ESF Academic Catalog
Admission Policies & Requirements

NOTE: The following information on admission to SUNY ESF is limited to specific policies and requirements necessary for inclusion in a catalog of record. 

For complete, current information on admission to ESF, visit our admission websites:

• www.esf.edu/admissions/undergraduate/ 
• www.esf.edu/graduate/
• www.esf.edu/international/ (undergraduate and graduate)

Student Status

Required Application Materials

Early Action First Year Admission for High School Seniors

Regular First Year Admission for High School Seniors

Guaranteed Transfer Option for High School Seniors

Regular Transfer Admission for College Students

Transfer Credit

Policy for Students Transferring from Syracuse University to SUNY ESF

Graduate Admission Policies & Requirements

• Graduate Admissions (complete, current information for prospective students)

Admission to Graduate School is conditional upon review and acceptance of an applicant's credentials by appropriate faculty members and upon the recommendation of the appropriate department chairman or program director to the Interim Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate School.

Application Requirements

Submit securely via our online application.

• Transcripts
  Transcripts of an earned bachelor's degree from a recognized institution with an academic record showing at least a "B" average for junior and senior years of the baccalaureate program or for the master's program
• Application
  The graduate application
• Scores
  Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and for some degree programs, advanced test scores(institution code for official score reports:2530)
• Recommendations
  Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to your academic or professional skills. This should NOT include personal friends and family
• Resume
  A resume or CV
• Statement
  A statement of educational and professional goals
• Fee
  A nonrefundable $60(US) application fee

Students whose primary language is not English are also required to provide evidence of English language proficiency.

Applying for Admission

Faculty seek graduate students who are well prepared for rigorous study, responsive and receptive to constructive feedback, and a good fit with their programs. The most effective way for applicants to demonstrate these qualities is to communicate with faculty prior to applying and to understand the programs ESF has to offer. Therefore, individuals who are interested in applying for graduate study should contact ESF faculty to discuss degree programs and learn about specific opportunities for study and research at ESF. Faculty Web pages provide contact information and additional insights about ESF degree programs. We also encourage applicants to visit campus and meet with faculty and current graduate students.

Application Deadlines

While the following dates are particularly important for applicants wishing to be considered for fellowships, assistantships, and other forms of financial assistance, ESF will continue to accept and fully consider graduate applications beyond each of the noted deadlines:

Application Target Dates

*Applications completed by these deadlines by these dates will normally receive decisions by mid-March for fall matriculation and by early December for spring matriculation.

Graduate Record Exam Subject Tests

Subject tests are recommended by the following programs:

Transfer Credit

Credit hours appropriate to the graduate degree in which a minimum grade of B was earned from an accredited institution can be transferred to the College, but grades and grade points cannot be transferred.

Up to six credits of graduate coursework not used to complete another degree may be accepted toward completion of a master’s or doctoral degree as approved by the steering committee.

Up to 30 credits of graduate level coursework earned as part of a conferred master’s degree may be transferred (by petition) to a doctoral degree with approval of the steering committee.

Students may transfer no more than nine credits of credit-bearing non-degree ESF coursework to graduate degree programs.

All transfer credit will remain tentative until official, final transcripts are received. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that official, final transcripts are sent to and received by the College.

Part-time Study

Part-time study at the graduate level provides an excellent opportunity for working professionals to extend their educational credentials or broaden their general knowledge by enrolling for courses on a part-time basis. The M.P.S. or M.F. professional degrees are available for students who are initially matriculated on a part-time basis. Part-time students apply, matriculate and register through the same processes that all ESF graduate students complete. During any semester, students who enroll in part-time programs may register for the equivalent of full-time study, which is at least 12 credit hours. Part-time students are held to the policy for continuous registration, but not to the policy for time to degree (delimitation).

Deferred Admission

Students accepted to graduate programs at ESF who wish to defer their enrollment beyond their original entry term must make this request in writing directly to the The Graduate School.

Faculty as Students

Employees of the College who carry faculty status in accordance with SUNY ESF Faculty Bylaws and are at or above the rank of assistant professor or equivalent, may not enter into matriculated status at the College.

International Student Admission Policies & Requirements

• International Admissions (complete, current information for prospective international students)

In addition to the admission requirements that all prospective students must meet, international applicants must provide the following:

Note: SUNY ESF accepts MyBest TOEFL scores for both undergraduate and graduate admissions.

1. Transcripts and international academic credentials—International applicants must provide complete translations into English of all transcripts required by the admissions application without any additions or deletions by the translators. Translations of documents by the applicant will not be accepted. Credential evaluator and translation services for academic documents may be found through the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
   • International freshman applicants are required to demonstrate the completion of a college preparatory secondary school program by submitting academic credentials translated into English. This evaluation must be completed by an approved international credentials evaluation agency.
   • International transfer applicants are required to submit a detailed course-by-course evaluation of all international academic credentials in English. This evaluation must be completed by an approved international credentials evaluation agency.
2. Copy of the passport should be submitted with application materials.

International Students Currently Attending an Educational Institution in the U.S.

In addition to the entrance requirements for other international students, international students who are currently enrolled at a U.S. educational institution must obtain permission (usually through a Transfer-In Form) from their current educational institution to transfer their SEVIS record to ESF. Students will also have to complete a SUNY ESF SEVIS Transfer-In Form (F-1 Students / J-1) so that ESF is aware of when your current institution will release your SEVIS record to ESF so that a new I-20 or DS-2019 can be issued for the ESF program of study. Additional information about transferring your SEVIS record to ESF is available online.

I-20 Issuance for International Students

An I-20, required for the F-1 student visa application, will be issued once a student has:

1. 1. Been officially admitted to ESF;
   2. Submitted adequate financial support documentation for at least one year of expenses at ESF;

In order to obtain an I-20 from ESF, a potential F-1 student must complete the "FSA-4 - Financial Statement" and submit credible documentary evidence that they have enough readily available funds to meet all expenses (tuition, fees, and living expenses) for the entire first year of study. (It is expected that barring unforeseen circumstances, students will have adequate funds available for each subsequent year of study from the same source or from one or more other specifically identified and reliable financial sources.)

Documentation of sufficient funding may come from any combination of dependable sources, including scholarships, assistantships, fellowships, sponsoring agencies, personal funds, or funds from a student's family. Documentation of scholarships, assistantships, and fellowships must be in the form of an official award letter from the school or sponsoring agency; documentation of personal or family funds should be on an official signed letter of support from the bank that includes the U.S. dollar amount of support and certified bank statements which indicate that the sponsor has sufficient funds to meet a student's first-year expenses at ESF (the bank statement does not have to show the full amount of the account), or in the form of a legally binding affidavit. The Form I-134, "Affidavit of Support," can be used to document support being provided by a U.S. citizen or U.S. legal permanent resident. Government-sponsored applicants should submit a certified copy of the award letter that includes the U.S. dollar amount of the award per year, the duration of the award and a list of expenses covered by the award.

1. Indicate your intention to enroll at ESF through your ESF Applicant Portal by submitting the required admissions deposit.
2. Submitted the New Undergraduate International Student Information Form.
3. Submitted a passport copy.

Once all of the above materials have been received, an I-20 will be issued and mailed to the prospective international student by the Office of International Education.

Health Insurance Requirement

ESF students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are required by SUNY policies to maintain comprehensive health insurance with medical evacuation and repatriation coverage for themselves (and their dependents in the United States) for the duration of their ESF program of study. International students are automatically enrolled in the SUNY Health Insurance Plan unless proof of comparable health insurance is provided to the Bursar's Office within 30 days of the start of each semester.