Entrance Requirements & Guidelines
Each graduate program has its own set of requirements in addition to the University of Arizona’s graduate college minimum requirements. Most completed applications include a letter of intent, summary of coursework form, a minimum of three letters of recommendation, transcripts, and proof of English proficiency, if required.
A completed application includes any required official high school and college transcripts, depending on your status; payment of an application fee (fee waivers are available based on financial need); and proof of English proficiency, if required. Please read our admissions survival guide prior to beginning your application.
Required documents
- A letter of intent.
- A summary of coursework form (students coming from institutions outside of the United States are required to list courses and grades. The U.S. is on a 4.0 scale, but other countries are on a scale of 10 or 100. Please make a note on the scale on which you received your grades).
- A minimum of three letters of recommendation. The application will generate an email request for the letters after your recommenders' contact information. This is the only part of the application that you can edit once you submit the application. You'll be able to see who has sent their letter and who has not. You will be able to add recommenders throughout the process in case one of your recommenders does not respond. Please see the application tips link for tips on selecting recommenders. Your recommenders can choose to use regular mail, or send an email with the letter attached to the graduate coordinator. You can let them know this, but these instructions are also in the email that is sent via the online mechanism.
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended will only be required if you are admitted to the program. Please only upload unofficial transcripts into the online process.
- GRE scores. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) IS NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR ADMISSION. If you have already taken the GRE, your official scores will be automatically submitted electronically from the testing service if you have listed the University of Arizona as. a recipient of your scores. You may upload scanned copies of your results here for the purpose of evaluation but only as an added component of your application. The GRE is now OPTIONAL.
International students must also provide proof of English proficiency.
The University Code is 4832 or all test scores. You do not need a more specific code as the scores are entered into a central system.
You may be asked to upload additional documents, including TOEFL score reports or your resume depending on the program you select or your residency status.
Official transcripts can be sent to the graduate coordinator and the university's Graduate College only if you are recommended for admission:
Graduate Coordinator
School of Natural Resources and the Environment
1064 E. Lowell
The University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85719
Summary of coursework forms. Save as a PDF and attach to online application.
Your cost to attend
Funding is something you’ll need to think about and discuss with potential faculty advisors very early, as The School of Natural Resources and the Environment does not have departmental funding for graduate students. Graduate students are rarely accepted without funding. to the Natural Resources program. The Water, Society, and Policy program will admit students without funding.
You can fund your studies through fellowships, an existing faculty grant, working as a teaching assistant, scholarships, financial aid and tuition savings programs, such as the Western Regional Graduate Program. The WRGP is only available for students in the Water, Society and Policy M.S. program.
Learn more about financial support for graduate students
M.S. & Ph.D. in Natural Resources
To be admitted into the Natural Resources Ph.D. program, you must have a master's degree. Individual programs and faculty have varied qualifications, but competitive applicants often have degrees in biology or natural resources and relevant research or applied experience. Degree requirements for each option are strong recommendations, with some coursework available as part of the program. Contact the graduate coordinator for questions.
Admission requires a member of the faculty to serve as your major advisor and a funding plan, which is typically developed with the advisor. Funding can come from faculty derived grants or university funding. The priority deadline to be considered for university-based funding is January 15th each year for Natural Resources M.S. and Ph.D. programs. Applicants should make every effort to apply by this date. However, faculty receive grant funding to support graduate students throughout the year and you may apply at any time if you have faculty support.
Applicants should make every effort to apply to the M.S. and Ph.D. in Natural Resources programs by the priority deadline to be considered for university-based funding.
Priority funding application deadline: January 15th
While we have a priority funding deadline for applications, the application deadlines vary among different graduate program options.
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Natural Resources with an emphasis in Natural Resources Studies: January 15 for Fall admission, and August 1 for Spring admission.
- M.S. of Ph.D. in Natural Resources with an emphasis in Ecology, Management, and Restoration of Rangelands: We accept applications at any time for Fall and Spring admission. Applicants are encouraged to apply at least two months prior to the semester in which they would like to enroll. International students should apply at least five months in advance of the semester in which they wish to enroll.
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Natural Resources with an emphasis in Watershed Management and Ecohydrology: January 15 for Fall admission and August 1 for Spring admission.
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Natural Resources with an emphasis in Wildlife or Fisheries Conservation and Management: We accept applications at any time for Fall and Spring admission. Applicants are encouraged to apply at least two months prior to the semester in which they would like to enroll. International students should apply at least five months in advance of the semester in which they wish to enroll.
M.S. in Water, Society & Policy
There are no prerequisite course requirements for Water, Society, and Policy graduate students. Some individual courses in the core have prerequisites such as economics, physics or calculus, but there is sufficient breadth in the core curriculum that if you haven’t already taken these prerequisites, other courses are available to fulfill the program requirements.
M.S. in Water, Society, and Policy: We accept applications at any time for Fall and Spring admissions. Applicants are encouraged to apply at least two months prior to the semester in which they'd like to enroll. International students should apply at least five months in advance of the semester in which they wish to enroll.
International students
If you’re not a U.S. citizen or you do not yet hold U.S. permanent resident status, you’ll apply as an international student. If you've submitted residency application documents to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, but have not yet received formal approval verifying that you have become a permanent resident of the United States, you're considered an international student. The requirements you’ll need to meet vary depending on your high school and college experience and the academic requirements of your home country at the time your application is submitted. You may also need to submit proof of English proficiency if your primary language is not English, or you attended school in a non-English speaking country.
Official documents must be an original or a certified copy that's issued by the university or college. Each page must contain the original stamp or seal of the institution, the original signature of the appropriate school authority, and the date of issuance.
The transcript must be a comprehensive record of all study completed, detailing courses studied and the grades (marks) received.
Degree or diploma certificates are required if the degree is not officially posted on the transcript. Degree or diploma certificates must indicate the type of degree awarded and the date of the award.
Transcripts and degree certificates/diplomas must be submitted in the original native language and must be accompanied by an officially verified English translation issued by the university or college.
E-Transcripts are considered official if sent directly from the institution or transcript service to either University of Arizona department personnel or the Graduate College transcripts inbox at transcripts@grad.arizona.edu. PDF is the required delivery format. Electronic transcripts that require the use of an .exe file to open will not be accepted and an alternate delivery method must be chosen.
For those individuals whose university issues only one set of official documents, please be prepared to present those documents to the Graduate Admissions office for viewing after arrival and enrollment.
The Graduate Admissions office performs all international credentials evaluations in-house and does not accept evaluations from private credentials evaluation services in lieu of the original transcripts and/or diploma from the issuing institution.
Recognized domestic degrees: A four-year undergraduate bachelor degree issued from a regionally accredited institution.
Comparable international degrees: Check the link for country-specific degree requirements.
International applicants must apply at least five months prior to the beginning of the semester in which they wish to begin for those programs that accept applications on a rolling basis. This is to ensure enough time for evaluating the application and processing visa paperwork. Therefore, recommended deadlines for options with rolling admissions are August 1 for the spring semester and March 1 for the fall semester.
Choose an M.S. or Ph.D in Natural Resources in one of five different emphasis areas, or an M.S. in Water, Society, and Policy. You may also pursue a dual degree program, Ph.D. minor or a graduate certificate.