Apply for Graduate Admissions

Per policy, all students who attended an international institution (an institution that is not based in the United States or one of its territories) must undergo an international transcript evaluation. An official or unofficial international transcript evaluation is necessary for the application to receive an official admission decision. A NACES-accredited evaluation service with a U.S. equivalency must evaluate international transcripts. The evaluation must include a course-by-course evaluation with a GPA, demonstrating that the applicant has earned a degree equivalent to a United States bachelor’s degree (or higher, if necessary depending on the program).

Additionally, you must submit a transcript evaluation for any graduate-level coursework and advanced degrees required by certain programs. View a list of NACES-accredited evaluators. The equivalency must be to the United States and not another country. This requirement cannot be waived, amended or altered.

We do not require official transcript documents from the institution you attended because you will submit official transcripts to the NACES-accredited evaluation service. You can upload an unofficial transcript evaluation into your application or request an official transcript evaluation be sent directly to Graduate Admissions.

TEC(formerly SpanTran) is our recommended international transcript evaluation service. They have created a custom application for Georgia Southern University that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. You can access their application here: TEC Application – Georgia Southern

International applicants and U.S. citizens whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. Prior to consideration for admission, international applicants whose native language is not English must take and post acceptable scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) unless they have received a degree from an accredited college or university in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada (except Quebec), Australia or New Zealand. Candidates are also exempt from this assessment if they are from a country where English is an official language or predominantly spoken.

The TOEFL and IELTS examinations are administered at various times of the year and in many centers throughout the world. A score of at least 75 (internet-based test, iBT) or 537 (paper-based test) on the TOEFL and 6.0 on the IELTS is normally required for regular admission consideration to the College of Graduate Studies. The official TOEFL and the official IELTS scores may not be more than two years old.

You must submit all required application materials prior to the application deadline to receive an admission decision. Once your application is complete, your specific program will review it. Applications are reviewed by the program, and each program follows its own process and timeline for reviewing applications and releasing decisions. We encourage you to reach out to your program with any specific questions about their timeline for decisions.

The Office of International Student Admissions and Programs (ISAP) provides visa information and assistance with I-20 questions. You will work with ISAP to complete the I-20 form after obtaining admission, and you can direct any questions to international@georgiasouthern.edu. In addition, the center hosts International Student Orientation and many other programs throughout the year just for international students.

All applicants have the option to defer their application one time to a term up to one year after the term of the original application. To defer admission, log in to your application status portal and select “Deferral Form.” If you are already registered for classes, it is your responsibility to complete the voluntary cancellation/withdrawal form.

Please note that you can only defer your application to a semester in which the program accepts applications. View graduate program deadlines.

Please also be sure to give yourself enough time to secure a visa and make proper preparations for travel when selecting a deferral semester.

Explore information about graduate, teaching, lab and research assistantships.

Georgia Southern University recognizes the importance of international education and the benefits of a multicultural student population. In turn, Georgia Southern awards a limited number of out-of-country tuition waivers to undergraduate and graduate international students who demonstrate outstanding academic standing, financial need and commitment to the University and community. Students who receive this award pay in-state tuition rates and fees.

Eligibility Requirements

• Applicants must be admitted to a graduate degree program.
• Only students with F-1 visa status are granted a waiver. F-1 Visa status must be maintained at all times. Waivers are terminated for students who become legal permanent residents or lose status.
• Graduate students granted the waiver must maintain a minimum semester and cumulative graduate GPA of 3.5 to remain eligible to continue to receive the waiver. (Please note: undergraduate-level coursework is not calculated as part of the graduate GPA).
  • Graduate students with a semester and/or cumulative graduate GPA of less than 3.5 may apply. We consider applications based on available funding, academic record and essay content. If granted, the award would be for one semester only; however, it may be renewed if the minimum 3.5 GPA is attained after one semester.

How to Apply

To apply, complete the graduate application for the out-of-country tuition waiver form below. You must submit a new application for each summer term and for each new academic year.

Tuition Waiver Application Deadlines and Notifications

• Fall Semester – May 1 (Must register for classes no later than June 30).
  • We will notify recipients by late June.
• Spring Semester – October 1 (Must register for classes no later than November 30).
  • We will notify recipients by early December.
• Summer Semester – March 1 (Must register for classes no later than April 1).
  • We will notify recipients by mid-April.

Other Important Factors

• Students who maintain their visa status and the minimum GPA requirements may continue to receive the waiver until the completion of their current degree.
  • Continuing students must reapply.
  • Those who fail to continue to meet the visa and grade point requirements listed above will lose the waiver and must pay the nonresident tuition rate and fees. We will notify students who have lost the waiver in writing.
• Students should not wait to obtain an I-20. Receiving an I-20 prior to receiving a waiver does not disqualify the student from consideration.
• Students who do not receive a waiver must submit a new waiver application (and an essay) by the application deadline for consideration the following academic year.

Out-of-Country Tuition Waiver Form