For one reason or another, you didn’t perform well while earning your bachelor’s degree and you’re wondering how to get into a grad school with a low GPA. You're in luck! There are a fair number of grad schools that accept low GPA.
But, you’re in luck. While some schools have strict GPA requirements, most look at your entire application, including professional experience and test scores, which means there are plenty of graduate schools that accept a low GPA.
On this page, we’ll help you figure out if you actually have a low GPA, best ways for you to get around having a low undergraduate GPA, and list some top grad schools that accept low GPA students.
If you’re still worried about finding grad schools that accept a low GPA and how to get in, we’ve compiled a list just for you of nine schools that have low GPA requirements--and some of the graduate degrees offered at the school.
In fact, many of the schools accept students with a 2.5 GPA or lower.
Look through the sponsored list of grad schools with low gpa requirements for details about the school, common curriculum, and you can even request more information directly from the school to learn how to apply.
Purdue University Global is a part of the Purdue University System, which includes Purdue West Lafayette, which was founded in 1869. In 2017, Purdue acquired Kaplan University and formed Purdue University Global - which focuses on high quality adult education online - including a variety of online master's programs.
Purdue University Global lists 2.5 as the desired GPA for applicants to be accepted, but they will consider students with lower GPA's as well.
Purdue University Global features 27 Master degree programs, with in demand offerings such as MBA's, MSN's, MHA's, MAT's and more.
Capella University offers competency based online learning in two formats: FlexPath & GuidedPath. Step up your game with flexible, affordable programs for the skills you need to help advance your career.
Online degrees available in business, counseling and therapy, education, health administration, IT, nursing, public health, psychology, public service and social work. Additional admissions requirements:
WGU is an online university to fit modern life. They offers competency based learning and personalized, one-on-one faculty support to their students.
The graduate school at FSU requires that students have earned a bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher from an accredited institution. In addition, your degree must be of a similar scope of subject matter as your intended graduate program.
General Admissions Requirements
Liberty University offers a world-class education with the solid Christian foundation you’re looking for. The many degrees and programs focus on teaching the values, knowledge, and skills so that you can make a lasting impact on your profession and your community.
Most of the graduate degrees at Liberty only require a 2.0 GPA while earning your bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
However, there are some programs, such as the Master of Arts in Public Policy, that require a 3.0 GPA for admission, though students with a 2.0 GPA may be accepted on a cautionary basis.
Grand Canyon University is Arizona’s premier private Christian university and continues to lead through innovative education, dynamic programs, and dedicated service to the region and beyond.
General graduate degree requirements include a 2.8 GPA for all undergraduate studies. However, some programs may require a higher minimum GPA or have additional requirements.
For instance, doctorate programs, such as the Ph.D. in General Psychology with an Emphasis in Organizational Psychology require a 3.4 GPA while earning your master’s degree, though students with a 3.0 to 3.4 GPA may be accepted with specifications.
Colorado State University – Global Campus is designed to provide academically authoritative and career-focused degree programs. These professionally relevant degrees are constantly evaluated to align with the fast-changing market and industry practices.
Offering 12 master’s programs, many of which have multiple concentrations to tailor your curriculum, CSU-Global Campus allows you to compare your options and fine-tune your career goals to select the program that is best suited to help you.
As a regionally accredited higher education institution, Northcentral University has the privilege of teaching students around the world through online programs. Their unique one-to-one format is designed to help you become a valuable contributor in your community.
The graduate admissions requirements at NCU include:
With more than 57,000 students, Walden University has been serving the needs of adult learners for more than 45 years. Their programs reflect current market trends and promote positive social change so that you can make a difference in your career and community.
To be eligible for admissions to Walden’s master’s degree programs, students must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Applying for a graduate degree at Walden is different than other schools. At Walden, you work with an Enrollment Advisor who guides you through each step, which include submitting your transcripts and resume.
Strayer University is an accredited institution with a proud history of 125 years in quality education. Plus, you can Save up to 25%. save thousands on your masters’s with the Strayer Graduation Fund.
Programs include accounting, education, heath service admin, HR, cyber security, information systems, management, MVA and public administration.
Sponsored Listings
When it comes to applying to graduate school, every little thing can make you nervous. Do you have enough experience? Are your GRE or GMAT scores high enough?
This anxiousness can make you think you have a low GPA, even if it falls into the national average. While there are no across-the-board minimum GPA requirements for grad school, anything above a 3.0 should be considered safe.
Did You Know?
According to Pew Research, the median monthly earnings of young adults with master’s degrees rose 23% from 1984 ($3,875) to 2009 ($4,772).
A 2.99 GPA or lower is considered low for graduate school. With a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, you may not be able to get into some of the best graduate schools in the country, but you should have plenty of options.
In fact, many graduate schools are taking a more holistic approach to admissions. This means they look at you as a complete person and not just your statistics.
For instance, your GRE or GMAT scores can play an important role during the admissions process. So can your interview and essay, as they are an opportunity to address your weaknesses.
Yes, your GPA is important because it shows schools how you perform as a student. But that doesn’t mean your low grades automatically disqualify you.
Anything between a 3.3 and 3.7 GPA is considered good and in the range of most students. But that also means you’ll be competing with many other students during the application process.
So, if your GPA falls in this range, you should be looking at ways to improve your chances of being accepted just like students with a low GPA.
Can you get into grad school with a low GPA? Of course you can, but it will take a little bit more work.
First, you have to address your GPA in your application. Whether it’s during your interview, in your essay, or in a GPA explanation letter, tell the admissions department why you performed as you did while earning your bachelor’s degree.
Think about it this way: grad schools are looking for the best candidates to bring into their school. While reviewing your application, they’ll find your weakness, whether it’s a low GPA or low test scores.
You have a better chance of improving your odds if you address it up front rather than hoping they don’t find it. At least it gives you a chance to share your side of the story.
Below are some of the other ways that you can get around your low GPA when applying to grad school and how you can still make yourself an appealing candidate, even with a 2.5 GPA or lower.
Earning a high score on the GRE or GMAT probably won’t get you into a top graduate school if you have a terrible GPA. However, it can make the difference if you’re on the fringe.
Plus, some schools that accept low GPA students require them to earn a high score on the standardized tests or achieve a certain percentile. Achieving a high score on the GRE or GMAT shows admissions counselors what you can do when you buckle down, study, and truly apply yourself.
Did You Know?
According to a study by Kaplan Test Prep in 2013, 51% of business school admissions officers shared that a weak GMAT score was the biggest application killer compared to 28% that said the same about a low undergraduate GPA.
As mentioned earlier, you'll need to know how to explain a low gpa for your grad school application. Many schools require that you write an essay, personal statement, or have an interview. These are all perfect opportunities to bring it up.
However, if the school you’re applying to asks specific essay questions or doesn’t have the other options, you can always write a GPA explanation letter.
Your letter shouldn’t be a list of excuses about how you thought getting a bachelor’s meant partying all the time. However, you should address the reasons why your grades were so low.
For instance, did you work full-time to avoid taking loans? Did you volunteer on weekends? Or, if you did just party the whole time, address how you’ve grown and why you’ll perform better as a graduate student.
Sometimes, students don’t perform as well in classes outside their major because there’s no stress to perform at their best.
If this happened to you, and low grades outside of your major are dragging down your GPA, don’t be shy about addressing it, especially if you’re looking to earn a graduate degree in the same field as your undergraduate major.
This can show admissions counselors that you have acquired the foundation in that particular field to perform well while earning your graduate degree.
Submitting high-quality references with your application can improve your odds of being accepted to grad school.
Some of the best references can come from professors of your higher-level courses while earning your undergraduate degree or your boss at work to show your professional experience.
Pursuing a graduate degree means you’ll perform in-depth analysis of a specific subject. And, while your low undergraduate GPA may hurt your odds, if you’ve had professional experience you’ve already performed some of the tasks that may be discussed in your classes.
When applying, most graduate schools ask for a resume where you can show your specific experience. But use your essay or personal statement to add more details about your responsibilities and how they would help you in your graduate degree studies.
Earning awards or attending conferences show that you’re an active member in your field. And, your goal as you apply to grad schools is to present yourself in the best possible way.
Add these awards or competitions to your resume or curriculum vitae (CV). This shows that even though your grades might not have been the best, you still learned the important lessons and are applying them outside of the classroom.
If you have a GPA below 3.0, you may have to search for schools that match your grades. This doesn’t mean lowering your standards. Instead, while some schools may have specific GPA requirements, others have different admissions requirements for different graduate programs.
Find the programs that are a good fit for you, your academic standing, and your future goals. For instance, some schools may place more emphasis on GRE or GMAT scores while others may focus on GPA.
Research a variety of schools and degrees to find the perfect program for you.
Another way to show that you’ve grown from the person who earned a low GPA is to take non-degree or non-credit courses. Sometimes, these can even improve your GPA. However, most of the time they won’t.
Either way, taking these upper-level classes (and doing well!) will show admissions counselors that you’re ready for the rigors of earning a graduate degree. Plus, it’ll show that you understand the weakness of your GPA and that you’re trying to improve your odds.
If some of the other options haven’t worked and you really want to earn a graduate degree, consider pursuing a graduate certificate. These are typically three to six courses in a specific subject and, similar to taking non-degree courses, can show that you’re ready for a graduate degree.
Plus, many graduate certificates allow you to use the credits you earn and apply them to your master’s degree. Of course, this is only if you attend the same school and a similar subject.
Every school is different. For instance, top-tier schools such as MIT and Stanford are looking for as close to perfect a student as possible. But, there are plenty of other schools that focus more on test scores, your interview, your essay, and your entire application.
Everyone has a weakness. Luckily, if yours is a low GPA, there are plenty of ways to get around it to show schools that you’re ready to apply yourself and earn your graduate degree.
At many schools, different graduate degrees have different admissions requirements. Usually, this depends on the school, the program, and the competitiveness of the degree.
For instance, at many schools, nursing graduate degrees are one of the harder programs to get into because there is so much competition. However, even at schools where the nursing program has strict requirements, the education graduate programs may not be as strict.
Therefore, it’s important to research individual programs and not just schools when it comes to applying to grad school with a low GPA.
And, if you’re pursuing an advanced degree in a competitive field, such as nursing, you may need to use more of the techniques mentioned earlier to improve your odds of being accepted.
Click on any of the sponsored listings above for more information or complete the form at the top of the page to get matched to grad schools that fit your goals.
