International Student Admissions

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If you would like to attend a degree program at UAA but need a student visa to enter the U.S., you are considered an international student. 

Application Portal 

Admission Requirements

Program admission requirements for international students are the same as for domestic student with the addition of documented proof of English proficiency.

  • First-Year

    If you are a current high school student or graduate who has never attended college or if you have earned less than 24 semester college credits at other institutions, you are considered a first-year applicant.

    Bachelor Degree Programs

    • High school graduation or GED
    • Minimum high school GPA of 2.5*

    *Students with a 2.0–2.5 GPA may be admitted to certain baccalaureate programs.

    Certificate/Associate Degree Programs

    • High school graduation or GED
    • No minimum GPA requirement
     
  • Transfer

    If you have attended college or university after you earned a high school diploma or GED, you are considered a transfer student.

    Bachelor Degree Programs

    • High school graduation or GED
    • Minimum college/university GPA of 2.0*

    *Students with a 1.75–2.0 combined college GPA may be admitted to certain baccalaureate programs.

    Certificate/Associate Degree Programs

    • High school graduation or GED
    • No minimum GPA requirement

     

  • Graduate

    General Graduate Requirements

    All graduate programs require an awarded baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution for admission.

    Program-Specific Requirements

    Each graduate program has specific requirements for admission, which may include additional application materials such as your resume, references, writing samples, specific entrance exams, etc. GPA requirements also vary by program; generally a 3.0 GPA minimum is required.

    Visit the Graduate School for more information.

Proof of English Proficiency

International applicants are required to provide one of the following proofs of English proficiency:

  • TOEFL test score
    • Associate and Bachelor applicant minimum TOEFL score: 71 iBT
    • Master and Doctoral applicant minimum TOEFL score: 79 iBT (Master's of Business Administration program requires 80 iBT TOEFL score)
  • IELTS test score
    • Associate and Bachelor applicant minimum IELTS score: 6.0 Overall Band
    • Master and Doctoral applicant minimum IELTS score: 6.5 Overall Band
  • Completed waiver form

Other Requirements

Student Visa

International applicants require a F1 or J1 visa in order to travel to the United States. The UAA International Student Services team will guide you on this process.

Important Dates

Fall

September 15Application Open (of the previous year)

June 1Application Deadline

August 1Documentation Due

Spring

February 15Application Open (of the previous year)

November 1Application Deadline

December 1Documentation Due

For class start dates, add/drop deadlines and other important information, see the Office of the Registrar Dates and Deadlines.

Admission Checklist

Gold checklist boxComplete an Admission Application

The online application takes about 15–30 minutes to complete. The undergraduate program application is free; the graduate program application fee is $75. You will create an account that will let you save your application and log back in any time to complete your application, upload additional admission documents, and check on your application status.

Application Portal 

 

Gold checklist boxSubmit Academic Records

Once you submit your application, the required academic records or transcripts that you need to provide will be listed.

  • US or Canadian transcripts can be sent directly to UAA.
  • Kenyan high school records must be submitted by KNEC.
  • All other non-US/non-Canadian records must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES). WES will analyze international coursework/degrees and provide US equivalents to UAA.

 

Gold checklist boxSubmit Proof of English Proficiency

All international students must show that they have obtained a certain level of proficiency in English. For more information about test score requirements and exemptions, see English Proficiency Requirements.

 

Gold checklist boxCheck Application Status

After you submit your application, you'll receive an email confirmation and further instructions. Once we receive all required documentation, we'll review your application. This usually takes 1–2 weeks. If you have not heard from us after two weeks, please contact the Office of Admissions at uaa_admissionsoffice@alaska.edu.

 

Gold checklist boxNext Steps and Visa Process

Once you've submitted your application, there are few more steps you'll need to take in order to enter the US:

  • Your admission to UAA + financial supporting documents = I-20 Certificate of Eligibility
  • I-20 + I-901 SEVIS Fee + DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application = visa interview
  • Visa interview + visa processing = visa stamp in passport
  • Visa stamp + passport + I-20 + flight to US + Customs and Border Patrol approval to enter the US = I-94 Arrival/Departure Record

UAA International Student Services will help guide you through these processes and preparing for the first day of class.

 

Postponed Admission

You may postpone your admission once for up to one year by submitting a Request to Postpone Admission form to the Office of Admissions prior to the deadline:

  • Fall Postponement Admission Deadline: August 15
  • Spring Postponement Admission Deadline: December 15
  • Summer Postponement Admission Deadline: June 15
Don't have an active UAOnline/SSO login yet? You can email Admissions at uaa_admissionsoffice@alaska.edu instead.