International Admissions

Who Qualifies as an International Applicant?

International students are individuals who visit the United States temporarily as non-immigrant visitors to pursue education, including online courses from any location worldwide. However, if an individual holds dual citizenship of the United States and another country, they would be considered a domestic student for application purposes.

Requirements

To be eligible to be considered for admission to a graduate degree program, you must meet the following minimum Graduate School requirements:

For admission to a Master's program:

• 2.7 (on a grading scale with 4.0=A; approximately a "B-" average) on the last two years of Bachelor's coursework
• 3.0 on all previous graduate work (approximately a "B" average)

For admission to a Ph.D. program:

•  3.0 on all previous graduate-level coursework (approximately a "B+" average) (some exceptions apply)

The English language requirement may be met by submitting:

• 550 on the paper-based TOEFL
• 80 on the internet-based TOEFL
• 6.5 on the IELTS
• 115 on the Duolingo English Exam
• 3.8 on the iTep Academic Plus Exam
• 64 on the Pearson Test of English (PTE)
• C1 required on the Cambridge English Exam

Some programs require a higher score and some require a specific test rather than accepting every test listed. Some programs do not allow English proficiency exemptions for international student admissions. Please check with the academic program directly to verify their requirements.

The English language requirement may be waived if:

1. An applicant was awarded a Master's degree at an accredited college/university in the United States and has been in residence in the United States continuously prior to application to SIU (not out of the country for more than one calendar year).
2. You have a minimum of 60 graded (A, B, C) hours of recent coursework completed at an accredited college/university in the United States with continuous residence in the United States prior to application at SIU. Pass / Fail, Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory, or Proficiency credit is not acceptable.
3. Here is a current list of countries and territories that are exempt from the English proficiency requirement: View Exempt List.
4. An applicant who has completed the equivalent of a US bachelor's degree (earning a minimum GPA of2.7 on a 4.0 scale), a master's degree or higher (earning a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale) from an international institution in a country on the SIUC Exempt Country and Territory List, within 5 years of the proposed semester of initial enrollment at SIUC.

Please note: English language requirements vary according to individual situations. What will satisfy the requirement is always determined by the Graduate School Admissions Office, not the program. Please include a photocopy of your TOEFL/IELTS Examinee score report with your program application materials.

If the English language requirement is waived, it is waived for admission only. This does not affect the English proficiency requirement for international students to be hired as Teaching Assistants (TA's). International TA's must pass the ITA Interview.

Submit Official Documents

1. All final, official transcripts from all institutions that were attended. Degrees must be conferred/awarded on the transcript. Diploma/Degree Certificate showing the degree received is also accepted. Third-party evaluations, such as WES, can be used for initial review, but final, official transcripts must be provided to the Graduate School prior to registering for the second term. We will accept an original transcript delivered in the original sealed, never-opened envelope from the institution only as official.  Important: Third-party evaluations, such as WES reports, are not considered final, official transcripts.
2. Official English Proficiency and testing scoresheets directly from the service, e.g., TOEFL, GRE (if required by the program), IELTS, etc., must be provided to the Graduate School prior to registering for the first term. Official English Proficiency scores are to be sent directly to the SIU Carbondale Graduate School electronically at gradschl@siu.edu. A hard copy can be mailed directly to the SIU Carbondale Graduate School also.
3. Official GRE scores are scores that are sent directly from ETS to the academic program or to the Graduate School. Official GRE scores are REQUIRED before admission to be considered for the Alternative High Achiever Tuition Rate.

4. Financial Clearance and Proof of Funds: International applicants must affirm that they are responsible for paying all tuition, fees and living expenses for the entire period of the intended study program. Applicants must document the estimated full cost of the first academic year of study, following admission, before the university can issue a Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20 or DS-2019) for F-1 or J-1 visa issuance. Students being offered a Graduate Assistantship will require confirmation of the offer from their hiring unit.

   For more information, please refer to the Affidavit of Support Information & Form. Submission of this form and proof of financial sources will be required for financial clearance.

Timeline of Application Processing

Application processing times vary greatly according to the program. Some degree programs with very selective admission procedures may require that you apply 9 months to a year in advance in order to be considered, while others may require a much shorter period of time. To ensure adequate time for consideration of your application and for consideration for funding, apply well in advance of your desired starting date. Nine months to a year is not too early to apply, especially if you are hoping to obtain funding from your program.

Ready to Get Started?

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For questions or more information, please call (618) 536-7791 or email us at gradschl@siu.edu.