Skip to Main Content

The University of Tennessee University of Tennessee UT Institute of Agriculture

Frequently Used Tools:




Applying for Graduate Study Admission

[Application deadlines]

To apply for admission to Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science (BESS) graduate programs, please complete the following the two-step procedure outlined below.

(1) Send the following:
  • A completed Graduate Application
  • A $35 non-refundable application fee
  • One official transcript from all colleges and universities attended
  • An official GRE score report (institution code: 1843)
  • If your native language is not English, an official TOEFL score report (institution code: 1843)

    to the Graduate School at:
Graduate Admissions and Records
218 Student Services Building
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-0220

All items must be received by the graduate school in order for your application to be complete.

Admission is for a specific semester. If you do not enter that semester, your application and materials will remain on file for one year in Graduate Admissions. After that time, you must repeat the application process. Contact the Office of Graduate Admissions if you want to change the entry term. Some programs may have restrictions on entry terms.

There is no minimum GRE score requirement, only that you take the GRE prior to being considered for admittance to our graduate programs. The University requires all applicants that do not have English as his or her native language to take the TOEFL exam. (Applicants who have received a degree from an accredited U.S. institution in the past two years are exempt from the TOEFL requirement.) Information on English Language Requirements can be found in the International Graduate Applicants guide.

(2) Send the following:
  • A completed BESS Graduate Student Data Form
  • Three letters of reference on the Graduate Rating Form
  • A statement of purpose (less than one page), including research interests

    to the BESS Department at:
Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science
Attn: M. Taylor
2506 E.J. Chapman Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996-4531