1. Who may apply to Respect Graduate School?
By federal law, we are currently unable to admit non-immigrant visa holders or international students who need a student F1 visa.
2. Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
a) Bachelor’s transcripts in English: Request that your official transcript be sent directly from the Registrar’s Office to Respect Graduate School Admissions Office ([email protected]) by email, or have your university mail your transcript to us in a sealed envelope.
b) Bachelor’s transcripts from foreign universities: Have official transcripts from foreign universities translated and evalutated either by WES (World Education Service) [https://www.wes.org/] or SpanTran[https://spantran.com/] and have the evaluated transcript sent directly to [email protected].
c) Transcripts of post-graduate (Master or doctoral degrees): Have your official post-graduate transcripts sent to RGS as described above in a.) and b.)
3. A minimum GPA of 3.0 in the highest degree earned. Applicants who do not meet the GPA requirement may be required to submit a score of at least 600 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in the combined verbal and analytical sections or demonstrate their aptitude for graduate studies in other ways. Additional documentation or additional academic references may be required for applicants who do not meet the minimum 3.0 GPA in the highest degree earned.
4. Proficiency in English at the graduate level (speaking, understanding, reading, and writing) is required. Applicants whose degree program was taught in a language other than English and whose native language is not English may be required to submit a score of at least 80 on the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or on an equivalent proficiency exam such as IELTS. Applicants may also be asked to take 3-credit university level English Composition I and II courses and submit their transcript to RGS showing a grade of B+ or higher in English Composition courses.
5. A personal statement of purpose that expresses your reasons for applying to the Respect MAIS program.
6. 2 letters of recommendation from your former professors or other persons who can speak from experience about your academic abilities and achievements.
7. An up-to-date CV/Resume.
8. A non-refundable application fee of $50.00.
9. A satisfactory interview with the Admissions committee. This may be in person or on Zoom.
Please note that your application will be considered only after you have met all the requirements above. Please contact our Admissions officer at [email protected] if you have any questions.
In cases where it is impossible to obtain an official transcript sent by the college or university to RGS (or to a translation and evaluation service such as WES or SpanTran), provide a student copy of your transcript and your bachelor’s diploma as well as a written explanation of why an official transcript cannot be obtained supported by any documentation you may have. Your special circumstances will be evaluated by the Admissions Committee.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit RGS to discuss their interests with faculty and current students, ask questions about the RGS Master’s degree curriculum, and tour the campus.
You may request to transfer up to 9 credits from another Master’s program in Religious or Islamic studies, provided they fit into the requirements of the RGS MAIS program. Graduate coursework with a grade of B or better may be accepted with the approval of the Dean of Academics.
RGS offers Need-Based Scholarships to qualified candidates who demonstrate financial need:
RGS also offers Merit- Based Scholarships for applicants who demonstrate outstanding previous academic success and promise. See our Scholarships page for more information on applying.
The Sumeya Emre Scholarship. See our Scholarships page regarding qualifications and expectations.
NOTE: Applicants who wish to apply for a scholarship must follow the procedure on the Scholarship tab of the RGS website. Scholarship applications should be submitted when applying for admission.
Requests for a scholarship involve a separate scholarship application with required supporting documentation and a statement of purpose that describes how the scholarship will empower the applicant to achieve educational and personal goals. Scholarship applications are in addition to the admission application.
Application Procedure for MAIS Applicants
To enroll in the MAIS program, submit the following documents:
Degree Student Application Form (Requires a non-refundable $50 application fee.)
2 Letters of recommendation must be submitted by the recommenders. The application form asks for the email addresses of recommenders. This generates an email to recommenders containing a link to a recommendation form.
If you need advice on our program or registration, please feel welcome to contact us.
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