Apply

The HESAL program admits a cohort of 8-10 new doctoral students once each year, coursework beginning in the Fall Semester. (Students may enroll in the preceding summer term if they wish, and may take elective courses and coursework to meet research requirements.) For full consideration, application materials must be received by February 15, although applications will be considered until the full class for the upcoming academic year has been selected.

Admission to the HESAL Ph.D. program entails a two-part review process, and requires that materials be submitted both to the Graduate School and the HESAL program. These two parts must be pursued simultaneously. It takes up to 20 working days for the Graduate School to set up a student record, evaluate eligibility for admission, and prepare a screening packet for our HESAL Selection Committee.

Admissions Requirements

Students must hold a masters degree in higher education, college student affairs, or a related field from an accredited institution and have two years of successful work experience in an institution of higher education or a related field. SRM 600 or an equivalent introduction to graduate research course, is required for admission. The program may waive that requirement for admission, in which case the student must make up the deficiency. Coursework to make up the deficiency will not count toward the Ph.D. requirements.

Assistantships and Financial Assistance

Numerous assistantships are available to full-time graduate students and we would be happy to facilitate getting you connected to opportunities on campus. Additionally, fellowships and scholarships are also available campus wide (see the financial aid quick link above) and specifically to HESAL students (HESAL Financial Assistance Form Word PDF).

Checklist of Materials to be Submitted for Admission

Part 1 - Submit to the UNC Graduate School:

UNC Graduate School Application Form - U.S. citizens may file this form online at or may submit a hard copy by mail. International students must submit the International Student Application for Graduate Admission.
GRE Scores (Information about taking the GRE can be found on their website at
Official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work

Send, or have sent, to:

Graduate School
Campus Box 135
University of Northern Colorado
Greeley, CO 80639

Part 2 - Submit to the HESAL program:

Background Information Sheet (PDF or Word)
Vita/resume of professional and academic experiences and accomplishments
Three letters of recommendation - Recommendations should be from individuals who can address your potential for study at the doctoral level and/or your professional experience and potential and should be submitted using the HESAL Candidate Recommendation form. (PDF or Word)
Writing sample - The writing sample should illustrate your ability and potential to engage in scholarly writing. This may be a paper that has been published, a paper written for a Master’s degree program, or an equivalent sample of your best scholarly work.
Statement of goals - Your statement should include your professional goals, and the relationship of those goals to the purposes and opportunities of the UNC Ph.D. program in Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership. You are encouraged to carefully review the various materials provided by the HESAL program (the UNC Catalog, the HESAL website, etc.) so that the statement provided is specific to this program.

Send, or have sent, to:

HESAL Admissions Committee
418 McKee Hall, Campus Box 103
University of Northern Colorado
Greeley, CO 80639