International Students

Please note the following before working through any adult and graduate international student application processes for spring arbor university:

  • Currently, all of SAU’s adult and graduate programs are being delivered virtually, which means physical presence in the U.S. is not required to study in these programs. Therefore, per federal laws, SAU is unable to issue I-20s for F-1 visas for these virtual programs at this time. If you wish to stay in your country and study at SAU without the need for a U.S. visa, you may explore our online programs here. Please note that no programs with internships needed (i.e., BSW, MSW, MAC, PACT) may be attended from outside of the United States. The only programs from this list that may be applied for from outside the United States are Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, MBA, M.Ed. in Trauma and Resiliency, Master of Teaching English as a Second Language, and Strategic Communication and Leadership.
  • If you are already in the U.S. legally on a visa other than a student or visitor visa and you do not need SAU to provide an I-20 to remain in the U.S. legally, you should feel free to inquire about any program of study at SAU by e-mailing adultgrad@arbor.edu. Click here for a listing of U.S. visas that allow study in the U.S. virtually or in person: ICE listing of U.S. visas.
  • SAU’s traditional undergraduate programs on the main campus are being offered in person and do require physical presence in the U.S. to attend. SAU may issue I-20s for these programs. If you are interested in one of these programs, please feel free to inquire here.

Admission Requirements

International students will need to meet the criteria designated for their graduate program and submit the following materials:

  • Evidence of language proficiency if English is not the student’s native language. Students may take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (Must receive a minimum score of 600 if taken in person or 100 if taken online) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (Must receive a minimum score of 7.0 with no band score below 6.5).
  • Evidence of financial resources.
  • Official transcripts of all coursework completed outside the United States. Transcripts must be submitted to an evaluation service for validation, course equivalency and/or degree. Acceptable evaluation services can be found via the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Our preferred service is the World Education Services (WES) ICAP (International Credential Advantage Package).
  • Evidence of medical insurance (if program requires a residency).

International students will also need to take the following steps:

  • Obtain a visitor visa (if program requires a residency).
  • Arrange to pay tuition and fees in U.S. currency.

Submitting Your WES Application

International students should complete the WES online application to begin their transcript evaluation request. SAU’s code number is 1732. Do not pay for the WES evaluation until you are certain that the required documentation (see below) was received by WES. You may check with WES via email or telephone using your full name and account reference number.

Carefully follow WES instructions for submitting your documents. Requirements can vary by country. View the required documents for individual countries. In most cases, you will need:

  • A photocopy of your college diploma(s) or certificate(s). You will mail this directly to WES.
  • Official transcripts issued by the institution(s) attended for all post-secondary programs of academic study. Request that your college mail your official transcript directly to WES, not yourself, for the evaluation.

Transcripts not in English must first be translated into English. Then the translation company must send a certified translation of your transcripts together with your original language transcripts directly to WES.

Reminder: Be sure to select the WES ICAP option that stores your verified transcripts and WES evaluation report. Academic institutions receive a package that contains your evaluation report together with copies of the academic transcripts that are stored at WES. Your transcript and evaluation are ready to be sent in one comprehensive package to any educational institution, at any time, even many years later.

WES Address

*Check with WES before sending materials to ensure that the address below is still correct.

To send documents via postal mail, address them to

World Education Services
P.O. Box 5087
Bowling Green Station
New York, NY 10274-5087
USA

To send documents via express courier, address them to

World Education Services
64 Beaver St., #146
New York, NY 10004
USA