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As an international student, your requirements and admissions process will vary depending on whether or not you're seeking a degree. The application steps listed below are for students seeking a degree. If you're not seeking a degree, follow the Nondegree Admissions. Other general information regarding international students can be found on the International Student Services page.
As an international student, you're required to provide certain information before attending Metropolitan State University.
A first-year student is a student starting college or university for the first time or transferring with fewer than 16 semester credits. An official transcript from the secondary school must be submitted directly from the issuing school(s).
Your academic performance will be evaluated for acceptance to Metropolitan State. If your grade reports are not issued with a U.S. 4.0 grading system, International Student Services will evaluate your grade report or mark sheet to determine eligibility.
A transfer student is a student coming from another college or university with more than 16 college/university level credits. A transfer student can be transferring credits from a college/university overseas or within the U.S. All transfer credits must be from an accredited college/university.
For students transferring from another U.S. institution, the following documents are also required:
All international students are required to have health insurance. Contact United Health Care Student Resources for questions and an application. Health insurance coverage is considered official once the forms are received at United Healthcare Student Resources through Financial Management.
Important: International students (F-1 or J-1 visa visiting scholars) are not eligible to apply for the student health insurance available elsewhere on the website. It is only for U.S. residents.
International student applicants must follow procedures required for all prospective students. However, due to longer processing time involved in evaluating international transcripts, international applicants are required to submit applications by these deadlines.
For transfer students, application deadlines are:
For overseas students, application deadlines are:
Apply for undergraduate admission
Complete the International Student Application form.
Submit transcripts
Foreign transcripts must be evaluated by an accredited agency, such as Educational Credential Evaluators Inc. (ECE). The type of evaluation report should be general for students who have only a high school diploma, and a course-by-course report for students who have earned credits beyond high school. The report must show the equivalence of a U.S. GPA of at least a 3.0. We will not accept student or fax copies. Official transcripts must be sent directly to the Admissions Office.
It often takes six to eight weeks to receive a report, so it is important to send transcripts well in advance so that the report is received by the application deadline date. Metropolitan State is not responsible for any delays in receiving the reports.
Submit other required documents
In addition to your transcripts, international students must also provide the following information:
Learn about International Student Services
ISS can help you with:
Evaluate your transfer credits
You’ll receive a transfer evaluation 12 - 14 business days after receiving an acceptance letter. This evaluation (called a Transfer Audit) explains how your transfer credits have been accepted and applied to General Education and Liberal Studies (GELS), including the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC).
Parts one and two of the application can be found by going to your Graduate Studies program of interest and then to the corresponding "Applying to the Program" page. International students also need to complete Part Three:
Submit the materials for Part 3 of your application to:
International Student Services Office
Metropolitan State University
700 East Seventh Street
Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55106-5000
International students must follow procedures required for all prospective students. However, due to longer processing time involved in evaluating international transcripts, applicants are required to submit applications by the following deadlines, unless otherwise specified by your program of interest.
For international transfer students, deadlines are:
For overseas students, deadlines are:
Official TOEFL scores must be submitted; student copies are not acceptable. Metropolitan State University's school code for TOEFL is 6445. Select your program of interest from Graduate Studies and then go to the corresponding program page for score minimums. For students experiencing impacts due to COVID-19, we ask you to reach out to us at international.studentservices@metrostate.edu.
Applicants must be financially self-sufficient and able to provide proof of at least $25,120. To receive an I-20 and F-1 Visa, you must show that you have adequate funding to meet all the expenses that will be incurred in your proposed program of study. You must submit a current (not over 90 days) and certified copy of your financial statement from a registered bank or savings institution in U.S. dollars showing adequate financial resources for the period of intended enrollment. The I-20 will not be processed until we have received this information.
For questions concerning the I-20 or your financial documents, contact the International Admissions Office at 651.793.1219. If support is coming from outside of the U.S., then submit a certified letter from the sponsor indicating that they will be responsible for all educational expenses and a bank statement showing availability of U.S. $25,120 plus the additional amount required for each dependent. For more information, see the International Student Admissions Application. Copies will not be accepted.
Minnesota Law (M.S. 135A, 14) requires all students born after 1956 be immunized against diphtheria, tetanus (every 10 years), mumps and rubella. Minnesota high school students who graduated in 1997 or later are exempt from the immunization requirements. In addition, a student may be exempted for medical or conscientious reasons. Unless exempt, a student must provide immunization data at initial registration. For more information and to obtain an Immunization Form, contact the Admissions Office, visit the Immunization Requirements section or download the student immunization record form.
An international transfer student is a student coming from an accredited college/university overseas or within the U.S.
For students transferring from another U.S. institution, the following documents are also required: