The Graduate School's policy library serves as a resource for both graduate students and their advisors. These policies contain information on official policies and procedures relating to admissions, registration, grading, student records, degree requirements and academic integrity.
In general, waivers of graduate application fees are not granted. Categorical exceptions are made only for those applicants who provide sufficient documentation of their participation as an undergraduate student in an EOP, HEOP or SEEK program, or as an undergraduate participant in the CSTEP, MARC, PREP, RISE, LSAMP or McNair Scholars programs on any campus, or as an applicant through Project 1000.
An appeal for a deferral (not a waiver) of the application fee can be made by applicants who provide documentation of their receipt of a GRE Fee Waiver. In all other cases, a deferral (not a waiver) will be considered by the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services only for cases of extreme financial hardship and then only with clear documentation from an appropriate official at an institution of higher education certifying the financial need. Please note that self-declaration of need by an applicant or mere eligibility for student financial aid (loans) is not adequate justification. For more information, applicants should consult the department in which they are applying to graduate study.
As part of the registration process, students select a program of courses with the advice of their advisors or committee and with the approval of their program director. Students must then officially register every semester for the appropriate courses according to established registration procedures and within the deadline dates announced by the Office of the Registrar.
Graduate students must register for a minimum of one credit hour each fall and spring term until all requirements for the degree are completed. If continuous registration is impossible at any time, the student must secure a leave of absence from the Office of the Registrar. Failure to secure a leave of absence by the end of the semester in which the leave is to begin will result in a $350 reactivation fee being assessed to the student's account when the student subsequently registers for classes. Students may not be on a leave of absence in the semester immediately preceding degree conferral. Under rare circumstances, the continuous registration requirement may be waived for the semester immediately prior to degree conferral if:
Students may request a waiver of continuous registration by filing the Graduate Student Petition for Waiver of Continuous Registration with the Graduate School.
Unless exempted or waived from the English language proficiency requirement, all international applicants must demonstrate proficiency by submitting official test scores from one of the approved English language proficiency tests. In rare circumstances, UB academic programs (the UB department, not the applicant/student) may petition the Office of International Admissions for an ELP waiver/exception. Through the university’s graduate application system, the academic program will complete an online petition form and submit a written justification for the waiver request along with compelling supporting evidence. Copies of all of the applicant’s transcripts, copies of all standardized tests taken (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, GRE, GMAT, DUO, etc.), and an up-to-date CV/resume must be submitted. The petition will be reviewed by International Admissions and a decision communicated to the program.
The University at Buffalo is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and follows the complaint resolution policies and procedures outlined within the SARA Policy Manual, also summarized here. Consumer protection complaints resulting from distance education courses, activities, and operations may be submitted for investigation and resolution via the Undergraduate Academic Grievance Policy or the Graduate Academic Grievance Policy. If a student is dissatisfied with the campus-based resolution, a concern may be submitted to System Administration of the State University of New York as outlined here. And, if still not satisfied, a complaint may be submitted, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, to the New York State Education Department as outlined here. Please note, this does not include complaints related to grades or student conduct violations, both of which are to be fully addressed via campus processes, not through the NC-SARA complaint resolution procedures.
The University at Buffalo is committed to the safety, health and well-being of the campus community. The University recognizes that students may experience situations that significantly limit their ability to function successfully or safely in their role as students. In such circumstances, students should consider requesting a leave of absence. A leave of absence permits students to take a break from the University and their studies, so that they may address the issues that led to the need for the leave and later return to the University with an enhanced opportunity to achieve their educational goals. Students will be given the option to take a voluntary leave of absence before the University pursues an involuntary leave on behalf of the student.