• Please see Campus Life for information about resources for international students available on the Washington University campus.
• Please see Financial Assistance for instructions on completing the International Financial Aid Application.

Washington University defines an international student as a student who is not a citizen or Permanent Resident of the United States.

Admission Procedures & Requirements

Washington University welcomes applications from qualified secondary school graduates and post-secondary-level transfer students (students who have completed some tertiary-level education) from other countries. Once prospective students decide upon Washington University, they should submit the Pre-Application Data Sheet/Supplement and either the Common Application or Universal College Application.

Along with the applications, prospective students should submit the $55 application fee; support materials (one Teacher Evaluation and one School Report for freshmen; one Instructor Evaluation and one College Official’s Report for transfers); official SAT or ACT, and TOEFL or IELTS test score results; original or certified copies of complete academic grades and examinations; and a brief essay. Please do not submit award and achievement certificates; you may list any awards and achievements on the Common Application. Please note that a complete application includes both the Pre-Application Data Sheet and the Common Application or Universal College Application.

Academic Credentials

The successful completion of a minimum of 12 years of primary and secondary studies is required for admission to any program of study leading to a bachelor’s degree at Washington University; a secondary school diploma or equivalent is required. If you apply for admission, you will need to submit detailed information about your previous education, including original academic transcripts or certified copies, a description of the grading system, examination results (IGCSE, HKCEE, predicted A-Levels, national exams, etc.), school-leaving certificates, and certified English translations of all of them.

Academic records must include transcripts of all work completed at the secondary school level and, when appropriate, transcripts of formal studies completed beyond secondary school. These records should indicate the subjects covered during each year of study (the specific month and year), the duration of time of each course, the number of lectures or laboratory periods included within each course, and the grades (marks) received.

To accurately evaluate the quality of this academic work, applications should include a description of the grading system used. All records must be the original documents or certified copies (certified in colored ink), translated into English, with original signatures by the appropriate school officials to confirm their authenticity.

Standardized Tests: SAT or ACT, TOEFL or IELTS

All undergraduate applicants (freshmen and transfers) must submit the results of two standardized tests. Students can choose between either the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). All students whose first language is not English are required to take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS). The SAT and ACT measure an applicant’s aptitude for academic work at the university level; the TOEFL and IELTS measure an applicant’s proficiency in English. All fours tests are administered in examination centers throughout the world.

Since arrangements to take these examinations should be made well in advance, applicants are encouraged to finalize these arrangements as early as possible. (This is particularly true of the SAT and ACT, which are given less frequently than the TOEFL and IELTS.) In all cases, registration should be taken at least nine months prior to Washington University enrollment, and rush score reports should be requested so that test results can be received early enough to be considered for admission.

Applicants should request that their results be sent directly to Washington University (code 6929 for the SAT and TOEFL, code 2386 for the ACT). For further information about these examinations and/or to request registration forms, applicants should either write directly to the testing services’ addresses provided below or contact the nearest United States embassy, consulate, or United States Information Service (USIS) Office.

All prospective Washington University international students whose first language is not English are required to take either the TOEFL or IELTS (this is true for non-native speakers living in the United States and for those who do not speak English at home). Each applicant’s file will be reviewed with regard to English proficiency. All undergraduates are tested prior to class registration and may be required to enroll in a sequence of writing classes. Successfully completing an English Composition course is a requirement for attaining a bachelor’s degree at Washington University.

Transfer/Prematriculation Credit

Credits can be accepted by Washington University for studies completed at another college or university, or for scores achieved on AP, IB, or British A Level examinations. However, an official statement of advanced standing cannot be given until a student has been admitted to the University, has arrived on campus, and has consulted with an academic advisor regarding the evaluation of previous academic achievement. It is also important that the student obtain detailed course descriptions that have been translated into English to give to the advisor.

English Language Instruction

The academic programs at Washington University require students to have well-developed skills in written and oral communication. During the academic year, international students seeking to improve their language skills in English may enroll in courses designed especially for advanced learners. In addition to refining and perfecting areas such as reading and writing, speaking and pronunciation, presentation, debating skills, and knowledge of American idiomatic expressions. For further information, please go to the English Language Program website at:  www.artsci.wustl.edu/~esl.

Visa Eligibility

Washington University has authorization to issue eligibility documents needed to obtain either an “F-1” or “J-1” student visa. Although both visas allow for full-time study, the J-1 is used for reciprocal exchange programs and government scholarship programs; the F-1 is the usual student visa. Documents for visa eligibility may be issued by Washington University only after applicants have been officially admitted into a program of study and have given proof of sufficient funds to finance expenses for the duration of their proposed program of study.

International students are not allowed to enter the United States on a tourist (B-2) visa when arriving to begin university studies. It is not legal to study in a degree program on a tourist visa. Students who are currently in the United States on an F-2 visa will be required to change to an F-1 visa.

Medical Care & Health Insurance

All students who have decided to enroll at Washington University must submit a completed Health History Form, which will be available on the Internet. This must show the date of rubella and rubeola (measles) immunizations. In addition, all students must present proof of freedom from tuberculosis by either a negative skin test or negative chest X-ray within six months of completing the Health History Form.

The student health fee pays for the cost of the student’s health insurance coverage, the primary care and mental health services provided by Student Health Services on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis (see shs.wustl.edu for a description of all the services provided by Student Health Services); contributions to a reserve fund used for medical equipment; and other significant investments in the student health program. While the costs of this comprehensive student health program vary from year to year, the premium costs generally comprise 70-75% of the total health fee. Participation in the Student Health Insurance Program is mandatory; it is not possible to opt out or obtain a waiver.