Graduate Admissions Guidelines

The Deptartment of Forestry and Natural Resources has its own Recommendation Form. Please use this instead of the "Recommendation for Admission to Graduate School" provided by the Purdue University graduate school.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Admission: January 15
• Spring Admission: September 15

Application Documentation

• Application and $55 application fee submitted electronically to the University.
• Three letters of recommendation
• A 300-500 word statement of purpose
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
• Official GRE scores from the general GRE test*
• Official TOEFL scores* (international applicants only)
  
  *Send directly from ETS to Purdue University, institution code is 1631.

Minimum Index

A minimum undergraduate grade index of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale is required for admissions. Applicants with an index below 3.2 may be considered for admission if all other rating factors, especially GRE aptitude scores, are above the minimum levels adopted by the Department. 

The index for an applicant with previous graduate training will be computed as a weighted average of undergraduate and graduate, but the undergraduate index generally must be 3.0 or above. 

Graduate Record Examination

Applicants must have scores of 50th percentile or better in verbal and quantitative portions of the exam, and 4.0 or better in analytical writing.  Advanced scores will be used only as supplemental guides. 

English Proficiency Requirement

A student whose first language is not English may meet the English proficiency requirement by submitting a T.O.E.F.L. total score of 550 or higher (paper version) or 213 or higher (computer version).

The minimum Internet-based test scores required for admission are the following:

• Writing 18
• Speaking 18
• Listening 14
• Reading 19
• Total 77

Note that in addition to required minimum scores for writing, speaking, listening, and reading, the Graduate School also requires a minimum overall score that is higher than the minimums for the four area tests combined. Applicants must meet or exceed each of the five scores (listed above) for admission to the Graduate School.

The Graduate School also accepts International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores. An overall band score of 6.5 is required for admission. For more information, visit www.ielts.org .

Course Deficiencies

Applicants with 5 or more required course deficiencies (about 15 credits) will not be admitted as regular graduate students until deficiencies are corrected. 

Minimum Course Requirements for Graduate Applicants

Minimum background courses are required for admission by fields of study within the Department. Applicants in all subject areas must have as minimum preparatory work a baccalaureate degree that includes appropriate courses in the following subjects:

• Forest Biology and Silviculture (ecology, soils, tree physiology) 
• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (aquaculture, fisheries biology and management, limnology)
• Natural Resource Social Science
• Forest Information and Assessment/Geographic Information Systems 
• Genetics
• Wildlife Science (community ecology,conservation biology, physiology) 
• Wood Science and Technology

All other course deficiencies from the above lists must be corrected before arrival at Purdue or included as "other requirements" on the plan-of-study form. 

Evaluation Process 

The Departmental Graduate Committee and the prospective major professor will screen applicants to the graduate program and recommend admission or denial to the Department Head, based on the following criteria: (roughly in order of importance)

• GPA
• GRE scores
• Evaluations by references
• Research/Professional experience
• Personal statement of interests & goals
• Quality of previous program
• Relevancy of prior coursework

Applications for summer-fall admission are reviewed about January 15 with notification by April.  Applications for spring admission are reviewed about September 15 with notification about November 1. 

Admission Process

The Graduate School at Purdue University does not accept paper applications.  You may apply on-line at:
http://www.gradschool.purdue.edu/admissions/