What is Required for Admission?
Students will be required to meet the following requirements
for admission to the program:
- Obtain a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in a business,
agronomy or a biology
related discipline;
- Graduate in the top quarter of your class (GPA of approximately 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale); and
- GRE (Q) 570 or better and GRE (V) 500 or better,
or GMAT 570 or better
These requirements have been limited to those considered essential. Potential students for the degree program are expected to have diverse backgrounds. Generally, students who have completed a 4-year degree from a college of agriculture or a college of Business will have sufficient background. Please consult with us about other biology or business related degrees. Meeting the requirements mentioned above does not guarantee admission. You will go through the standard Iowa State University admission process. If you do not currently meet the requirements, please contact us for advice on how you can prepare yourself for the program.
Residence in Iowa, or the United States, is not a requirement for admission. International students will be considered individually, based on consideration of the communication challenges that are associated with the student's situation. For students whose native language is not English, a minimum score of 230 on the TOEFL exam (electronic- or computer-based) is required.
Procedures
Our admission process is self-managed. You are responsible for assembling your application and all supporting materials (academic records, letters of recommendation, etc.) and sending them to the College of Business. You may submit materials all at once or mail things to us as you receive/complete them. All materials should be mailed to the following address:
Graduate Program in Seed Technology and Business
102a Seed Science Building
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-3228 USA
We evaluate applications on a continuing basis, thus we will inform you of the admission decision shortly after your application is complete.
Application Form (Original and Two Photocopies)
Submit the ISU Graduate College Application and application fee ($30 for U.S. citizens, $70 for international student. Note: the fee will be waived if you attended Iowa State as an undergraduate.) On the application form, please indicate "MS" as your graduate degree of interest. If you prefer to submit your application online, you can do so by clicking here. (Note: ISU alumni should submit a paper copy to avoid paying the application fee.)
Transcripts
Request an official transcript of grades and credits earned from each college you attended. If you previously attended Iowa State as a student, you do not need to enclose or request transcripts from Iowa State.
All applicants are required to take the GMAT or GRE. Please have an official score report sent to us by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The ETS institution code for Iowa State is 6306. You can register for the GMAT by calling 1-800-GMAT-NOW or visit the GMAT web site. You can register for the GRE by calling 1-866-473-4373 for visiting GRE web site.
Letters of Recommendation
We require three letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest
to your potential for graduate study. Sources should be persons with substantial
academic or work contact with you, such as professors or immediate supervisors.
The letters should be on professional letterhead and signed. Letters may be
submitted directly to the Graduate Admissions Office or you may ask the letter
writers to send the letters to you and you can forward them to us. There is
no standard format.
Personal Essays
You are required to submit three personal essays. Each essay should be typed and limited to ONE page in length. Essays help us assess your goals, motivation, and your ability to communicate effectively in writing. For a copy of the essay questions, click here. Essays can be emailed to the STB Program.
Resume
Include a copy of your professional resume. Your resume can be emailed to the STB Program.
