University of Maryland (UMD) Admissions 2026: Requirements, Intakes, Application Deadline, Eligibility & Fees

University of Maryland, College Park Application Deadlines 2027

The University of Maryland, College Park runs two live intakes for Indian students — a large Fall (August) intake covering nearly every undergraduate and graduate program, and a narrower Spring (January) intake open to international freshmen, transfers and select master’s programs. Fall is the primary intake because more than 90 percent of programs, funding rounds and orientation cohorts route through it. Dates below are drawn from the official UMD undergraduate deadlines page and program-specific graduate pages.

University of Maryland, College Park’s primary intake for Indian students is Fall (August) — most programs open here.

Planning note: The Spring 2027 international window has closed. Indian applicants targeting January 2027 entry now need to focus on programs still accepting rolling applications, or shift to the Fall 2027 primary intake where nearly every UMD school and college has open seats.

UMD Eligibility for Indian Students

Eligibility at the University of Maryland, College Park works on program-specific floors rather than a single university minimum, but Indian applicants can plan against a stable set of academic and English thresholds. The Graduate School publishes hard English minimums; undergraduate review is holistic, so proficiency scores are weighted alongside CBSE, ISC or state-board results.

UMD Undergraduate Eligibility

• UG general entry: Class XII (CBSE, ISC or recognised state board) with a strong college-preparatory record, typically 75 percent plus overall.
• Subject requirements: Four years of English, three of mathematics through Class XII, two of a laboratory science, two of social science, and two of a foreign language.
• Testing: SAT or ACT is test-optional for Fall 2027 first-year applicants.
• English proficiency for non-native speakers: TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic or Duolingo English Test — reviewed holistically alongside the file, not a fixed cut-off.

UMD Graduate Eligibility

• Academic floor: Four-year Bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, which maps to roughly 75 percent for Indian degrees.
• Three-year Bachelor’s: Considered when accompanied by a Master’s or postgraduate diploma; several STEM departments accept three-year degrees on merit review.
• English proficiency (graduate, verified minimums): TOEFL iBT 96 overall, IELTS Academic 7.0 overall, or PTE Academic 68.
• GRE/GMAT: Waived for most master’s tracks including MS Computer Science; check the program page as a small number of quantitative programs still expect scores.

UMD IELTS Waiver Options

UMD Graduate School exempts applicants who hold a degree earned in-person from a regionally accredited university in an English-speaking country — the exempt list covers the United States, United Kingdom, Canada (except Quebec), Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and around 40 other territories. India is not on the exempt list, so Indian students completing a Bachelor’s in India must submit test scores. Indian applicants with a prior US, UK or Australian degree can request the waiver during application review.

Note: Program-specific entry requirements, fees, and intake availability may differ from the institution-wide minimums shown above. Always confirm on the official University of Maryland, College Park page for your chosen program before applying.

University of Maryland, College Park PG Programs and English Scores

The University of Maryland, College Park offers over 200 master’s tracks across the Clark School of Engineering, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS), Smith School of Business, and the iSchool. Indian applicants concentrate in the STEM-designated MS programs, which qualify for the 36-month OPT extension. Base tuition for international graduate students is around USD 44,000 (INR 42.12 Lakhs) per year for most STEM master’s tracks — see the course-wise fees breakdown for exact program figures.

Insider note: Indian applicants targeting MS Computer Science should aim well above the 3.0 GPA floor — recent admitted cohorts cluster around 3.6 GPA (roughly 82 percent), with strong coursework in algorithms and systems. The department reviews programming project depth alongside grades.

Note: Program-specific entry requirements, fees, and intake availability may differ from the institution-wide minimums shown above. Always confirm on the official University of Maryland, College Park page for your chosen program before applying.

UMD Undergraduate Programs and Requirements

The University of Maryland, College Park offers around 100 undergraduate majors, with Indian applicants clustering in Computer Science, Business, Engineering and Data Science. Undergraduate review is holistic — grades, essays, activities and recommendations weigh together rather than against a fixed cut-off. Base tuition for international first-year students is around USD 41,000 (INR 39.25 Lakhs) per year.

Planning note: The Class XII forecast score is what matters if you apply during Class XII — UMD accepts predicted percentages from CBSE and ISC boards, with confirmation of final results after admission. Submit your Class X marksheet and Class XI report card as supporting evidence of trajectory.

Maryland Smith MBA Rounds and Requirements

The Robert H. Smith School of Business runs its Full-Time MBA on a six-round system with rolling review, plus an Accelerated One-Year Full-Time MBA launched for STEM Bachelor’s holders with 3 plus years of business experience. Round 3 (15 December 2026) is the scholarship priority round for international candidates; Round 5 (12 March 2027) is the final Indian-student deadline.

Smith Full-Time MBA Deadlines for Fall 2027

Smith MBA Requirements at a Glance

• Work experience: Full-Time MBA — minimum 2 years post-Bachelor’s, average admits carry 5 years. Accelerated One-Year MBA — 3 plus years and a STEM Bachelor’s.
• GMAT/GRE: Test optional for the Full-Time MBA; strong quantitative alternatives (CFA, CPA, quantitative Bachelor’s) count toward waiver requests.
• Interview: By invitation only, conducted virtually for international candidates within 2 to 4 weeks of round submission. Behavioural format focused on leadership and career clarity.
• Application fee: USD 90 (INR 8,616) via the Smith online portal.
• English proficiency: TOEFL iBT 100 or IELTS 7.5 preferred for MBA applicants; institution-wide TOEFL 96 / IELTS 7.0 remains the graduate floor.

Insider note: Indian applicants apply earliest at Round 2 or Round 3 — the scholarship budget is finite, and by Round 4 most international merit awards have been disbursed. Round 5 accepts strong late applicants but is scholarship-lean.

Note: Program-specific entry requirements, fees, and intake availability may differ from the institution-wide minimums shown above. Always confirm on the official University of Maryland, College Park page for your chosen program before applying.

University of Maryland, College Park PhD Admissions

UMD offers around 90 doctoral programs across the Graduate School, with the largest Indian cohorts in Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Economics. PhD admissions run on a single Fall intake each year, with faculty-led review after the initial department screen. Most STEM PhDs are fully funded through Graduate Research Assistantships or Teaching Assistantships covering tuition plus a stipend.

PhD Application Timeline for Fall 2027

• Portal opens: 1 July 2026 through the UMD Graduate School application.
• Priority deadline (major departments): 4 December 2026 for CS and most engineering PhDs; Economics, Mathematics and Physics run early to mid-December windows.
• Final deadline (some humanities): 15 January 2027, program-specific.
• Interview: Late January to February 2027, virtual, faculty-led.
• Offer release: Mid-February to late March 2027, with 15 April 2027 as the standard offer-acceptance deadline.

PhD Requirements and Funding

• Academic floor: Bachelor’s or Master’s with 3.5 GPA plus in the discipline; research experience and publications strengthen the file.
• Testing: GRE not required for CS PhD, ECE PhD or most engineering PhDs; still required for a handful of programs.
• English proficiency: Same graduate floors — IELTS 7.0, TOEFL 96, PTE 68.
• Funding: Fully funded assistantships covering tuition plus USD 30,000 to 38,000 (INR 28.72 to 36.38 Lakhs) annual stipend for 2026-27, per department funding pages. See the UMD funding for Indian students guide for scholarship overlays.

Reality check: A PhD admit at UMD is a research-fit decision, not a marks decision. Contact 2 to 3 faculty by email six months before applying with your research statement — most Indian PhD admits at UMD have prior email contact with their eventual advisor.

Note: Program-specific entry requirements, fees, and intake availability may differ from the institution-wide minimums shown above. Always confirm on the official University of Maryland, College Park page for your chosen program before applying.

UMD Application Process Step by Step

The undergraduate route runs through the Common Application or UMD’s own ApplyWeb portal; the graduate route runs through the UMD Graduate School’s ApplyYourself portal, submitted directly to your chosen department. Both routes require English proficiency evidence, transcripts and academic essays before the file is considered complete.

1. Choose your portal. First-year applicants use the Common App (Fall 2027 cycle opened 1 August 2026) or ApplyWeb. Graduate and PhD applicants apply through the Graduate School portal that opened 1 July 2026.
2. Pay the application fee of USD 80 (around INR 7,658) for UG applicants or USD 90 (around INR 8,616) for most graduate applicants on the Common App / ApplyWeb / UMD Graduate portal. MS Computer Science and CS PhD applications carry a USD 75 (INR 7,180) departmental fee.
3. Upload academic transcripts — official Class XII marksheet and predicted grades for UG, plus Bachelor’s transcripts and degree certificates for PG. Literal English translations required for any non-English document.
4. Submit English proficiency test scores — IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Duolingo English Test, sent directly from the testing body.
5. Complete essays and recommendations — Common App personal statement plus UMD supplement for UG; Statement of Purpose plus three recommendations for PG. Smith MBA adds behavioural essays and a video assessment.
6. Review and submit before your program deadline. Track status through the applicant portal for admission decisions and follow-up requests.

Before you apply: UMD accepts self-reported transcripts at application, but final admission is conditional on submitting official transcripts through WES or another approved credential evaluation route before enrolment.

Maryland Admission Decisions and Offer Acceptance

Once your file is complete, decisions release on the timelines set by each portal. UMD does not run an interview stage for most undergraduate or graduate programs — decisions rest on the written file, transcripts and test evidence — with Smith MBA and select PhD departments as the two interview-based exceptions.

• Undergraduate Early Action decisions: Released by 1 February 2027 on the applicant portal.
• Undergraduate Regular Decision: Released by 1 April 2027.
• Graduate decisions: Rolling from February through late March 2027 by program.
• Enrollment confirmation: By 1 May 2027 for undergraduates (National Reply Date), 15 April 2027 for most graduate offers.
• Deferral: One-year deferral permitted with written request and departmental approval; visa delays are the most common accepted ground.
• Conditional offers: Contingent on final Class XII / Bachelor’s marksheet, financial documentation and I-20 issuance.

UMD Documents Required for Indian Applicants

Documents fall into three groups — identity, academic and financial. Every document must be uploaded in the online portal; originals are verified only after admission and before I-20 issuance. Indian applicants routinely under-plan for the bank-statement window, which needs to cover a full year of tuition plus living costs.

• Passport bio page — valid for at least six months beyond intended arrival.
• Class X and Class XII marksheets and pass certificates (UG) or Bachelor’s transcripts and degree certificate (PG) — literal English translation attached if issued in a regional language.
• English proficiency score report — IELTS TRF, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Duolingo English Test — sent electronically to UMD from the testing body.
• Statement of Purpose — 1 to 2 pages for graduate applicants; UG applicants submit the Common App essay plus UMD-specific short answers.
• Letters of Recommendation — three for graduate programs, two for undergraduate.
• CV or resume — mandatory for MS, MBA and PhD applicants.
• Work experience documentation — offer letters or employer certificates for MBA applicants.
• Financial affidavit and bank statement — covering approximately USD 68,000 (INR 65.10 Lakhs) for UG or USD 55,000 (INR 52.65 Lakhs) for PG, submitted after admission for the I-20 process.
• Passport-size photographs — standard US visa specification (2×2 inches, white background).

University of Maryland, College Park Acceptance Rate

UMD’s institution-wide acceptance rate for 2026 admits was around 45 percent, placing it among the more selective US flagship public universities. Selectivity varies sharply by program — Computer Science, Business Analytics and the Smith MBA run tighter than the university average, while several humanities and social science majors admit above 60 percent of applicants.

UMD Acceptance Rate by Program

• BS Computer Science: Estimated 15 to 20 percent, with the Limited Enrollment Program adding a second gate for direct-admit applicants.
• Smith Full-Time MBA: Estimated 30 to 35 percent, higher in early rounds.
• MS Computer Science: Estimated 20 to 25 percent, with Indian applicants clustered in the mid-band.
• MS Business Analytics: Estimated 25 to 30 percent — one of Smith’s most competitive STEM masters.

How UMD Reviews Indian Applicants

UMD’s review reads Class XII / Bachelor’s performance in context, weighting the trajectory of grades from Class X through XII (UG) or across four Bachelor’s years (PG). Extracurricular depth in one or two lanes beats broad participation. See UMD’s ranking band in the CD Study Abroad league table (102 global, 39 in the USA) as one context indicator when benchmarking against peer schools.

Insider note: The Indian applicant pool at UMD tightened between 2024 and 2026, particularly for MS Computer Science, where the acceptance rate for Indian passport holders sits noticeably below the program-wide figure. A single 90 plus programming project or research paper materially shifts the file.

USA F-1 Student Visa Process for UMD

Indian students admitted to UMD apply for the F-1 student visa through the US embassy or consulate. After admission, UMD’s International Students and Scholar Services (ISSS) issues Form I-20 once financial documents have been verified. The F-1 process runs on strict timelines and requires financial proof, interview attendance and SEVIS registration before travel.

Standard F-1 steps: pay the SEVIS I-901 fee of USD 350 (INR 33,506), complete Form DS-160, pay the MRV visa fee of USD 185 (INR 17,710), book the visa interview at the US embassy in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata or Hyderabad, and attend with the I-20, financial proof and admission letter. STEM-designated master’s programs at UMD carry the 24-month OPT extension, giving up to 36 months of post-study work in the US.

2026 update: US student visa slots for Indian applicants remain tightest between April and July for Fall intakes — book your F-1 interview within a week of receiving your I-20 rather than waiting for the Delhi or Mumbai queue to clear.

Tips and Checklist for UMD Admissions

The following tips and steps are drawn from Indian-applicant patterns at the University of Maryland, College Park. They cover timing, portal choice and file quality — the three levers that most often move UMD decisions.

• Apply Early Action for undergraduate — the 1 November 2026 window gives priority merit scholarship consideration that Regular Decision cannot access.
• Pick one portal for undergraduate — Common App carries a richer essay slot; ApplyWeb suits applicants who apply only to UMD.
• Book the IELTS or TOEFL 12 weeks before the deadline — score reports take 10 to 13 days to reach UMD electronically.
• Request Class X, XII and Bachelor’s transcripts 8 weeks before submission — Indian board and university turnarounds run 4 to 6 weeks.
• Line up three recommenders 10 weeks out for graduate applications, and send them a project brief plus your CV.
• Prepare the SOP over 3 to 4 drafts — Indian SOPs that lead with a specific UMD faculty or research group outperform generic ones.
• Assemble the financial affidavit within 2 weeks of admission — the I-20 cannot issue until the funds letter is verified.
• Book the F-1 visa interview within 7 days of the I-20 — Indian consulate queues stretch through the summer.