Graduate Admissions
St. Bonaventure University's School of Graduate Studies offers graduate degree and certificate programs at our main campus in Olean, through weekend courses at our Buffalo Center in Hamburg and online. Graduate programs are offered in literacy, differentiated instruction, counseling, educational leadership, adolescence education, business, strategic leadership, integrated Marketing Communication, English and Franciscan Studies.
To apply, click on your program of interest below. An easy to understand web-based application will load, and you will be guided through a step-by-step process to complete the application.
Please note that you do not need to gather transcripts and recommendations, or to have taken any required entrance exams, before applying. These items can come to SBU directly from the colleges, persons and testing agencies involved and we’ll keep track of them and match them up with your application.
There is no fee to complete the online application. Please be sure to check out SBU’s graduate financial aid opportunities.
Online Applications
(Click on a program below to go to our Applicant Portal, where you can create a graduate account, receive more information and apply for admission.)
The Admission Process
Admission to the SBU School of Graduate Studies is offered to students perceived to possess the academic and personal qualities necessary for success.
The admission committee makes this determination after a careful review of all aspects of an application:
- previous academic work
- two recommendations (if required)
- work experience
- aspirations
- interviews (if required)
- writing samples (if required)
- other items (if requested by program director)
- GMAT or GRE (if required by program)
Application Deadlines
SBU reviews applications on a rolling basis. To ensure a thorough review, your application should be delivered to the Office of Graduate Admissions at least 20 days before the desired start date.
If you are applying for an assistantship, or for the Learning/Teaching Fellowship offered by the Department of English, aim to submit your application no later than mid-February for the following fall semester. Notification of applicants
The Office of Graduate Admissions will provide applicants with written notification of the committee’s decision. Admitted students will receive information regarding course selection and related matters, along with a form to return to SBU to confirm enrollment (needed for course registration).
Confirming enrollment
Admitted students can confirm their enrollment by returning the Enrollment Notification Form mailed with their acceptance letter, or by e-mailing Graduate Admissions at gradsch@sbu.edu.
Students who do not confirm their enrollment will not be able to register for classes. Students may elect to defer enrollment by notifying the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Having your transcript sent to St. Bonaventure University
An official copy of your academic record from every college you have attended must be forwarded to the SBU Office of Graduate Admission. This includes transcripts from any colleges that awarded you credit for classes you took through them while still in high school (e.g. Syracuse University Project Advance). As it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for transcripts to be received, you should submit requests to your colleges early in the graduate school application process.These transcripts must be received directly from the school (that is, official copies).
In order to handle your transcript request, your college(s) will need some information from you (for example, the dates of your enrollment), probably a signature, and often a fee. Many schools still employ a pen and paper request process. Using the transcript release form listed to the right may help to expedite the processing of your records. Complete a transcript release form for each college you have attended and send the form to that school with the required fee.
SBU undergrads and grads do not have to complete a transcript request form. Your signature on the application form grants permission for the University registrar to release this information to the Office of Graduate Admission.
Required Admission Exams
| COURSE OF STUDY | REQUIRED EXAM |
| English | Applicants may take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or submit an undergraduate paper (10-12 pages) in lieu of the GRE. |
| Integrated Marketing Communications | Graduate Record Exam no longer required except by request of program director. |
| Master of Business Administration | Graduate Management Exam (GMAT) or GRE |
The GMAT may be waived for students meeting one of the following criteria:
- Applicant possesses one of the following: Ph.D., Ed.D., JD, MD/DO, CPA
- Applicant has already taken and excelled on another graduate study aptitude test (e.g., LSAT)
- Applicant does not meet either of the criteria shown above but presents compelling credentials (e.g., strong undergrad GPA combined with significant work experience). In these cases the MBA program director may review the applicants credentials with the MBA admission committee for a possible GMAT waiver.
Testing company contacts
Testing company contact information, followed by SBU’s code number for score reporting, is as follows: