SUNY International Student Application Guidelines

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Your Guide to Studying in the United States

WELCOME to SUNY!

We have created these guidelines to assist in your transition to The State University of New York (SUNY). Read and learn more about SUNY admission requirements, when and how to apply, and helpful Web sites.

General Admission Guidelines

1. Academic Credentials

SUNY offers undergraduate (associate and bachelor's degrees) and graduate (masters, doctoral and professional degrees) programs at 64 individual colleges/universities throughout the State of New York. An international applicant is a prospective student who is neither a U.S. citizen nor permanent resident of the United States and will require a non-immigrant visa for study in the United States.

This planning guide outlines the procedure for undergraduate admission. For information about graduate admission, consult the individual college and university Web sites.

First-year (freshman) applicants are required to have completed the highest level of secondary education in their country of residence; while transfer applicants will be evaluated for admission based on the number of credits completed and the grades received in their college coursework. The number of completed credits and grades required will vary among SUNY colleges, and individual colleges may also require secondary education records.

Regardless of whether you are applying for admission as a freshman or transfer student, official original transcripts or official certified copies of academic records are required. If your transcripts are not written in English, certified translations must be attached to the original transcript with a key to the marking system or grading scale included (if it is not indicated on the transcript).

For transfer students, transcripts should show grades/marks and credits earned for all college-level work. Applicants are required to submit transcripts from all previous colleges attended. Students currently enrolled in a college or university should send a partial transcript upon application and then a final transcript once the marks/grades have been recorded and coursework completed.

For translation and evaluation of transcripts, contact an evaluation service provider such as World Education Services, the International Education Research Foundation, Inc. or Education Evaluators International, Inc. For additional credential evaluation specialists; consult the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.

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2. English Language Proficiency

English is the language of instruction at SUNY and your success will depend on your ability to express yourself well in daily class work, written papers and on examinations. All applicants, who are not native speakers of English, are required to demonstrate their English proficiency. The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), TOEFL iBT (Internet-based TOEFL), or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) examination, or SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or ACT (American College Test) must be taken by any prospective student whose native language is not English. For students reporting more than one exam, many colleges will consider the highest exam score. Please plan to take one of these assessments as early as possible as your score may be a factor in determining your eligibility for admission to SUNY. Be sure to have the results sent directly to the admissions office at each campus to which you apply.

Transfer students from an accredited university or college within the United States, or those who have attended an English-speaking university and have taken college-level English writing and composition classes, may not be required to submit proof of English language proficiency. Students who are transferring from a school outside the U.S. are required to submit an English proficiency score. The minimum required proficiency scores vary among SUNY colleges.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum language proficiency may be offered conditional admission at select colleges, with their final admission subject to the successful completion of an English language proficiency program.

3. Financial Support

International students are expected to finance the total cost of attending college in the United States and are required, as part of the application process, to show that they have sufficient funds to support themselves during their studies.

According to the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, international students must demonstrate, by providing a bank statement in U.S. dollars, that they can pay for tuition and living expenses for their entire program. The amount of money considered as sufficient funding varies from year to year and campus to campus. Students planning to bring a spouse or children are required to show additional funds for those individuals. These documents must be completed and submitted before an admission decision can be made.

New York State and federal financial aid is not available to international students.

International Undergraduate Student Application Procedures

1. Choose a Major and Campus. For each college to which you apply, please select a program of study or indicate undeclared (if you are unsure about a program of study).

2. Submit your application for admission. You are strongly encouraged to apply online - it is fast, easy, secure and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Early completion of the application for admission is crucial, and we suggest a December 1 completion deadline for fall admission and a September 1 completion deadline for spring semester admission.

3. Pay the non-refundable application fee of $50 per campus choice. You may pay by credit card or check. Checks must be payable to SUNY Application Services Center (SUNY ASC) in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank. Please do not send cash.

4. Submit official secondary school records with an official seal, stamp or signature of a school or government official in the original language. These records should show all courses taken, grades earned, examinations passed and diplomas obtained. If not written in English, please provide an exactly worded and certified translation. Send all documents directly to the campus(es) to which you apply.

5. Request that an official score report for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), SAT, or IELTS be sent directly to the campus(es) to which you apply.

6. For Transfer applicants only: Submit official transcripts, from all colleges or universities attended, with official seal, stamp or signature of a school or government official in the original language for each post-secondary institution of higher education attended. These records should show all courses taken, grades earned, examinations passed and diplomas obtained. If not written in English, please provide an exactly worded and certified translation. Send all transcripts directly to the campus(es) to which you apply.

7. Complete the Autobiographical Essay, English Proficiency Report, and Foreign Student Financial Statement and Instructions forms.

You may be asked to supply additional documents to campuses to which you are applying.

For more assistance in your home country, contact an overseas educational advising center.