Admission Information for Online Graduate Microcertificates Programs, Northwestern University School of Professional Studies - Northwestern School of Professional Studies

Check Your Eligibility

To pursue a graduate microcertificate at the School of Professional Studies, an applicant must hold a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or foreign equivalent.

If you are unsure if you are eligible to apply or have questions about the admission process, contact an adviser at 312-503-2579.

Application Deadlines

How to Apply

All applicants are required to submit an online application. Applicants can check the status of their application at any time by logging into the online Self Service Center portal. A complete application to the School of Professional Studies includes the following components:

Online Application

Use the online application to submit your contact information, upload your resume and any additional supporting documentation. 

Resume

Applicants are required to submit a resume. The resume can be uploaded via the online application.

Official Transcripts

Please list the college or university attended where you earned your U.S. bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent. Official transcripts must arrive in our office in the original sealed envelope issued by the institution. Northwestern University School of Professional Studies accepts electronic transcripts from U.S. institutions via secure electronic transcript providers. Consult with your institution to see if they are part of a secure e-delivery network.

Official electronic transcripts must be requested from the college or university and sent directly to spsadmissions@northwestern.edu.

Official mailed transcripts can be sent to:

Attn:(program of interest)
Northwestern University School of Professional Studies
Wieboldt Hall, Sixth Floor
339 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3008
spsadmissions@northwestern.edu

International Transcripts

Official transcripts from institutions outside of the U.S. are required to be evaluated by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Applicants are required to have an official course-by-course evaluation completed. The course-by-course evaluation will serve as the official transcript for studies completed outside of the U.S. 

Northwestern University School of Professional Studies will only accept official course-by-course evaluations if the evaluation explicitly indicates that the individual’s course of study is the U.S. equivalent of an accredited bachelor’s degree.

Specifically, if the degree requirement for admission is a conferred bachelor’s degree, the course-by-course evaluation must read equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree. Additionally, an applicant that has earned a U.S. master’s degree and has a bachelor’s degree from outside of the U.S. must still submit an official course by course evaluation that indicates that the applicant has the equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree.

.

International Applicants

SPS welcomes international applicants to apply and, if admitted, enroll in our graduate certificate programs. SPS does not process I-20 or DS-2019 forms for full-time student or exchange visas. Our programs are designed as part-time programs for working professionals and cannot be used to maintain legal status in the United States. 

Please contact the International Office with any questions at (847) 491-5613.

English Proficiency

Proof of English proficiency is a School of Professional Studies admission requirement for international applicants. 

International applicants can provide proof of English Proficiency by submitting one of the following:

• Provide an official transcript demonstrating a Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited U.S. college or university.
• Provide an official course-by-course evaluation where the language of instruction is indicated as English.
• Provide official scores for either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam and achieved the required score (official scores must be provided)
  • TOEFL – 100 or higher on the iBT (internet based TOEFL)
  • IELTS – 7.0 or higher on the Academic IELTS

Applying Credit to Master's Programs

Students that are interested in the option of applying their credit to select SPS master's degree programs must submit an online application and submit all required application materials.

Students who elect to apply to a master’s program within two years of completing the required courses in the microcertificate will be able to count completed courses toward the applicable master’s degree.

Please note that acceptance in and completion of a microcertificate does not guarantee admission into a master's degree program.

If you are interested in exploring this option, please contact the SPS graduate advising team for information on how to pursue a master's degree at SPS.