Students must apply for admission to the Graduate School and must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75. Applicants will generally have a baccalaureate degree in one of the certificate languages: French, German, Japanese, Russian, or Spanish, or in a closely related area that requires sufficient upper-division coursework in that language (e.g., for Spanish, Latin American Studies, International Studies, International Business), or an undergraduate degree, certificate, or minor in translation.

Applicants are required to submit:

A well-developed essay in English that addresses the applicant's motivation for enrolling in the Graduate Certificate
Three letters of reference (from professors, specialists in translation, and/or employers, preferably in the field)
An oral interview with the Graduate Program Director
A sample of translations into or from the language pair selected (with original text to accompany each translation submitted)
Official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (International Students only)

For non-native English language speakers: official and satisfactory scores on the English language proficiency scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are required. A minimum score of 83 on the Internet-based TOEFL or a minimum overall band score of 6.5 on the IELTS is required for admissions consideration.