Application Information

Admission and Application Guide

This guide is intended to describe the process and materials needed for application to the School of Library and Information Sciences.

Information about applying to NCCU Graduate Programs can be found here: https://www.nccu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions/applying-graduate-school

What are the admissions requirements of the School?

Students seeking to do graduate work at the School of Library and Information Sciences, North Carolina Central University, in either the Master in Information Science program or the Master of Library science program, must be formally admitted to the School by the Dean. The applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree) from an accredited institution.

The requirements for admission to the graduate programs in Library and Information Sciences are:

• An undergraduate degree at the Bachelor’s level (BA, BS, or equivalent).
• A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 for all undergraduate academic work (Exceptions to the 2.75 GPA requirement may be made for applicants with relevant professional experience.)
• An official copy of one of the following standardized test scores, taken within the past five years:
  • Graduate Record Examination
  • Graduate Management Admission Test (joint MBA/MIS applicants only)
  • Law School Admission Test scores (joint JD/MLS applicants only)

What application materials do I need to submit?

Online Application

The School of Library and Information Sciences has now moved to an online application process.

• • Please click on the link (Apply Online) to start the process.
    Please note that your application cannot be processed by The School of Library and Information Sciences until all supporting forms (such as transcripts and recommendations) are received.Check the requirements by going to our Admission and Application Guide. The application cannot be completed until the non-refundable $50 application fee has been received.
    If you have technical issues that cannot be resolved with technical support in a timely manner, you may fill out a paper application; however, this will not be as expedient as filling out the application online (processing time will be 2-4 weeks from receipt of your application via mail).
  • A completed application form, which may be found here. Please read the form carefully to ensure proper and complete application and to avoid mistakes that may delay your admission.
  • One official transcript of all post-secondary – after high school – education, bearing the signature of the registrar and the seal of the institution (More information).
  • Two official copies of one of the following standardized test scores, taken within the past five years (More information).
  • Graduate Management Admission Test (joint MBA/MIS applicants only).
  • Law School Admission Test scores (joint JD/MLS applicants only).
  • A letter of intent, stating why you wish to obtain the Master of Information Science degree or the Master of Library Science degree (More information).
  • Two positive recommendations (More information).
  • A non-refundable $50.00 application fee, payable to North Carolina Central University (More information).
  • If you claim to be eligible for the N.C. tuition rate, you must also provide the residency form. (More information).
  • If you are an international applicant, you must also provide the International Graduate Student Financial Statement. (More information).
  • If you are a student whose native language is not English and you have not received a degree from a university in the United States, you must also provide an official copy of TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores, taken within the past two years. (More information)

Please send your completed application materials to:

School of Graduate Studies

North Carolina Central University

ATTN:  Graduate Admissions

Taylor Education Building, Room 123

1801 Fayetteville Street

Durham, NC  27707

Please note that you will not be considered for admission until your application file is complete. Incomplete files may be deferred to the next application cycle only once. Subsequent requests require an updated application with the application fee.

What are the application deadlines?

University application deadlines can be found here.

What is the application fee?

There is a non-refundable $40.00 application fee, payable to North Carolina Central University.

• The fee must accompany your application.
• International applicants should send an international money order or have a U.S. friend or relative submit the fee on his/her behalf.
• An applicant whose check is returned for insufficient funds will be charged an additional fee of $20.00.
• No application is processed without the application fee, and no fee waivers are available.

Can I be admitted as a conditional student?

An applicant who has not earned an acceptable grade point average (GPA) of 2.75, but based on other achievements, such as GRE score, work history, letters of recommendation and college experience, may be granted conditional admission following a review by the Admissions Committee. The Chair of the Admissions Committee will track the progress of conditional students and recommend unconditional admission after the successful completion of 9 semester hours of course work with a 2.75 average.

The Letter of Intent

You are required to include a letter stating why you wish to obtain the Master of Information Science degree or the Master of Library Science degree. It should reflect serious thoughts about your professional goals, motivation and why this program is right for you (on campus and/or online).

Be brief, concise, and specific. Don’t give long-winded or general statements that can apply to anyone. Your tone should sound professional, honest, and straightforward. Good written statements give evidence that you have thought carefully about your strengths as a student and your professional interests. You are being assessed for your potential in a professional career.

Recommendation Forms

Two recommendations from professionals qualified to evaluate your academic and professional qualifications are required. You should request recommendation from individuals who are familiar with your academic achievement and potential for this graduate program. If you have been out of school for a number of years and are unable to contact former professors, letters from other individuals who can address your achievement and potential will be accepted. It is your responsibility that these letters reach us by the application deadline.

Please use the official form when submitting recommendations.

Transcripts

One official transcript of all post-secondary – after high school – education, bearing the signature of the registrar and the seal of the institution, must be sent to the School of Library and Information Sciences. Please submit your official transcripts along with application to enable us to process your application more quickly. However, if an institution will not release official transcripts directly to the student, she or he may send the transcript directly to us and we will process it separately.

NOTE TO INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS: The academic records which we refer to as transcripts should provide a listing, year-by-year, of all courses taken and the grade or marks received for each one. It is helpful to have the grading scale of the institution and the student’s rank in class included when such information is available. Do not submit secondary school records. Transcripts must bear an official signature in ink of the appropriate official of your institution(s), such as the registrar or recorder of records, and must bear the institutional seal. If your college or university will not provide original academic documents, exact copies that have been verified as “Certified True Copies” by the appropriate institutional official of each institution, which you have attended, should be sent. Uncertified photocopies are not acceptable. To be considered, all documents not in English must be accompanied by official English translations. These translations must bear an original ink signature and seal in order to be acceptable.

NOTE TO INTERNATIONAL APPLICATIONS: We realize that the GRE scores of international students, particularly those whose native language is not English, may be affected by language and cultural differences. This is taken into consideration when such students’ applications are evaluated. The scores are nevertheless required and must come directly from the Educational Testing Service.

The Residency Form

The residency form must be completed by all applicants (in state or out of state) for claimed tuition purposes.

North Carolina law (G.S. 116-143.1) requires that “To qualify for tuition purposes, a person must have established legal residence (domicile) in North Carolina and maintained that legal residence for at least 12 months immediately prior to his or her classification as a resident for tuition purposes.”

The information requested must be supplied by every applicant for admission or readmission to North Carolina Central University who claims to be eligible for the N.C. tuition rate. Complete the form and return it with your application for admission. This information is to be used only in connection with determination of your residence status and tuition purposes.

The law requires that every student admitted to the University (initially or after a lapse in enrollment) be classified for the term admitted as either a resident or nonresident for tuition purposes prior to enrollment. To be classified as a resident for tuition purposes, you must furnish such evidence as the University may require to enable it to make such classification. If you claim North Carolina residence for tuition purposes, you must file this application promptly. Unless you are notified to the contrary in writing your classification in the University is non-resident for tuition purposes for your proposed term of enrollment.

If you are claiming North Carolina residency for tuition purposes, you must complete the form claiming residency. Under North Carolina law, to qualify for in-state tuition for a given term, you must prove:

• That you have established domicile in North Carolina twelve months before the beginning of that term and
• That you have maintained it for at least twelve continuous months.

To prove that you establish a bona fide domicile in North Carolina, you must prove:

• That you were physically present in the state,
• With the intent to make North Carolina a permanent home indefinitely, and
• That you were not in North Carolina solely to attend the University.

Because it is difficult to determine directly from this intent to make North Carolina your home, residency classifiers must evaluate the actions you have taken that may indicate this “domiciliary intent.” The State residency manual lists the following considerations that may be significant in determining this intent:

• Do you live in your parent’s home?
• Where are/were you employed?
• Where did you register to vote?
• Where did you vote?
• Where have you served on jury duty?
• Where are the sources of your financial support?
• Where have you registered/licensed a car?
• Where did you get your last driver’s license?
• Where do you own a home or other real estate?
• Where do you keep your personal property?
• Where do you list personal property for taxation?
• Where did you file state income tax returns
• Where do you spend your vacation time?
• Where did you last attend school?
• Where did you live before enrolling in an institution of higher learning?
• Where do you maintain memberships in professional associations, unions and similar organizations?

Residency classifiers weigh the evidence furnished in your application for resident status, and the preponderance of the evidence must support your having established a North Carolina domicile twelve months before the beginning of the academic term for which you seek to be classified as a resident. To begin the residency classification process you must complete the residence status application. If you feel your answers on the form do not give an accurate picture of your case, please attach additional explanations.

More information is available in A Manual to Assist the Public Higher Education Institutions of North Carolina in the Matter of Student Residence Classification for Tuition Purposes, which can be found in the Shepard Library at North Carolina Central University.

TOEFL Requirement

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), administered through the Educational Testing Service, Box 6154, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6154 USA [Telephone: (609) 771-7100; E-mail: toefl@ets.org] or at a center in your native country, is required of any student whose native language is not English unless the student has received a degree from a university in the United States.

The TOEFL is not required for applicants from a country where English is the official language of instruction or if applicants received a degree from a university in the United States. Your score must not be more than two years old, and an official copy must be sent to the School directly from ETS. Personal copies are not acceptable.

It is the policy of the School to admit only those students with a score of 500 or higher on the TOEFL. Much of your success in graduate study in the United States will rest on your ability to understand, read, write, and speak English. If English is not your native language, evidence of proficiency in its use will be decisive in the review for admission.

When you register for the test, ask that your scores be sent to the School of Library and Information Sciences, North Carolina Central University (5495). If you did not do this at the time of the test, you will need to send a written request to:

TOEFL, CN6151, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6151

International Graduate Student Financial Statement

(Printable Form)

In order to meet U.S. Immigration requirements for entry into the United States, international applicants must provide proof of sufficient financial resources to cover the cost of education and living expenses before admission can be offered. The Financial Certificate, along with documents (original bank statements, letters of support, etc.) confirming availability of the funds, must be submitted along with your application for admission. The School does not have special scholarships for international students. We suggest that international applicants in need of financial aid write to:

International students attending the School will receive a F-1 Student Visa, with an I-20 Certificate of Eligibility issued by the university. The I-20 is issued only after a student has been offered admission, has returned the financial certificate, and has provided verification of the necessary funds. International transfer students currently attending U.S. institutions must also provide a Transfer Eligibility Form. Permission for off-campus work is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain from immigration officials. Students should not count on this resource to supplement their incomes.

Please note that the figure stated on the International Graduate Student Financial Statement is an estimate only of expenses for the year and that figures subject to change.

For Additional Information:
Contact the Chair of the Admissions Committee