International Undergraduate Admission Process

Complete Application Requirements

• Application Profile
  • Begin profile registration and tell us some basic information
  • Complete each tab within the application form
  • After creating an application login, you may check your status anytime
• Reflective Essay
  • Your reflective essay should summarize:
    • Why you are interested in studying in the United States
    • Why you are applying to Valparaiso University
    • Your interest in the degree program
    • How this program impacts your professional development
• Passport Copy
  • Provide a scanned copy of both sides that is legible and clearly shows your picture
• Proof of English Language Proficiency

• Submitting Transcripts
  • 3 (three) years of high school transcripts, with an English translation if they are in another language.
    We will accept unofficial transcripts for application review.
    *Official transcripts are required upon enrollment if it is not provided at the time of application.
  • Your transcripts are considered official if:
    • They are sent directly from your guidance counselor or another high school official.
    • You bring them to campus in a sealed and stamped envelop that came directly from your high school.
    • They are sent directly from a credential evaluator such as World Education Services (WES) or any NACES member.
    • They are provided by a government sponsoring organization or EducationUSA officer.
• Course by Course Transcript Evaluations
  • International student applications that show completion of non-U.S. accredited high school or college courses can be evaluated at the applicant’s expense. If the applicant submits transcripts from multiple schools or universities, each set of transcripts will require a separate evaluation.
  • You do not need to submit additional copies of your transcript to Valparaiso University; they will be included in your credential evaluation.
• Preferred Transcript Evaluation Partners
  • We currently recommend course by course transcript evaluations from World Evaluation Services (WES) or International Education Evaluation, although we do accept evaluations from any NACES member.

Please follow the directions below if you choose to send your Valpo transcript evaluation through WES.

Select ‘VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY’ and ‘OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSION’ as a recipient to send ‘OFFICIAL’ WES evaluations. 

• Under ‘Your Information’, select ‘Report Recipients’
• Scroll down to ‘Recipient 2: Institution(s) receiving your report’
• In the ‘Institution or Company’ field, type in ‘Valparaiso University’. It will automatically populate and select ‘Valparaiso University’.
• Now you will be in the pop-up screen called ‘Add Recipient’. Under the field titled ‘School/Division’, select ‘Office of Undergraduate Admission’.
• Once that is selected, scroll down and select ‘add recipient’.

For more information on accredited institutions outside the United States, please refer to the Council for Higher Accreditation (CHEA).

Applicants for whom English is a non-native language must demonstrate English proficiency. English proficiency may be demonstrated through a standardized test score or certain waiver criteria as listed below:

• TOEFL (75 iBT minimum)
• IELTS (6.0 minimum)
• SAT (Reading & Writing score of minimum 500)
• ACT (English score of minimum 24)
• Duolingo English Test (DET) with a score of 110 or higher sent from Duolingo
• GCE or GCSE (O/A Level) English exam (Grade of A or B)
• IB Higher Level English Exam (Score of 5, 6, or 7 or grade A or B)
• WAEC (English Language score of A1, B2, B3, C4, C5, or C6)
• iTEP (3.8 or higher)
• PTE (56 or higher)
• Transfer student from a United States college or university with 24 completed credit hours
• Completion of at least 2 consecutive years of high school and graduate from a High school in the United States
• Your country of permanent residence is the Canada (except Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, Belize or Australia
• Completion of Level 112 at an ELS Language Center

The English Language Proficiency score is waived if you have achieved INTERLINK International Institutes’ Level 6 Proficiency in their English for Academic Purposes curriculum and provide an official transcript or certificate to that effect.

THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT ACCEPTED TO MEET OF ENGLISH PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS AT THIS TIME:

• Counselor recommendation letters
• EF Standard English Test (EF SET)
• Any scores less than the aforementioned list

You may submit more than one type of test on your application. The Undergraduate Admissions Office maintains the right to require English proficiency testing when deemed necessary.

Applicants from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Liberia are required to submit their WAEC results and verification information.

Valparaiso University is required by the United States Department of Homeland Security to determine that international applicants have sufficient financial resources to cover their expenses while in the USA. All international applicants must complete:

1. The financial support form (found on this page under the New Students tab OR a letter of sponsorship from the person(s) assuming responsibility for all of applicant’s fees.

2. A sponsor’s original or official bank statement of sufficient funds or official scholarship notification letter from a governmental or private sponsoring agency (some restrictions apply).

These documents must be turned in before an admittance decision is made and the creation of the I-20. If the document’s original creation date exceeds 12 months, they are not valid.

Important: US immigration regulations require that students provide evidence of financial resources to be used to cover all expenses during the student’s proposed course of study. Please submit documentation of liquid funds for the first year of study. An I-20 or DS-2019 will not be issued without complete and official financial documentation.

Fees are subject to change and will be adjusted annually.
*Living expenses are tentative and can fluctuate due to the cost of: housing, health insurance, food, books/supplies, and personal expenses.
**Students participating in year-round (12-month) programs will need to allow additional costs. Please contact your department for details.
***Additional fees may apply based on your individual program, please contact your department for details.

International Application Deadlines

International applicants must submit all required materials by the specified deadlines to be considered for the corresponding entry term. Applications that are not completed by these deadlines will be automatically deferred to the next available semester.

We encourage students to submit their Enrollment Deposit Form well before the preferred decision deadlines listed below. Since visa appointment wait times can vary significantly by country, it is crucial to apply for your visa as early as possible. Additionally, all international students must arrive on campus approximately one week before classes begin to participate in FOCUS and International Student Orientation.

Please click here for the exact date the semester begins.

• Office of International Programs
• Academic Support Systems
• Housing Information