ABOUT
WASHINGTON SEMESTER
Click here to learn more about Washington Semester's Intensive Academic English Program.
Admission
Requirements for
International Students
The Washington Semester Certificate Program is open
to students with the equivalent of a U.S. GPA of
2.5 (on a scale of 4.0) or above. To apply, you
must submit the following documents:
1.
Application.
2.
Certified proof of English fluency from an internationally
recognized English proficiency test. Most Washington
Semester Applicants take the TOEFL, but we will
also accept IELTS (International English Language
Testing System) MELAB (Michigan English Language
Assessment Battery), Advanced Placement International
English Language Exam (APIEL), or Test of English
for International Communication (TOEIC) scores as
proof of English fluency. We require that students
meet the following scores:
3.
Official university transcript issued in English,
or transcript issued in original language with official
English translation
4.
One university reference letter from a faculty member
or a nomination from designated university administrator
5.
Official translation of transcripts and letter (if
deemed necessary)
Before
an admission decision is made, your transcript and
GPA will be evaluated and calculated by the Washington
Semester Certificate Program.
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Visa
Requirements
International students (except those with an
immigration status which allows them to study
in the U.S.) accepted to the Washington Semester
Certificate Program must apply for a visa. Students
from formally affiliated institutions will apply
for a J-1 exchange visa. Students coming from
institutions that have no written agreement
with the Washington Semester Program will apply
for an F-1 student visa. Students are not eligible
to attend this program on a B-1/B-2 tourist
visa or visa waiver program. This program provides
a full course of study and is considered a full
time program by the U.S. government.
To begin this process, the U.S. government requires
that students show financial ability to support
their program of study and living expenses while
in the United States. Students must submit bank
statements indicating available funds in the
required amount (contact the Washington Semester
International Student Assistant at gotodc@american.edu
to receive current cost info). Once you have
been accepted to the program and the International
Student Director has received these bank statements,
they will be submitted to American University's
Office of International Student and Scholar
Services (ISSS). ISSS is responsible for issuing
the I-20 or DS-2019 (documents needed to receive
a U.S. visa) to authorized students. Students
will then take their I-20 or DS-2019, admission
letter, and original financial statement to
the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy to apply
for a student visa.
For more information on obtaining a student
visa, consult American University's Office of
International Student and Scholar Services.
Read
more
Application
Deadlines
The Washington Semester Certificate Program
accepts students on a rolling admission
basis, which means that we review and decide
upon applications as we receive them. The
application deadline for the Fall Semester
is May 1. For the Spring semester, the deadline
is November 1. Once we receive your complete
application materials, you will be notified
of your acceptance status via e-mail within
1-2 weeks. Once we receive your qualifying
visa documents (statement of financial support)
we will issue your immigration documents.
The
International Student Assistant is committed
to assisting you in the application and
visa issuance process. Please contact me
if you have any questions.
E-mail
the International Student Assistant
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