American University's College of Arts & Sciences receives many applications each year from all over the world, and we understand the difficulties students may have in communicating with universities in a different country. Our goal is to make the admissions process as smooth as possible. A listing of special requirements for international students is below.
Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent
International students applying for a graduate degree at American University need the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree. A listing of international equivalents degrees is available here.
English Language Proficiency
Coursework at AU's College of Arts and Sciences requires strong skills in the English language. We measure your English proficiency by either (a) your performance on the TOEFL and/or IELTS exams, or (b) your educational background. All international students are required to submit official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. Exemptions are granted for students whose native language is English, or who have obtained a 4-year undergraduate degree or a graduate degree from an accredited institution in the United States or other English-speaking country.
The TOEFL
The minimum acceptable TOEFL score is 600 on a paper-based exam or 100 on the Internet-based exam. Registration materials for the TOEFL exam can be obtained from U.S. consulates, embassies, binational centers, or the Educational Testing Service. Please have scores sent directly to the College of Arts and Sciences. Our TOEFL institutional code number is 8439. TOELF scores are valid for two years.
The IELTS
The minimum acceptable IELTS score is 7.0. there is no department code or IELTS code. Please have scores sent directly to the College of Arts and Sciences. There is no institutional code for IELTS. IELTS scpres are valid for two years. Information about the IELTS exam can be found at http://www.ielts.org/
Educational Background
Students who have completed a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from an accredited institution in the United States or another English-speaking country are exempt from the English language test requirement.
Financial Requirements
All students must be able to demonstrate financial ability to pay for their academic and living expenses
before being issued an immigration document. See ISS web site at www.american.edu/iss and click on
“Applying to AU” for program costs.
All financial documents must show available funds and must be dated within the past three months in order to be considered valid. Appropriate documents reflecting financial ability include, but are not limited to the following:
• Official Bank Statement, stamped and signed by a bank official (no more than 3 months old)
• Account summary or summary of liquid assets (no more than 3 months old)
• An individual sponsor who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident must submit an I-134 Affidavit of Support (at www.immigration.gov, under Forms) with financial documents
• An individual sponsor who is not a US citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident must submit a notarized letter of sponsorship (including duration, amount, and nature of sponsorship) with financial documents
• Scholarship letter from sponsoring organization outlining dates, amount, and terms of sponsorship
• American University scholarship or graduate merit award letter
The total amount international students will need to demonstrate on their financial documents for Academic Year 2008-2009 is $47,036. This amount is projected based on current economic conditions and includes estimated costs for room and board, books, health insurance, transportation, and mandatory fees. An increase of 5-7% for each succeeding academic year should be anticipated.
Visit the Financial Aid page for additional information about finances.
Immigration Process, Procedures, and Requirements
For F-1 Student Visa
- Documents needed for all international students:
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- PIIRF form, financial requirements form, and bank statement need to be submitted.
- After admission we will send you an I-20 form which you need in order to apply for a visa from the closest US consulate or embassy.
- Courseload requirements: Graduate students are required to enroll for a nin credit courseload each semester.
- Documents needed for J-1 exchange visitor visa
Financial Aid for International Students
Financial assistance for international students is available at American University in the form of merit-based financial awards only. International students seeking merit awards are encouraged to submit a complete application for admission by the appropriate deadline in order to receive consideration for a merit award.
Because the competition for merit awards is very rigorous, an award cannot be guaranteed. Furthermore, most of these merit awards do not cover the full cost of attendance at American University. The College of Arts and Sciences encourages all of its prospective students to seek out other sources of financial assistance from organizations or sponsors. Some organizations are listed below.
- NAFSA/Financial Aid for Foreign Nationals
- International Education Finance Corporation
- Institute of International Education
- InfoEd International
International Student & Scholar Services
Our International Student & Scholar Services office provides support services for international students, including: cultural adjustment assistance, pre-arrival and arrival orientation, and advising for personal, social, cultural, career, and employment matters. ISSS is authorized by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and the U.S. Information Agency to issue and sign the I-20 or IAP-66 forms.
