Apply as an International Student

These application instructions are for international students (non-U.S. citizens) interested in pursuing a degree.

All costs associated with the international credit evaluation are the responsibility of the student. The University reserves the right to make its own determination on the amount and type of credit to be awarded based on the evaluations provided by these agencies. An enrolled student may transfer a maximum of 90 credits from international institutions. Thomas Edison State University does not participate in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), therefore the University does not sponsor foreign national students for F-1 or J-1 visa status. Course-by-course credit recommendations will be reviewed by Thomas Edison State University based upon existing transfer and degree policies in place at the time of application.

Below are the steps for a regular application as an international student.

  1. Explore our programs
  2. Review our International tuition plan
  3. Review International Student Admissions policies

Applicants who are a citizen of a country where English is not the native language must either:

  • Submit official results from either the iBT Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS), either the Academic or General Training exam, to the Registrar. At minimum, TOEFL scores should be 79 on the Internet-based test (iBT). At minimum, the IELTS score should be 6.5. Students are responsible for taking either the TOEFL or IELTS and having the official scores sent to the Office of the Registrar at Thomas Edison State University by the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
    -OR-
  • Provide documentation of 9 semester credit hours (not including ESL or developmental courses) with a C or better at an accredited/approved college or university in a country where English is the medium of instruction by submitting this form.
  1. Complete the application. Submit your application with the $50 nonrefundable application fee.

    Please note: Certain academic programs have additional admissions requirements, including nursing programs and graduate programs.
  2. Visit our transfer credit page to determine how to send transcripts, college-level examinations and other transfer credit for review.

    Please note: TESU will not evaluate transcripts from other countries. We will accept the credit recommendations from one of these agencies when the recommendations are based on a course by course evaluation and sent on an official transcript to TESU.
  3. You will be notified via email of your acceptance decision. Questions, contact admissions@tesu.edu for assistance!