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Applying to Graduate Studies at Lehigh

If you're ready to join a vibrant intellectual community where your passion for learning research fuels infinite possibilities, you’re ready to apply to Lehigh for graduate school.

Application Requirements, Deadlines & Process

All applications must be submitted through our graduate admissions portal. If you’re a first-time user, make a new account with your email and password.

If you are a current Lehigh undergraduate student accessing the graduate application for the first time, select the “Forgot Your Password?” link to reactivate your account using your Lehigh email address.

Important Information

  • Uploaded transcripts are not considered official. All applicants who accept an admissions offer must submit final, official transcripts through past educational institutions.
  • Most of our programs are GMAT/GRE-optional. If you are unsure whether you need to take either test, please refer to your program’s admissions page.
  • International students whose native language is not English must demonstrate their English language proficiency by providing an official letter showing completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited college or university where the primary medium of instruction was English. This can also be fulfilled by reporting your unofficial TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo test scores and later sending your official test report to Lehigh.

After you submit your application, a confirmation email will be sent to the email address you provided in your application.

If you’re having issues logging in or submitting your application, please check our FAQs below or contact us via graduateadmissionshelp@lehigh.edu. In your email, please include your full name, address, and date of birth as provided in your application.

Application Tips

  • Begin the process early to allow yourself enough time to navigate the program selection and application.
  • Verify your application for accuracy and completion, ensuring all necessary items have been included. Upon submission of your application, graduate admissions staff will do a preliminary review of your application. Contact information can be found in your application portal.
  • Admissions to Lehigh’s graduate programs are coordinated by each college, but a summary of the university’s criteria and related admissions information can be found in the course catalog.
  • Keep track of deadlines and consider sending in your application days or even weeks ahead of time.
 
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Application Deadlines

Graduate program deadlines vary based on the department and program. Please refer to your college’s website for program-specific details.

English Proficiency Requirement for Graduate Studies at Lehigh

To empower students to be successful, both during their academic journey at Lehigh University as well as during their future careers, Lehigh requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English.

See information for prospective students

Frequently Asked Questions

Program of Study Questions

Lehigh University has more than 85 programs to choose from. From research-based Ph.D. programs to professional master's degree and certificate programs, we offer both residential and online options, as well as full-time or part-time courses, to meet students’ needs. There are many ways you can learn more about the different options available.

If you know the type of program you are interested in, you can begin to find information about it on our Graduate Programs page.

If you know which of Lehigh’s five colleges you are interested in joining, you can begin on our Graduate Admissions page.

If you are interested in a fully online program in the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Business or the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, you can begin on the Distance Education website. Many additional programs are available online through the Rossin College, inquire at engineering@lehigh.edu.

If you are interested in fully online programs in the College of Education, please visit the College of Education programs page.

Lehigh also offers hybrid in-person and online options in many programs:

For the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, you can inquire by contacting engineering@lehigh.edu or reviewing the engineering graduate programs page.

For the College of Health, inquire by contacting cohgrad@lehigh.edu or checking out the College of Health graduate programs page.

Yes, students may apply to more than one program and/or more than one college. However, for each separate program, a new application (and application fee, as applicable) will be required.

General Application Questions

The Lehigh graduate application can be found on the Graduate Admissions page.

In most cases, your college office can help. Note that the turnaround time for a response to your question may be 24-48 hours, depending upon the time of year and email volume.

Once your application has been submitted, contact the College to make any updates or correct any errors.

If your application has not yet been submitted, you may log into the application portal and change the information directly. If you have submitted your application, you are not able to edit this information yourself. Please contact the department and/or college office for assistance. In the case of updated test scores or transcripts, have these sent directly to Lehigh.

Yes, students are allowed to defer their admission to a graduate program at Lehigh for up to one year. You should request deferral prior to the 5th day of the academic semester you originally applied for (2nd day of Summer II for Summer start programs). See the academic calendar for the specific dates. Contact your college office for your deferral options.

Each college has their own application requirements. In most cases, the following minimum requirements are needed:

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
  • Academic Transcripts
  • English Language Proficiency
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Some programs require entrance exams (GRE, etc.)

For more information, see the following pages:

Each college has their own processing timelines, which are often closely linked to the application deadlines.

Most PhD applications are processed between December and February for fall admissions.

Master’s applications in the College of Business, the College of Health, and the College of Engineering are often processed on a rolling basis. Some Master’s applications in the College of Arts & Sciences are processed on a rolling basis as well.

We do not refund application fees.

Recommendation Letter Questions

First, we suggest that the recommender check their spam folder. It is not uncommon for recommendation requests to be flagged as spam. If the message is not visible, you may contact your college office and they can resend the reminder directly or provide you with alternate instructions on how to ensure your recommendation is properly received and filed.

For students with recommenders in Iran, Syria, North Korea, or other embargoed countries, we would recommend that you enter a Gmail email address or similar. These have shown less errors than school addresses in embargoed countries. If your recommender still has not received a link, contact your college.

Yes. Your recommender should receive an automated notification from the graduate application system. As with many application systems, these notices can occasionally be identified as spam. If your recommender does not receive it, please ask that they check their spam filter. If they continue to experience issues, please contact your college at the address below.

If your application has not yet been submitted, you may log into the application portal and change the information directly. If you have submitted your application, you are not able to edit this information yourself. Please contact the department and/or college office for assistance.

If your application has not yet been submitted, you may log into the application portal and change the information directly. If you have submitted your application, you are not able to edit this information yourself. Please contact the department and/or college office for assistance.

If your application has not yet been submitted, you may log into the application portal and change the information directly. If you have submitted your application, you are not able to edit this information yourself. Please contact the department and/or college office for assistance.

Two recommendation forms should be submitted by individuals qualified to evaluate the applicant’s academic achievements and potential for graduate studies. In most cases, recommendations from professors are preferred. However, letters from employers, supervisors, or professional associates are accepted, especially if your program of study requires work experience.

Test Score Questions

We encourage all applicants to submit application materials by the application deadline. However, there is a short grace period allowed within each college. If your materials are not immediately available, please try to submit them within seven business days of submitting your application.

  • College of Arts & Sciences: We encourage all applicants to have all application materials submitted by the applicable deadline. Please be aware that we accept unofficial transcripts and test scores in order for an application to be considered ready to review. Typically, applicants will have one to two weeks after the application deadline for remaining materials to arrive. This may vary depending on the program.
  • College of Business: While we encourage all applicants to have all application materials submitted by an application deadline, typically COB applicants will have around seven to ten days after the application deadline for remaining application materials to arrive, such as GRE, TOEFL, Duolingo, etc. This may vary depending on the program and if an applicant is applying from outside of the United States.
  • College of Education: While we encourage all COE applicants to have all application materials submitted by an application deadline, typically COE applicants will have five to seven days after the application deadline for remaining application materials to arrive, such as TOEFL, IELTS, etc. This may vary depending on the program.
  • College of Health: Applicants are strongly encouraged to have all their application materials submitted by the listed application deadline. However, there is a grace period of ten days after the deadline in which to provide any remaining materials which might take longer to arrive, such as TOEFL or IELTS scores, etc. Please be aware that unofficial transcripts and test scores may be submitted as placeholders in order for an application to be considered ready to review. This may vary depending on the program.
  • P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science: We encourage all applicants to have all application materials submitted by the applicable deadline. Please be aware that we accept unofficial transcripts and test scores in order for an application to be considered ready to review. Typically, applicants will have one to two weeks after the application deadline for remaining materials to arrive. This may vary depending on the program.

Most programs at Lehigh do not require a GRE or GMAT for admission consideration. It is best to review the policies of the specific college and/or program to determine the application requirements for the program of interest.

In some programs, students who fall below the minimum requirements for TOEFL/IELTS/DuoLingo may be admitted to the program of interest. In some cases, we will ask that students complete StepUp prior to full matriculation. In some cases, we will require ESL (English as a Second Language) courses during matriculation as a student. These decisions are program specific. If you have specific questions about your individual qualifications, we encourage you to contact the college you are applying to.

Yes, self reported scores can be submitted. Official scores will be required for your application to be complete.

Lehigh’s school code for standardized test results is 2365.

Transcript Questions

You can submit an application without an official transcript. However, the application may not be reviewed until an official transcript is received.

If you have access to a current version of your unofficial transcript(s) from your prior institution(s), you may upload them to your application and they may be used to review your application. All applicants that accept an offer of admission are required to submit final, official transcripts prior to beginning coursework.

All applicants that accept an offer of admission are required to submit final, official transcripts prior to beginning coursework. Applicants must provide transcripts from all institutions from which a degree was earned. Official transcripts are those in a sealed envelope with a degree conferred date and sent directly from the issuing institution to the college mailing address or via e-transcript services to the College.

Mailing addresses for each college can be found at the websites listed above.

International applicants must hold an American bachelor’s degree or the equivalent from a foreign institution of higher education. International applicants applying for regular graduate student status must submit all documents required for that status, as outlined in the respective college’s admission policies. Some colleges may require evaluation.

Other Admissions Requirements Questions

In some cases, an admissions interview may be required. If so, the college office will contact you for scheduling.

The colleges receive many requests for fee waivers every year. A limited number exist. A student must have started an application before being eligible for a fee waiver.

Some general guidelines for fee waivers are as follows:

College of Arts & Sciences: Fee waivers are issued on a limited basis. Please inquire directly with your program of interest.

College of Business: Fee waivers are issued on a limited basis. Contact the college for more information"

College of Education: Fee waivers are issued on a limited basis. Please contact the College of Education to inquire.

P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science: Fee waivers are given preferentially to doctoral applicants and Lehigh University alumni and current students, and are at the discretion of the individual departments.

College of Health: Fee waivers are only provided for Lehigh undergraduate students and alumni.