Document Submission Instructions
Please note: all documents must arrive by close of business on the program deadline.
If the deadline falls on a weekend, documents will be considered if they arrive by close
of business on the first business day after a deadline. Applications, however, must be
submitted through the online portal by midnight on the deadline, even if it falls on a
weekend. Please consult the program information page for deadlines.
Our deadlines are not “postmark by” deadlines. All documents must be received by the
Graduate School on the deadline in order to be considered for review.
Transcripts
To be considered official, transcripts must come through an official electronic transcript
delivery service or by mail in a sealed envelope from the issuing school’s registrar. Official
electronic delivery is recommended (if available) because it typically does not cost any more
than mailing it, takes less time, and is easier to track.
If your prior school offers electronic transcript delivery, you may be able to select “VSU” or
“VSU Graduate School” from a drop down menu. If the service requires an email address to
send the document, please use gra[email protected].
If official electronic delivery is not an option that your prior school offers, the transcript should
be mailed to:
VSU Graduate School
1500 North Patterson St
Valdosta, GA 31698
Supplemental Materials
Supplemental materials such as goal statements, essays, resumes, supplemental applications,
letters of exception, etc. may be uploaded to the online application checklist (log back in to
https://apply.valdosta.edu/apply). If there is a problem with uploading, you may email them as
scanned .pdfs or email attachments to gradschool@valdosta.edu. If a form is required or
instructions are provided, they are linked on the program information page.
We cannot accept documents that are sent to us using a shared drive (e.g. Google Docs
Shared Drive, Microsoft Cloud Shared Drive, etc.).
Recommendations
Our application system offers an online recommendation system. Please enter the name and
information of your recommenders, and upon submission of the application, they should
receive an email inviting them to complete the recommendation on your behalf. You can keep
track of the status in your application checklist and resend reminders as needed. To re-send
notification emails to your recommenders, re-visit the recommendations page by clicking the
link at the bottom of your checklist, click "Edit", and then click "Send Reminder."
If your recommenders report that they haven’t received the email, the first thing we
recommend is checking the junk/spam folders. If they still don’t see it, recommendations and
attached letters may be submitted as scanned .pdfs or email attachments to
gradschool@valdosta.edu. We strongly recommend submitting both the form and a short
written assessment or letter.
Test scores
GRE - We receive GRE scores electronically if you list VSU as a score recipient (our GRE
score code is 5855). ETS submits the scores to VSU 7-10 business days after testing. Once
they arrive, we download the scores and attach them to your record, which takes additional
time. You may submit an unofficial score report (i.e., a printout from your MyETS account) for
review by email, but the official must follow.
MAT - We receive official MAT scores by mail if you list VSU as a score recipient (our MAT
score code is 1117). It can take 4-6 weeks for official MAT scores to arrive. You may submit
the unofficial score printout that you receive immediately after testing for review by email, but
the official must follow.
GMAT - We receive GMAT scores electronically if you list VSU as a score recipient. It can
take 4-6 weeks for official GMAT scores to arrive. You may submit the unofficial score printout
that you receive immediately after testing for review by email, but the official must follow.
If another test is required for your program, please feel free to contact our office for submission
options.
Some programs (Adult and Career Education, for example) require test scores be from the last
5 years. If that is the case for your program, it is noted on the program information page. If
you tested over 5 years ago and your program does not have a time limit on scores, you may
submit documentation of the scores from your prior graduate school, or a submit a copy of a
score report you have in your records. This can be sent as an attachment to
gradschool@valdosta.edu.
Students who attended college/university outside the US
Additional documents may be required (such as a course-by-course evaluation of transcripts).
Please contact our office for specifics on required documents.
Students who require a visa
A certificate of finance is required for anyone who will be seeking an I-20 visa:
https://www.valdosta.edu/academics/international-programs/student-
information/forms/graduatecof.pdf.
A language proficiency test (such as the TOEFL) may be required depending on your country
of origin and/or where you have received degrees. Please contact our office for guidance on
this requirement or information on whether the IELTS or TOEFL is considered for your
program. We receive the TOEFL electronically, 7-10 days after testing, and download the
scores for processing.
