Buffalo State maintains a student-managed admissions process that requires an applicant to submit a complete application with all required components to the Graduate School by the appropriate deadline. Thus, applicants are assured the admissions committee has all the necessary information to evaluate their qualifications to avoid delay in the application process. Submitted materials are the property of the Graduate School. Copies of application materials will not be supplied to the student or any other institution.
Nondegree Applicants should complete steps #1, #2, and #4 below. Only official transcripts reflecting a master's or bachelor's degree need to be submitted. Additional transcripts are not required but will be if /when the student applies to a program. There is no specific deadline for nondegree applications however course availability may be impacted based on the submission date of application materials. Additional fees may apply for students who submit applications after their desired semester has begun.
Non-degree Seeking Applicants: The online application can be completed in approximately 5-10 minutes; you cannot save your work so please have all the information readily available when applying. You may select "pay now" or "pay later" when submitting the application. Please note that applications will not be processed until the payment is received.
Degree Seeking Applicants (including PTC and Certificate Programs): The online application can be completed in approximately 10-15 minutes; you can save your work and complete the application later, if needed. Entry fields save automatically or you can click "Review" and "Save for Later" to return and complete the application at another time. You may select "pay now" or "pay later" when submitting the application. Please note that applications will not be processed until the payment is received.
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants who are submitting an application for the first time since spring 2020, need to register as a “New User”. Applicants checking the status of an already submitted application or who had previously submitted an application for Spring 2020 and beyond will click “Returning User.”
A $65 non-refundable application fee is required for all SUNY Buffalo State Graduate School applicants. This fee is waived for active students seeking to change their major.
If you choose "Pay Later" during the application submission process, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to pay the fee via a credit card or checking account.
If you are unable to submit this payment online, please contact the Graduate School at (716) 878-5601. Students who were recipients of EOP, HEOP, SEEK, McNair Scholars, or CSTEP participants are eligible for a fee waiver. Please submit a completed Certification of Participation form with your application materials.
In accordance with 8NYCRR Part 302, the Graduate School will waive the application fee for any active duty military, veterans, and their spouses. Applicants must send a copy of their DD214 (military discharge), military ID, or military spouse ID to gradoffc@buffalostate.edu.
Some programs require additional documents (e.g., statement of intent, letters of recommendation, test scores) and/or supplemental application materials.
These documents can be uploaded within the Online Application by logging back into your Application Portal. The checklist you see within your portal is unique to your program. Missing items are listed with an X; fulfilled items are listed with a green checkmark. Applicants to programs requiring letters of recommendation should identify their recommenders and have their email addresses when completing the Online Application. Letters of recommendations must be submitted directly from the recommender.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to review the individual program admissions requirements before applying to determine if additional materials are required.
Applicants for Teacher Education Programs: New York State requires that all students have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 AND have taken a national normed test in order to be eligible for a graduate education program. Applicants may continue with their application process even if they have not yet satisfied these requirements. Applicants should review the list of programs affected by this mandate and/or contact their program coordinator to get full details about next steps and advice about how to move forward.
Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be submitted. If submitting a physical (paper) transcript, it must be received in an unopened, sealed envelope. If your school offers official electronic transcripts, the school must send it directly to the Graduate School (gradoffc@buffalostate.edu). Electronic copies will not be accepted if sent from the applicant. Buffalo State students are not required to submit transcripts, as the Graduate School will obtain Buffalo State transcripts. However, if the applicant attended other institutions, these transcripts must be provided even if sent at time of a previous application. In accordance with federal regulations, all students (except Buffalo State graduates) are required to submit a final transcript with a degree posted to the Graduate School by the start of their graduate work for financial aid eligibility.
