Graduate Admission

Office of Graduate Admission, 105 Memorial Hall
Telephone: 1-866-GRADHOF (1-866-472-3463)
Fax: (516) 463-4664
E-mail: gradstudent@hofstra.edu
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Click on a link to be taken to the entry below.

Applicants for matriculated or nonmatriculated study are required to present evidence of a baccalaureate or graduate degree from a fully, regionally accredited institution when they apply for admission.

Admission to graduate study at Hofstra is open to those who have met general University requirements, and specific requirements for the various programs and degrees offered. Students should also carefully check individual programs. Criteria for admission are subject to change without notice.

A nonrefundable tuition deposit of $250 may be required of all accepted full-time graduate/doctoral students (see specific program). This deposit will be credited toward tuition in the semester for which the student first registers.

NOTE: The deadline for filing a housing application is May 1.

Master’s and doctoral students who have no record of attendance at Hofstra for a period of 15 months or more after the last completed semester, including summer sessions, are bound by the requirements set forth in the Graduate Studies Bulletin in effect when they are readmitted. Students who are maintaining matriculation are considered to be in attendance.

Hofstra University is sensitive to the fact that our students may leave the university in order to perform military service, and encourages those students to complete their education degree once that service has ended. Qualified U.S. Service Member students who seek to take a leave of absence to perform such service must give advanced notice of service to the Office of Student Financial Services and Registrar, unless military necessity prevents this. If such notice is not provided, the student will have to provide sufficient documentation that the student performed such service, upon seeking readmission. The student must contact the Office of Graduate Admissions to submit a Readmission application. A Service Member student who is readmitted will be readmitted with the same academic status as when he/she last attended so long as there is no disqualifying event, such as dishonorable or bad conduct charge, and the length of absence does not exceed the established time period for such leave (generally five years).

Graduate students are considered full-time by Hofstra University if they are registered for a minimum of 9 semester hours*, and part-time if they are registered for fewer than 9 semester hours per semester. Classroom activities, student teaching, internship and practica may be considered as contributing to full-time status.

Non-classroom activities that constitute an integral part of the student’s program (e.g., independent study, internships, thesis/dissertation research, graduate assistantships, preparation for language qualifying examinations) may be considered as contributing toward full-time or part-time status. Petitions for consideration of such activities for full- or part-time status may be submitted by the student and his/her program adviser or director to the dean of the College or School. The student must be registered for class or maintaining matriculation.

*Eligibility for some financial aid programs (e.g., TAP Awards) may require enrollment for a minimum of 12 credits.

Graduate transfer credit from another accredited institution may be accepted by Hofstra, subject to the following conditions:

1. Graduate transfer credit is limited by the University to insure a minimum of 24 semester hours taken in-residence. See individual graduate program listed under the major department for specific transfer regulations.
2. No credit will be given for courses graded less than B- or the equivalent.
3. Graduate students transferring to Hofstra must apply for credit for courses taken at another institution at the time of application for matriculation into the program. The course work to be transferred must be academically relevant to the program of study entered. This credit must be evaluated by the program director and chairperson of the student’s major graduate area on an official form issued by the Office of Graduate Admissions. Transfer credit must be incorporated into the student’s plan of study on the Graduate Student Advisement Record early in the student’s program.
4. Students attending Hofstra may obtain credit for courses taken at another accredited institution if the courses have been approved in advance by the appropriate department, school or college and have been recorded by the Office of Academic Records and are in accordance with the Advanced Standing Policy.

Applicants for graduate matriculation (approved study leading to an advanced degree, certificate or professional diploma) should submit a completed application with all required documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions on or before the deadline date established for the program in which the student wishes to matriculate. Complete information regarding deadlines, admission requirements and submission of standardized test scores may be obtained from the Office of Graduate Admissions.

All applicants for graduate matriculation must submit official transcripts of all previous study, both undergraduate and graduate, from fully regionally accredited institutions.

Applicants who fail to submit their applications in time may be admitted as nonmatriculated graduate students if they wish to register for no more than 12 semester hours of course work, which in some cases may be prerequisite to matriculation or creditable to degree requirements upon subsequent matriculation. This option is not available for students seeking admission in graduate business programs or the School/Community Psychology or the Clinical Psychology doctoral programs. Zarb School of Business graduate courses may not be taken by nonmatriculated students. Courses in the School/Community Psychology or Clinical Psychology doctoral programs are open only to students matriculated in those programs. In addition to particular course and program restrictions, the University reserves the right to restrict registration for nonmatriculated students as it deems appropriate.

The completed application will be reviewed by the Office of Graduate Admissions and the appropriate graduate program director for a decision. The applicant will receive official notification of the decision from this Office.

Graduate students are expected to satisfy those requirements specified in the Graduate Studies Bulletin of their first matriculation in their graduate program at the University, as designated in the letter of acceptance from the Office of Graduate Admissions. Students who have no record of attendance at Hofstra University for a period of 15 months or more must follow the requirements set forth in the Graduate Studies Bulletin in effect when they are readmitted. Any student, however, may elect once during his or her graduate studies to follow all the requirements specified in a subsequent Graduate Studies Bulletin, provided the Office of Academic Records is notified prior to the semester of graduation. No exceptions regarding the requirements set forth in any Graduate Studies Bulletin may be made by the students or by the faculty without the written approval of the dean of the academic unit or of the provost.

NOTE: For specific requirements, see individual graduate programs.

Applicants who wish to take individual courses may study on a nonmatriculated basis for a maximum of 12 semester hours. Applicants for nonmatriculated study are required to present evidence of a baccalaureate or graduate degree from a fully, regionally accredited institution when they apply for admission. In addition to particular course and program restrictions, the University reserves the right to restrict registration for nonmatriculated students as it deems appropriate.

Permission to take courses as a nonmatriculated student does not constitute acceptance to a degree program. Nonmatriculated students are encouraged to matriculate in order to obtain the advisement and registration benefits accorded matriculated students. Students who subsequently matriculate may apply credit earned in a nonmatriculated status in courses numbered 200 or above toward a degree provided these courses fulfill requirements and are completed within the time limit set for the degree. Zarb School of Business graduate courses are open only to matriculated graduate students in the Zarb School of Business and in other schools at Hofstra where appropriate. Graduate courses in psychology, speech pathology and audiology, and counseling are closed to non-degree admission. All courses below the 200 level do not carry graduate credit. Complete information may be obtained in the Office of Graduate Admissions. Matriculation imposes no obligation to complete a stipulated amount of work each semester, but entails careful examination and evaluation of previous academic accomplishments, usually within the ultimate goal of acceptance into a degree, certificate or diploma program.

Students with special needs who meet University admission requirements may exceed the 12-semester hour limit set for nonmatriculants by entering either a degree/diploma/certificate program or by entering the category of special non-degree student, if approved by the Office of Graduate Admissions. Special non-degree admission enables the student to go beyond the normal 12-semester hour limit for non-degree study and take advantage of all University services normally limited to those students seeking a degree.

It is not the policy to permit either Hofstra or non-Hofstra students to audit graduate courses.

Hofstra University requires graduate students to submit official notification of intent to take an academic leave or withdrawal from the University. An academic leave is an official notification to the University, by a student who has completed at least one semester, that the student is temporarily stopping attendance at Hofstra for a minimum of one full fall or spring semester. A withdrawal indicates that the student has permanently stopped attending the University. When a student withdraws, registration for future semesters will be contingent upon reapplication to the University under admission standards at that time. This request may be made in writing or by completing the online form in the Hofstra Online Information System. To access the form, log into the portal at my.hofstra.edu, click on the Hofstra Online tab and select “Academic Leave/Withdrawal from the University” from the registration menu. If submitted in writing, the request must be signed and dated.

After submitting this request, graduate students must contact the Office of Graduate Admissions in order to process and finalize their request. Please note that academic leave and withdrawal requests are not final until students confer with the appropriate office.

Students who withdraw officially or unofficially from one or more courses after the first week of the term, or equivalent for courses shorter than 15 weeks, will be liable for all or part of the tuition and fees associated with those courses.

Maintaining matriculation is to be used by students in academic pursuits that do not include registration for classes. Students maintaining matriculation are considered “registered” at the University. Examples of academic pursuits include, but are not limited to, work on a thesis and completion of course work where a grade of incomplete was received.