International Applicants

Contents

International applicants must meet additional admissions requirements in the following areas:

• Degree Requirements
• English Proficiency
• Financial Guarantee and Visa Requirements
• Health Insurance 

Degree Requirements

Please review our International Graduate Admissions Requirements summary to discover the minimum degree required of students from each country.

Credentials evaluation reports from World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) can be considered for admissions review purposes. They must contain all coursework, units, accreditation and degree equivalency, grades, and grade point average (GPA). 

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English Proficiency

General English Proficiency Information

Proof of English proficiency is required for international applicants who hold citizenship from a country where English is not an official language.

Please check our English Requirement list to verify your need to submit an English proficiency test.  

Individual departments may require higher scores than the Graduate College and all tests must be dated within 2 years of the enrollment term to be considered valid.  The University of Arizona's institution code for sending official electronic score reports from ETS is 4832. 

Acceptable English Proficiency Credentials: 

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - minimum score of 79 iBT or Home Edition iBT.  Individual MyBest scores must also be dated within 2 years of the enrollment term to be considered valid.
  • Note, for Master's programs, we also accept the TOEFL Essentials test with a minimum band score of 9.5. Individual programs may set higher English proficiency requirements, please contact your Graduate Program Coordinator if you have questions. The TOEFL Essentials Test is not an accepted test of English proficiency for doctoral programs.
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) - minimum composite score of 7, with no subject area below a 6 on IELTS or IELTS Online.  (The IELTS One Skill Retake is not not currently being accepted, but we are working on implementation.)
• Pearson PTE Academic - minimum score of 60
• Graduate English Language Endorsement from the Center for English as a Second Language (CESL)
• CEPT Full Academic test - offered remotely by the University of Arizona's Center for English as a Second Language (CESL), minimum Total score of 110.

The Graduate College does not accept Duolingo scores for demonstration of English Proficiency.

Conditional Admission

Graduate departments may recommend a student for Conditional Admission if the prospective student meets all Graduate College requirements except the minimum English proficiency requirement.  See International Conditional Admission for more information.

Exemptions

Those exempt from submitting English proficiency scores are:

• Applicants who hold citizenship from countries where English is an official language.
• Applicants who have completed a bachelor's or graduate degree at a regionally accredited institution in the United States, or hold a degree from our approved English Proficiency Guide. Students who are awarded a graduate teaching assistantship, should refer to the GA Manual for more information.

• Applicants who have not yet completed a degree, but have two years of full-time academic study and have taken 48 upper division, graded undergraduate semester units, or 30 graded graduate semester units at a regionally accredited institution in the United States, or from our approved English Proficiency Guide.  Units must not be older than two years from the term of enrollment. Students who are awarded a graduate teaching assistantship, should refer to the GA Manual for more information.

   

Additional Proficiency Evaluation for International Teaching Assistants/Associates

English Speaking Proficiency Evaluation

All International Graduate Assistant/Associate Teachers (GATs) from non-English dominant countries must demonstrate proficiency in spoken English. Previous attendance at an English medium institution does not automatically qualify a student to be a Teaching Assistant. 

The following information describes the ways in which international GATs can evidence English speaking proficiency to fulfill this requirement. 

Official Test Scores 

Tests that satisfy the requirement are listed below, along with their minimum passing scores. A passing score from any one of these tests will satisfy this requirement.

• TOEFL IBT Speaking Section: score of 24
• TOEFL PBT: those who took the revised test after 2017 will be asked to take CEPT-OPI.
• TOEFL Essentials Test Speaking Section: score of 11
• IELTS Speaking Section: score of 7.5
• CEPT-OPI: score of 44
• CEPT Full Academic Communication Skills Section: score of 44
• PTE Academic – Speaking skill: score of 80
• Completion of ESPE

Please note that the TSE/Speak and TBEST exams are no longer administered but will be accepted as long as the minimum passing score was met (TSE/Speak – score of 50 or TBEST – score of 6.8) and the student has not been out of the country for more than one year since taking the test.

English Speaking Proficiency Evaluation 

If a GAT from a non-English dominant country has not taken any of the tests listed above or does not meet the minimum passing score(s), the hiring department must arrange a proficiency evaluation of the GAT’s spoken English. The Graduate College requires that this proficiency evaluation be completed prior to the student being hired.

There are two primary routes to have an English proficiency evaluation administered:

1. Through the Center for English as a Second Language

The CESL English Proficiency Test - Oral Proficiency Interview (CEPT-OPI) is available for test-takers on a flexible schedule. A live interview of 15 minutes is conducted with a trained ESL assessment specialist via Zoom. Scores are aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The cost is $60. More information about CEPT-OPI can be found here: https://cesl.arizona.edu/testing-services/english-proficiency-test-oral Contact CESL at cesl@arizona.edu for more information or for help signing up.

2. Administering in the Hiring Department 

Hiring Departments may also choose to administer their own English proficiency exams by recording a video interview (e.g. using Zoom or Teams), through which a prospective GAT’s spoken English can be evaluated prior to their hiring and arrival to campus. The Hiring Department will evaluate the prospective GAT’s language use during the interview.

The interview should last a minimum of 10-15 minutes. 

The following are some sample questions/topics OR the following is a basic structure for these interviews. 

1. Please tell us about your previous educational experiences.
2. Why did you choose this field/discipline for graduate study?
3. Would you rather have a job you enjoy, one that pays well, one that benefits others, or something entirely different?
4. Imagine you are meeting someone who is not familiar with your field of study. How would you explain this field and its importance in a way that is accessible to the average person?
5. What connections do you see between recent technological developments and your field of study? What value do they provide? What are potential downsides?

These are sample questions that do not constitute the entirety of what each applicant should be asked. The purpose of the interview is to assess unrehearsed language use, so actual interview questions will be different. Video interviews will be evaluated by a minimum of two individuals using the following scoring guidelines. 

CESL faculty are also available to serve as external evaluators and to consult on the design of interview questions. A CESL faculty member can evaluate candidaes on their language skills based on the recording. Contact CESL at cesl@arizona.edu.

Students should receive a majority of scores in the “Acceptable” range to be considered to have passed the test (e.g., 3 Acceptable and 2 Conditionally Acceptable). Those that have many conditional scores should be treated as “conditional passes” and have only limited TA duties, such as grading. Those that have more than 1 unacceptable score should be considered to have failed. Departments are encouraged to impose stricter standards to their GATs as appropriate for their teaching contexts. For students who need extra support, see the next section on “Courses to Improve Spoken English and Other International GAT Resources.”

International GATs that are evaluated by their hiring departments should be given one of three possible scores:

• Pass (numerical score of 2) = Eligible for unlimited instructional duties.
• Conditional Pass (numerical score of 1) = Eligible for limited or no direct instructional duties. (Ex. grading, lab prep, website support, office hours, etc). A list of the GAT duties must be submitted with the grade. A student who receives a score of 1 will need to be re-evaluated each semester that they are hired, until they achieve a score of 2.
• Fail (numerical score of 0) = Not eligible for hire as a Graduate Teaching Assistant/Associate. A student who receives a score of 0 will need to be re-evaluated again, and must obtain a score of either 1 or 2 to begin in instructional duties.

Please see the next section for possible sources of support for students who receive a score of Conditional Pass or Fail.

Departments must report scores to the Graduate College by filling out the English Speaking Proficiency Evaluation form. Once the Graduate College receives this form, the score will be entered into UAccess Student. Failure to report a score will delay benefits processing.

Courses to Improve Spoken English and Other International GAT Resources

Courses to help students improve their English are offered through the University of Arizona’s Center for English as a Second Language. 

Part-Time day and evening classes: Students can enroll in a single class at CESL for one of their year-round 8-week sessions, such as Oral Communication, Written Communication, Reading, or Grammar during the day time, or General English (all skills) at the beginning, intermediate, or advanced level in the evening. More information can be found here: https://cesl.arizona.edu/learn-english/community-english-programs 

Tutoring and small groups: Students can enroll in individualized tutoring to address their specific needs, or small groups (generally 2-5 people) can meet together for support on the same topics. Schedule and modality are flexible. More information can be found here: https://cesl.arizona.edu/learn-english/tutoring 

Syllabi Suggestions for Preparing Undergraduate Students 

Some UA students may be less familiar with accents from outside of the U.S. or even outside Arizona. Departments should prepare undergraduate students for working with others, including their GATs, whose English may be different from their own. 

It may be helpful to include the information below (or something similar) in the syllabi for courses with international GATs or Faculty:

“In a global society, you need a global education. In your career, you’re likely to be dealing with people from all over the world. Many of them will speak English with an accent. Learning to acclimate to accented English is a critical skill. At the UA, we have instructors and students from over 120 different countries, so you will encounter faculty, TAs, and fellow students who may speak English differently from what you are used to. Please give them appropriate respect. Research shows that understanding a variety of language varieties is a skill that we can practice and develop. 

Below are some strategies for active listening to keep in mind:

• Instead of focusing on differences in pronunciation and accent, concentrate on what your instructor or TA is saying by studying their verbal and nonverbal cues.
• Record your lecture. (Ask permission first.) Take notes in your classes and then review the lectures.
• All instructors and TAs want to make sure you learn, so ask questions, and seek clarification.
  • Ask for clarification or paraphrase what you’ve just heard.
  • Ask your instructor or TA to write down words you don’t understand. Have your instructor/TA use the board or overheads to list words that are difficult to understand.
  • Ask your instructor/TA to talk more slowly, if needed.
• Be patient. The more you communicate with instructors, TAs, and other students who speak English differently, the more you will understand each other. 

Remember, your TAs and instructors are highly qualified to teach the course material. If you try these suggestions and are still having difficulties, discuss the problem with the primary course instructor or department head.

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Financial Guarantee and Visa Requirements

After admission, International Student Services will send you instructions for requesting an I-20 or DS-2019 that you can use to apply for a student visa and enter the United States. Immigration regulations require ISS to verify that you have enough funds to cover the cost of tuition and fees, living expenses, health insurance and (if applicable) dependent expenses before issuing an I-20 or DS-2019. 

Use the New to Main Campus Calculator at Financial Guarantee Requirement to find out how much funding you need to show and the types of funding accepted. You are allowed to count departmental funding toward the Financial Guarantee Requirement. Please contact your intended department directly about their timeline for funding decisions. 

Summer I-20s will be issued only if both full-time enrollment and funding requirements can be satisfied.

For more information about immigration, travel and check-in, visit Graduate Students on the ISS website.

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Health Insurance

The University of Arizona requires all international students on nonimmigrant visas to carry the Student Health Insurance Plan, unless you qualify for an exemption. If you receive a graduate teaching or research assistantship, your health insurance will be covered as part of your position benefits.

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