Admission Requirements for International Students

Steps to Apply for Admission

First-year students applying to Georgia Southern University for the spring, summer or fall 2024 semesters require:

• 2.5+ GPA
• Either SAT or ACT test scores (see below for 2023 required scores)
• *Please note that First Year students applying to Georgia Southern can be admitted without an ACT or SAT score if they have a 3.2+ GPA and meet the following guidelines*:
  • Are coming from a country where English is an official language
  • Attended a bilingual secondary school

Attention: Non-native English speakers require a Proof of English Proficiency (see below).

• Complete Admissions Application
  Complete the Online Application.
  • The non-refundable application fee of $30 (US) can be paid by credit card (MasterCard or Visa).
• Submit High School Transcripts
  Either mail your official transcript or have a school official email your transcript to intladmissions@georgiasouthern.edu. Academic records must have a seal or an original signature. If your transcripts are not provided in English, you must submit a certified English translation of all documents.
  • Photocopies are acceptable if they are noted as “Certified True Copy” and signed by a school official.
• Submit Proof of English Proficiency (see table below)
  Non-Native English Speakers must submit Proof of English Proficiency. They may submit SAT, ACT, IELTS, TOEFL Test. Results must be submitted directly from the testing service.
  • Non-native speakers who attend four years of high school in the United States do not require Proof of English Proficiency.

Evaluating and transferring credit from foreign institutions takes time to complete so we recommend applying for admission early. As educational systems vary worldwide, it is possible that many classes taken outside of the United States will not transfer to Georgia Southern.

Steps to Apply for Admission

• Complete Admissions Application
  Complete the Online Application.
  • The non-refundable application fee of $30 (US) can be paid by credit card (MasterCard or Visa).
• Submit College/University Transcripts
  Submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities that you have attended (foreign and within the United States). Academic records must have a seal or an original signature. If your transcripts are not provided in English, you must include a certified English translation of all documents.
  • Photocopies are acceptable if they are noted as “Certified True Copy” and signed by a school official.
  • If you have less than 30 transferable semester hours, you must submit secondary school transcripts (see freshman requirements).
  • Georgia Southern may require you to submit a credential evaluation for certain college/university coursework. You will be notified by an admissions counselor if this is required.
• Course Descriptions- Foreign Credit Only
  Mail or email course descriptions for courses that may apply towards your chosen degree program at Georgia Southern. Acceptable course descriptions can be sourced from course syllabuses or official college/university catalogs.
  • Equivalent Georgia Southern credit cannot be awarded until course descriptions are evaluated by Georgia Southern officials.
• Submit Examination Results
  Non-Native English Speakers must submit IELTS, TOEFL, if they have not successfully completed ENGL 1101 from a college or university within the United States. Results must be submitted directly from the testing service.

Examination Requirements

• TOEFL: 69 IBT
• IELTS: 6.0
• SAT Reading & Writing (First-year students only): 480+
• ACT English or Reading (First-year students only): 17+

Georgia Southern University welcomes and supports international applicants – students from over 100 countries across the world are currently enrolled. Georgia Southern is recognized worldwide for offering students a superior university education taught by exceptional and caring faculty. Students live and study on a naturally beautiful, safe, and traditional American university campus surrounded by cutting-edge technology, all at a reasonable price.

Transcript Evaluation

Per policy, an international transcript evaluation is required for ALL students who have attended an international institution (an institution that is not based in the United States or one of its territories). Official or unofficial international transcript evaluations are required for the application to receive an official admission decision.  International transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES-accredited evaluation service with a U.S. equivalency. They must include a course-by-course evaluation with a GPA, and the evaluation will need to show that you have earned a degree equivalent to a United States bachelor’s degree. You must also submit a a transcript evaluation for any graduate-level course work as well as advanced degrees required by some programs. You can find a list of NACES-accredited evaluators here. Equivalency must be 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 copy by logging into your application or you can have an official evaluation submitted electronically to gradadmissions@georgiasouthern.edu. 

English Language Proficiency: TOEFL / IELTS

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 in which 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 to be considered for regular admission to the College of Graduate Studies. The official TOEFL and the official IELTS scores may not be more than two years old.

Timeline for Decision

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

Complete an I-20 Form

Our international admissions counselors will work with you to complete the I-20 form after obtaining admission, and any questions can be directed to international@georgiasouthern.edu.

Application Deferral

Applicants have the option to defer their application up to one year after its submission. To defer admission, log in to your application status portal and click “Deferral Form” on the status page. If you are registered for classes, it is your responsibility to complete the voluntary cancellation/withdrawal form here.

Please note that you can only defer your application to a semester in which the program accepts applications. You can find those listed here. Please also be sure to give yourself enough time to secure a visa and make proper preparations for travel when selecting a deferral semester.

Assistantship Opportunities

Applicants can find information about graduate assistantship, teaching assistant, and research assistant positions here.

Out of Country Tuition Waiver

Georgia Southern University recognizes the importance of international education and the benefits of a multicultural student population. To help ensure diversity, Georgia Southern University 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 and fees.

Eligibility Requirements

1. Applicants must be admitted to a graduate degree program.
2. Only students with F-1 visa status may be granted a waiver. F-1 Visa status must be maintained at all times. Waivers will be terminated for students who become legal permanent residents or lose status.
3. Graduate students granted the waiver must maintain a minimum semester and cumulative graduate GPA of 3.5 to be 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 less than 3.5 may apply. Applications will be considered based on available funding, academic record, and essay content. If granted, the award would be for one semester only, however, may be renewed if the minimum 3.5 GPA is attained after one semester.

How to Apply

• Complete and submit a Graduate Application for Out-of-Country Tuition Waiver Form (see below)
• A new application is required for each summer term and for each new academic year

Tuition Waiver Application Deadlines & Notifications

• Fall Semester – May 1 (Must be registered for classes no later than June 30)
  • Recipients will be notified by late June 
• Spring Semester – October 1 (Must be registered for classes no later than November 30)
  • Recipients will be notified by early December
• Summer Semester – March 1 (Must be registered for classes no later than April 1)
  • Recipients will be notified by mid-April

OTHER NOTES:

1. Students who maintain their visa status and the minimum GPA requirements may continue to receive the waiver until 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 be prepared to pay the non-resident tuition and fees. Students who have lost the waiver will be notified in writing.
2.  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.
3. Students who do NOT receive a waiver must submit a new waiver application (and essay) by the application deadline to be considered for the following academic year.