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Graduate School Preparation Checklist

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Grad School Prep Checklist

On This Page

Grad School Prep Checklist

Grad School Prep Checklist

TO DO:

  • Work hard all the way to graduation—your final grades can affect scholarship or graduate assistantship eligibility.

  • Apply for internships, which are a great way to get hands-on experience in the field you hope to enter, especially during the summer between your junior and senior years of college.

  • Submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form along with any other financial aid applications your chosen grad school(s) may require. Submit your FAFSA form by the earliest financial aid deadline of the schools to which you are applying, usually by early February.

Graduate and professional students are considered independent students for FAFSA® purposes. You won't need to provide parent information when you fill out your FAFSA form for graduate school aid. However, some graduate programs require parental information to be submitted separately for institutional funding.

If you’re married, you’ll need to provide your spouse’s information.

  • After your FAFSA form is submitted and processed, you should receive your FAFSA Submission Summary within one to three days. The FAFSA Submission Summary lists your answers to the questions on your FAFSA form and gives you some basic information about your aid eligibility. Review them carefully and make corrections to your FAFSA information if needed.

  • Register for and take the standardized tests required for graduate school admission. Check with the graduate school programs you are interested in to see what tests they require.

  • Apply to the graduate schools you have chosen. Prepare your applications carefully. Follow the instructions and PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO DEADLINES!

  • Well before your graduate school application deadlines, ask your advisor, professors, and/or school registrar to submit the required documents (e.g., transcript and/or letters of recommendation) to the programs you’re applying to.

  • Apply for as many scholarships, fellowships, and other financial aid funds as you can.

  • Familiarize yourself with the different types of financial aid available to you.

  • Visit graduate schools that have invited you to enroll.

  • Review your graduate school acceptances and compare the programs’ financial aid offers.

  • Contact the school’s if you have questions about the aid that school has offered you.

  • Log in to your StudentAid.gov account to see what you’ve borrowed during your undergraduate years, and keep future finances in mind when choosing a graduate school and deciding how much to borrow.

  • Make informed decisions about student loans; our "Federal Versus Private Loans" page provides helpful information.

  • When you decide which school you want to attend, notify that school of your commitment and submit any required financial deposit. Many U.S. grad schools require this notification and deposit by April 15.