Admission Requirements

To be admitted into the Nonprofit Management Graduate Certificate Program, you must have:

  • A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. 
  • A preferred performance level for your undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0.  (If you have relevant professional experience, but don't have a 3.0 GPA, contact an adviser.)   
  •  Documentation of two years of paid or unpaid experience in a nonprofit organization in one or more areas of the following:
    • management of a budget
    • supervision of staff
    • development of programs--implementation and evaluation
    • fundraising
    • grant writing
    • regular participation in Board meetings and/or on Board committees

No Graduate Record Exam (GRE) required

Admission to the certificate program is recommended no later than after completion of the first course.  

NOTE: If you are planning to transfer this certificate into a graduate degree program in Public Affairs or the Master of Liberal Studies Degree, you may transfer up to 12 credits taken at the certificate tuition rate.  Additional credits necessary to complete the degree must be taken at the full graduate tuition rate.

View the University of Minnesota Graduate School Diversity Statement.

Forms needed to begin the application process:

NOTE:  Return all of the above information to Certificate Programs, College of Continuing Education, 20 Classroom Office Building, 1994 Buford Avenue, St Paul, MN 55108.

Application Requirements

Although you may take one or two program courses before applying for official admission into this certificate program, we suggest that you apply for admission as soon as possible. Once you are accepted into the program, you will receive timely program updates and course registration information along with other admitted student benefits.

To begin the process, download and read the Graduate Certificate Application Instructions form (PDF). If you have questions or miss the deadline, call 612- 624-4000 or send an e-mail message to CCEinfo@umn.edu for advising.

Note these important application deadlines:

Application Term

Final Deadline

Fall Semester

June 15

Spring Semester

October 15

Summer Term

March 15

For registration information visit our registration page.

Visit One Stop for a complete list of other important dates, including complete academic calendars, registration times, and drop/add deadlines.