Admission

Basic Admission Requirements

Prospective students are usually expected to have a basic background in the biological sciences. Experience or emphasis in fisheries, wildlife, or natural resource management is desirable but not required. A strong background in physical sciences, chemistry, and mathematics is recommended. Familiarity with statistics and computer use is also favored, although exceptions are possible.

Minimum scores for admission are a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 basis and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores of 450 Verbal, 500 Quantitative, and 500 Analytical. However, most successful applicants have considerably higher scores for both criteria. Other factors, such as evidence of research ability, professional experience, and letters of recommendation, are also important admission criteria.

To Apply

Requests for application materials should be sent to the director of graduate studies in either fisheries or Wildlife Ecology and Management (address given below). Requests should specify proposed major field and emphasis, degree objective, and date of entry.

1. Forward the following materials to:

Graduate School
309 Johnston Hall
University of Minnesota
101 Pleasant Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455

  • the completed ivory Application for Admission form (available from the Graduate Studies Office,address below). You may also apply online at www.grad.umn.edu/prospective_students/apply_online.html.
  • an official transcript from each college or university you have attended
  • the application fee
  • any other materials requested on the application form

Deadlines for receipt of the above materials and application fees can be found on the Graduate School application.

International students whose native language is not English must also submit TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores.

2. Forward the following materials to

Graduate Studies Office
College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
301J Green Hall
1530 Cleveland Avenue N.
St. Paul, MN 55108

  • photocopies of transcripts from each college or university you have attended
  • three letters of recommendation from persons acquainted with your academic and professional experience
  • Graduate Record Examination scores for quantitative, verbal, and analytical tests. When registering for the GRE, be sure to specify either the fisheries science major field code (0106) or the wildlife management major field code (0108) and use the Institution Code for the University of Minnesota (6874). Because you frequently receive GRE scores before the department, please forward a photocopy of your announcement to us. This will speed processing your application.
  • the completed Application for Fellowships and Assistantships form (.doc)

Applications are accepted at any time. However, since faculty review most applications in early February for admission the following fall, we recommend that all application materials be in by January 1. We will inform you of our decision on your application by early April or possibly sooner.

For applicants who meet minimum entry requirements, acceptance is based on a competitive weighting of credentials in conjunction with available space, advisers, and funding. Because individual faculty make the final selection of their graduate students, we strongly encourage that you communicate directly with those faculty members whose research interests match your own. Nominations for Graduate School Fellowships are made in early February, and assistantship offers are usually made by mid-March. Qualified applicants who are not offered a position by mid-April may be placed on alternate status and will be reviewed should additional student openings arise within the next six months.