Unless otherwise noted within the "Completing the Application" section, each degree-seeking applicant is expected to complete a Statement of Purpose.

Submit a statement of 300-500 words concerning your purpose for undertaking or continuing graduate study, your reasons for wanting to study at Purdue, and your research interests, professional plans, and career goals. You also may explain any special circumstances applicable to your background and elaborate on your scholarly publications, awards, achievements, abilities, and/or professional history.

An official transcript must be submitted for every institution of higher education attended. If a transcript is not in English, an official English translation, certified by the college or university, must be provided. An official transcript bears the original signature of the registrar and/or the original seal of the issuing institution. Transcripts and/or English translations should be mailed directly by a registrar to the program of application, or be given to the applicant by the registrar in a sealed envelope for submission to the program to which you are applying, along with the other supporting application materials. Transcripts cannot be returned.

• Degree-Seeking Applicants: If you are applying to a degree program, your application must include an official transcript from each college or university you have attended. If you are currently studying for a baccalaureate degree, you will later be required to submit a document that verifies the awarding of that degree.


• Re-entry Applicants: If you are seeking re-entry to a degree program and you attended another college or university since you last attended graduate school at Purdue, you must provide an official transcript of that study.


• Certificate Applicants: If you are applying for postbaccalaureate classification, you must provide evidence of a baccalaureate degree. Some graduate certificate programs require additional documentation. Please refer to the Academic Program Instructions for specific details.


• Teacher License or International Special Applicants: If you are applying for teacher license or international special classification, you must provide an official transcript from the college or university where your baccalaureate degree was received. If you are currently studying for a baccalaureate degree, you will later be required to submit a document that verifies the degree has been awarded.


• Postbaccalaureate Applicants: If you are applying for postbaccalaureate classification, you must provide evidence of a baccalaureate degree. This may be a transcript, a copy of the diploma, or a letter from the college or university verifying the degree.

Request for Official Transcript - Graduate School Form 5 (pdf) (doc)

Although the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not a Graduate School requirement, many graduate programs require this test. Check the graduate program instruction page for this requirement.

For information and test dates visit www.gre.org.

Purdue University's code for the GRE application is 1631.

Purdue Calumet's code for the GRE application is 1638.

IUPUI's code for the GRE application is 1325.

International degree-seeking applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores for Purdue University Graduate School admission.

The Graduate School accepts all valid TOEFL scores, including those earned through the Internet-based test, paper-based test, and computer-based test. The minimum paper-based test score required for admission is 550. The Graduate School's minimum computer-based test score required for admission is 213. The minimum Internet-based test scores required for admission are the following:

Writing 18
Speaking 18
Listening 14
Reading 19
Total 77

Note that in addition to required minimum scores for writing, speaking, listening, and reading, the Graduate School also requires a minimum overall score that is higher than the minimums for the four area tests combined. Applicants must meet or exceed each of the five scores (listed above) for admission to the Graduate School. Some graduate programs require higher minimum scores. Please check the program instruction pages for additional requirements.

Only official TOEFL scores received directly from Educational Testing Service are acceptable. For further information , visit www.toefl.org.

Purdue University's code for the TOEFL application is 1631.

Purdue University Calumet's code for the TOEFL application is 1638.

The Graduate School also accepts International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores. An overall band score of 6.5 is required for admission. For more information, visit www.ielts.org.

Unless otherwise noted within the "Completing the Application" section, three (3) letters of recommendation are required for degree seeking applicants.

When you create an online application to the Purdue Graduate School, you will have the opportunity to enter the names of your recommendation providers along with the preferred method of submission for the recommendation. If you elect to have the recommendation submitted online, your recommendation provider will receive an automatic email notification with instructions for accessing our online recommendation system. Once the online recommendation is submitted the graduate program to which you applied will have access to view your online recommendation.

For recommenders wishing to complete a paper recommendation, please send the following recommendation form (PDF).

Not all programs use the default form above. Please consult the "Completing the Application" portion of the program instruction page. If your program indicates that it uses a separate recommendation form, a link to that form will be provided.

Graduate School applicants who are residents of the State of Indiana and are experiencing an economic hardship may request a waiver of the application fee. To request a waiver of the application fee, please send email explaining your situation to gradinfo@purdue.edu

Additionally, application fee waivers are available for participants in the following programs:

Big 10+ Graduate School Expo
Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) FreeApp
    * Purdue Graduate School Criteria for the CIC FreeApp
Graduate Feeder Scholars Program (Florida A & M University)
Historically Black Institution (HBI) Visitation Program
Institute for Recruitment of Teachers Program
McNair Scholars Program
Native American Institution Visit Program
Purdue Research Opportunities Program
Summer Research Opportunity Program (formerly MARC/AIM)
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
Vietnam Education Foundation

If you are a currently registered graduate student at one of the Purdue University campuses, you are eligible for a waiver of your application fee.

In accordance with Purdue policies, all persons have equal access to Purdue University 's educational programs, services and activities without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, disability or status as a disabled or Vietnam-era veteran. For a more complete statement of Purdue's policies of equal access and equal opportunity, visit http://www.purdue.edu/humanrel/vp/nondescrim.shtml. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these policies, please contact the Office of the Vice President for Human Relations at vphr@purdue.edu or (765) 494-5830.

Questions about application fee waivers may be sent to gradinfo@purdue.edu