Admissions for Freshmen International Students
Admissions for Freshman International Students
Applications must be completed properly and submitted before the deadlines established for admitting international students. An application fee of $30 (money order or cashier’s check) must accompany the application. Supporting documents, which include all official high school transcripts and Leaving School Certificates or affidavits of support, TOEFL scores or West African Examinations scores, and SAT or ACT scores must be submitted before students can be considered for admission to the University.
Freshman international students must have completed a recognized secondary program comparable to U.S. high school graduation, and have academic records comparable to those required to meet the freshman admission criteria. All credentials must be translated into English and certified to be original documents before they will be accepted by the Office of admissions. Affidavits of support must be original and notarized for the year of anticipated enrollment. Completed applications with the above required attachments must be received by the Office of Admissions at least 90 days prior to the anticipated date of registration if the student is outside the United States. International students who score 400-449 on the TOEFL are required to earn grades of “C” or better in Freshman Composition, ENGL-110 and 111 (ESL, English as a Second Language). Those scoring 450-499 on the TOEFL are required to earn a grade of “C” or better in English 111 (ESL).
Visa Requirements. Regulations of the United States Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, governing nonimmigrant F-1 students require international students in this category to pursue a full course of study while maintaining nonimmigrant student status. Under this regulation, an undergraduate student will be required to register for at least 15 semester hours, and a graduate student will be required to register for at least nine semester hours of coursework in a degree or certificate program. Any modification of these requirements resulting in non-degree study or a course load less than the above minimum requirements must be authorized by the international student advisor in consultation with the director of admissions and the academic advisor.
Students who fail to observe the above requirements will not be eligible to receive a Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) and other letters of certification in support of their continuation in the nonimmigrant F-1 student status. Students bearing nonimmigrant Foreign Student F-1 visas are required to attend, initially, the educational institution that issued the Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20).
Students in the Exchange Visitor Visa (J-1) category requesting transfer to the University’s Private Exchange Visitor program from another program number must obtain approval from the international student advisor before admission to the University becomes valid.
Questions concerning United States Immigration and Naturalization Service regulations should be directed to the international student advisor.
Other Criteria
In order to minimize test bias and to recognize artistic, scholarly, athletic, and leadership talents, it is recommended that up to 15 percent of the total number of students admitted each year be selected from the population referenced above, minimum criteria notwithstanding. Of the 15 percent, ten percent must be selected from other race students. The Admissions Committee will carefully review individual records of applicants in this category. The process of admitting these students may include personal interviews, written essays, recommendations from high school administrators, counselors, or teachers, demonstrated exemplary talents, leadership abilities, and significant life and career experience. The precise mechanism for administering the admissions exceptions will be developed by the University.