General Admission Requirements
International students wishing to study at one of the USG institutions should carefully review the following information. Some USG institutions have slightly different requirements, so be sure to also review individual institutional policies.
Academic Requirements: International students must demonstrate the required level of academic preparation as evidenced by a certificate, diploma, or other document deemed generally equivalent to U.S. college preparatory studies. Academic documents must be translated to English by a reputable credential evaluator (internal or external to the institution). Please contact the individual institutional admissions offices for detailed information about the academic evaluation process.
English Proficiency Requirement: International students whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency. Completion of a test of English language proficiency is required of all applicants. Please refer to the chart below for approved exams and minimum standards or some other USG-approved evaluation of English.
The minimum and recommended scores acceptable for admission:
Minimum Score for Admission* Recommended Score for Admission Internet TOEFL 69 79 Paper TOEFL 523 550 Computer TOEFL (no longer available) 193 213 IELTS 6 6.5 SAT Critical Reading 430 ACT English 17 EIKEN Pre-1 MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery) 77 Cambridge English Scale Score - which can be demonstrated in Cambridge English: First (FCE), Advanced (CAE) or Proficiency (CPE) 169 (CPE = 180) 177 (CPE = 180) Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) IGCSE and “O” Level “English” exams “D” or Better UK GCSE “English” exam “C” or Better UK GCE A-Level “English” exam “C” or Better EdExcel International A-Levels and IGCSE English exams “D” or Better Pearson (PTE) Academic 53 58 Completion of an approved USG campus-based ESL program of study. Per USG approval. A waiver can be granted to students from countries where English is the native language and/or the official language for academic instruction. This waiver can also be applied to students who have graduated from a high-school where English is the official language of instruction both inside and outside of the United States. Per USG campus review. Students who are required to take Compass or Accuplacer placement tests, may be waived of the English Proficiency requirement if the calculated EPI places them directly into college level English with no required co-requisite. Per USG campus review. *Institutions and departmental programs within the institution may set higher minimum test scores for admission.
Financial Requirements: International students must provide documentation showing sufficient resources to cover tuition, room and board, health insurance and other living expenses. Contact the USG Admissions Office for specific costs for each institution. Students not able to provide financial documentation cannot attend a USG institution.
Immigration Information: International students are obligated to follow the laws and regulations set by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. It may also be useful to review the Guide to U.S. Higher Education provided by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.