impediment to achieving one’s goal of earning an advanced degree, often an important step toward career advancement. By extending our admissions testing waiver, we continue our commitment to removing barriers to personal success,” Dr. Coats said.

An English proficiency exam is still required for international applicants; however, USM International Admissions will continue to accept the International Test of English Proficiency (iTEP), which currently offers at-home testing. Scores of 4.0 will be accepted to meet USM’s English proficiency requirement.

For more information about USM graduate programs and admissions requirements, contact the USM Graduate School at 601.266.4369 or email graduateschool@usm.edu; or visit https://www.usm.edu/graduate-school/.