The College Process for International Students

 The process of investigating colleges is often more challenging for international students whose parents often cannot accompany them on college visits.  While we strongly encourage you to visit college campuses, you should be aware that admission officers understand when international applicants cannot visit their campus and they will not penalize the international applicant for not visiting. 

International students can demonstrate their interest in a college by emailing and phoning admission counselors to ask questions and by attending meetings with college representatives when they are at Wyoming Seminary.

The process of applying to colleges is not different for an international student; however, there are some colleges that have a unique application for international students.  All international students need to identify themselves as non-U.S. citizens when requesting applications to be sure to receive the correct one.

All international applicants to US colleges and universities need to prove that they have the financial resources to pay for their education.  Parents will need to provide their child with a bank certified statement of the funds available for their child’s education.  This information must be in English, must be on bank letterhead, and must contain the bank's official seal.   Each applicant will need an original letter for each college to which he or she applies.  Parents will also need to provide schools with a signed affidavit of sponsorship. These letters should accompany seniors when they arrive for school in the fall.

sample affidavit of sponsorship

International students and parents seeking financial assistance need to be very aggressive in the college search.  Seminary has found that international students who visit college campuses and interview with admission officers distinguish themselves in the process and have a greater chance of receiving scholarships.  Any international student seeking scholarships should consult eduPASS.  This web site provides information about colleges and universities that offer financial aid to international students. Students and parents then need to consult individual college web sites to learn the specific policies of each school in which they are interested.  Typically, small liberal arts colleges located in rural areas in the Midwest are much more likely to provide financial assistance to international students than large universities located in urban areas. There are only a small number of colleges and universities that provide international students with scholarships, and competition for financial assistance is extremely fierce.

Students for whom English is not their first language will also need to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam. We recommend that students take the TOEFL in the spring of their junior year and in the fall of their senior year, if necessary. TOEFL practice sessions are held on campus throughout the year and transportation is provided to local testing sites. Students must consult with Mr. Raleigh Myers before registering. More information about the test is available on the TOEFL website. Sem's TOEFL reporting code, which students should use so that their official scores will be sent to Wyoming Seminary, is 2230.