INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT INFORMATION

Villanova University is a vibrant and diverse intellectual community that values and welcomes international students. Villanova's student body includes undergraduate and graduate students from nearly 50 countries around the world. These countries are symbolized by the flags that hang in the Connelly Center, a hub of student activity on campus.

The Villanova Office for International Students and Scholars is located in the Connelly Center and offers a myriad of services to international students, including assistance with immigration rights and responsibilities; educational, social and personal counseling; cultural adjustment; and campus and community activities. Be sure to visit the office's resources page.

As an international applicant, you may have earlier application deadlines and additional requirements. Please review the information on this page carefully before applying to a graduate program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
 

Graduate Admissions 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 processes, international applicants must follow the earlier application deadlines below.

Please note that in order to receive the I-20, you must be admitted to a graduate degree program (a master's or PhD). If you choose to apply to a master’s program and a graduate certificate but are admitted only to the certificate program, an I-20 will not be issued to you.
 

Admissions Deadlines for International Applicants Currently Outside of the U.S.

• Spring Entry: Complete application and submit all required materials by October 15.
• Fall Entry: Complete application and submit all required materials by May 1. Scholarship and assistantship deadlines may be earlier than this, such as February 1 or March 1. Be sure to review your respective program's website for program deadlines.

Admissions Deadlines for International Applicants Seeking to Transfer an Active SEVIS Record from Another Institution

• Spring Entry: Complete application and submit all required materials by November 15.
• Fall Entry: Complete application and submit all required materials by July 15. Scholarship and assistantship deadlines may be earlier than this, such as February 1 or March 1. Be sure to review your respective program's website for program deadlines.

Academic Calendar

Villanova operates on the standard semester system, with courses offered in the fall, spring and summer. Fall classes typically begin in mid-late August and end in mid-late December. Spring classes typically begin in mid-January and end in mid-May. Please check the academic calendar for specific dates based on the semester and year. Most courses are three credits each, and a full-time student generally takes 6 to 9 credits per term.
 

Additional Requirements for International Applicants

Proof of English Proficiency

TOEFL, IELTS Academic, Cambridge or Duolingo English Test (DET)
English language proficiency can be demonstrated by submitting official test results directly to the Graduate Studies Office either from an in-person administration of TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency or the online DET. It is required that applicants satisfy English language proficiency through one of these methods.

Minimum required test scores are as follows:

Scores are considered valid from exams taken a maximum of two years prior to program application deadlines. Please submit official TOEFL scores to Villanova using the school code 2959. Official IELTS Academic scores can be sent electronically or by hard copy to the Graduate Studies Office. Official DET scores should be sent electronically through the DET platform.

International applicants do not need to submit the TOEFL, IELTS Academic, Cambridge or DET if the applicant meets any of the following criteria: 

• You are a citizen of Australia, Canada, the UK, Ireland or New Zealand. 
• You earned your prior college or university degree in the United States or one of the countries listed above.

Please also note the following:

• If you earned a degree at another institution in the United States, some programs might request you submit a copy of the TOEFL, IELTS Academic, Cambridge or DET score you submitted when applying for entrance into that institution.
• Some programs may require an additional online interview.
   

Credential Evaluation

Villanova requires that transcripts from colleges and universities outside 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 paying all fees for such evaluations and making arrangements with the credential evaluation company to send and receive their documents. Fees vary depending on the evaluator and whether a translation is needed. If you are using the service of a credential evaluator that has the capability to send the credentials evaluation electronically, please instruct them to send it to gradinformation@villanova.edu; otherwise, please use the mailing address listed in the Undergraduate and Graduate Transcripts section of this page.

Villanova will accept a course-by-course credential evaluation from any NACES member.

The following credential evaluators offer electronic delivery:

• Educational Credential Evaluators
• International Education Evaluation
• International Education Research Foundation
• Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
• The Evaluation Company
• World Education Services (WES). Choose "Villanova University - Graduate and Professional Admissions" as the recipient.

Undergraduate and Graduate Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions you have attended are required at time of application. Official transcripts are required after an admission decision has been rendered and before a student can enroll in classes. Please note that official transcripts will likely also be required by credential evaluating organizations.

Electronic transcripts are preferred and should be sent by the institution(s) to: gradinformation@villanova.edu. 

Or find Graduate Programs, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Villanova University listed in the transcript service recipient options. Paper transcripts should be sent to:

Villanova University
Office of Graduate Studies
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Vasey Hall - Suite 109
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085
 

Financial Certification (if admitted)

Financial certification must be provided upon offer of admission. Official financial certification in the amount of $34,920 (amount subject to change), which covers tuition, living expenses and health insurance for one academic year, is a requirement for all international students in need of an F1 Visa. The University requires financial certification to ensure that international students are aware of the total costs of pursuing a graduate degree. Villanova does not offer graduate student housing. You can see real-time apartment rates at Villanova’s Off-Campus Housing website. The Center for Graduate Research and Education also offers a robust Making Villanova Home webpage, which provides information about housing, budgeting and living in the Villanova and Philadelphia area.
 

English for Everyday Life Course

International Students may wish to consider signing up for a course in the English for Everyday Life Series through the College of Professional Studies (Please note: Courses through CPS will not count towards your degree in Graduate Studies.)