Graduate College Frequently Asked Questions
The Application Process
1. Am I eligible for graduate study?
Please see http://nau.edu/GradCol/Admissions/Graduate-Admissions-Policy/
2. How do I apply?
NAU uses an online application for all graduate programs. If you have any questions or require
assistance in our application process, please contact the Graduate College at 928-523-4348 or
graduate@nau.edu.
Please make sure to use Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox as your internet browser when
applying.
3. How much does it cost to apply?
Doctoral or Master's degree or Graduate Certificate applicants - $65.00
Personal enrichment (non-degree) or endorsement - $35.00 (not eligible for financial aid)
4. What if I’ve forgotten my username and password for my application?
There are links on the application page to help you retrieve your username or password.
Username and password information will be sent to the email account you used when you
created your account
5. Do I need to create an account?
If you have never applied to an NAU graduate program, you will need to create an account.
If you have previously applied to NAU, you may have a username and password for this system.
There are links on the application page to assist you in retrieving this information.
If you are a current or former NAU student, your LOUIE logon and password will not work with
this site. Please create a new account.
6. I was denied last year; do I have to reapply to be considered for admission again this
year?
Yes, if you wish to apply for the same program again, you must apply via the online application
to be considered for admission.
Education and Transcripts
1. I can’t type anything for the name of my school on the education section of the
application.
Please use the search button to locate your school name. You will only be able to type in a
school name after completing this step.
2. I’m having trouble locating my school on the education section of the application
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Try searching by state rather than by city.
Many schools have abbreviated names. For example, a community college might be
abbreviated as cmty coll.
Many schools have campuses in several cities. Please select the central campus for your
school or the nearest location.
3. What are official and unofficial transcripts?
Official transcripts are copies issued by your school directly to NAU.
Unofficial transcripts are copies of transcripts issued from your school to you.
4. Do I have to upload unofficial transcripts?
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For all applications except non-degree status, you will need to upload copies of your
unofficial transcripts.
Please make sure your transcripts are in PDF or word document format.
You will only be able to upload one file per school so please make sure all pages of your
transcript are included in the file.
Make sure transcript files contain all pages and are legible before you upload them. If a
transcript is missing pages or is not legible, you will have to submit official transcripts.
If you are receiving an error message about your transcripts being password protected,
there is additional security in the PDF file that is preventing the upload. Please print a copy
of your transcripts and scan them again to create a PDF file without this security.
5. Do you require official transcripts?
Official transcripts will only be required when you are admitted to a program. The Graduate
College will contact you by email at the point of admission and request transcripts.
6. What transcript copies should I include?
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We recommend that you include transcripts for any institutions that you have attended.
The Graduate College will only review transcripts that include posted degrees or degrees in
progress.
Departments may require additional transcripts to verify completion of pre-requisite
courses.
7. What if I can’t obtain copies of official transcripts?
If you are unable to obtain copies of your official transcripts, you cannot be considered for
admission to a graduate program.
Citizenship Verification
1. Do I have to complete the Citizenship Verification section of the application?
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In accordance with Arizona law, all students attending NAU (including out of state
students) must provide documentation of U.S. citizenship, permanent residency or
other lawful immigration status in order to qualify for in-state tuition or any other type
of financial assistance that is subsidized with state monies (includes all graduate
assistantship awards).
The full list of acceptable documentation is available here.
Documentation can be uploaded with your application or emailed to
graduate.admissions@nau.edu .
Residency
1. Do I have to complete the Residency Verification section of the application?
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If you are an Arizona resident, please complete the Arizona Residency Verification
section of the application. Information entered in that section will be used by the
Graduate College to determine residency status.
Failure to complete this section will result in classification as a non-resident and higher
tuition costs.
If you have questions on residency, please contact the Graduate College at 928-5234348 or graduate.admissions@nau.edu .
Letters of Recommendation
1. Do I have to submit letters of recommendation?
If your department requires letters of recommendation, you will be asked to complete the
Recommendation Form section of the application.
2. How do I submit letters of recommendation?
The Recommendation Section will allow you to fill in the names and email addresses for your
recommenders. An electronic recommendation form will be sent to your recommenders to
complete once you have submitted your application.
3. Can I send in paper letters of recommendation?
If you program uses electronic letters of recommendation, you cannot send in paper letters of
recommendation.
4. What if my recommender does not have an email address?
They will have to establish one or you will have to find another recommender.
5. What does it mean to waive access?
If you choose to waive access, your letters of recommendation will be confidential and you will
be unable to examine letters of recommendation submitted on your behalf.
6. How do I check the status of my letters of recommendation? Can I send a reminder to
my recommenders?
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Please return to the application page and select the link that says Review Your Activity.
Login using your username and password.
You will be able to see the status of your letters of recommendation, double check the
email addresses they were sent to, and send a reminder email to your recommenders
from this page.
7. What if my recommenders are not receiving the email with the recommendation
form?
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Please see the instructions above for how to check your recommenders email address
and send a reminder email to your recommenders.
Encourage your recommenders to check their junk or spam email boxes.
If they are still not able to receive the letter, try switching the email address to a
personal email address. Some companies have too much security on their email system
to allow these emails to be delivered.
GRE and other Test Scores
8. Do I have to submit GRE, GMAT or other test scores?
Not all programs require test scores. Please contact your program to find out what test scores
are required. Click here for a list of program contacts.
9. How do I send my GRE or TOEFL scores?
Please contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to arrange to have your GRE or TOEFL
scores sent to NAU electronically. Our institution code for GRE and TOEFL scores is 4006. You
will not need to use a department code.
10. How long does it take for you to receive my GRE scores after I’ve taken the GRE?
GRE scores are typically received within 2-4 weeks after you take the GRE. Please plan
accordingly to make sure your GRE scores are received by the application deadline for your
program.
11. How do I verify that you’ve received my GRE scores?
Please contact us at 928-523-4348 or graduate.admissions@nau.edu .
12. What if I need to submit other test scores like GMAT or Miller Analogies scores?
Please contact your program to find out how to submit these scores. Click here for a list of
program contacts.
Tuition Costs
1. What are tuition costs?
Tuition costs vary depending on a number of factors including residency status, the campus you
take classes on and the number of courses taken for a semester. For exact tuition costs, please
see the website for the Office of Student and Departmental accounts. You can also view the
estimated costs of attendance from our Financial Aid office.
Non Degree Seeking Students
1. What are non-degree seeking students?
Students looking to take classes for personal enrichment can apply as a non-degree seeking
students.
2. Are non-degree seeking students eligible for financial aid?
No, non-degree seeking students are not eligible for financial aid.
3. Are there any enrollment restrictions that apply to non-degree seeking students?
Non-degree seeking students may be restricted from enrolling in classes reserved for students in
a specific program.
4. How do I change from non-degree seeking to degree seeking status?
In order to change from non-degree seeking to degree seeking status, you will need to reapply.
Please contact the Graduate College at 928-523-4348 or graduate.admissions@nau.edu .
International Student Application Process
1. Where can I find information about International Admissions?
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Admissions
Application Process
Immigration and Visa Information
Financial Information
Cost for International Students
Financial Aid
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Health Care Costs and Requirements
Living Accommodations
Orientation for International Students
Center for International Education
After you’ve applied
1. How do I check the status of my application?
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For questions related to your application, transcripts, and GRE scores, please contact the
Graduate College at 928-523-4348 or graduate.admissions@nau.edu .
For questions about departmental requirements (i.e. letters of recommendation,
statements, resumes, etc.) or timelines for admission, please contact your department. Click
here for a list of department contacts.
If your letters of recommendation were submitted electronically, you can check their status.
o Please return to the application page and select the link that says Review Your
Activity.
o Login using your username and password.
o You will be able to see the status of your letters of recommendation, double check
the email addresses they were sent to and send a reminder email to your
recommenders from this page.
Students will also see an icon at the bottom of their student center in LOUIE with their
application status. Please note that this indicator was designed for undergraduate students
and does not accurately reflect the admission status of graduate students.
2. How do I know if I’ve been admitted or denied?
The Graduate College will send a letter of admission or denial when a decision has been made
on your application.
3. I’ve received an email requesting copies of my official transcripts, what address should
official transcripts be mailed to?
Postal Mailing Address:
NAU Graduate College
P.O. Box 4125
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
FedEx, UPS, or other courier address
NAU Graduate College
624 S. Knoles Dr. #A107
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
If your school sends electronic transcripts, please send them to graduate.admissions@nau.edu .
4. How long does it take to for an admission decision to be made?
Every department varies in the amount of time they take to make an admission decision. Please
contact your department for additional details. Click here for a list of department contacts.
After you’re admitted
1. What are my options for financing my education?
Please see our Financing My Education page to view options for funding graduate education,
including Scholarships, Tuition Waivers, Graduate Assistantships, and Financial Aid.
2. What kind of financial aid do you offer?
Please contact NAU’s Financial Aid office for more information.
3. Where can I find open Graduate Assistant positions?
Please contact your program department and also view our current openings.
4. I need more information on the Electronic Thesis/Dissertation process.
Please see the Thesis and Dissertation Requirements section of our website.
5. How do I find an advisor?
Advisors are assigned by your program. Click here for a list of program and advising contacts.
6. When can I enroll in classes?
New students are not able to enroll in classes until the open enrollment date for each semester.
For details on when open enrollment occurs in each semester, please see the Registrar’s
Important Dates and Deadlines page. Please note that new students do not become active
students until approximately one week before the open enrollment date.
7. Where do I find information on the petition for extension of time, leave of absence or
other Graduate College forms and policies?
You’ll find all student forms at the Graduate College Student Forms page. Graduate College
polices can be found at the Graduate College Policies page.
8. Where do I find graduation information?
Please see the Graduation page for information on applying for graduation, application forms
and deadlines, and other graduation information. NAU publishes a commencement page that
can help you with additional information on the commencement schedule and ceremonies.
9. What about important dates and deadlines?
Important dates and deadlines are updated annually and can be found here. Events are posted
on the Graduate College Events Calendar.