International Education Admission

An international student is a student who is not a citizen of the United States or classified by United States Immigration and Naturalization Service as a resident alien. International applicants must meet English proficiency requirements as well as academic and financial requirements before being fully admitted to the university.

All application materials and all related credentials must be received by the Graduate School no later than 90 calendar days before the semester that the student wishes to enroll. All international applicants must take these steps to be considered for admission:

Obtain the appropriate International Application for Admission forms from the Graduate School.
Complete the forms and return them along with the non-refundable application fee.
Submit the "Affidavit of Support" and financial documents verifying funding to support the cost of attending UNC.
Submit official transcripts, mark sheets, diplomas and certificates from each institution attended. If they are not in English, submit a notarized English translation with each document.
International students who are not native speakers of English or who have not received their undergraduate degree from a U.S., British, Canadian, or Australian university are required to provide evidence of English language proficiency by submitting one of the following:
Official score reports of current Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Minimum score for regular UNDERGRADUATE level admissions are as follows: 520 (paper-based), 190 (computer based), and 70 (internet-based - with cut scores no lower than the following: Listening (16), Reading (16), Speaking (16), and Writing (18). Graduate level regular admission score cutoffs are: 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), and 80 (internet-based) - with cut scores no lower than the following: Listening (18), Reading (20), Speaking (18), Writing (20). The IELT is also accepted, with a minimum score of 7.0 for graduate level students.
Graduate level TOEFL scores are used for undergraduate business degree program admission.
Proof of one year of full-time study in the U.S.
Completion of a degree program from an accredited U.S. institution within the previous two years.
Students without the above can apply for admission to UNC's Intensive English Language program or for admission conditional upon completing an Intensive English Language program.
Music, Theatre, and Art applicants must contact those schools for additional requirements.
Copies of the biopage of your passport and your student visa (if you have one).

Schools may have higher or additional English proficiency requirements including screening or testing for English proficiency. The applicant is responsible for determining whether the school has additional language requirements. Upon application approval, international applicants will be sent a letter of admission and the proper immigration forms will be issued. If an applicant is granted conditional admission pending completion of English language schooling and receipt of English proficiency scores, the immigration forms will be issued by the English language school.

The Center for International Education. One of the major goals of the Center for International Education is to enhance the intellectual and cultural development of the university community by providing our visiting scholars and students the best opportunities for educational advancement.

The academic support services provided by the Center are:

orientation activities and seminars,
immigration document processing and counseling,
Intensive English Language programs,
International student and scholar advising.

Conditional Admission - International

International applicants whose academic record is sound but whose English language proficiency fails to meet the UNC minimum admission standard may be granted a conditional admission to UNC. However, as the condition for admission, they must first study Intensive English to improve their proficiency. Based on their TOEFL score at the time of admission and their score on UNC's Academic English Assessment, they will either start with English full-time, or they will qualify to take part-time English and part-time courses toward their degree (Bridge Program). Students in the Intensive English program register as full-time students at UNC, but may not be released from conditional admission status until approved to do so by the Coordinator of the Intensive English Language Program. Students enrolled in this program will receive all the benefits and services provided to full-time students at UNC.

The Intensive English Language Program - International

The cost of the English Language Program is $300 per credit hour.

Qualification Criteria. A TOEFL is not required for international students to be considered for admission to the Intensive English Language Program at UNC. Students are only required to submit a full UNC application, official copies of their most recent transcripts, and financial guarantee documentation to be qualified for admission to the Intensive English Language Program.

Classes Offered in the IELP. The purpose of the program is to increase the language proficiency of students to a level at which they can fully benefit from being a regular student at UNC. Classes offered include: Low Basic, High Basic, Low Intermediate, High Intermediate, Low Advanced, High Advanced, and Graduate-Prep levels. Courses include English reading, writing, listening, speaking and grammar. The IELP is offered fall semester, spring semester, and during one summer session each year.

Length of the IELP. The length of the program varies for each student, depending upon TOEFL score, the score the student achieves on the IELP Entrance Assessment Test administered by the Center for International Education, and performance in the CIE English classes. For more details about the program see http://www.unco.edu/cie/esl/IELP.htm.

For information regarding English proficiency requirements and admission to the Intensive English Language Program, please contact Trisha Moya, Program Coordinator at trisha.moya@unco.edu or visit the Intensive English Language Program website: www.unco.edu/cie/esl/IELP.htm

The Intensive English Language Program provides two tracks of study:

Track One: ENGLISH ONLY (Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced levels). Full-time study is 16 credit hours per week and there are five 8-week sessions offered in one year. Therefore, an international student can complete our Intensive English program in one year, plus one 8-week session. No TOEFL is required to enter full-time study in this program.

Track Two: BRIDGE - INTENSIVE ENGLISH + COURSEWORK TOWARD A MAJOR (Advanced and Graduate levels). Normally, students in this track take 6-8 credits of Intensive English plus 4-6 credits toward their major. No TOEFL is required to enter the Intensive English portion of this program. Conditional admission can be granted with the provision that the student successfully completes all of the Intensive English coursework required by the Academic English Assessment given upon arrival at UNC.