International Students

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International student applicants should follow the requirements for general freshman or transfer admission with the additional requirements below.

Want to Study at the University of Charleston but Need Help with English?

Freshmen (first-year students)

1. Application requirements  
2. English Exam Requirements 
• International students who do not take the ACT or SAT exams must submit a standardized English test score. The College Board’s Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams are accepted. Other standardized English exams are accepted only upon pre-approval from the Director of International & ESL Programs.
• On the TOEFL, a minimum score of 550 is required for the paper-based test (pBT) and a 79-80 for the Internet-based test (iBT), and a minimum of 6.0 - 6.5 is required on the IELTS. Note that consideration is taken into account in determining English competence if a student has studied at an American institution.
• When international students arrive on campus, they will take an English diagnostic exam, which includes a writing sample. The results will be used for placement purposes. Based on these scores, some students will be required to enroll in ESL courses. Once placed in this program, all required ESL courses must be passed with a C or better.
3. Transcripts from all prior and currently attended secondary and university level institutions are required for an admittance decision. Transcripts can be scanned and submitted via email.
4. Proof of Adequate Financial Resources. Since the U.S. Department of Immigration and Naturalization requires international students to certify financial responsibility, certification (six months banking statements) of financial resources sufficient to cover college costs must be submitted by the appropriate financial institution. In addition, If you are not the primary account holder, please have account holder submit an Affidavit of Support stating they are financially responsible for the entirety of your studies while enrolled at our Institution.
5. Copy of current Passport.

Transfers

• Application requirements 
• Evaluation of credits: International students who have taken courses abroad will need to have their international credentials professionally evaluated by a third-party organization. An example of a third-party organization that provides these services is World Education Services (WES). 

Accepted International Students

1. Prior to initiating the I-20 form, the University of Charleston must receive a $500 Enrollment & Housing deposit.  Please Note:  The refund deadline for the $500 deposit is December 15th for the spring semester and August 1st for the fall semester. No refund will be administered beyond those dates. 

To pay by credit card:



• obtain your student identification number from your admissions representative
• proceed to payment through the International Students’ Payment webpage.
  
   

To submit payments via wire transfer:



• please contact Julie Rogers at julierogers@ucwv.edu for the international wire account information.


Please note when sending a payment through wire transfer, the sender must include the student's name and is responsible for any additional wire fees in order to ensure the University receives the total amount of $500.

2. Once the Enrollment and Housing deposit is confirmed, a designated school official will initiate the I-20 form.
    
3. When the I-20 is issued in SEVIS, you will be contacted by the designated school official to proceed in requesting your I-20 delivery.  Admissions Office requires that you use University Express Mail Service to have your I-20, acceptance letter, and admissions packet be sent to you.  Please note that requesting your immigration documents through University Express Mail Service is at YOUR expense. This service uses DHL and FedEx both of which require payment by credit card (Visa, Mastercard or Discover cards only).

You will be required to create your own user name and password in order to create an account. To request shipment, you will need your mailing address, e-mail address, phone number and credit card information. You may request shipment either to your foreign address, or to a U.S. contact address. If your I-20 will be sent to a U.S. contact address, please include the name of the person who lives at that address. Please pay close attention to the information submitted, as errors in the credit card information or submitting incorrect or incomplete address information will result in a delay in the mailing of your I-20. If you experience any difficulty in registering and processing the shipment, please use the “Help” link in the site for step by step instructions. If you have additional questions about how to use this service, please e-mail student.support@eshipglobal.com or go to eShipGlobal, Inc.

4. Schedule your visa interview with the United States Consular.  (Canadian residents do not need a visa therefore no interview is required).  For detailed information about the visa process, including a list of required documents and fees, please go to http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html#5 . Feel free to ask if you have any questions.

Payment expectations of the University of Charleston require that the student’s remaining cost of attendance be paid in full no later than the first day of class.