Application and Deadlines

All applicants must complete The Graduate School’s online application form.

$85 non-refundable application fee for U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents or $95 USD for non-resident aliens and international applicants.

Application fee waivers may be available for U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents with financial need. Please send your request to Dr. David Shafer, Assistant Dean, at dmshafer@ncsu.edu and include an explanation of your economic circumstances.

Application fees are waived for all active duty US military members and veterans.

Please ensure that you address all of the required items in the personal statement section of the application.

A 2-page limit is recommended.

Transcripts from each college/university attended should be uploaded to the online application. Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for the admissions committee to make a recommendation for admission, but you must submit official transcripts to The Graduate School for official admission to NC State. If your school sends official electronic transcripts, they may be emailed to graduate_applications@ncsu.edu. It is not necessary to request NC State transcripts.

Recommenders must be either professional or academic in nature. Applicants must provide at least one professional recommendation.

It’s recommended that at least one recommendation be submitted by a current or prior supervisor. Applicants must use the online recommendation template provided within the application and submit the recommendations using the application system. We will not accept written recommendations using this sample form. (Instructions are included in the application).

NOTE: While all applications must be submitted by the final deadline listed above, you can submit your application prior to uploading your completed letters of recommendation. (However, we cannot review your application until we receive all application materials.)

Applicants are not required to submit GMAT or GRE scores but may choose to do so.

To be eligible for admission to graduate study at NC State, non-US citizen applicants (i.e., non-resident aliens and permanent residents) must demonstrate proficiency in English at a level necessary to be successful in a graduate program at NC State. This requirement can be met for most applicants in one of the following ways:

1. Apply for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver (see next section)
2. Provide Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a total score of at least 80 on the Internet-based Test (iBT), and with minimum test scores for each section of:
   1. Listening – 18 points
   2. Reading – 18 points
   3. Writing – 18 points
   4. Speaking-
      1. 18 points for admission
      2. 23 points for TA appointment where TA has direct verbal interactions with students,
      3. 26 points for TA appointment where TA presents lectures in the class or laboratory
      4. NOTE: The current computer- and paper-based versions of the TOEFL test will be given until the iBT version is implemented in a particular location. Computer-based TOEFL scores must be 213 or higher (with at least 17 on three sections and no section score below 13). The paper-based test requires a score of 550 or higher (with scores of 50 on at least two of the three sections and no section score below 45).
3. Provide International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores with an overall band score of at least 6.5. Minimum test scores for each section are listed below:
   1. Listening – 6.5
   2. Reading – 6.5
   3. Writing- 6.5
   4. Speaking – 6.5 for admission; 7.0 for TA appointment
4. Provide Duolingo with a total score of 120 or better.
5. Be a citizen of a country where English is the official language and the language of instruction in higher education
6. Have successfully completed at least one year of full-time study in a degree program at a regionally accredited four-year US College or university.

TOEFL or IELTS test scores must be no older than two years (24 months) prior to the beginning of the requested entry term.

TOEFL/IELTS Waiver

Applicants may be exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS if at least two of the following criteria are met:

1. Analytical writing assessment score of 4.5 or higher on the GMAT/GRE
2. Satisfactory communication and teamwork skills, as assessed during the admissions interview
3. Five years of residency in the US or approved countries, working in an establishment where all activities are conducted in English

Applicants wishing to apply for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver should indicate this on the Supplemental Information page of the application under the Waivers section. In addition, please send an email to the admissions team at marketinganalytics@ncsu.edu to let them know.

Admissions interviews are invitation only.