International students are welcome on our campus. We appreciate both the significant contributions you make in your home country and the important perspective you provide to our native‑born students.

Test Of English As a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

If your education is from a country where English is not a primary language, or if we can’t judge your proficiency in English from your admission documents, we will request your TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score. You will need a minimum score of 187 on the computerized test, or 515 on the paper examination for us to consider your application. Centers around the world administer this examination several times a year. You can get information about this test, including exact examination dates and locations by contacting the following service:
TOEFL Educational Testing Service, Box 6154, Princeton, NJ 08541‑6154, USA    

Phone: 609‑771‑7760, Fax: 609‑771‑7765, E‑mail: toefl@ets.org   www.ets.org
If you are a permanent resident possessing an immigrant visa, the English proficiency rules also apply to you.

Student Visa

If you are not already a permanent resident possessing an immigrant visa, you will need to acquire an F‑1 visa (student visa). The Immigration and Naturalization Service requires the college to verify that you are accepted as a full‑time student and that you have the funds available to meet your estimated expenses for one academic year, including round trip transportation between your home and Ohio. Therefore, we will ask you to sign a statement and provide appropriate documentation to show that you have the necessary funds. Because the application for the F‑1 visa requires affirmation that you do not intend to live in the United States permanently, you will be charged non‑resident tuition.

Calculating expenses

You should also note that we are a non‑residential campus. That is, we do not have any dormitories on our campus. This means you will need to find housing on your own. It is possible to live in a dormitory on the Uptown Campus, but this area does not have public transportation, so you will also need your own transportation (car) as well. You need to calculate these costs of living along with your tuition. Books are not included in your tuition

Please do not count on employment to cover your expenses once you are here. Full‑time students in this country are not able to work enough to support themselves while they attend classes. Your visa will not permit you to work during your first year here. This is intended to guarantee that you will have the time to study properly and adjust to the culture. After your first year, you will be limited to student employment that cannot exceed 20 hours per week (and may be significantly less). Your spouse will also be ineligible for any employment.

You can find details about visa requirements and rules for international students on the US Department of State Web site at www.travel.state.gov/visa. You should apply for admissions and begin your visa application as far in advance as possible since visa processing can take considerable time (several months in some cases).

You should also visit UC’s International Student Services Web site at www.admissions.uc.edu/international.