Graduate College

International Applicants

NAU welcomes students from other countries. Each semester, more than 350 international students from 68 countries attend NAU..

Admission

To qualify for admission as a graduate student, you must have a four-year United States bachelor's degree, or its equivalent, and must meet the admission requirements of the academic program to which you apply.

You should begin the application process six to twelve months prior to expected enrollment to allow time for the exchange of correspondence, evaluation of all required documents, financial matters, visa, and travel arrangements. Most graduate departments have application deadlines. If the department has no deadline, your application is due no later than March 1 for fall admission and September 15 for spring admission. All materials submitted for admission must be complete at least three months before registration.

Application Process

• Our International Student Application for Graduate Admission
• $50 application fee (non-refundable)
• Completed Financial Guarantee Statement certified by a bank official or letter of financial sponsorship certified by a bank official. At least $27,593 (U.S.) should be available to international students planning to study at NAU.
• An official transcript from each school of higher education you have attended. (Each "transcript" must include both a "mark sheet" indicating courses and grades, and an official certificate of degree.) All transcripts must be in the language of the country and have official translations into English.
• Official scores on the TOEFL exam, unless you are a native speaker of English. The university requires a minimum TOEFL of 80 (on the Internet-based test, 213 (on the computer-based test) or 550 (on the paper-based test), although some programs require a higher score (see below). The TOEFL is waived for applicants who earned a bachelor's degree from a U.S. university, except for applicants to the M.A. in English, M.A. in TESL, and Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics, who must submit TOEFL scores. The minimum IELTS score is 7.0. Please note that you are exempt from this requirement if English is recognized as the official language of your country as determined by our office and the U.S. Department of State. Some departments require a higher minimum score:

  Graduate Programs with TOEFL Requirements above the Graduate College Requirement

  Program	Internet-based test	Computer-based test	Paper-based test
  Applied Linguistics (Ph.D.)	100	250	600
  Business Administration	100	250	600
  Mathematics and Statistics	89	250	570
  Physical Therapy	100	250	600
  Political Science	93	230	580
  Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)	89	237	570

  (If you do not have a TOEFL score, you can apply to NAU. If you are admitted on academic criteria, you can take the TOEFL at NAU before you enroll. However, if you do not achieve the required score, you must enroll in the Program in Intensive English.)

  The Program in Intensive English (PIE) meets the academic needs of NAU international students by providing academic English preparation and support. It teaches the skills that are essential to your successful performance at the university. If you score below the required minimum TOEFL score, you may be conditionally admitted to NAU and admitted to PIE for intensive English training. While enrolled in PIE, you are entitled to all university privileges.

Most graduate programs have an additional application form and require that additional materials (such as GRE scores, letters of recommendation, goal statement) be submitted directly to the department. You should contact your intended department of study to obtain their application requirements.

After all of the required application materials have been received by Graduate Admissions, your file will be forwarded to the appropriate graduate program for review. Admission to most graduate programs is competitive, so not all qualified applicants can be admitted. If the decision is positive, official notification of admission by the Graduate College will be sent, with the appropriate immigration document (Form I-20) for acquiring a visa to the United States.

Immigration and Visa Information

Since the privileges and responsibilities of a foreign national in the United States of America depend on the type of visa held, it is important to ensure that you obtain the appropriate visa. To obtain a visa, you should present to the nearest United States Consulate in your country the following items:

• A Form I-20 (F-1) or a Form DS-2019 (J-1) issued by Northern Arizona University and your admission letter;
• A valid passport; and
• Receipt of the SEVIS fee Form I-901 payment (https://www.fmjfee.com/index.jhtml)
• Proof of financial support as stated on the Certificate of Eligibility.

Your spouse and children may be issued F-2 or J-2 visas at this time, provided you are able to provide evidence of your ability to support dependents. Please be aware that it is illegal for spouses on F-2 visas to work while in the United States; spouses with J-2 visas may work only with permission from the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service.

United States immigration regulations require that, as the holder of a student visa, you maintain student status by enrolling in an academic program on a full-time basis; this means you must complete a minimum of nine semester hours of credit each semester.

If you are a Canadian citizen or British subject residing in Canada, you are exempt from passport requirements, but you must show a valid Certificate of Eligibility to the border official. Be sure you present Northern Arizona University's immigration documentation (or a sponsoring agency's IAP-66 specifying Northern Arizona University) to obtain your visa if you intend to come to NAU. Otherwise, you may have difficulty with immigration authorities. It is also not advisable to enter the United States on a visitor's visa, then later request to change to a student visa; these requests are usually denied.

Financial Information

The cost of education in the United States is high. You must be certain before leaving your home country that sufficient funds are available to meet your educational costs as well as all other costs you may incur during your stay in the United States. (This is a United States immigration regulation.)

As an international graduate student, you will be required to pay non-resident tuition and fees, unless you are awarded an NAU graduate assistantship or tuition scholarship.

Costs for International Students for 2006-07 Academic Year

The dollar amounts below are presented as a guide only. They are average figures based upon the experience of many students. The amounts shown are subject to change without notice.

Financial Aid

It is important to note that financial aid for international students at NAU is very limited. Therefore, unless you have a specific official (written) commitment concerning financial support from NAU, no financial aid will be forthcoming. Most departments do not award any financial assistance to first year international students.

Individual departments award varying forms of financial support. Graduate assistantships are oriented toward teaching or research and normally require a work commitment of 20 hours per week. Graduate assistants receive a stipend (salary) and a waiver of the non-resident portion of tuition.

If you plan to enter NAU in August and wish to request a graduate assistantship or tuition scholarship, you should do so prior to March 1, or by the deadline specified by that department. You should make your request directly to the program in which you are, or intend to be, enrolled. Full-time enrollment (nine credit hours per semester) is required of all students receiving graduate assistantships and tuition scholarships.

Other than assistantships, the number of on-campus jobs available for non-United States citizens and non-permanent residents is negligible. Under no circumstances should you plan to pay for your education by means of employment, since the United States Immigration Service rarely allows international students to work off-campus for wages. We suggest that you contact the nearest United States Education Foundation or the Educational Attache in the American Embassy for information about financial aid available through other agencies.

Health Care Costs and Requirements

All international students must purchase NAU student health insurance. Exceptions will be made only for sponsored students who have adequate insurance provided by the government or a sponsoring agency or for students whose parents or spouse have health insurance coverage through U.S. employment. Private policies are not accepted.

Living Accommodations

Although most graduate students choose to live off campus, we do offer on-campus housing for both single students and families. Some residence-hall floors are reserved for graduate students and students over 21. Some housing areas are open year round. More information about on-campus housing is available from the Office of Residence Life, NAU, PO Box 6100, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-6100.

Reasonably priced off-campus housing in the Flagstaff community is limited and in high demand. It is recommended that you arrive in Flagstaff several weeks before the start of the semester if you plan to try to find housing off-campus.

Orientation for International Students

We strongly recommend that you arrive in Flagstaff at least one week before classes begin. You will need this time to find a place to live and to become familiar with your new surroundings.

A mandatory orientation, required for all new international students, is held during the week before classes begin each semester. This orientation session will help you learn about immigration regulations on visa status, academic and social life at NAU and the services offered by the International Office. Tours of the campus and library may also be included. You will be informed of the date of the orientation sessions with your admission letter.

International Office

NAU's International Office provides advice and assistance to students from other countries about immigration matters, academic concerns, and other problems you may experience here.

Because being an international student carries additional responsibilities as required by the U.S. Immigration Service, you must check in with the international student adviser (in the northeast annex of Tinsley Hall) when you arrive on campus to verify that you have met those responsibilities.

We also invite you to join the International Association of NAU (IANAU). IANAU is a campus organization open to all students, and sponsors receptions, international dinners, slide shows, and many informal activities. You can get more information about the group and when it meets from the International office.

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