International

Deadlines

Deadlines

It’s important to meet the application deadlines for ideal financial aid packaging and scholarship decisions. Note that all dates below are “postmark deadlines”; that is, they are the dates by which you should mail or submit all materials (not when they must arrive in our office).

Domestic and International Freshmen

Regular Decision Freshmen
 All Application Materials: 12:00 am EST, January 1
Notification Date: by April 1
Your Response Required: May 1

Early Decision Freshmen
All Application Materials: 12:00 am EST, November 1
Notification Date: Mid-December
Your Response Required: within 3 weeks of notification

Priority Review Freshmen
All Application Materials: 12:00 am EST, December 1
Notification Date: postmarked by February 15
Your Response Required: May 1

CAPs and other Specialized Programs

REMS
Application and All Other Forms: 12:00 am EST, December 1
Your Response Required: May 1

GRADE
Application and All Other Forms: 12:00 am EST, December 1
Your Response Required: May 1

GEAR
Application and All Other Forms: 12:00 am EST, December 1
Your Response Required: May 1

Dual Degree
Application and All Other Forms: 12:00 am EST, December 1
Your Response Required: May 1

Transfer, Fall Semester

All Application Materials Due: 12:00 am EST, March 15 for priority consideration. Applications will be accepted after the deadline and will be considered on a rolling basis.

Application Review: Review of completed applications begins in February. Review takes about a month.

Notification Date: Decisions start going out in March and will continue into July, based on when the application was completed.

Your Response Required: Your response deadline will be specified in your decision letter.

Transfer, Spring Semester

All Application Materials Due: 12:00 am EDT October 1 for priority consideration. Applications will be accepted after the deadline and will be considered on a rolling basis.

Application Review: Review of completed applications begins in late August. Review takes about a month.

Notification Date: Decisions start going out in October and will continue based on when the application was completed.

Your Response Required: Your response deadline will be specified in your decision letter.

Paying for Rochester

Paying for Rochester

To be eligible for a United States visa, international applicants are required to demonstrate the financial means to attend the University of Rochester by submitting the International Financial Support (IFS) Form and bank statements. To be eligible for admission, demonstrated funds must cover the estimated cost of one full year of attendance. Canadian and Mexican citizens may apply for need-based financial aid, but must demonstrate their ability to pay the difference between the total cost of attendance and the financial aid package. Get more information.

Acceptable Documents

Sources of funding are listed on the International Financial Support Form and are accompanied by the following types of documents:

• An original bank statement no older than six months, on official bank letterhead, stamped or signed by a bank official, and showing the required amount in liquidity. (Note: If your sponsor is not a parent or legal guardian, the statement should be submitted with an affidavit of support.)
• Original copy of scholarship letter from sponsoring organization indicating dates, amounts, and terms of sponsorship.

Scholarships

Every applicant, regardless of citizenship, can compete for a merit scholarship. Most scholarships range from $5,000 to $15,000 and are awarded based on a variety of factors, including:

• GPA (grade point average).
• Rigor of the secondary school curriculum (i.e. taking honors, advanced, IB, or A-level courses).
• Depth and range of extra-curricular activities.
• Standardized test scores (SAT-I or SAT-II, ACT, AP, IB).
• The geographic, cultural, and socio-economic perspective of the applicant.
• Demonstrated understanding of the University of Rochester.

Read this blog post on scholarships written by Dean of Admissions, Jonathan Burdick.

Other Sources of Financial Aid

• Your embassy in Washington, DC
• The Foundation Center
• Funding for US Study: A Guide for Foreign Nationals
• You may also wish to visit the following websites:
  • www.edupass.org
  • www.nafsa.org
  • www.iefa.org
  • www.fastweb.com
  • www.internationalstudents.com/schools_awarding_aid
  • www.iie.com
  • www.studentservices.com
  • www.infoed.com
  • www.InternationalScholarship.com

English Language Exams

English Language Exams

If your native language is not English and you completed your secondary or higher education in a non-native English speaking country, you must take a test of English language proficiency. In some instances, admission to the University will be contingent upon participation in the University’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Program.

Minimum Exam Scores

Applicants to the University can choose one of three language proficiency examinations to submit to the Office of Admissions: the TOEFL, the IELTS or the PTE Academic. The table above shows how exam results correlate to results at Rochester.

Admission to the University of Rochester is based on a holistic review process. Applicants whose test scores fall outside of the ranges displayed above are still encouraged to apply. If your scores are slightly lower than the minimums listed above, and your application is strong in other ways, you may earn access to Rochester through the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Program.

Some applicants who meet minimum score requirements but also require additional English language support may be recommended for EAP. Applicants to Rochester cannot apply to the EAP program. If you are granted access to Rochester through the EAP program, you will take undergraduate classes alongside English language courses.

To have ETS send your TOEFL results to the University of Rochester, use school code 2928.

Requests to Waive English Proficiency Exams

If you meet one or more of the following criteria, you may request a waiver of the English proficiency examination requirement (IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE-Academic) by emailing Admissions.

• You are a native speaker of English in your home environment.
• You completed three or more years of secondary education at an American or International School where English is the primary language of instruction.
• You are a transfer applicant who has completed a year or more of college-level courses taught in the United States, including at least one writing-intensive course.

Common Questions

International Students FAQ

Who is considered an international applicant?
International applicants are individuals who need a visa in order to study in the United States. Permanent residents of the United States of America, no matter where in the world they live or go to school, are not considered international applicants.

How do I apply if I am a U.S. permanent resident?
Do not apply as an international student. Instead, make sure to specify your citizenship where indicated on your application materials. In addition, permanent residents of the U.S. are required to submit a copy of their Permanent Resident card (green card) with their application.

What is the International Financial Support Form? Do I need to fill it out?
The IFS form should show your ability to cover the first year of tuition and provides projections for the next three years of attendance. All international applicants are required to fill out the form and should submit it with official financial documentation, such as a bank statement. Letters of employment or tax returns will not be accepted as documentation. A hard copy of the IFS form and supporting documentation is required and can be mailed to the Office of Admissions.

What type of testing is required to apply as an international student?
Students can submit any approved national or international test result. For a list of approved tests, please visit our Testing Policy tab. If English is not your native language and you completed your secondary or higher education in a non-native English speaking country, you must take a test of English Language proficiency.

I’d like to interview; how can I set up an appointment?
If you are visiting campus, we strongly encourage you to interview during your visit. For many students living far away, an off-campus event or interview is the best way to get a chance to talk to a University of Rochester representative. The University of Rochester also accepts the CIEE Applicant Interview (CAI) for students currently in China, Taiwan, and South Korea. To find out more about these options, visit our off-campus events page.

What is an I-20?
An I-20 is a government form that the universities issue to certify to the United States government that the admitted student is eligible for a student visa. Visit the International Services Office’s page for more information.

Are International Students eligible for financial aid?
Unfortunately, international students are not eligible for state and federal aid. International students are eligible for merit scholarships. Visit the ‘Paying for Rochester’ tab for more details.

I attend a school where English is the primary language of instruction. Do I still need to submit results from an English Language Examination?
If you have been in a school where English is the primary language of instruction and you have completed three years or more by the application deadline, you do not need to submit results from an English Language Examination. You can find out more on our ‘English Language Exams’ tab.

If you have a question, please email us at international@ur.rochester.edu.

Testing Policy

Standardized Tests

Standardized Tests results may appear on high school transcripts but scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to be considered official. The University of Rochester considers the highest combined SAT/ACT score, even if they are from different test dates. Only your highest scores will be considered in our final admissions decision. Each time you submit scores, we will update your record with any new higher scores.

We encourage you to submit your scores each time you take the SAT. Sending your scores each time helps us to consider you for all available degree programs, special programs, and scholarships.

You can choose to further differentiate yourself from other applicants with links to electronic media (music, websites, photos, videos, etc.). Admission reviewers will consider these contents (if submitted by the deadline) during our process.

Test-Flexible Policy

At the University of Rochester, admission to the College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering is based on a holistic review process that includes a “test-flexible” philosophy. As we seek to enroll a diverse and talented class each year, our review procedures incorporate a variety of factors, including many kinds of academic records.

In addition to submitting a record of courses and grades during secondary school, applicants must show evidence of preparation through examination results. A wide variety of test results can fulfill this requirement, including SAT Reasoning exams, the ACT, two or more results from SAT Subject exams, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, AS- and A-level exams (in UK and Commonwealth countries), Gao Kao (China), and results from many other national secondary exams.

Please note that for International Baccalaureate (IB), submission of test results should come as a signed and dated letter of predicted IB scores from the IBO coordinator on campus. The more detail included, the more helpful the results are to us.

Admission offers we make based on predicted IB and A-level results may be revoked in summer if the final results are not a close match for the predicted values.

Read the Rochester test-flexible policy blog post by the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid.

List of Approved Tests

The list below indicates, country by country, which examinations will fulfill an applicant’s standardized testing requirement. The list is not comprehensive, and will be updated as new examinations are approved. Please email admit@admissions.rochester.edu with questions regarding examinations that are not included in this list.