International Student Information
We are pleased to learn of your interest in the University of San Diego. The University has established its International Student Program under the Foreign Student Program (F-1 visa) as authorized by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS). Under this program students who are not U.S. citizens and whose previous education has been wholly or partially completed in a foreign country may apply for admission.
- F-1 Visa Procedures and Other Important Information
- F-1 Visa Information for Students not Currently in the United States
- F-1 Visa Information for Students Currently in the United States
- USD School Transfer Verification Form
- Certification of Finances Form (REQUIRED OF ALL INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS)
- Estimate of Expenses
- Admission Requirements
- English Language Requirements
- Application
- Financial Assistance
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT F-1 VISA PROCEDURES AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Financial Documentation
Attached is the USD Certification of Finances form. You must complete this form in order to obtain or maintain your F-1 student visa status. The form must be submitted with one or more of the following:
• Verification of Personal or Family Savings or Other Family Resources. This verification should be a letter from you or your sponsor's bank stating in U.S. Dollars the latest account balance.
• Other Income Sources such as Loan, Income, or Travel Grants. Please be specific and enclose a signed affidavit from an authorized person to certify the accuracy of this entry.
• Funds from your Government. Please indicate the name and agency and enclose a signed copy of your letter of award.
PLEASE CONVERT ALL CURRENCY AMOUNTS INTO U.S. DOLLARS.
The University of San Diego must be assured that you have sufficient financial support to cover the cost of your educational and living expenses in the United States.
F-1 visa information for students not currently in the United States
You must have the following before we will issue your Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant Student Status):
- Be accepted to the University of San Diego Graduate School
- Have paid an Enrollment Commitment Deposit
- Submitted the USD Certification of Finances form with supporting documents
After you receive your Form I-20, you should present it, along with our letter of acceptance, financial documents and your passport, to the nearest U.S. Consular Office. There, the appropriate official will stamp the F-1 Student Visa into your passport and return the Form I-20 to you. You will be asked to present your Form I-20 to the Immigration officer at the U.S. Port of Entry.
If you are denied an F-1 visa, it is important that you ask for a reason. Often the consular officer denies an F-1 visa because he or she believes there is not sufficient financial resources or that the student intends to reside permanently in the U.S. Be sure to bring copies of your financial documentation.
Students need to attend the institution that issued the Form I-20 at least one academic term before they can transfer to another U.S. institution. If you have been admitted to and have I-20 forms from more than one school, be sure to use only the Form I-20 issued to you by the school you plan to attend. In other words, use the Form I-20 issued to you by the University of San Diego if you plan to attend the University of San Diego. You may have trouble if you enter the country with a Form I-20 from an institution other than the University of San Diego.
F-1 visa information for students currently in the United States
If you are already studying in the United States on an F-1 student visa there are four steps you must take in order to maintain F-1 visa status:
- Complete
the attached International Student Transfer Verification form, and have Section
B completed and signed by the Designated School Official at your current
institution. Your Form I-20 will not be issued until the Office of Graduate
Admissions receives the completed International Student Transfer Verification
form. You will need to have proof of full-time attendance during the last
term at your previous school. You must prove that you are “in-status” when
you first attend USD. If you are unable to prove that you are in valid F-1
status, you are considered “out of status” and must apply for a
Reinstatement. THIS PROCESS WILL INCLUDE A FEE and will involve your personal
appearance at the District Office in San Diego. The Reinstatement process does
not cancel any penalties for being “out of status”, and could
affect all subsequent visits to the United States. You must include copies
of your current Form I-20, F-1 visa, passport page and I-94 card (front and
back) with the International Student Transfer Verification form.
- Note that there is a grace period of only 60 days to apply to a university after an F-1 student has completed a degree at an educational institution.
- Obtain the Form I-20 from the University of San Diego.
- Report to the Office of International Services immediately. Bring to the Office of International Services your passport, visa page, I-94, Form I-20 from the previous school, and the new I-20 from the University of San Diego. The I-94 card is your Arrival/Departure record which you received at the U.S. Port of Entry.
- The transfer process will be completed at USD Office of International Services by registering you into SEVIS (Student Exchange and Visitor Information System).
USD
Graduate School Transfer Verification Form 
[pdf
75 KB]
Visitor B Visa
If you enter the United States with a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa, you may need to return to your country and apply for an F-1 student visa.
Dependents
You will need to indicate if you plan to bring dependents (a spouse and/or children) with you to the United States. Please include information on dependents accompanying you to the United States on the attached USD Certification of Finances form. Indicate if they will travel with you or if they plan to travel separate from you. Each of your family members will need their own Form I-20. Please provide their legal names, dates of birth, country of citizenship, country of birth and relationship to the F-1 visa holder in order to complete their Form I-20.
Full-Time Status
It is a requirement of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services that all students studying on F-1 visas MUST register each semester for a MINIMUM OF 9 SEMESTER HOURS in a graduate program. The exception to this is if it is your last semester and you need less than 9 semester hours to complete your degree.
Special Student/Non-Degree Seeking Status
The University of San Diego limits graduate special students to 6 semester hours of coursework without being enrolled in a graduate program. Since the immigration requirement is a minimum of 9 semester hours, the university does not admit international students as special students.
Office of International Services
All international students must report to the Office of International Services and bring their passport, visa page, I-94 card, and Form I-20 to complete their immigration file. If you are attending the University of San Diego with a visa other than the F-1 student visa, you must provide a copy of your visa status with your Graduate Admissions Application and report to the Office of International Services. The Office of International Services is located in Serra Hall, Room 316. If you have immigration questions, contact this office at (619) 260-4678 or Fax (619) 260-4170.
Health Insurance
Health insurance coverage is mandatory for all international students. It will be billed with your tuition. Please pick up heath insurance plan information at the Office of International Services. The cost of health insurance for 2004-2005 is $624 for 12 months.
Inability to Attend
If you cannot enroll for the semester for which you have been admitted, please write to us immediately explaining your reasons. Also, let us know if you wish to transfer to the following semester so that we may take the appropriate action.
USD School Transfer Verification Form and Certification of Finances Form
The following USD Certification of Finances form must be submitted with your application. The USD School Transfer Verification form must be submitted if you are currently studying in the United States.
USD
School Transfer Verification Form [pdf
76 KB]
Certification
of Finances Form [pdf
95 KB]
Certification of Finances Form (Doctorate) [pdf 95 KB]
ESTIMATE OF EXPENSES FOR AN INDIVIDUAL GRADUATE STUDENT
Graduate Student
| One Month | Nine Months | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and Fees* | $2,934.00 | $26,400.00 ($1100/unit) |
Room and Board |
$1,300.00 | $11,700.00 |
| Health Insurance** | $64.00 | $768.00 |
Personal Expenses |
$400.00 | $3,600.00 |
| Total | $4,719.00 | $42,468.00 |
TUITION AND OTHER COSTS MAY INCREASE IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS
* Based on 12 semester units per semester.
** Health Insurance for an international student is $768.00 for 12 months.
Married students accompanied by their families will need an additional $800.00 per month for their spouse, $300.00 per month for one child, and $200.00 per month for each additional dependent.
Doctorate
| One Month | Nine Months | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and Fees* | $2,974.00 | $26,760.00 ($1115/unit) |
Room and Board |
$1,300.00 | $11,700.00 |
| Health Insurance** | $64.00 | $768.00 |
Personal Expenses |
$400.00 | $3,600.00 |
| Total | $4,759.00 | $42,828.00 |
TUITION AND OTHER COSTS MAY INCREASE IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS
*Based on 12 semester units per semester.
** Health Insurance for an international student is $768.00 for 12 months.
Married students accompanied by their families will need an additional $800.00 per month for their spouse, $300.00 per month for one child, and $200.00 per month for each additional dependent.
Admission Requirements
Admission Tests
The Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) aptitude scores are required for admission to some programs. Applicants who have questions concerning taking either of these two tests should consult the USD Graduate Bulletin.
Graduate Management Admissions Test
Acceptable performance on the GMAT is required for admission to the I.M.B.A., M.B.A. and M.S.I.T. programs.
Work Experience
A minimum of two years of full-time work experience is expected for admission to the I.M.B.A., M.B.A. and M.S.I.T. programs.
Academic Records
Applicants must have their transcripts evaluated by an outside agency such as World Education Services, Inc. (WES). A Course-by-Course Report from WES must be submitted with your application . Be advised that the evaluation will take at least 20 days, sometimes much longer. Please contact the agencies for more information:
WES, P.O. Box 5087, Bowling Green Station, New York, NY 10274, U.S.A. http://www.wes.org
Applicants must submit either original documents or certified photocopies of original documents of your post-secondary educational records. Foreign language transcripts must be accompanied by certified English translations by an approved agency. The Admissions Office will examine all records submitted to determine if they are adequate and will inform applicants if additional records are required.
English Language Requirements
All applicants must be proficient in the English language. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is mandatory of all applicants except those who are from English speaking countries. The University of San Diego's minimum scores are 237 on the computer-based, 580 on the paper-based, or 83 on the internet-based test. The School of Business graduate programs require a minimum score 92 on the internet-based exam.
In order for scores to be valid they should not be any older than 2 years. USD will only accept official scores. Please make sure you provide USD's college code 4849. For a testing center in your country, please visit www.toefl.org.
International students who receive a bachelor's degree from a USD-approved post-secondary institution where English is the principal language of instruction may have the TOEFL waived. Contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at (619) 260-4524.
Application
The application form should be submitted online or by using the printable version which can be found by clicking here. The completed application should be received (along with all supporting documents) in the Graduate Admissions Office by May 1st for the Fall semester or by November 15th for the Spring semester. Note that some graduate programs have earlier deadlines. Please consult the Office of Graduate Admissions. We encourage international student applicants to apply as early as possible. The $45.00 non-refundable application fee must be in American dollars and payable to the University of San Diego. Please be consistent in your name and underline the family name that you use. Your application, academic documents and related certificates, including your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores will be processed and evaluated.
Financial Assistance
International applicants are urged to explore opportunities available from their governments and private sources. USD is unable to provide aid to foreign nationals. Financial advice should be sought from your government, the U.S. Embassy or the Institute for International Education (I.I.E.), 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, New York, 10017 U.S.A.
