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• Additional Admission Requirements
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• International Students
• Graduate Admissions Exams

Additional Graduate Admission Requirements for International Students

NOTE: In additions to these requirements, international students must meet the ETSU School of Graduate Studies general admission requirements and the individual program requirements for their desired program of study.

International students must meet the same requirements for admission to the graduate program that apply to citizens of the United States. An international student must have an equivalent four-year bachelor’s degree with at least a “B” average on undergraduate coursework on various grading scales, this would indicate:

1. A 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
2. 16 on a 20-point scale.
3. 80.0 from Chinese institutions.
4. 1st Class, 2nd Class Honors, or 1st and upper 2nd Division from Indian institutions.
5. Upper 2nd Class Honors on various British systems.

Other grading systems will be evaluated upon receipt of transcripts. An international student may apply for admission any semester. International student application materials should be received by: April 29 - fall semester; September 30 - spring semester; February 1 - summer session. The School of Graduate Studies must be notified of any change in the entering date after admission has been granted. Individual programs may have early admission deadlines and additional requirements. For this information,students should contact the departments whose program they wish to enter.

The following items must be received before admission will be considered:

1. A completed application form with a nonrefundable application fee.
2. Official or attested university records (including proof of all degrees received), with certified translations if the records are not in English. Records must be attested by the awarding institution; notarized copies and third-party attestations are not acceptable. Individual-year mark sheets from Indian institutions are required; summary marksheets will not suffice.
3. A personal essay.
4. Certification of English proficiency. Graduate students whose native language is not English must submit a score of 79 (Internet-based), 550 (paper-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), taken within the past two years; a score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS); successful completion of the English Language Services Program at Level 112; or have received a degree from an accredited U.S. institution. (All international students who receive a tuition scholarship or graduate assistantship must sit for an oral English proficiency interview immediately upon their arrival at ETSU.)
5. Documented evidence of financial resources sufficient to support the student with at least U.S. $22,242 per calendar year during the period of enrollment. (Figure subject to change)
6. Official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), if required.
7. Letters of recommendation or rating forms, if required.
8. All international students are required to have acceptable insurance coverage against illness and accidents. The health and accident insurance must be maintained throughout the student’s enrollment at ETSU.
9. Qualified international students may be considered for graduate non-degree admission to ETSU only as
1. Visiting students during vacation/breaks from other collegiate institutions in the U.S.;
2. Non-degree students enrolled in ETSU courses offered outside the U.S.; and
3. Non-degree students enrolled in appropriate ETSU campus classes. Students in category 3 who are on ETSU IAP-66s (J-1 status) must pursue programs of full-time study approved by the School of Graduate Studies, the Office of International Programs, and the appropriate academic division.

Admission must be granted, and financial documentation and degree confirmation must be received prior to issuance of an I-20 or DS-2019 form needed to obtain a visa. The university will not enroll any student who has not been approved initially or for transfer by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)to attend East Tennessee State University. International students accepted for graduate study at ETSU will receive a letter of acceptance from the university. This letter and the SEVIS I-20 form furnished by the university must be presented to the consular officer of the United States to whom the applicant applies for a student visa. ETSU will not accept visas issued for admission to other colleges or universities. International students admitted to graduate study are encouraged to arrive on campus two weeks prior to the beginning of classes and should contact the Office of International Programs as soon as they arrive.It is the responsibility of a nonimmigrant applicant to comply with current INS regulations in regard to collegiate enrollment. New INS regulations may prohibit the enrollment of an individual in B-1 or B-2 status.The Office of International Programs administers the university’s foreign student (F status) and visitor exchange (J status) programs. Other nonimmigrant applicants may consult with this office.

In all cases the final decision to admit or reject an applicant rests with the university through the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies.