Graduate Studies - Advising Information

This page contains information about the admission process, matriculation, registration holds, and financial aid. If you need additional information, please contact us.

Admission

Admission to degree programs at WKU is based on approved admission requirements as listed in the Graduate Catalog. Applicants are required to submit their application online and send in all additional supporting materials to Graduate Studies and Research. After the applicant submits the required documents, an admission packet is sent via eSignature to the designated admission coordinator for the program. The department makes an admission decision and forwards the decision to Graduate Studies. After Graduate Studies receives the admission decision, notification is sent to the applicant via US mail and email. Applicants who are admitted are placed in Good Standing and can register for courses. Detailed instructions on eSignatures can be found here.

We strongly encourage departments to be proactive in the admission process. We have created a report for you to view to see the incomplete admission applications for a given department and/or program. Detailed instructions on accessing this report can be found here.

Matriculation

Most forms are available on our Forms and Documents page. For students seeking teaching certification, some items are required to be signed by Teacher Certification. A detailed explanation on how to sign these documents electronically and a listing of what documents need to go to whom can be found on here. While Graduate Studies will still accept paper copies, we strongly encourage and recommend all documents be completed electronically. This allows for quicker processing and better records of submission.

FORM C (Degree Program): This form needs to be submitted to Graduate Studies and Research during the first semester of students' course work (once admitted to a program) in order to prevent students from receiving a Form C hold on their account. Please make sure both the advisor and student sign this form. Also, if the student is teacher certified the Form C must go to Teacher Certification for approval. Please make sure that the department name and course number are included (i.e., POLS 538) and that the number of credit hours is filled in on the form.

Please furnish Graduate Studies and Research with one copy of the Form C preferably via email. An approved copy of the Form C is emailed to the student and advisor. Teacher Certification and GSR now access student records electronically.

COURSE CHANGE FORM: This form is used to change electives, etc. on an approved degree program (Form C). Its purpose is to substitute, add, or delete courses from a program and must be signed by the advisor before being sent to Graduate Studies. If a transfer course from another institution is being used, the course must meet the transfer guidelines listed in the Graduate Catalog and an official transcript from that university must be sent to Graduate Studies and Research.

FORM D (Admission to Candidacy): This form should be submitted to Graduate Studies and Research once the student has completed any deficiencies on the Form C, completed the research tool successfully with a grade of A or B, maintained a minimum GPA of 3.0, and has completed 15-18 hours of graduate courses successfully. Students receive information about the Form D when the Form C is approved, and it can be accessed online.

APPLICATION FOR GRADUATION: The application for graduation must be submitted to the Registrar's office (via TOPNET) for December graduates by October 1, for May graduates by February 1 and for August graduates by May 1 (or February 1 if they participate in May commencement). Students will receive an email promoting them to apply for graduation when the Form D is approved in GSR.
To apply for graduation the students will need to follow the instructions below:

1. Go to www.topnet.wku.edu
2. Go to Student Services
3. Go to Student Records
4. Go to Application for Graduation

FORM E: This form is the comprehensive exam report, either written/oral or thesis defense the advisor provides to Graduate Studies and Research. All exams must be completed by the last day of the semester for the student to be eligible to graduate in the current semester. If a department offers a capstone course in place of the exam, a Form E must be submitted to Graduate Studies and Research.

Registration Holds

The holds listed below are the most common holds that are placed on Graduate Students. If you feel that a hold has been applied improperly, please contact us to see about pushing out or removing the hold.

APPLICATION FEE: applied to students who have not paid the application for admission fee; the student must pay this fee before any additional registration is allowed.

CERT-ONLY HOLD: applied to students in a certification or endorsement program program that have not filed a Form B/C for that program; these students will need to complete a Form B/C, and it will need to be submitted to Teacher Certification.

DEG COMPLETE READMIT: applied to student after the file has been audited and approved for graduation and are not admitted to any other program; to register for coursework, the student must reapply and gain admission to a program.

ESLI GRAD STUDENT: applied to students who are participating in ESLI and need to reapply and gain admission to a program; the student should complete an online application for the appropriate program.

FORM C – DEGREE PGM: applied to students in a degree program that have not filed a Form C for that program after registering for 12 hours of coursework as a graduate student; these students will need to complete a Form C and it will need to be submitted to Teacher Certification (for students seeking teacher certification) or to Graduate Studies (for all students not seeking teacher certification).

GRAD CERTIFICATE: applied to students in a graduate certificate program that have not filed a certificate program form for that program; these students will need to complete a certificate program form, and it will need to be submitted to Teacher Certification.

GRADUATE PROBATION: applied to students who are on probation; the student should meet with his or her advisor to discuss a plan to come off of probation, and after the advisor is satisfied, the advisor removes the holds through the "Update Student Hold Flags" link in Topnet. Additional directions can be found in the FAQs.

NO UG DEGREE: applied to students who have been admitted to a program but have not yet submitted final transcripts; the student must submit final transcripts before any additional registration is allowed.

NO FORM D: applied to students in a degree program that have not filed a Form D for that program after completing 15 hours of coursework as a graduate student; these students will need to complete a Form D and it will need to be submitted to Graduate Studies

RANK I HOLD: applied to students in a Rank I program that have not filed a Form B/C for that program; these students will need to complete a Form B/C, and it will need to be submitted to Teacher Certification.

RANK II HOLD: applied to students in a Rank II program that have not filed a Form B/C for that program; these students will need to complete a Form B/C, and it will need to be submitted to Teacher Certification.

TEACHING CERTIFICATE: applied to students who supplied an outdated teaching certificate; the student should submit a current teaching certificate to Graduate Studies

COMPL CERTIFICATE/RANK PGM: applied to students who successfully complete a certification or Rank program and are not admitted to any other program; to register for coursework, the student should reapply by filling out an online application

Advisee Lists

You can access a list of your advisees through Infoview. The report is "ADV – Students Assigned to a Selected Advisor (dw)" and can be found in Public Folders/WKU Campus Community/Advisors. This report will only show you the students who are registered for the given term and assigned to the selected advisor.

Financial Support

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP: An application and three letter of recommendation (within the last year). Student can apply for an academic year or a specific term. Summer is not included in the academic year appointment and a separate application is required. Departments have the ability to access a listing of incomplete Graduate Assistantship applications by using Infoview. The listing will provide you with the name, WKU ID number, aid year, period of application (fall, spring, summer, or year), and the list missing documents. Detailed information about accessing the report can be found here.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP CONTINUATION: Please remind GA's to complete a GA continuation form if they wish to reapply for a GA position for next semester or academic year (depending on GA appointment). The GA continuation form may be found here.

MINORITY ASSISTANTSHIP PROGRAM (MAP): Applicants must be admitted to a degree program and be a member of a minority group as defined by the WKU Diversity Plan: African-American; American Indian/Alaskan native; Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander; and Hispanic/Latino and a United States resident. More information and the application can be here.

GRADUATE STUDENT RESERCH GRANT: Funding for research up to $1500 for one year, with a maximum of three grants per degree. A Graduate Council sub-committee meets once monthly as needed to review applications. More information and the application can be here.

GRADUATE STUDENT CONFERENCE AND RESEARCH TRAVEL: Funding for research or conference travel. Funding amounts vary. Please have students apply early (at least one week in advance of travel). Applications are assessed on a rolling basis. Departments and academic deans' offices are encouraged to assist with the students funding needs. More information and the application can be here.