Applicants to SIUE who hold or require non-immigrant visas are reviewed for appropriate academic requirements, English language proficiency, and adequate financial resources. A $30 application fee will be assessed to students applying for graduate admission.
English Language Requirement
All international graduate applicants are required to take either the
Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL) or the
International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS) to demonstrate
English proficiency. Official test score reports must be sent directly from the
Testing Service (ETS/IELTS) to SIUE, Office of Admissions. The institutional
code for SIUE is 1759. No department code is needed. Copies of student score
reports are not accepted.
Minimum score requirements are:
TOEFL:
The TOEFL or IELTS must be taken within two years before the term for which admission is sought. Some graduate departments may require a higher score. Please check the SIUE graduate catalog for departmental test score requirements.
The TOEFL/IELTS examination requirement will be waived if the applicant has completed a baccalaureate degree in the United States.
We can not process applications without an official score report from TOEFL or IELTS report. It can take up to six weeks for score reports to arrive to SIUE, so please plan accordingly so that application deadlines are met.
Academic Records
Applicants must make all appropriate
arrangements for providing official academic records attesting to their
post-secondary education. If you have in your possession original documents
(issued to you upon graduation), you may have them copied and attested to by an
EducationUSA office. We will accept
these verified documents as long as they are submitted in a sealed. Unopened
envelope bearing the name and address of the verifying
EducationUSA office.
Credentials not available in English must be submitted with an original,
attested, and professionally prepared English language translation. University
graduate-level academic work may be considered for transfer of credit and must
be approved by the graduate program. Course descriptions are helpful to
determine appropriate transfer credit.
Credentials from other Countries
Secondary and post-secondary transcripts (including certification of graduation when appropriate) must be mailed directly to the Office of Admissions by the registrar or principal for each school attended. Each transcript must bear the official signature and the school’s official seal. Each photocopy of a grade sheet or certificate submitted must bear an original certification of the registrar or principal of the school and/or the examination board stated on the original document. The certification must verify, in English, that the copy is a complete and exact duplicate of the authentic original. Notarized copies of credentials are not considered official. Results of many British-style certificate examinations can be reported to us directly by the examination board. Please ask your examining authority for details. Results for which certificates have not been issued must be reported to us directly by the board.
Financial Verification
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville complies with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regulations that govern the financial eligibility of international students. Under current regulations, international students must provide evidence of sufficient financial resources to support all their living and education expenses
for one academic year. Financial requirements are updated annually and can be
viewed
here.
To receive financial approval for admission and a Form I-20 or DS-2019 (the forms necessary to get a student F or J visa), a student must submit a current notarized bank letter indicating in U.S. dollars that the applicant or sponsor has adequate funds immediately available. The student also must complete the Financial Form in the admission application.
Copy of Passport Biographical Information
International applicants are required to submit a copy of the biographical page
of their passport to verify the legal name. If the applicant does not have a
passport, a copy of the birth certificate (in English) will be accepted.
Mailing Address
Admissions materials should be mailed
to:
Office of Graduate and International Admissions
Box 1047
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL 2026-1047
Physical Address for Express Mail Service:
Office of Graduate and International Admissions
70 Hairpin Drive
Rendleman Hall Room 1207
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL 62026-1047
Telephone: (618) 650-3785
Admission requirements vary by graduate program. We offer a broad range of graduate programs, with a corresponding broad range of entry requirements. Click the link to your program-of-choice below to view the requirements of that program. We also have listed contact information for each department, in case you have questions about the requirements, and links to the departments' admission requirements Web sites.