Domestic (US Citizens and Permanent Residents) Graduate Applicants

Guest

A guest student is typically one who wants to take a limited number of courses at Kent State and who has no current interest in pursuing a degree. To be admitted in this category, a student must have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution. Guest students typically take courses for job enhancement or personal enrichment.

• A maximum of 6 semester hours of Kent State University credit may be attempted in this admission status.
• Guest students who wish to pursue a degree program or continue after 6 semester hours have been attempted must apply for regular admission.
• Guest students must meet all prerequisites for courses (or obtain permission of the instructor) and must obtain approval from the corresponding program coordinator.
• Guest students are not eligible for financial aid.

Certificate

Graduate certificate programs are designed to deliver focused instruction and formalized guidance in a flexible manner. They are open to degree-seeking as well as graduate non-degree students. Students must meet the admission requirements for the specific graduate certificate being sought and must declare their intent to earn the certificate.

Reapplication

Students who have already earned a graduate degree at Kent State University and want to continue in graduate course work without entering another degree program can complete the reapplication form. This admission allows the student to reenroll for up to six years.

Transient

This classification is for graduate students in good standing from other universities who want to take course work from Kent State University. Applicants are asked to complete the application online, then print the form and obtain the signature of the dean of their graduate school before submitting it to Kent State University.

Non-degree

This option is for applicants who wish to take a limited number of graduate courses for self-improvement, intellectual curiosity or expansion of areas of professional expertise, without earning a graduate degree.

• No more than 12 semester hours of non-degree credit may be petitioned to satisfy requirements for a degree program. (Note: only 6 semester credit hours can be transferred into some graduate programs).
• Non-degree students may not transfer credit earned at another university.

Anyone who has been denied admission to graduate studies, or is under dismissal from the university, is not eligible for non-degree student status.

Master’s

A master’s degree student has typically met requirements for an undergraduate major from a regionally accredited college or university and has been admitted to a graduate program. Kent State University is authorized to grant 14 distinct master’s degrees. A complete list is available here.

Educational Specialist

A student seeking an educational specialist degree, the Ed.S., already holds a master’s degree. This is a practitioner degree, not an intermediate step between the master’s and doctoral degrees. It provides preparation for a specialty position within the field of professional education.

Doctoral

A doctoral degree student is interested in becoming a professional scholar, college and university teacher, or independent research worker in private, industrial, or governmental research institutions. The degree is conferred in recognition of high-level attainment in a branch of learning and in the demonstration of marked scholarly ability within a chosen field. Admissions requirements vary by program area and are available from the subject area links