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School of Education Admissions

School of Education: Admission General Information

Admission to a professional program at the School of Education is based on an applicant’s potential for success as a graduate student. Prospective students are evaluated based on their expressed commitment to the field of education, their related professional experiences, letters of recommendation from academic or professional references, and undergraduate and any prior graduate school preparation. In general, competitive candidates have completed a bachelor’s degree at a regionally accredited institution and have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better in undergraduate studies and 3.5 or better in graduate studies.

School of Education: How to Apply

The Hunter College School of Education offers admission twice a year for most programs, in Fall and Spring. Applicants should consult the School of Education’s How to Apply page prior to submitting an application: education.hunter.cuny.edu/admissions/how-to-apply.

School of Education: Application Deadlines

Fall Admission Deadlines

  • February 1st: School Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, and Applicants with Foreign Credentials

  • February 15th: Instructional Leadership (Ed.D.)

  • March 15th: All other programs

Spring Admission Deadlines

  • September 1st: Applicants with Foreign Credentials

  • October 15th: All programs

Consult education.hunter.cuny.edu/admissions/how-to-apply for program specific deadlines, deadline extensions and application terms. Select programs do not offer Spring admission.

School of Education: Standardized Tests

Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

In accordance with New York State law, School of Education programs leading to teacher certification require the GRE for admission. Certified teachers or administrators who already hold a graduate degree are exempt from this requirement. Programs that do not lead to teacher certification such as Counseling and Educational Psychology are excluded from the GRE requirement. To view a complete list of graduate programs that do not require the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), visit the School of Education's Graduate Record Exam (GRE) additional information page at education.hunter.cuny.edu/admissions/how-to-apply/gre-additional-information.

Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)

Applicants to Foreign Language programs (Chinese, French, Italian, and Spanish) are required to take the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) from Language Testing International and achieve a minimum proficiency standard of Advanced Low.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) 

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Exam is required for applicants with foreign credentials. Applicants with foreign credentials who hold a prior Master’s or Doctoral degree from an English speaking country are exempt from this requirement. Admission is offered only to those students who are fully prepared in English as demonstrated in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. Official scores must be sent to Hunter College, Graduate Admissions Office, institutional code 2301. Applicants must meet the minimum score requirements in each section and overall listed below.

Minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores for all programs

  • Overall: TOEFL iBT: 90/ Paper Based Test: 575/ Computer Administered Test: 233

  • Writing: TOEFL iBT Writing Section: 22/ Paper Based Test of Written English: 4.5

  • Speaking: TOEFL iBT Speaking Section: 23/ Paper Based Test of Spoken English: 45

Minimum International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores for all programs

  • Overall IELTS: 6.5 Overall Band Score

  • Writing: 6.5

  • Speaking: 7

View additional information about the TOEFL/IELTS requirements at Hunter College at hunter.cuny.edu/graduateadmissions/faq/toefl-ielts-scores.

School of Education: Readmission

Readmission to a graduate program is available to students who have previously attended and completed at least one semester as a graduate student at Hunter College and wish to resume studies in their program. Students must submit an online application for readmission to the Graduate Admissions Office. A student with a GPA below 3.0 must apply for special permission for readmission while on probation. Review the readmission deadlines, policies and procedures on the Hunter College Graduate Admissions page at hunter.cuny.edu/graduateadmissions/applying/readmission-application/procedure-policy. Students who were previously enrolled in an alternative certification program must first contact the School of Education Office of Partnership Programs (soe.opp@hunter.cuny.edu) before submitting a readmission application.