Non-Degree Status Requirements

Non-Degree Status has been established for the post-baccalaureate student who:

1. wishes to take courses for self-enlightenment unrelated to any graduate degree program.

2. plans to demonstrate competence in graduate studies in support of consideration for admission to a degree program at a later time.

The admission process for Non-Degree Status applicants begins when the application for admission and all supporting documents have been received in the Office of Admissions. Requests for Non-Degree Status are reviewed and acted upon in the Office of Admissions.

Applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. All students wishing to receive graduate credit must file an official transcript from each college or university from which they have received a degree, unless the degree was obtained from the University of Northern Iowa. Only transcripts sent directly from the issuing institution to the UNI Office of Admissions are considered official. 

Scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are required from applicants whose first language is not English. The minimum required scores are 550(paper)/213(computer)/79-80(Internet) on the TOEFL or 6.5 on the IELTS.

Please note that some graduate programs have higher requirements. The requirement to submit these scores may be waived only by the Graduate College through a direct request from a graduate program (not from a prospective student).  A typical circumstance in which a waiver may be granted is that the student has completed a bachelor's or graduate degree at an accredited English-speaking institution.

Note:  Academic departments are not obliged to count toward their degree program any credit for course work

undertaken in a Non-Degree Status.