How to Apply

Information Required to Complete Your Application

An illustrated guide to the online application process [pdf].

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Please note that we may face delays in processing materials submitted by mail.

Application Fee

A non-refundable processing fee of $50 is required for application for admission to a graduate program in Arts & Sciences.

Letters of Recommendation

Your recommenders will be contacted as soon as you submit their contact information on your application – not after you complete your application. Please be sure that the individuals who have agreed to write letters of recommendation on your behalf are aware of this.

Official Transcripts

You are required to provide official transcripts or marks statements and degree certificates from all institutions of higher education that you have attended. Be sure to use your legal name (the name used on your application) when requesting transcripts so that transcripts can be matched to your application when received. These documents will be considered official when transmitted in one of the ways detailed below.

Options for Submitting Transcripts from U.S. and Canadian Institutions:

Electronically submitted, preferred option: You may electronically submit transcripts to [[apgrad]] in the Office of Graduate Studies via the institution's electronic vendor and using secure portals. A transcript sent electronically by the applicant or through open email or portals will not be accepted as official. Transcripts submitted electronically by institutions outside of the U.S. and Canada will not be accepted unless the institution is accredited in the U.S.
Sent by mail by the registrar of the institution: Transcripts may be submitted in the institution's sealed envelope and sent directly to the degree program to which you are applying by the Registrar at that institution.
- Be sure to provide the correct mailing address for the program to which you are applying to ensure that your transcript marks statement, or degree certificate is received. The correct mailing address can be found on the graduate program's admissions webpage. If you do not use the correct mailing address, there is a good chance that your transcript will be misdirected, thus delaying your consideration for admission.
Sent by mail or delivered by the applicant: Transcripts sent using this method must be submitted in the institution's sealed and stamped envelope and either mailed or delivered by you to the program to which you are applying. For the transcript to be accepted as official, it must be placed by the Registrar at the institution in an official university envelope addressed to you. In addition to sealing the envelope, the Registrar at the institution must date and sign, stamp, or place the seal of the institution on the back flap. Upon receipt by the graduate program to which you are applying, if there are any signs that the envelope has been opened or tampered with in any way, the transcript will be rejected.
- Be sure to use the correct mailing address for the graduate program to which you are applying to ensure that your transcript, marks statement, or degree certificate is received. The correct mailing address can be found on the graduate program’s admissions page. If you do not use the correct mailing address, there is a good chance that your transcript will be misdirected, thus delaying your consideration for admission.
- If using a shipping service (e.g., UPS or DHL) that will not deliver to a U.S. Post Office Box address, use the shipping address for the graduate program (rather than the mailing address), which can be found on the graduate program’s admissions page.

Options for Submitting Transcripts from Institutions Outside of the U.S. and Canada:

We do not accept transcripts submitted electronically by institutions outside of the U.S. and Canada. Transcripts must be mailed or shipped using one of these two options:

Sent by mail by the registrar of the institution, following the instructions given above; or,
Sent by mail or delivered by the applicant, following the instructions given above.

William & Mary reserves the right to assess whether transcripts submitted electronically or directly by the applicant in the institution's sealed and stamped envelope will be considered official.

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Scores

Scores from the GRE General Test and/or the GRE Subject Tests are not required by any graduate department or program in Arts & Sciences. The optional submission of GRE scores is allowed, unless otherwise indicated by a department or program. See the links to each department and program here for further information.

Supplementary Materials Required by the Degree Program to Which You Are Applying

Some programs require additional supplementary information (e.g., GRE subject test score or a writing sample) to complete an application to their program. The online application form will prompt you to submit any supplementary materials required by the program to which you are applying.

Additional Requirements and Instructions for International Applicants
If you are an international applicant, you must supply documentation in addition to the requirements outlined above before your application can be given full consideration.

Application Fee Waivers

The following applicants may request waivers of the application fee:

McNair Scholars: Request that a letter be sent from your undergraduate institution to the Office of Graduate Studies confirming your McNair Scholar status.
Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity: Send to the Office of Graduate Studies a copy of the letter notifying you of your selection as a GFSD Fellow. Must be a U.S. citizen. For more information please see: https://stemfellowships.org/
Active duty and honorably discharged members of the U.S. armed forces: Send to the Office of Graduate Studies a copy of your Leave Earning Statement (LES) or DD214.
Fulbright Scholars: Send to the Office of Graduate Studies a copy of the letter notifying you of your selection as a Fulbright Fellow

In addition, applicants who have completed certain volunteer service programs or will have earned a degree from a Minority Serving Institution may request a waiver of the application fee:

U.S. Peace Corps, Teach for America, or AmeriCorps: Anyone who has completed a full term of service for the U.S. Peace Corps, Teach for America, or AmeriCorps is eligible for a fee waiver. Please send a copy of your certification of service to the Office of Graduate Studies for verification of eligibility.
Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs): Applicants who have earned or are in the process of earning an undergraduate or graduate degree from a MSI may qualify for an application fee waiver. Have your official transcript sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies for verification of eligibility.

Minority Serving Institution (MSI) is a broad classification of U.S. higher education institutions that includes Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AAPISIs). The Center for MSIs at Rutgers University maintains a current list of institutions classified in this way.

If you are claiming one of these application fee waivers, your application will not be processed until the required documentation has been received. Be sure that the required documentation is received well in advance of the application deadline for your program to ensure that your application receives full consideration. If you pay the application fee while waiting for the fee waiver to be approved, we will be unable to issue a refund to you. Please contact [[apgrad]] with questions concerning the waiver requests listed above.