AU TESOL Home >International Students

When is the deadline for application? If you are interested in being considered for Merit Award financial aid you must apply by February 1st of your entry year to begin that Fall or by November 1st for Spring Admission. There is rarely financial aid for students who begin summer semester. If you are not interested in being considered for Merit Award financial aid, your application should be completed at least three months before you wish you begin classes.

How long does the application process take? This depends greatly on you. If your application is complete and all official documents have arrived, general processing takes perhaps two weeks. Academic evaluation at the Program level usually takes two to three days, and you will typically receive your application decision letter within two to three more weeks. It is recommended that international students planning to study in the U.S. allow 9 to 12 months for the process (to include taking the TOEFL, having transcripts sent, getting bank statements, having appointments at the consulate, etc.)

How much does it cost to study in the AU TESOL Program? Beginning Fall 2007, graduate tuition is $1, 111 per credit hour, making one 3-credit class $3, 333. The MA in TESOL is a 36 credit hour program.

What kind of financial aid is offered? Student loans offered by the US Department of Education are unfortunately not available to international students. American University does, however, have Merit Awards that include all the types of financial aid awards possible: research assistantships, teaching assistantships, grants, and scholarships. Therefore, if you are not selected as a merit award recipient for the semester you wish to begin, there are effectively no other sources of financial aid available from the university at that time. Merit Awards are usually only available to degree candidates, therefore there is rarely financial aid available for the non-degree TESOL Certificate Program.

NOTE: For more information on AU financial aid, go to Financial Aid.

Some students may benefit from private scholarships which aren't sponsored by AU itself. Some websites where you may look for such scholarships include:

Fast Web
SRNexpress

How do I apply for financial aid? Simply check the "Yes" box on item 25 of the Graduate Application Form and you will automatically be eligible for any type of Merit Award you qualify for. International Students are eligible for all awards that domestic students compete for, as well as the Hall of Nations Award, which is awarded only to international students.

What are my chances of getting financial aid? In the past four years, 1-3 students per year in the AU TESOL Program have received significant Merit Awards. The primary criterion for Merit Award selection is a candidate's GPA. Clearly, these awards are highly competitive.

How much financial aid should I expect to get? The largest merit awards that students in the TESOL Program have received in the past four years have covered all tuition. Thus, no merit award grant to anyone in our program has been sufficient to cover all a student's expenses. Therefore you will need supplemental resources to attend AU - to pay for books, food, housing, travel, and other incidental expenses.

Major financial awards are typically distributed for students starting fall semester. Occasionally, smaller awards of three, six or nine credits may be available for those entering Spring semester. American University typically reserves merit awards for new students, so once you begin a program of study at AU it is unlikely that you will be considered again for merit awards.

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TESOL Program
Language and Foreign Studies
American University
Washington, DC 20016-8045