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.
The Office of Admissions requires official transcripts of all college-level course work. Transcripts must come in sealed envelopes from each institution you've attended. Please see undergraduate student transcript requirements and graduate student transcript requirements.
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.
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 $25,035 for undergraduate students, $25,150 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
All international students on an F-1 visa are required to submit scores from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam if English is not the primary language of their country.
All international applicants, including permanent residents on an immigrant visa, must demonstrate English proficiency by:
- Passing the TOEFL with a minimum score of 213 (computer exam), 550 (paper exam) or 80 (Internet-based exam); or IELTS with a minimum score of 6.5. A score from the TOEFL or IELTS is required and cannot be waived even though English may be the language of instruction in your educational system. Some graduate departments may require an even higher TOEFL or IELTS score to qualify for admission;
- Graduating from high school or the equivalent in a country where English is an official language or the language of instruction in higher education;
- Successfully completing 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
- 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.