Villanova University welcomes graduate students from across the globe. Located in the ethnically and culturally diverse Philadelphia region, the university is home to students and faculty from many different countries, cultures, and religions. Almost twenty percent of graduate students at the University are international students, coming from more than sixty different countries.
Support for International Students
The University’s Office of International Student Services assists students from outside the United States in adjusting to Villanova and the surrounding community. The Office provides information and advice about visas and immigration, housing and employment, health care and other questions related to living and studying in the United States. Contact Hubert WhanTong, or telephone the Office of International Student Services 610-519-8017.
Another resource for international students is the University’s Center for Multicultural Affairs. The Center promotes diversity at Villanova by means of programs and events involving issues of global and domestic differences. Workshops, interactive performances, retreats, and lectures are provided in locations across campus, in the local Mainline and Philadelphia communities.
There are also a number of international student organizations, including the Muslim Students Association, the Villanova Indian Students Association, SAMOSA -- an organization devoted to the culture of South Asia, the Chinese Student and Scholar Association (CSSA), the International Student Outreach Society (ISOS), and the Asian Students Association.
Deadlines for International Applicants
Typically, international students must obtain an I-20 and then a visa to become enrolled students in the U.S. Due to the processing time associated with these necessary tasks, Villanova strongly recommends that International Students follow these earlier application deadlines:
Fall Entry - Complete application by May 1 (assistantship deadlines may be earlier than this such as Feb 1 or March 1 - see program details)
Spring Entry - Complete application by October 15
Summer Entry - Complete application by April 1
If you are already in the U.S. and are transferring from another U.S. Master's Program, later applications may be permitted. Speak to the Program Director and Graduate Studies for more information on transferring.
Requirements for International Applicants
Applicants from outside the U.S. must provide additional application materials in order to be considered for admission. Upon offer of admission, then Financial Certification must be provided.
- Official TOEFL or IELTS scores to demonstrate English language proficiency for those who are non-native speakers.
- Credentials Evaluation.
- Official Transcripts. Although you will have the opportunity to upload unofficial transcripts in the online application, we still require official transcripts from international students for application review. This helps expedite the process of issuing I-20's should admission be offered to you.
English Language Proficiency
International applicants must give evidence of proficiency in English. This proficiency is determined by the TOEFL OR IELTS examinations. The minimum acceptable scores are:
- TOEFL Paper-based - 550
- TOEFL Internet-based – 80
- IELTS Overall Score – 7.0
The International Student Office offers individual sessions with Debra K Hoover, who is Coordinator of English as a Second Language. International students can schedule one-on-one meetings in order to enrich and develop their English language abilities in the areas of presentation skills, pronunciation, academic writing and social situations. The students can discuss their particular individual English language needs and practice the language skills which will be necessary in their academic courses. These sessions are not intended to provide intensive English tutoring or extensive help; the purpose is to enable students who have achieved a satisfactory TOEFL or IELTS score to continue to improve their English while they are attending Villanova University.
Credentials Evaluation
Villanova’s Graduate College of Liberal Arts and Sciences requires that transcripts from colleges and universities outside of those from the U.S. and Canada undergo a course-by-course analysis by an expert academic credential evaluator in the United States. Students are responsible for all fees of such evaluations and must make arrangements with the credential evaluation company to send and receive their documents. We recommend the members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) as acceptable evaluators. Information about NACES and its members can be found at www.naces.org.
Financial Certification
Official Financial Certification in the amount of $22,000 (amount subject to change) is a requirement for all International Students in need of an F1 Visa.
