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International Admissions

Marshall University is authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to enroll non-immigrant visa students with F-1 or J-1 status.

International applicants must submit ALL of the following documents to be considered for admission:

Complete the ON-LINE APPLICATION and send the following items by mail or fax:

1. $100.00 Application Fee (non-refundable) - make check or money order made payable to Marshall University. Please note that this is a non-refundable fee and cannot be refunded in the event the student is not accepted or does not get a student visa. To be accepted, all checks must have a 9-digit routing number. DO NOT SEND CASH.

You can also pay the $100 fee with a Visa/Mastercard using our ONLINE SECURE PAYMENT FORM.

2. $50.00 USD Transfer Evaluation Fee (non-refundable)- If you have ever enrolled at any university or college and have received credit, you must apply as a transfer student and pay this fee. Checks or money order payable to Marshall University. This fee cannot be paid online.

3. Official Transcripts - Transcripts must be in English and contain ALL secondary school, college or university academic credits and grades. The transcripts must be sent directly to the Center for International Programs by the institution that you attended. Photocopies will be accepted as a basis for preliminary evaluation of eligibility for admission, however, the official transcripts must be received prior to admission.

4. All international student applicants, including first-time freshmen and degree seeking transfer students, must have all previously earned credit evaluated. Click here for more information about getting your transcripts evaluated.

5. Evidence of English Language Proficiency - It is possible for students to be admitted conditionally without English proficiency if the student applies for admission to the L.E.A.P. Intensive English Program at the same time they apply for undergraduate study. Visit the L.E.A.P. website for more information and on-line application for this program. Proof of your proficiency in English may be certified by submitting one of the following*:

a. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Minimum acceptable score is 500 (paper-based test), 173 (computer-based test), or 61 (internet-based) for undergraduate study.

b. Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) - The minimum acceptable score is 79% for undergraduate study.

c. A minimum score of 6 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) for undergraduate study. (More information about the IELTS is available on their website at www.ielts.org. IELTS is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP:IELTS Australia, and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.)

d. Advanced ESL - Completion of the advanced level of Marshall University's L.E.A.P. Intensive English Program or the completion of an intensive English program comparable to Level 9 of the English Language School (ELS).

e. Diploma or degree from an English speaking school - A degree or a diploma from an accredited secondary school, college or university in which the primary language of instruction is English.

*Tests taken more than two (2) years prior to the date submitted cannot be accepted.

6. Complete the Affidavit of Support Form (if you need to obtain an F-1 visa) showing that you or your sponsor have finances to support your study and living costs for one academic year (9 months). Download the Affidavit of Support Form here. We currently estimate this amount to be $18,000 USD. (In some cases, a 50% deposit will be required in order to issue the I-20 form.) Proof of financial support may be demonstrated in several ways:

a. An affidavit of financial support from a personal sponsor (parent, relative, friend) that has been certified by a U.S. bank or financial institution.

b. A scholarship agency (government, corporation, etc.) stating the availability of funds and the intention to support your educational and living expenses for the entire duration of study at Marshall University.

c. Personal funds, provided you submit documentary evidence of a bank statement from a U.S. bank or financial institution or it affiliate in U.S. dollars (USD). A statement from your employer certifying that you have been granted study leave and salary support arrangements may also be acceptable.

7. American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score reports. It is possible to be conditionally admitted without the ACT or SAT scores provided you take and satisfactorily pass the exam your first semester. Students who have graduated from high school more than five years ago or earned more than 26 semester hours at a college or university are exempt from this requirement.

8. If you are planning to enroll in the L.E.A.P. Intensive English Program before pursuing an undergraduate program of study, please also send us the completed application materials for the L.E.A.P. Program. Students can be conditionally admitted to an undergraduate program of study at Marshall University without English proficiency if they enroll in Marshall University's L.E.A.P. Intensive English Program and they satisfy all other criteria for admission.

9. Proof of Measles and Rubella Immunization - MMR Vaccination Record

10. Send all of your application materials and fees to the address below:

Marshall University
Center for International Programs
Old Main 320
One John Marshall Drive
Huntington, West Virginia, USA 25755-1054

After we receive all of your application materials, your credentials will be evaluated and, if admissible, you will be sent a letter of admission and an I-20 form. The I-20 form is used to apply for a student visa (F-1) at an American embassy or consulate. We will also send a housing application and a form you can complete to notify us of your arrival.

All non-immigrant (F-1 and J-1 status) student applicants currently in the United States are required to submit an ÒInternational Student Status Verification ReportÓ to verify current student status. This form should be completed by the Designated School Official (DSO) at the educational institution last attended or currently being attended in the United States. This form will be sent to you automatically upon receipt of your application materials.

If you are not able to attend the semester for which you applied, contact the Center for International Programs and we will fill-out a new application for the semester that you will be able to attend. All of your other application materials will be acceptable for a period of one year. After that time period, new documentation will have to be submitted.