2007-2008 Academic Catalog

Getting started at UAF

Applying for Admission: International Students

Special Instructions for International Students

Information regarding the process for application to baccalaureate or graduate programs can be found in the Getting Started section of this catalog. Processing applications for international students takes several months. International students must complete all UAF application requirements as well as meet requirements for U.S. immigration agencies.

International students must present an evaluation of all required academic documents compiled by an independent academic credential evaluation provider. UAF requires that all applicants use World Education Services. Applications for this evaluation may be obtained from the WES website at www.wes.org. WES requires a fee from the applicant for processing applications.

  • Credentials from Canadian institutions are exempt from this requirement; they may be sent directly to UAF from the issuing institution.
  • You do not need to have any documents sent from your international institution to UAF. Your documents will go to WES, and UAF will receive a copy of the original documents along with the evaluation.
  • You must request the comprehensive Course-by-Course Report of your credentials.

The application for admission for international students must reach the Office of Admissions before March 1 for the fall semester and Sept. 1 for the spring semester. Once a student has been accepted into UAF, the Office of International Programs will issue a Form I-20, which students must present at a U.S. embassy or consulate in their country of citizenship in order to obtain an F-1 (student) visa. The I-20 form requires the university to certify to U.S. immigration agencies that a student has been accepted for full-time enrollment and has sufficient funds to meet estimated expenses for an academic program. For the I-20 form to be issued with enough time for a student to apply for and receive a visa, applications for admission must be completed and accepted by July 1 for the fall semester and Nov. 1 for the spring semester.

Anyone who is in the United States on an F-1 visa must maintain a full-time course load and may not enroll as a part-time student (less than 12 credits per semester for undergraduate students, or less than nine credits per semester for graduate students).

International students must sign a financial statement and provide documentation that they have funds available to pay all expenses at UAF, as well as round-trip transportation between their home and Alaska. Because the application for F-1 visas requires students to affirm that they do not intend to live in the United States permanently, they are not eligible for resident tuition fees. The minimum estimated cost for one school year at UAF for an international student is $22,840 for undergraduate students, $22,955 for graduate students. This covers university fees, room and board on campus, and a reasonable amount of personal expenses. It does not include transportation to and from Alaska, summer living or winter clothing costs.

English Proficiency Requirements

  1. Students who require an F-1 student visa must pass the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a minimum score of 213 (computer exam), 550 (paper exam) or 80 (Internet-based exam). The TOEFL requirement may be waived for applicants whose native language is English.
  2. All applicants, including permanent residents on an immigrant visa, must demonstrate English proficiency by:
    1. Passing the TOEFL with a minimum score of 213 (computer exam), 550 (paper exam) or 80 (Internet-based exam);
    2. Graduation from high school or equivalent in a country where English is an official language or the language of instruction in higher education;
    3. Successful completion of at least one year of full-time study in a degree program at a college or university in a country where English is an official language or the language of instruction in higher education; or
    4. Other substantiation acceptable to the Office of Admissions.

Other tests may be required to satisfy application requirements for specific undergraduate or graduate degree programs. Additional information for international students is available at www.uaf.edu/admissions/international/ and www.uaf.edu/oip/, by e-mail at fyisa@uaf.edu or by calling (907) 474-7677 or (907) 474-5327.