1. Complete your application online and submit it by the deadline that corresponds to the quarter you would like to start. Dates apply to both full degree and certificate applicants.
2. Full-time and international applicants are eligible to start fall quarter. Part-time applicants are eligible to start fall, winter and spring quarters. We admit students on a rolling basis, so you may apply at any time up to the posted deadlines for a given quarter.  MSLOC has a limited number of openings for each incoming class, so we recommend that you apply early. After our incoming class for each quarter fills, applicants may be selected as alternates and will be notified when openings occur.  Once the MSLOC Department receives your application, selected applicants will be notified by e-mail to schedule a personal interview with a MSLOC Admissions Committee member. Interviews are awarded at the discretion of the MSLOC Admissions Committee; not all applicants may be interviewed. Interviewees can choose to participate via phone or in person. A completed application is not a requirement for scheduling an interview.
3. MSLOC will notify you by e-mail and hard copy regarding our admission decision. You should receive an answer from us within one month after your application materials are received. You can check on the status of your application anytime by visiting the Apply Yourself web site and logging in to the main screen of the online application.
4. If you are offered admission and you wish to accept, you need to complete the web-based “Intention to Register” form by the acceptance due date (instructions will be included in your admission letter). You will be prompted to submit a nonrefundable deposit of $100 US, which will be applied toward your MSLOC Retreat and new student orientation. For students selecting the Low Residency schedule starting in Spring 2009, a nonrefundable low resideny fee and deposit of $2,000 is required to be submitted with your Intention to Register form. Our receipt of your submitted form and deposit prompts us to initiate the University entry process and plan for your matriculation into the MSLOC program.
5. As an incoming student, you will receive information regarding academic advising and dates to hold for the mandatory MSLOC Weekend Retreat, technology orientation and other start-up activities. Refer to the Application Deadlines and Start-up Dates section above.

A nonrefundable application processing fee of $100 US should be submitted with your completed application. This application fee is required for each MSLOC application that you submit — including non-degree to degree applications.

Once you are offered admission, and you submit your online “Intention to Register” form signifying your intent to enroll in the MSLOC program, a nonrefundable deposit of $100 US is due, which will be applied toward your MSLOC Retreat and new student orientation. For students selecting the Low Residency schedule starting in spring 2009, a nonrefundable low resideny fee and deposit of $2,000 is required to be submitted with your Intention to Register form. This fee covers meal and event expenses for the cohort sessions held on the Evanston campus.

Our receipt of your submitted form and deposit prompts us to initiate the University entry process and plan for your matriculation into the MSLOC Program. All checks and money orders should be made payable to Northwestern University and sent to the MSLOC office at the mailing address listed below.

Much of your success in graduate study in the United States will depend on your ability to understand, read, write and speak English. If English is not your native language, evidence of proficiency in its use will be decisive in reviewing your application for admission.

Applicants whose native language is not English must certify their proficiency in the English language in ONE of the following three ways:

1. Providing official scores for the TOEFL or IELTS exam AND the Test of Spoken English (TSE). These tests must be taken no more than two years before the intended quarter of entry. For the TOEFL, an applicant must score 600 or higher on the paper-based test (PBT), 250 or higher on the computer-based test (CBT) and 100 or higher on the internet-based test (iBT). For the IELTS, an applicant must score 7.0 or higher. For the TSE, applicants must have a minimum score of 50.
2. Providing official transcripts verifying an undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year institution or equivalent, where the language of instruction is English.
3. Providing official transcripts verifying a graduate degree from an accredited institution where the language of instruction is English.

TOEFL results must come directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Personal copies are not considered official, nor are "attested" or notarized copies. However, it is to your advantage to include a paper copy of your score report in your application materials. This will aid us in verifying your scores quickly, should there be any delay in receiving the official report, and to identify any errors in the electronic report.

The institutional code for MSLOC is 2591. For more information, visit the ETS TOEFL web site.