Graduate and Doctoral International Applicants

International students are a valued part of the Judson University community. Preparing to study in the United States involves a lot of paperwork, but the International Office is available to assist both incoming and continuing students.

Non-immigrant international students must follow the regulations of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. These include, but are not limited to:

  • continuing as a full-time student and not accepting off-campus employment without authorization from the designated school official and, when required,
  • the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.

For more information, please contact the International Office, or visit the International website page.

All incoming students must submit the admissions documents found on the Admissions page of the catalog for their program. Additional documents required of international students are provided below.

Students Not Currently in the U.S.

If you are applying to Judson and are not currently studying in the United States:

Required Documents

  • Send Judson University one of the following test scores (NOTE: the TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for non-native English speakers):
    • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) - our TOEFL Institutional code is 1351 and our required score is 550 (paper-based) 213 (computer based), or 79 (internet based)
    • IELTS (International English Language Testing System) - our required score is 6.5
  • Official transcripts from your undergraduate college/university (as listed on the Admissions page) must first be sent to a NACES member organization for evaluation. To find out what official documents to send please visit their website, https://www.naces.org/members and carefully review the document and fee requirements. Evaluated transcripts should be sent by the organization directly to Judson University. Note: U.S. transcripts do not need to be sent through an evaluator, but can come directly to Judson.
  • Fill out (or have a financial sponsor fill out) the Certificate of Finances. Note that your sponsor must accurately pledge what they are able to provide for every year you are enrolled at Judson.
  • Send a copy of your passport - this is necessary to register you with SEVIS.

Once all admissions documents have been received and the Program Chair has evaluated them for compliance to Judson standards, the student will be admitted and will receive an acceptance letter. At this point, students will be sent an I-20 Information Form to fill in and send back to the International Office. We will then register you with SEVIS (the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) and will issue you a Form I-20, which you will use to apply for your student visa to study in the United States.

The I-20 is a United States Immigration document that shows you have been admitted to Judson University and it shows your financial aid from Judson. This document must be presented at your local United States Embassy, along with a receipt proving that you have paid the $350 SEVIS fee (see https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/2012/06/paying-your-i-901-sevis-fee for details). Your local US Embassy will also require a copy of the Certificate of Finances and your sponsor's bank statements. At that point the US Embassy will make the decision to give you the F-1 Student Visa to study in the United States.

Students Currently in the U.S.

If you are applying to Judson and are currently an F-1 student in the United States:

Required Documents

  • Official transcripts from your undergraduate college/university (as listed on the Admissions page) must first be sent to a NACES member organization for evaluation. To find out what official documents to send please visit their website, https://www.naces.org/members and carefully review the document and fee requirements. Evaluated transcripts should be sent by the organization directly to Judson University. Note: U.S. transcripts do not need to be sent through an evaluator, but can come directly to Judson.
  • Fill out (or have a financial sponsor fill out) the Certificate of Finances. Note that your sponsor must accurately pledge what they are able to provide for every year you are enrolled at Judson.
  • Send a copy of your passport - this is necessary to update your information with SEVIS.

Once all admissions documents have been received and the Program Chair has evaluated them for compliance to Judson standards, the student will be admitted and will receive an acceptance letter. At this point, students will be sent a Transfer Request Form. This must be completed by the student and the International Office at your college or university, requesting that they release your SEVIS record to us before the start of the next session. This will enable us to issue you an I-20 from Judson without interrupting your F-1 status here in the States.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

Students who are working in the United States while on the F-1 Visa will need to complete the CPT Application to receive employment authorization. This includes the following:

  • Student CPT Application1
  • Employer Cooperative Agreement1
1

The required documents may be obtained by contacting the program or department chair.