Admission

Application Deadlines

U.S. Students		International Students
Spring admission	November 15	Spring admission	July 15
Summer admission	April 15	Fall admission	February 1
Fall admission	July 15

Before you apply, we recommend reviewing the learning goals and course requirements for all eight MESM specialization tracks to decide which program best fits your academic and professional aspirations. When you complete the online application, you will need to choose one of these tracks as there is not an “Undecided” option. If you enroll in the MESM program and later decide to pursue a different specialization, you can easily switch to another track. In fact, in your first semester of the MESM program you will take an orientation seminar (EVS 501) that will review the different tracks and introduce you to the faculty track chairs. This will help you make an informed decision about the best track for you.

You do not need a MESM faculty advisor when you are applying for admission. You will meet many of the faculty active in the program during your orientation seminar (EVS 501) and will discover then who works on issues of interest to you.

International students should carefully read and follow the application instructions provided by the URI Graduate School.

Please review the information below before beginning the application process

When you are ready to apply, visit the Graduate School GradCAS page, and follow this step by step tutorial.

1) ONLINE APPLICATION

If you have not previously applied to the University of Rhode Island, you will need to create a New Applicant User Account. Choose “New” from the application home page and follow the instructions. NOTE: Keep a copy of your security and password information. If you already have an account and are unable to retrieve your logon information using the “Forget Password” function, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at (401) 874-2872 for assistance.

To complete the online application, you will need to provide the following:

• Personal contact and demographic information
• Residency status(refer to Residency Guidelines if you are unsure of your status)
• Intended start term
• Plan of study to which you seek admission. NOTE: All MESM program tracks are listed separately beginning with the specific track name. (Ex: Conservation Biology – MESM; Earth and Hydrologic Sci – MESM). If you intend to enroll in MESM, do not apply for the Environmental Sciences-MS (thesis) program.
• Educational background(undergraduate institution, major, GPA, etc.)
• International students whose native language is not English are required to submit official results of the TOEFL or IELTS exam taken within the past 2 years.
• Personal statement– you should prepare your statement in a word processing program and then copy and paste your statement directly into the space provided. Formatting features such as bold and italics are not supported. Tell us your professional goals, where you want to be when you complete the MESM program, what your passions are, what attracts you to the program, and why you are an exciting candidate for MESM. See additional guidelines to help you prepare your statement
• Letters of Recommendation –two letters are required. Enter the names, e-mail addresses and date of your request for each referee. The referees will receive instructions for uploading their letters to the online system. Referees will receive this message from the application system immediately after you save your application with their names and e-mails entered. We recommend you notify your recommenders beforehand because the messages sometimes go to SPAM or Trash folders if security settings are high.
• Signature– type your name and the submission date to verify your application.
• Application Fees– The Graduate School requires a nonrefundable $65 application fee, plus Centralized Application System (CAS) fees.
• Transcripts – one copy of an unofficial transcript from your undergraduate institution(s). Note: Should you be accepted and matriculate into the MESM program, you will need to send an official copy of your undergraduate transcripts to the URI Graduate School. Unofficial transcripts are ok to upload to the GradCAS application system.

2) SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

• Residency affidavit – if you are a Rhode Island resident seeking to be billed at the in-state tuition rate, you will need to provide documentation of your residency status as outlined in the Rhode Island Residency Guidelines. NOTE: the MESM program does not participate in the Tuition Break New England Regional Residency program.

Apply now