An international student is defined as an individual wishing to enroll who is neither a U.S. citizen nor a permanent U.S. resident.
Visitors with B-1/B-2 visa status are not eligible to register. These individuals must change their status to an F-1 student visa in order to study at Marymount University. Contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office or International Student Services Office for more information regarding this immigration regulation and other immigration-related questions.
International Student Admission Requirements
All applicants must submit the following to be considered:
- a completed application form with the nonrefundable $40 application fee
- a letter of recommendation from the applicant’s school principal, teacher, or academic advisor, which must be written in, or translated into, English if requested
- official academic records translated into English that show at least three years of academic performance
There are additional items based on the applicant’s status as a first-year or transfer student, as follows:
International First-Year Applicants
An international first-year applicant is defined as a first-time university student with fewer than 12 completed university credit hours. The following must be submitted in addition to the aforementioned items:
- one official transcript, sent directly from the high school attended or authenticated by the Ministry of Education, and, if applicable, include official exam results and evidence of high school graduation
- official standardized exam score report
For the exam score report, students for whom English is their first language and have a GPA below a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale must submit either an SAT or ACT score report. Students for whom English is a second language (regardless of citizenship) must submit official results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Pearson Test of English (PTE), SAT, or ACT, meeting minimum scores. Students for whom English is their second language and who cannot submit the appropriate test scores demonstrating English language proficiency may apply for conditional admission under the requirements described below under “Conditional Admission.”
Students who graduated from a high school where the main language of instruction was English should contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office to verify whether the language proficiency requirements can be waived.
International Transfer Applicants
An international transfer applicant is defined as a student with 12 or more completed university credit hours. The following must be submitted in addition to the aforementioned items:
- official transcripts, sent directly to Marymount from the college or university attended
- completed school official form from the last college attended or a recommendation from the dean of students at the last college attended (if attended in the United States)
- for applicants with fewer than 30 completed college or university credits, complete, official high school transcripts and official standardized exam score reports, as listed under First-Year Applicants requirements
- official course-by-course evaluation for university work completed outside the U.S., from one of Marymount’s approved evaluation agencies — World Education Services or the World Educational Credentials Evaluators
- evidence of language proficiency
For the language proficiency requirement, students for whom English is a second language must submit a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Pearson Test of English (PTE). Students for whom English is their second language and who cannot submit the appropriate test scores demonstrating English language proficiency may apply for conditional admission under the requirements described below under “Conditional Admission.”
Applicants who have completed 30 credit hours or more at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university and who can provide evidence of completion of English composition with a minimum grade of C at the same institution are exempt from this test score requirement.
Minimum Score Requirements for Non-Native Speakers of English
SAT |
450 Evidence-based Reading and Writing
950 Evidence-based Reading and Writing/Math |
ACT |
18 English section |
TOEFL |
550 paper-based, 79 Internet-based |
IELTS |
6.0 overall |
PTE |
54 overall |
Conditional Admission
Conditional admission is an option for international graduate applicants who meet all admission requirements except demonstrated English proficiency.* Students seeking conditional admission must enroll in one of Marymount University's Partner Language Institutes and satisfactorily complete the stipulated level or levels, as described below. These programs help students develop their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills to a level appropriate for university study. Completion of an intensive English program other than the programs listed does not meet the conditional admission requirement. If students satisfactorily complete the required level or levels at a Partner Language Institute and are admitted to the university, they must earn a grade of C- or better in EN 101 at Marymount University within one academic year (two full, non-summer semesters) after entry. If students fail to meet this requirement, they will be withdrawn from the university. Under conditional admission, EN 101 cannot be fulfilled with either transfer or Consortium credit.
ELS Educational Service's English for Academic Purposes Program: Students who successfully complete ELS Level 112 will be fully admitted and may enroll in a degree program without presenting a TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score. More information about the program can be found at www.els.edu.
Georgetown University English Language Center: Students who successfully complete either the Advanced or Academic Bridge levels will be fully admitted and may enroll in a degree program without presenting a TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score. More information can be found at scs.georgetown.edu/departments/52/english-language-center/.
Inlingua: Students who earn a Certificate of Completion of Level 8 intensive program and present an official transcript from Inlingua will be fully admitted and may enroll in a degree program without presenting a TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score. More information can be found at www.idc.edu.
Virginia Tech University Language and Culture Institute: Students who successfully complete level 550 will be fully admitted and may enroll in a degree program without presenting a TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score. More information can be found at www.lci.vt.edu.
International Language Academy: Students who successfully complete level 12 will be fully admitted and may enroll in a degree program without presenting a TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score. More information can be found at www.ila.edu.
*Transfer nursing applicants and accelerated second-degree B.S.N. applicants are not eligible for conditional admission.
International Student Application Deadlines
Admission applications and all supporting documents must be received no later than the date indicated for the corresponding semester:
For fall semester (late August to mid-December): July 1
For spring semester (mid-January to early May): December 1
For summer semester (late May to early August — first-year students may not begin in the summer semester): March 15
Obtaining an I-20
An I-20 is a certificate of eligibility for F-1 visa status. Marymount University issues the I-20 for admitted students who submit the following items:
- a completed International Student Supplemental Information (ISSI) form upon admission (Click here to download the form.)
- Declaration of Finances form (the third page of the ISSI form)
- an enrollment deposit to reserve a space at Marymount (This deposit is credited to the student’s account. The deposit must be in the form of a check drawn on U.S.-based branches of U.S. banks in U.S. dollars, or with a valid credit card. A nonrefundable deposit of $300 is required for both commuter and residential students.)
- a legible photocopy of passport ID pages
- a valid international address
- an official original bank statement showing sufficient funding in U.S. dollars for one year of study, as outlined on the current International Student Supplemental Information (ISSI) form (This statement must be signed and stamped by a bank official and dated no earlier than six months prior to the issuing of the I-20.)
Students currently enrolled in a U.S. high school or university must submit the following additional items:
- a completed Transfer Clearance Form, available here
- photocopies of all previous I-20s
- photocopies of all previous U.S. visas
- copy of the I-94 record (Applicants can also download their I-94 record on the Department of Homeland Security website at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home.)
Marymount University will cover the cost of shipping the initial I-20. International students are responsible for all subsequent I-20 shipping fees unless an error was made by the university. If a student requires an updated I-20 due to deferral, errors in documentation submitted, or electronically approving an I-20 with errors, the student will be required to cover the cost of shipping an updated I-20 through https://study.eshipglobal.com/default.asp. Shipping costs for updated I-20s due to a visa denial will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
For the most current and accurate information about immigration and visa requirements, please visit www.travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html.