An international student is a student on a J-1 or F-1 visa who is not a citizen of, or permanent resident of, or a refugee in the United States of America
Graduate Admission Requirements
While each of ASU's graduate programs has unique admission standards, ASU set minimum requirements for admission to master's, certificate and doctoral programs. Admission Services does not offer a general application fee waiver.
ASU has provided three resources that describe the application requirements for each of the graduate degree programs.
- ASU Degree Search website: Departments list the admission requirements on the degree page under the Admission Requirements subheader. Contact information for that department can be found here as well for additional questions.
- The department’s website: Visit the department's website to learn more about the degrees, events, contact information, faculty, curriculum and more.
- The admission application: The application will dive deeper into a program’s admission requirements. Most questions about the application can be answered here.
For additional information, please refer to admission.asu.edu/graduate.
English Language Proficiency Requirement
Refer to the English proficiency for international graduate applicants website for current requirements and exemption details.
Undergraduate Academic Requirement
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Freshmen must have a 3.00 grade point average (GPA) (a "B" or better where "A"=4.00) from a secondary school.
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Transfer students must have a minimum 2.50 GPA (a "C+" or better where "A"=4.00) from a college or university. Some ASU programs require a minimum transfer GPA of 3.00, including W.P. Carey School of Business and Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.
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Some ASU programs may have higher admission requirements and may require a minimum ACT or SAT score.
English Language Proficiency Requirement
Applicants whose native language is not English (identified by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Public Affairs) must provide evidence of English language proficiency. The English proficiency requirement may be fulfilled by meeting one of the following:
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Minimum score of 500 (paper-based), 173 (computer-based), or 61 (internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
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Minimum overall band of 6.0 with no band below 5.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
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Minimum Pearson Test of English (PTE) of 53.
Please note: Some ASU colleges/schools have higher English proficiency requirements. For example, The ASU Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering require a higher TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based) as well as an IELTS score of 6.5. And, the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism requires a higher TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based) or 100 (internet-based), an IELTS score of 7.0 and a PTE score of 73.
Exceptions to the English (TOEFL/IELTS) Requirement:
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Applicants who have completed their junior and senior years in a U.S. high school with SAT Verbal score of 550 or ACT English score of 23.
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Applicants who have completed a minimum of 48 transferable semester credits including six credits of freshman English composition at a U.S. college or university with a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher.
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Applicants holding a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university.
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Applicants who have completed four years of high school in a U.S. high school. These applicants are subject to high school competency requirements.
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Applicants who have successfully completed the Advanced 2 level of the American English and Culture Program at Arizona State University.
Conditional Admission
ASU may offer conditional undergraduate admission to international applicants who meet the academic (aptitude) requirement but do not meet the minimum English proficiency standards. Through conditional admission, students must first successfully complete the Advanced 2 level of the English language course at ASU's American English and Culture Program or fulfill the ASU English Language Proficiency requirement as stated above before being allowed to enroll in university courses.
Note: ASU reserves the right to independently test any student's English proficiency upon arrival, including those who have earned scores satisfying minimum admission criteria, and may require support classes if the demonstrated level of English proficiency is not sufficient for academic success.
Competency Requirement
International students who attended four years of high school in the U.S. are required to meet the competency requirements:
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English: Four years (composition/literature based)
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Math: Four years - algebra I, geometry, algebra II and one course requiring algebra II as a prerequisite.
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Laboratory Science: three years total (1 year each from any of the following areas are accepted: biology, chemistry, earth science, integrated sciences, and physics).
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Social Science: two years (including one year American history)
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Foreign language: two years (same language).
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Fine Arts: one year.
Higher Requirements for Some ASU Schools/Colleges
Some ASU colleges/schools have higher standards for admission into their programs. International applicants must meet general university international admission requirements as well as the appropriate freshman or transfer program requirements of their major. Search for your degree for more details.
