Graduate Special Student Admission Requirements

1. What does it mean to be a graduate special student at Gallaudet?

Anyone wishing to register for a graduate class (both Gallaudet employees and non-employees) must apply and be accepted for graduate special student status. Graduate special students may enroll in graduate-level courses but do not pursue a program of study leading to a graduate certificate or degree. Graduate special students are not eligible for financial support from Gallaudet University (except those who are also employees of Gallaudet University and who qualify for ordinary employee benefits for waiver of tuition). Continuation as a graduate special student depends on satisfying the academic standards that apply to all graduate students.

2. What are the requirements for graduate special student status?

To take courses as a graduate special student, you must have a bachelor's degree with at least a B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) cumulative grade point average. You must complete a short application form, submit a copy of official transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate programs and pay the $50 non-refundable application fee.

3. I took a graduate-level course a few years ago as a graduate special student. Do I need to apply again before I may take another course as a special student?

Graduate special student status remains active for five years. If it has been more than five years since you were first admitted as a graduate special student, you will need to reapply.

4. Are there limitations on the courses that I can take as a graduate special student?

As a graduate special student, you will be advised by the Assistant Dean for Curriculum, Policy, and Operations in the Office of the Graduate Dean.  To enroll in any course, you must obtain the instructor's permission and the Assistant Dean's permission to register.  Not every course is open to graduate special students. Enrollment in certain graduate courses is limited to degree-seeking students. Check with the Graduate Special Student Advisor in the Office of the Graduate Dean and the department offering the course to be sure.

5. What if I want to become a full-time Gallaudet graduate student after taking a few courses as a special student?

Admission as a graduate special student does not imply subsequent admission to a degree program at Gallaudet University. There may be a limit on the number of credits that may be applied to a degree program. If you plan to seek admission as a degree-seeking student in the future, you should check with an advisor in the department to ensure that the courses you take as a graduate special student will be acceptable for the program.

6. How do I register for classes at Gallaudet as a graduate special student?

Application as a Graduate Special Student

1. Submit a Graduate Special Application Form including the $50 non-refundable application fee to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
2. Provide the Office of Graduate Admissions with one copy of undergraduate and graduate transcripts and evidence of a bachelor's degree with at least a B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) cumulative grade point average. Copies of transcripts need not be official copies, but at a minimum must be copies of official transcripts. Computer-generated reports are not acceptable.
3. Once you have been accepted as a graduate special student, you must fill out a Course Selection Form.
4. Check with the departments offering the courses you want to take. You must meet all prerequisites, and you must obtain the instructor's signature, granting permission to take the class.
5. Obtain the signature of the Assistant Dean in the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School, who acts as the advisor for graduate special students.