This post was written especially for College Essay Guy by Kristy Magner, IEC and founder of Magner Consulting.

Applying to college is hard enough without all the extra requirements you have as an international student. Then, once you’re admitted, your work isn’t done—you have even more requirements to meet in order to get your visa. 🙄

But we’ve got you. In this post, we’ll cover a ton of admission and immigration requirements for international students, including:

Proof of English proficiency
Transcripts
Standardized testing
The Certification of Finances
Conditional admission
Visa types
The visa process
Health insurance
Immunization requirements

—Disclaimer: The below information was written for international students who require a student visa to study in the United States, but many of the requirements also apply to other students who’ll study in the United States from abroad who do not need visas (because they're U.S. Citizens living abroad).

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

You might think that admission departments around the United States make a decision based on plotting your test scores and GPA, and if you’re in range, you’re admitted, and if you’re out of range, you’re denied. However, one of the biggest differences between admission to most American universities as opposed to other universities is something called holistic review.

Holistic review is the process of looking at many facets of who you are as a student and figuring out how you’d fit into a class, as opposed to just scholastic assessment (yay!), and it means the vast majority of American universities require a plethora of admission documents.

Why? Because universities are just as interested in finding out who you are as they are in finding out how you’ll perform inside the classroom. These documents are reviewed by admission counselors as they go through the process of selecting and forming a class.

The required admission documents for you, as an international student, will vary by university. Below is a brief list of the most common items required (in addition to the actual application), as well as an explanation of why they’re important to an admission committee.

OK. Let’s do this.

1. Proof of English Proficiency

Almost all U.S. universities require you to show proof of English proficiency; however, what they accept can vary widely. For example, some universities do not require proof of English proficiency if your high school’s primary language of instruction is English, while others will only waive proof of proficiency if you attend high school in a country whose dominant language is English.

It’s crucial, as you shape your college list, to look up the university’s specific policy. Universities generally post the minimum score they require for international students to be admitted. If you test below those thresholds or are right around the posted minimum, you can still be admitted, but you may be offered conditional admission (which we'll discuss later in this article).

The emphasis on speaking and writing is important to admission counselors. Going back to holistic review, it’s important to remember that your English proficiency is being assessed not only to understand your ability to communicate in the classroom, but also your ability to be an active part of campus activities and social life.

If you have strong oral (speaking and listening) skills, you may have an advantage if the university you’re applying to accepts a third-party English interview. The two most popular are Vericant and InitialView.

These interviews are not graded and are not usually required, but they can be played by an admission counselor in their entirety and can be one of the most effective tools an admission counselor has in judging an applicant's English fluency.

If everything else in your application seems to be in range for the university you’re applying to except your English proficiency, you should be aware of a practice called “conditional admittance.” It’s possible that a university will accept you with the requirement that you complete an ELL or scholastically-focused summer program. If you attend (and pass) the summer program, the university will then admit you into the freshman class. Here’s a good breakdown of conditional admittance.

Next step: Once you know you’ll be applying to U.S. universities, it’s a good idea to start preparing to meet each school’s English proficiency requirement. Read more about how to prepare here.

2. Transcripts

Transcripts seem like they’d be the most straightforward part of your application. However, universities use transcripts to not only find out your academic ability, but also to have conversations about how hard you push yourself in subjects that you may not be interested in and to see if you’re challenging yourself within the context of your school.

Your high school counselor is usually the one who sends your transcripts to an admission office, although an increasing number of universities are accepting self-reported transcripts. As always, it’s important to check the specific policies of the universities you’re applying to.

When submitting your transcript as part of the application process, you should know that universities will convert your grades from your education system to the U.S. education system, and they’ll almost certainly recalculate your GPA. So do not convert them yourself!

Your high school may weigh your IB and AP classes, but the university you’re applying to may not. Don’t let that discourage you, though, as admission counselors are also looking at the classes you selected, and they understand that a B in a higher-level class is not necessarily worse than an A in a lower-level class.

A huge difference between secondary education in the United States and many other countries are the years counted as “high school.” Many universities require four years of transcripts, even though high school is often only three years in other countries. Be prepared, if that’s your situation, to get your ninth-grade transcripts. University admission offices may be forced to deny admission to students who are otherwise qualified, but have incomplete applications because they can’t get their ninth-grade transcripts.

Finally, if your transcript is not in English, the university may request that you get your transcript evaluated by a third-party company. It’s a good idea to check which evaluators will be accepted, but WES is often considered the gold standard.

Keep in mind that some universities, especially those without large international populations, may require all international transcripts be evaluated even if they’re in English. As always, remember that each U.S. university has its own policy and there’s no overarching rule.

Next step: In order to ensure that your transcripts will be ready to send as part of your application, speak ahead of time to the college counselor (or whomever will help you send the transcripts) at your high school and let them know you’ll be applying to college in the United States. Be sure, when speaking with them, to let them know about application deadlines.

3. Standardized testing

The SAT and ACT tests are general aptitude tests, and a multitude of tutoring services and study guides are available. Kaplan is one of the most common and often the most easily accessed test prep service, but there are plenty of other great options.

Ten years ago, this may have been the most straightforward part of applying to U.S. universities. Most schools required either an ACT or SAT, and the score was sent directly to the schools.

Not so much anymore. In the past few years, many schools have made these tests optional, and some won’t even accept them if sent. COVID-19 has continued this trend with many more universities going test optional, but it’s unclear what universities will require in the future. So, once again, be sure to check the specific requirements for the college you’re applying to (tired of that yet?).

If you’re an international student from a non-English-speaking country, it’s important to note that schools will look at your section scores. For example, not all 1,400s on the SAT are the same. A 700 on each section is different than an 800 in math and a 600 on the reading and language section.

If you want to understand how your scores compare to other applicants, most schools share the middle 50% score of admitted students on their Common Data Set. If your score is in that range or higher, that’s a good sign. But don’t lose hope just because your test scores aren’t perfect. Holistic review means that, every year, students with higher test scores than the average are denied and students with lower-than-average test scores are admitted.

Also, in the test-optional era, most average test scores have skewed higher because a majority of students who are now choosing to submit have exceptional scores, while many other students opt against submitting their scores. Schools are aware of these phenomena and are taking them into consideration when looking at test scores.

So what do you do? First, figure out whether there are other reasons you’ll need to submit test scores, such as an institutional scholarship that requires a test score to apply. Then, consider all the pros and cons of submitting or not. This podcast episode is a great resource for learning more about the test-optional phenomenon.

And, remember that many students stress about test scores, but an advantage of holistic review is that they only make up part of the application. You are not your test score!

Next step: Research whether the universities on your list require a standardized test score. Even if it’s not required, you may still want to take standardized tests to see what score you get. You can then decide whether or not to submit based on the strength of the other elements of your application. Having the test score available to submit provides an option that you won’t have if you opt out of taking the test altogether.

4, Certification of finances

Some schools require proof of financial support as an admission document called a “certification of finances,” which shows how much your family is able to contribute to your college education. Each university has slightly different forms and policies around what they require. You can find the ones specific to the universities you’re applying to in the international student section of their admission page.

Questions on the certification of finances form typically include sponsor names, contact information, the amount of money they have in savings, an attestation that they’ll pay for your schooling throughout your studies, and proof of their ability to pay for your education in the form of bank statements or signed letters from the bank. Your financial sponsors are typically your parents, but they could also be other relatives or friends. It’s important that you fill this form out as accurately as possible—find out what the colleges on your list require by reading the international student section of the admission webpage.

Some, but not all, admission offices require the certification of finances as part of the admission process because they don’t want to admit a student who’ll be unable to get a visa due to financial reasons. To get a student visa in the United States, you’ll have to prove that, between your personal financial support and any financial aid given to you by the university, you’ll be able to support yourself. Speaking of visas, you can read more about how certification of finances are part of the visa process in the immigration requirements section below.

Requiring proof of financial support during the admission process means that even if you later receive merit-based or need-based financial aid from a university, you may be required to show that you can cover all the costs of attendance.

One exception to this is universities that are need-blind for international students during the admission process. To read more about the certification of finances and financial aid, check out A Step-by-Step Financial Aid Guide for International Students.

Next step: Talk to your parents about this requirement for studying in the United States, and once you know where you're applying, find out whether the universities will require it as part of the admission process.

IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS

Don’t listen to your friends or what people say online. Once you’ve decided where you’d like to attend college, the international office at that university should be your number one resource for information and guidance about immigration requirements and the visa application. They are there for you: Contact the international office any time you have any questions or encounter any challenges.

Note: You only need to apply once for a visa, even if you’re admitted to multiple universities and/or you change your mind about which university you’d like to attend.

The first step in your immigration process is to figure out which type of visa you need. Once you know that, you can start preparing for your visa application.

VISA TYPES

F-1 Visa

You’ll likely need an F-1 visa, as it’s the most common visa type for international students. The F-1 visa category was created for students who plan to study in the United States on a full-time basis.

If you meet all admission requirements, you’ll receive an immigration document via email called an I-20 from each university that admits you. Important note: You can apply for a visa with an I-20 form from any of the universities where you get admitted, but it’s best to wait, if you can, to receive the I-20 for the university you plan to attend.

J-1 Visa

If you receive government or organizational funding, the appropriate visa type for you may be the J-1. The U.S. State Department created the J-1 visa as a form of diplomacy (i.e., the U.S. government wants J-1 visa holders to enjoy their time here and learn about U.S. culture so they can then return home and share their positive experiences with their friends and families).

Other visa types

Some students are in the United States as a dependent of their parents who are working here, so they’d typically need the H-4 visa, L-2 visa, or similar document.

Next step: There are pros and cons to each visa type, and some universities default to assuming you need an F-1 visa. If you think the J-1 might be appropriate for you, it’s best to check with the international office at the university you’ll be attending to get their advice.

VISA PROCESS

Once you’ve selected the university you plan to attend and you’ve received an immigration document (F-1 I-20 or J-1 DS-2019), you can start preparing for the visa application process by following the steps below.

A great resource for supporting you with the visa application process is your local EducationUSA office.

Note: You can be issued a visa up to 120 days before your program start date listed on your immigration document, but you can start the process outlined below before the 120-day mark.

Read 10 Points to Remember When Applying for a Student Visa. This will help you understand what consular officers are looking for when reviewing your application and during the visa interview itself.
Pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee: The SEVIS fee is a one-time fee (don’t pay it again if you’ve already paid it previously) and is required for anyone studying on an F or J visa.
Complete the DS-160 visa application: Make sure you have and are ready to upload a photo that meets visa requirements.
Schedule a visa interview: Each consulate/embassy has its own specific visa interview requirements. Visit usembassy.gov to find your local embassy/consulate and schedule your interview. Note: Your visa appointment cannot be more than 120 days before the start date on your immigration document, but it’s important to try to schedule your interview as soon as you’ve filled out the DS-160 form because some locations have long wait times (especially during COVID-19). You can check wait times for getting an appointment at your local embassy or consulate.
Pay the visa fee: Each embassy or consulate website will explain its process for fee payment.
Gather required documentation: This will be listed on your local embassy/consulate website, but it generally includes:
- A passport valid for six months from the time you intend to arrive in the United States
- A valid immigration document (I-20 or DS-2019)
- Submission of the DS-160 form
- Proof of SEVIS fee payment
- Proof of visa fee payment
- Proof of financial support (this is explained above in the admission section)
Attend the visa interview: Read 10 Points to Remember When Applying for a Student Visa again in order to prepare for the interview.
After the interview: The consular officer will place a visa stamp in your passport and notify you that it’s ready for you to pick up (you can also check wait times for visa processing). Check the visa to make sure your name and SEVIS number match your name and SEVIS number as listed on your I-20 or DS-2019.

POST-ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Once you go through the admission and visa process, you still aren’t done yet! Make sure to pay attention to emails from the university about a wide variety of topics. Like all other admitted students, you’ll be required to take steps related to housing, orientation, your fall semester courses, etc. Also, universities often have specific requirements for you as an international student.

Two areas where it’s helpful to plan ahead are related to health insurance and immunizations.

Health insurance

Many universities have separate health insurance requirements for international students, and they can be a major source of confusion.

Why? In order to protect international students who are studying in an unfamiliar healthcare environment in the United States, many universities require you to purchase their university health insurance policy. They may not allow you to apply for a waiver to use your own insurance from your home country, or they may have very strict requirements for waiving out of it.

Next steps:

Understand what your university requires regarding health insurance for international students.
If you’d like to waive out of the university policy so that you can use your own insurance, research whether this is possible. If it is, make sure you turn in the necessary paperwork to get a waiver well in advance of the deadline.
If you’d like to enroll in the university’s health insurance policy or a policy that they recommend, research whether you’re automatically enrolled or need to actively sign up. If you need to opt in, make sure you do so by the deadline.

Immunizations

Most universities also have specific immunization requirements and exceptions for international students. Some immunizations may not be available for you to receive in your home country, while others may be more easily accessible and cheaper to get at home before you leave for college.

Final Steps

Universities will let you know what their immunization requirements are after you’ve been admitted, but you can proactively find this information by searching for your university’s campus health center website.
Try to get any immunizations you can while at home as they’ll likely be cheaper to get there and it’ll be one less thing you need to do when you arrive on campus.
If you need an immunization but you can’t get it at home, make sure you get the shot once you arrive on campus or apply for a waiver from receiving the immunization by the appropriate deadline. If you don’t do this, a hold may be placed on your record preventing you from registering for classes.
If your university requires proof of immunization, make sure you turn it in by the required deadline. If you don’t do this, a hold may be placed on your record preventing you from registering for classes.
Check with the Student Health Center on campus if you have any questions about the immunization requirement.

Written by Kristy Magner, IEC and founder of Magner Consulting. Kristy has worked with international students for over 20 years, most recently as the Director of the Office of International Students and Scholars at Tulane University. Aside from her professional experience, she personally knows the challenges and rewards that come with moving to a new place, having lived and traveled abroad extensively, and she works closely with her students to ease their transition to college. Outside of work, one of Kristy’s greatest sources of joy is playing and listening to music and, luckily for her, she lives in one of the world’s most musical places: New Orleans, LA.