General requirements

As an international applicant, you must meet certain requirements so that you can take full advantage of VCU’s educational opportunities and contribute to our academic community. You must demonstrate:

1. Satisfactory academic achievement.
2. Adequate English language proficiency.
3. The ability to finance your education.

Academic records

All applicants must present grades (marks) that reflect superior ability and serious effort. To be considered for admission, you must submit complete official, certified documents of previous academic work. Your school records must include:

1. Dates of attendance at each institution.
2. A complete list of courses taken and grades received at each institution, including the number of weeks and hours per week in lecture or laboratory for each course.
3. Degrees and diplomas earned from each school or university, indicating class or division of diploma (if appropriate).
4. Names of examinations passed, grades received and minimum/maximum possible grades (if appropriate).

The grading (marking) system must be clearly stated on each record. The university or school must mail academic records. External examination results must be forwarded from the ministry of education or appropriate examining board.

If your school’s official transcripts are not produced in English, complete and official English translations must be attached to the original records. The original records and the translations must each be signed by the appropriate school or government official and bear the school or government seal. Photographic copies or other duplications are not acceptable unless the copies have been signed and sealed by the appropriate school or government official.

Write your name and address on each letter and envelope each time you correspond with VCU. Write your full name — no initials — exactly as it appears on your passport. Use the same order of names for all documents, test scores, etc. If you do not have a U.S. Social Security number, a student identification number will be assigned. Once you have been assigned a student identification number or if you have a U.S. Social Security number, write it on your application and use it on all correspondence with the university.

English language proficiency requirements

Since lectures, laboratory instructions, and written and oral examinations are conducted in English, you must be proficient in the language. If your native language is not exclusively English, you must satisfy VCU’s English proficiency requirement before you begin your academic classes. This may be done by either presenting an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score or the International English Language Testing Services (IELTS) score (at the appropriate level), by passing the VCU English Language Placement Examination, or by successfully completing VCU’s intensive English language course (ELP). If you have taken the TOEFL or IELTS, your official score report must be sent to the university directly from the testing service.

In addition to TOEFL or IELTS, VCU considers other factors affecting English language proficiency, such as amount and type of formal U.S. education and standardized test scores. VCU also provides English-as-a-second-language instruction for students who require additional language support.

Application fee

A nonrefundable application fee must accompany each application you submit. All checks must be drawn on a U.S. bank affiliate in U.S. dollars or international money order payable to VCU only. We will not accept non-U.S. currency or Eurodollar money orders. Your name should be on the check or money order. Your application will not be processed without the application fee.