To apply to the Ph.D. in Education with emphasis in Higher Education program in the School of Education, you must meet the following minimum requirements for admission:
- Undergraduate degree (e.g., B.A., or B.S.) from an accredited institution
- Graduate degree (e.g., M.S., M.Ed.) from an accredited institution completed
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may be admitted in exceptional cases
- GRE is required but there are no minimum score requirements for any of the three GRE divisions
- Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in English with a minimum TOEFL score of 83 or an IELTS score of at least 6.5 for consideration for admission to the School of Education
The application deadline has been extended to February 1, 2021 for Fall 2021 consideration.
- Complete the online graduate application.
- Note: If you have not previously been admitted to the Graduate College at Iowa State University (or if you have been admitted as a ‘non-degree seeking student’ as opposed to a certificate or degree-seeking program), you must complete the online graduate application through the Iowa State Admissions office. Please disregard any application acceptance dates that may be listed on the Iowa State University-wide admissions site and continue with your application as prompted through their website.
- Note: If you have previously been admitted to the Graduate College at Iowa State University, do not complete an online graduate application. Instead, please fill out Section I of the “request to transfer from one major/program/department to another” form and submit this form, along with the below required application materials, directly to the graduate support specialist.
- Compose a 2-3 page statement of intent. This statement serves as an important indicator of the applicant’s ability to communicate effectively in writing. Upload this statement to your online graduate application as a separate document. In the statement of purpose section of the online application form, please write “see attached statement of intent.” No additional narrative is required. Your statement should address:
- Addressing your goal(s) or purpose in pursuing an advanced degree
- Area(s) of interest for research/scholarship
- Reason for selecting the School of Education for graduate work
- Your professional background.
- Upload your current resume to your online graduate application.
- Identify three references who will provide you letters of support. At least one letter should be from a faculty member at a college or university who can speak to your potential for success as a graduate student. Letters of support should address the applicant’s written and oral communication skills, aptitude for advanced study, creative talent, and potential for a successful career. On your online graduate application, you will have the opportunity to enter the names and email addresses of your three references. If you choose the option of using the online process, your references will be emailed a form to fill out once you have submitted your online graduate application. Once your reference has completed the form and submitted it, it will automatically upload to your online graduate application. If you choose not to use the online process on the online graduate application, please have your references fill out this form and email it directly to the graduate support specialist..
- GRE scores (verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing) are required to apply for a Ph.D. in the School of Education. Official GRE results are sent electronically by the Educational Testing Service. Our school code is 6306. No department codes are required. Your scores will be uploaded your online graduate application file once ISU has received them.
- Upload a writing sample to your online graduate application. This can be a journal article, a scholarly paper, or a master’s thesis.
- Order your official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions you have attended. These should be sent to:
Office of Admissions
100 Enrollment Services Ctr.
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2011 - International applicants only: A TOEFL score of at least 83 or an IELTS score of at least 6.5 is required for consideration for admission to the School of Education. Please upload your official TOEFL or IELTS score report to your online graduate application.