Master of Accountancy Early Admission

The Early Admission Masters of Accountancy (MAcc) program is designed for domestic and international students like you who are in your junior year of study and pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accounting at the Carlson School of Management or any U.S. undergraduate institution. With Early Admission, you can secure conditional acceptance into the Carlson MAcc program after graduation, giving you peace of mind and a stress-free senior year.

If you have a strong academic background, leadership and collaboration skills, and want to reserve your spot in our program while completing the necessary prerequisites, the Early Admission MAcc program is the perfect opportunity for you. Apply early and take the next step toward your future in accounting.

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Program Structure & Timeline

During your junior year, you can apply to the program and receive conditional admission until your final degree is conferred. After graduation, you'll need to submit an unofficial transcript to confirm your completion and receive your final admission letter.

During your junior year, take the next step toward your future by starting the application process:

  • Apply to the program to secure your conditional admission

 

During your senior year, stay on track to finalize your admission and prepare for the next step:

  • Complete all prerequisites to meet the program requirements.
  • Send in final transcripts to confirm your degree and receive your official admission letter.

 

When enrolling in the MAcc program, take these final steps to secure your spot:

  • Make your tuition deposit to confirm your enrollment.

For international students:

  • Secure your I-20 to ensure your student visa process is completed.

 

During your junior year, take the next step toward your future by starting the application process:

  • Apply to the program to secure your conditional admission

 

During your senior year, stay on track to finalize your admission and prepare for the next step:

  • Complete all prerequisites to meet the program requirements.
  • Send in final transcripts to confirm your degree and receive your official admission letter.

 

When enrolling in the MAcc program, take these final steps to secure your spot:

  • Make your tuition deposit to confirm your enrollment.

For international students:

  • Secure your I-20 to ensure your student visa process is completed.

 

Start Your Application (opens in a new window)

Application Deadline

July 1, 2026

For Fall 2027, Spring 2028, or Fall 2029 program start.


Application Fee Waiver
Guaranteed application fee waiver for early admission applicants.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Applicants:

  • Undergraduate students graduating between May 2027 and December 2027
  • Must have completed at least 4 full-time semesters of a bachelor’s degree
  • Currently in junior year

Not Eligible:

  • Rising seniors or current seniors – you should apply for the traditional program

Prerequisites

Admitted students must complete their Bachelor’s degree in Accounting before entering the MAcc program AND must have completed these courses (or approved equivalent) with a C or better:

  • ACCT 2051 Introduction to Financial Reporting;
  • ACCT 3001 Introduction to Management Accounting;
  • ACCT 5101 Intermediate Accounting 1

If you are planning for Fall (September) start and have no prerequisites completed when you apply, plan to take:

  • ACCT 2051 Introduction to Financial Reporting in the spring
  • ACCT 3001 Introduction to Management Accounting and ACCT 5101 Intermediate Accounting 1 in the summer

If you are planning for Spring (January) start and have no prerequisites completed when you apply, plan to take:

  • ACCT 2051 Introduction to Financial Reporting in the summer
  • ACCT 3001 Introduction to Management Accounting and ACCT 5101 Intermediate Accounting 1 in the fall 

Register for UMN Twin Cities undergraduate accounting courses as a non-degree-seeking student.

You may complete these courses outside of the University of Minnesota or at your own university. Alternatively, online and Coursera options are included below:

Intermediate Accounting Theory and Practice - A at UCLA Extension OR Intermediate Accounting I at Berkeley Extension for ACCT 5101 Intermediate Accounting 1. Please note that both alternative options have course prerequisites or require the consent of the instructor to enroll. Please contact the school offering the course for further details.

Application Requirements & Checklist

To be considered for admission to the Early Admission Master of Accountancy program, applicants must be in the process of completing their Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, and submit a completed application in our online system. Specifically, applicants must be accounting majors at a US college or university and apply in or immediately following their junior year, no later than July 1.

Getting Started

  • Open an online application and complete all items
  • In the Academic History Section: Fill out your academic history, then select Future Application Term
  • May Graduates: select the Fall term following graduation (ex - if you will graduate in May 2027, select the Fall 2027 entry term for your application)
  • December Graduates: select the Spring term immediately following your graduation, or the Fall term following your graduation. ex) if you will graduate in December 2027, you may select Spring 2028 as your entry term OR Fall 2028

Note that applications must be complete, with all materials submitted and received, by the deadline for which you would like to be considered.

Only completed applications with all materials received will be reviewed by the admissions committee in the round in which the application has been fully completed. A complete application includes:

You must submit a completed application. 

Additional application information can be found on the Graduate School website, view application instructions.

List each institution of higher learning from which you have earned credit in your application.

 

Unofficial Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts of your Bachelor's degree may be submitted in your application, even if your last semester grades and degree conferral (graduation) are not final. However, once all grades are recorded and your degree has been conferred, you must submit the final transcript, as soon as possible, to be included in your application. 

 

Official Transcripts

Official transcripts/academic records are required after you are admitted to a graduate program. At the time of admission, you will receive a list of the specific credentials we require from you. These must be submitted before you register at the University of Minnesota. All transcripts and academic records uploaded to the online application are considered unofficial.

It is your responsibility to request official transcripts/credentials from the original institution. Official transcripts must be sent directly to the University from the issuing institution. Do not send official transcripts to yourself first.

For electronic transcripts: use [email protected] as the recipient.

For a hard copy transcript, use the following address:
Graduate School
University of Minnesota
Attn: Transcripts
309 Johnston Hall
101 Pleasant St. SE
Minneapolis, MN  55455-0421

The University of Minnesota reserves the right to require the submission of official transcripts or credentials any time during the admission review process.

More information about Official Transcripts

Your personal statement should be no more than 1000 words (2 pages), that address the following questions:

  • Why are you choosing to pursue a MAcc degree at this time in your career? What are you hoping to accomplish by doing so? Briefly describe your work experience, if any, and short-term (upon graduation from the program) and long-term (5-10 years after the program) career goals. Please be as specific as possible with roles, companies and/or industries.
  • What excites you about being part of the Carlson School MACC program?
  • Describe your current thinking about diversity, equity, and inclusion. How has your thinking changed over time?

The video essay is a required component of the application that provides candidates with an opportunity to show the admissions committee the authentic you. Think of this video essay as if you were answering an interview question with a member of our admissions committee.

  • You will need to use a computer with camera and microphone capabilities. You will have the ability to test your technology before starting the video essay and submit a practice video essay.
  • You can test your technology and run the practice simulation as many times as you wish to be comfortable with the format and technology. You will be able to review your practice video essay(s) and your recording(s) will not be saved beyond the testing phase and will never be reviewed.
  • You can also practice responding to impromptu questions offline with a friend or colleague before completing the video essay portion of your application. You will be prompted to click "Ready" once you are prepared to submit an official video essay. You will be asked one impromptu question from a bank of imaginative or behavioral questions selected by our admissions team.
  • Two minutes (120 seconds) will be provided to prepare an answer and two minutes (120 seconds) to record an answer. The recording will automatically stop after two minutes. You are not required to use the full two minutes. If you have time remaining once complete your response, click the "Stop Recording" button to end the recording.
  • You will only be provided one attempt to record your official video essay.

Prepare a current resume that includes a detailed education and employment history in no more than 3 pages.

Resume guidelines:

  • List both employer(s) and official position(s) held.
  • Specify both month and year for dates of employment in each role.
  • Detail job responsibilities and accomplishments in approximately 3-5 bullet points.
  • You may include a separate section for academic projects with significant quantitative and/or technical components.
  • Do not worry about exceeding 1 page.

For additional guidance, visit our Carlson Business Career Center's resume advice webpage, and feel free to use their resume template to simplify the process.

Upload your completed resume in the online application where prompted for your Resume or CV.

Two (2) letters of recommendation are required from persons qualified to evaluate your most recent work and potential for graduate study. These recommendations can be from any combination of academic and professional recommenders.

Please note that you personally do not need to solicit letters of recommendations. However, we do recommend that you contact them ahead of time and ask if they would be willing to provide a recommendation. In the online application, you simply provide their names and contact information and a link will be automatically routed to them via email for completion. When they submit their recommendation using that link, it will be uploaded into your application.

More information about recommendation letters including waiving your right to view recommendation letters.

Applicants to the Master of Accountancy program are not required to submit a GMAT or GRE test score to be considered for admission. However, if an applicant has an existing or scheduled GMAT or GRE test score they would like to include in their application, they may do so. 

Applicants who would like to include a GMAT score in their application should arrange for the testing service to send an official score report to code D2N-VJ-05, Carlson Master of Accountancy. Results arrive 2-3 weeks after the test.

Applicants who would like to include a GRE score in their application should arrange for the testing service to send an official score report using institution code 6874, U of MN graduate school. Results may take up to 8 weeks to arrive.

International and domestic applicants whose first language is not English must provide proof of English language proficiency. Proof of English language proficiency is measured according to the categories detailed below. You are not exempt if you have lived in an English-speaking country for several years, but have not completed any prior education in English.

  • Applicants providing an exam score must have an exam date within two years of the graduate program start date. Exams exceeding two years will not be accepted.
  • We do not offer an option for the English language ability to be assessed upon arrival on campus.

For additional details regarding this requirement, please visit the Office of Graduate Admission's website or contact them at [email protected].

Test scores are not required for applicants that have completed post-secondary coursework in:

  • United States
  • Canada (except Quebec)
  • United Kingdom/Ireland
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Nigeria

To qualify for exemption, the coursework: 

  • Consists of least 16 semester credits or 24 quarter credits,
  • Does not include ESL coursework, and
  • Was completed within the past 2 years, and
  • You were living in one of the countries listed above while completing all of the credits.

Please note that the exam date should be within two years of the graduate program start date. We do also accept the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition version of this test.

Graduate School Minimum Requirements

  • Total Score: 79
  • Writing Subscore: 21
  • Reading Subscore: 19

Please note that these scores are the minimum University requirements. No exceptions can be made.

Typically competitive candidates have average scores of 90-105 on the internet-based TOEFL. The University of Minnesota Twin Cities does not consider MyBest Scores: Sum of Highest Section Scores of the TOEFL iBT Score Report to meet the minimum total score requirement for admission. Applicants should self-report their highest Total Score from the one test date in the Application for Admission. Applicants should also submit the official TOEFL iBT scores via ETS.

Please note that the exam date should be within two years of the graduate program start date.

Minimum Scores for Admission

  • Total Score: 6.5
  • Writing Subscore: 6.5
  • Reading Subscore: 6.5

Please note that these scores are the minimum University requirements. No exceptions can be made.

The Duolingo English Test will be accepted with the score and test date requirements listed below. Please visit the Duolingo preparing for the exam and FAQs sites for more information.

Minimum Scores for Admission

  • Overall Score: 115 or above
  • Subscore for Literacy section: 115 or above

Your exam date should be within two years of the program's start date. 

NOTE: We do not offer an option for the English language ability to be assessed upon arrival on campus.

Please note that the exam date should be within two years of the graduate program start date. 

Minimum Scores for Admission

  • Total Score: 180
  • Writing Subscore: 180
  • Reading Subscore: 180

Please note that these scores are the minimum University requirements. No exceptions can be made.

Secure Your Spot in the MAcc Program

Apply for Early Admission

Frequently Asked Questions

The Master of Accountancy Early Admission program is for domestic and international students like you who are in your junior year and pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accounting at the Carlson School of Management or any U.S. undergraduate institution.

Yes! If you're an undergraduate student pursuing an Accounting degree, the Early Admission program lets you apply early and secure your spot, giving you peace of mind for a stress-free senior year.

Applications are reviewed as a whole and candidates are admitted into the program based on academic credentials and general fit for the program. The admissions committee will consider your academic performance (official transcripts for any post-secondary coursework and GPA), work experience, student involvement and achievements, personal statement, and professional/academic references.

No, there is no admission interview. As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit an impromptu video essay. 

Yes! The MAcc program awards scholarships on a competitive basis. You’ll automatically be considered for all eligible scholarships when you are admitted.

You are not required to submit a GMAT or GRE test score to apply for the Master of Accountancy program. However, if you have already taken or scheduled the GMAT or GRE and would like to include your score, you are welcome to do so. There is no preference for either test, so we encourage you to take the one you feel most comfortable with.

You should apply during or immediately after your junior year, but no later than July 1.

Admissions decisions for the Early Admission program will be provided to applicants on August 15.

You can apply during your junior year or right after and receive your admission decision in the following months. If admitted, you'll start the Carlson Master of Accountancy program after completing your senior year.

For example, if you're graduating between May 2026 and December 2026 and are admitted, you'll begin the Master of Accountancy in Fall 2026, Spring 2027, or Fall 2027.

If you have additional questions, please feel free to schedule a 1:1 appointment.

Contact Master in Accountancy

Phone: 612-625-5555
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