Applying for Admission:
International Students

When to Apply

International students may apply for admission to associate, bachelor and graduate-level degrees. Applications for admission from international students are due no later than March 1 for the fall semester and Sept. 1 for the spring semester. For graduate applicants, it is important to note that certain departments maintain earlier deadlines.

International students must complete all UAF application requirements as well as meet requirements for U.S. immigration agencies. I-20s Certification of Eligibility for F-1 Status cannot be issued for programs that are offered only through distance delivery. I-20s will not be issued for the A.A.S. degree in professional piloting.

Admission Requirements

More information regarding the process for application to associate, bachelor or graduate programs can be found the Getting Started section of this catalog.

Undergraduate Applicants

To be admitted to UAF, a student must:

  1. Apply online at www.uaf.edu/admissions/. The $50 application fee should be paid by check, credit card or money order in U.S. funds to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Please do not send cash. Paper applications can be submitted to the Office of Admissions and the Registrar.
  2. Send secondary school and/or university transcripts to an approved credential evaluation agency and request a comprehensive course-by-course credential report. Visit www.uaf.edu/admissions/apply/international/ for a list of approved service providers. Transcripts from Canadian institutions (excluding Quebec) are exempt from this requirement; they may be sent directly from the issuing institution.
  3. Submit certified official secondary school and/or university transcripts and English translations. It is required that official transcripts of all high school and/or college-level course work be signed and sealed by a registration official of the institution(s) attended.
  4. Submit test scores from the SAT or ACT Plus Writing exam.
  5. Submit official TOEFL or IELTS test scores.
  6. Submit a copy of the student's passport identification page.
  7. Complete UAF's financial statement form and provide supporting documentation showing adequate funding to cover all expenses at UAF, including round-trip transportation to Alaska.

Graduate Applicants

To be admitted to UAF, a student must:

  1. Apply online at www.uaf.edu/admissions/. The $60 application fee should be paid by check, credit card or money order in U.S. funds to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Please do not send cash. Paper applications can be submitted to the Office of Admissions and the Registrar.
  2. Review your department's department-specific requirements and application deadlines.
  3. Submit certified official university transcripts and English translations. To be considered official, transcripts must arrive in sealed envelopes from each institution attended. If the transcript does not show that a bachelor's degree has been or will be awarded, a diploma must also be sent.
  4. Submit official GRE or GMAT test scores. Not all departments require GRE scores if the student has earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Refer to the admission requirements of your prospective degree program to determine which tests are required.
  5. Submit a resume/curriculum vitae. Include work and research experience, publications, patents, honors, professional and civic memberships, and foreign travel.
  6. Submit a statement of academic goals. Write a statement indicating why study is desired in a particular program. Include qualifications and educational experience. (For applicants to education programs, a four-to-five page self-evaluation essay is required.)
  7. Submit three letters of recommendation. Send at least three letters of recommendation from people able to vouch for the applicant's academic work, character and ability to undertake graduate studey and research.
  8. Submit official TOEFL or IELTS test results.
  9. Submit a copy of the student's passport identification page.
  10. Complete UAF's financial statement form and provide supporting documentation showing adequate funding to cover all expenses at UAF, including round-trip transportation to Alaska.

Required Funding Amounts

The minimum estimated cost for one school year at UAF for an international student is $32,855 for undergraduate students and $32,240 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. Add approximately $4,500 for summer living expenses.

Residents of countries which hold approved sister city/sister province agreements qualify for resident tuition. A complete list of sister cities and provinces is in Table 2: UA Sister Cities and Provinces. Students on an F-1 visa who are not from a UA sister city or province are not eligible for resident tuition. For international students who are residents of a sister city, the estimated cost for one school year at UAF is $21,670 for an undergraduate and $24,302 for a graduate student.


TABLE 2 UA Sister Cities and Provinces
Country City or Province
Australia Darwin
Canada Inuvik, Northwest Territory and
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory
China Harbin, Heilongjiang Province
Great Britain Whitby, England
India Pune
Japan Chitose, Hokkaido Prefecture, Kanayama, Nemuro, Noshiro, Obihiro, Saroma, Teshio
Korea Inchon
Mongolia Erdenet City
Norway Hammerfest, Mo, Tromsø
Philippines Camiling
Russia Khabarovsk Region, Magadan, Mirnyy, Noglicki, Okha, Providenya, Vladivostok, Yakutsk, Yelisovo
Taiwan Chiayi Township

Immigration Requirements

Once a student has been accepted to UAF, the Office of International Programs and Initiatives will issue a Form I-20, which must be presented at a U.S. embassy or consulate in the 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.

If a student is already in the United States on an F-1 visa, the SEVIS record may be transferred as long as the record is in SEVIS active status.

English Proficiency Requirements

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. English proficiency may be demonstrated by:

  1. A minimum TOEFL score of 79.
  2. A minimum IELTS score of 6.5.
  3. Completion of secondary education in Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia or Canada (excluding Quebec).

Requests for exception to this policy may be submitted via email to the Office of Admissions and the Registrar. Acceptable grounds for waiving this requirement may include:

  1. Successful completion (C or higher) of a college-level, non-ESL English composition course.
  2. A comparable score on another approved exam such as the ACT Plus Writing, SAT or ACCUPLACER exam.

Request to Postpone

If applicants are unable to attend, they must notify the Office of Admissions and the Registrar and the Office of International Programs and Initiatives. Students may request to postpone their admission for up to one calendar year. For graduate applicants, acceptance is not guaranteed for a future semester. An updated financial statement and current supporting financial documents will be required from all students.

Where to Get More Information

Office of Admissions and the Registrar
University of Alaska Fairbanks
First floor, Signers' Hall
P.O. Box 757480
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7480
Email: uaf-admissions@alaska.edu
Online: www.uaf.edu/admissions/international/
Telephone: 907-474-7500
Toll free: 800-478-1823
Fax: 907-474-7097

Office of International Programs and Initiatives
University of Alaska Fairbanks
P.O. Box 757760
215 Eielson Building
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7760
Email: uaf-internationalprograms@alaska.edu
Online: www.uaf.edu/oip/
Telephone: 907-474-7677
Fax: 907-474-5979