Welcome! International students wishing to apply to our programs have a few additional steps to complete their application and successfully enroll at the University of Arizona.
Am I Considered an International Student?
You are considered an international student if:
- You are not a citizen of the United States of America, and
- You are not a U.S. permanent resident, refugee, asylee or Jay Treaty status holder.
International applicants must meet additional admissions requirements in the following areas:
- Degree Requirements
- English Proficiency
- Financial Guarantee and Visa Requirements
- Health Insurance
Degree Requirements
Please review University of Arizona International Graduate Admissions Requirements to discover the minimum degree required of students from each country.
Per immigration regulations, international students admitted to a graduate program must enroll in a total of 9 units, of which 6 of those units must be courses taught in-person and only 3 online units may be used toward full-time enrollment.
Please note: a GRE is not required. You may still submit one if you choose to.
English Proficiency
Proof of English proficiency is required for any international applicant born in a country where English is not the official language. Please check our English Requirement list to verify your need to submit an English proficiency test. These tests must be dated within 2 years of the enrollment term to be considered valid.
Acceptable English Proficiency tests are:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - minimum score of 79 iBT (or 60 on the revised PBT with no section score lower than 15). Individual MyBest scores must also be dated within 2 years of the enrollment term to be considered valid.
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) - minimum composite score of 7, with no subject area below a 6
- Pearson PTE Academic - minimum score of 60
- Graduate English Language Endorsement from the Center for English as a Second Language (CESL)
- CEPT Full Academic test - offered by our Center for English as a Second Language (CESL), minimum Total score of 110.
Those exempt from submitting English proficiency scores are:
- Applicants from countries where English is the official language.
- Applicants who have completed a bachelor's or graduate degree at a regionally accredited institution in the United States, or an approved institution in an official English speaking country. Degree must not be older than 2 years from the term of enrollment.
- Applicants who have completed 2 years of full-time academic study must have 48 upper division, graded undergraduate semester units or 30 graded, graduate semester units.
Conditional Admissions
Graduate departments may recommend a student for Conditional Admission if the prospective student meets all Graduate College requirements except the minimum English proficiency requirement. See International Conditional Admission for more information.
Financial Guarantee & Visa Requirements
Students requesting non-immigrant visas (I-20 or DS-2019) must certify that they possess adequate financial resources to support themselves while in residence at the University of Arizona and must submit the Financial Guarantee Form.
Helpful Financial Guarantee Information:
- Financial guarantee documents must be dated within 6 months of the term of admission, must be in English, and should be addressed to The University of Arizona Graduate College.
- Departmental funding can serve as proof towards completion of the financial guarantee.
- It is acceptable to combine various types of funding such as student's personal funds, family funds, sponsor funding, and/or departmental funding to meet the total guarantee requirement.
- Family members (spouse or children) that accompany students to the United States require proof of additional funding.
Sponsor Information:
- If a student is sponsored through an organization or government agency, the sponsor must provide the Graduate Admissions Office and the International Student Services office with the terms of support.
- An official sponsorship letter must include specific information regarding the amount and duration of the financial award.
- Some sponsors require the University of Arizona to bill their organization for student tuition and fees. If so, details must be handled through an embassy or an agency located within the United States.
- Prior to registration, an official letter regarding billing information must be sent to:
International Student Services Office
University of Arizona
915 N. Tyndall Ave.
Tucson, Arizona 85721-0441
Health Insurance
Students on non-immigrant visas are required by the University of Arizona to carry student accident and illness insurance coverage for each term of enrollment. The cost of insurance is included in the amount of the financial guarantee and is incorporated into your semester fees automatically upon registration.
Students covered by their government or sponsoring agency may be exempted from the University of Arizona's insurance plan when their government or sponsoring agency has submitted accident and sickness insurance plans deemed acceptable by the University of Arizona. Contact Campus Health for more information regarding an insurance exemption.
Students hired as Graduate Assistants in teaching or research will have their individual health insurance coverage paid by the University of Arizona. Additional information about this benefit will be sent to admitted international students who receive teaching or research assistant positions.
Tuition & Fees
For an estimated cost of attending the University of Arizona, please visit the Graduate College's Estimated Cost of a University of Arizona Education. Resources include Residency Classifications and the Official University of Arizona Tuition Calculator (look for "College of Information Science") Note: master's students must pay program fees. Ph.D students (international or domestic) do not pay program fees.
F-1 Student OPT After Graduation
Optional Practical Training provides an opportunity for F-1 students to gain work experience in the United States. Students graduated with the M.A. degree may have 12-months OPT training period. Students graduated from the MS degree (CIP Code:11.0401:information science/studies) may have an additional extension of 17 months (a total of 29 months). For details see the official OPT regulations.
U of A International Student Services
University of Arizona International Student Services offers a wide array of resources and support for international students, including undergraduate I-20 requests, graduate I-20 requests, travel, advising, employment and announcements.
Go to U of a International Student Services
Additional Information or Assistance
For questions regarding College of Information Science degree programs or admissions, please contact us. You may also contact the UA International Student Services.