The Catholic University of America

How to Apply

Application

The Admissions Committee of the School of Library and Information Science reviews each applicant's entire record. The committee considers numeric scores, background, talent and other attributes that are needed by the information professions. Readiness to engage in academic work, analytic and conceptual thinking ability, strong writing skills, a commitment to the application of new techniques and concepts to the information professions are also considered. These qualities are exemplified in the following components of the application:

  • Completed Application for Admission to Graduate Studies, accompanied by a $55 nonrefundable application fee. Please see the admissions checklist for a complete list of admissions documents required
  • A GPA of 3.0 or above (on a 4.0 scale) for an undergraduate degree is preferred. Academic work at the undergraduate level should reflect a broad general education from a regionally accredited college or university. The transcripts sent must show coursework completed, grades obtained and the basis of grading in effect at the institution. It should be sent by the institution from which you graduated directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions, 102 McMahon Hall, The Catholic University of America, Cardinal Station, Washington, DC 20064.
  • We welcome students holding advanced degrees. Admission is based on the same criteria as those without graduate work. Please take a look at our Degree Requirements as well as the Academic Policy Handbook.
  • Those who earned less than a 3.0 in undergraduate work can demonstrate to the admission committee that they are qualified for academic work by earning a combined score of 1000 on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), sent directly by the Education Testing Service. (The ETS code for CUA is 5104.) It is important for you to know that there are some university scholarships that you can compete for only if you have submitted GRE scores.
  • A short (fewer than 500 words) statement of purpose - a personal statement about how your current and/or past academic and work experiences, including volunteer work, have influenced your ability to become a leader in the information professions.
  • Three letters of reference from persons who are familiar with your employment or academic success should be sent directly to the Graduate Admissions Office by the author.
  • A pre-admission interview may be requested by the school after all written material has been reviewed.

Application Deadlines

To ensure consideration, we recommend the following dates for applications:

  April 1   Applicants for Summer admission
  August 1   Applicants for Fall admission
  November 1   Applicants for Spring admission

CUA campus

Quick Reference

Reference Numbers

  • CUA's FAFSA Code: 001437
  • CUA's GRE Code: R5104

Helpful Phone Numbers:

  • Dean's Office: 202-319-5085
  • Financial Aid: 202-319-5307
  • Graduate Admissions: 202-319-5057
  • Registrar's Office: 202-319-5300
  • Student Accounts: 202-319-5036

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