Higher Education Admission Requirements

Application Information

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All applicants must have a completed bachelor’s degree earned from an accredited institution prior to beginning the program. The University of Denver requires that applicants have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. If your GPA does not meet this requirement, please contact the Morgridge Office of Admissions to discuss your eligibility options.

Applications will not be reviewed until all items listed below are received.

• Application Requirements
  • Online Application for Graduate Admission
  • Statement of Professional Goals
  • Statement of Equity, Diversity and Social Justice
  • Current Vita/Resume
  • One (1) transcript from each college/university where at least 1 credit has been earned, sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions. This can be an unofficial copy; however, if admitted you must submit an official copy from each college/university by the first day of classes.
    • This may include transcripts from community colleges, study abroad experiences, transfer institutions, non-degree coursework and military transcripts.
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation (uploaded by recommenders)
  • $65 Application Fee

   

  Additional Requirements for EdD Applicants

  • Applicants must have completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees from an accredited institution prior to beginning the program.
  • Applicants must have at least 2-3 years of post-master’s professional experience in postsecondary education, or a related field, prior to beginning graduate coursework at DU within the Higher Education EdD program. Applicants can demonstrate proof of professional experience via resume submission and a letter of recommendation from a former or current supervisor. Applicants who have not met the preferred years of professional experience may be considered for the program on a case-by-case basis, or encouraged to apply at a later date.

   

  Additional Requirements for PhD Applicants

  • Applicants must have completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees from an accredited institution prior to beginning the program.

   

  Application Checklist

  • MA: Higher Education - MA - 2025-2026
  • EdD: Higher Education - EDD - 2025-2026
  • PhD: Higher Education - PHD - 2025-2026

  Priority deadline: Applications will be considered after the Priority deadline provided space is available.

• Next Steps

  To view outstanding documents (i.e. letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc.) and admission decisions, please check your Application Status Page by logging in with your email address and password. After reviewing your application and all supplemental documents, the Morgridge College of Education will contact you via email to share next steps in the admissions process. All admission updates will be released via email.

  Please ensure that the email address you provided within your application is one that you check frequently.

  Faculty review completed applications beginning from December through February.  We will notify applicants via email with an admissions status update sometime in January or February.  If invited to interview, interviews will be held throughout the winter.
  
  If you have any questions or concerns regarding admission requirements, deadlines, and late application materials, please contact mce.admission@du.edu or call (303) 871-2509.

  Next Steps for MA Applicants

  An interview is not required for admission.

  Next Steps for EdD & PhD Applicants

  Qualified applicants will be invited to participate in an interview with program faculty. In-person and virtual options for the interview will be available.

• Requirements for International Applicants

  International applicants, or applicants who do not hold a degree from an institution where English was the primary language of instruction, may be required to provide additional application requirements, which are outlined below:

  Provide Proof of English Proficiency by submitting passing TOEFL, IELTS, or CAE scores

  • Minimum TOEFL Score: 80 (iBT) or 550 (paper-based)
  • Minimum IELTS Score: 6.5
  • Minimum CAE Score: 169

   

  It is strongly encouraged that you submit all application materials at least 14 business days in advance of a deadline to allow enough time for your application to be evaluated by the Office of International Admission. If admitted, you will be required to submit additional documents to complete the internationalization process to receive your visa. Please refer to the Office of International Student & Scholar Services for information and questions about this process at du.edu/isss.

  More Info for International Students