Applying for Admission: International Students

When to Apply

International students may apply for admission to associate, bachelor's and graduate degrees. Applications for admission from international students must reach the Office of Admissions and the Registrar before March 1 for the fall semester and Sept. 1 for the spring semester.

Processing applications for international students takes several months. International students must complete all UAF application requirements as well as meet requirements for U.S. immigration agencies.

Admission Requirements

More information regarding the process for application to associate, bachelor's or graduate programs can be found in the Getting Started section of this catalog.

Note to prospective international students: I-20s Certification of Eligibility for F-1 Status cannot be issued for programs that are offered only through distance delivery. I-20s will not be issued for the AAS degree in professional piloting.

Undergraduate Applicants

Apply online at www.uaf.edu/admissions/. Application forms may also be printed from the above website or requested from the Office of Admissions and the Registrar. Before an application can be reviewed, the student must:

  1. Submit an application for admission.
  2. Send secondary school and/or university transcripts to an approved credential evaluation agency and request a comprehensive course-by-course credential report. UAF requires that all applicants use one of the providers listed at www.uaf.edu/admissions/apply/international/ for this service.
    Transcripts from Canadian institutions (excluding Quebec) are exempt from this requirement; they may be sent directly from the issuing institution.
  3. Send secondary school and/or university transcripts to the Office of Admissions and the Registrar (certified official, translated into English).
    The Office of Admissions and the Registrar requires official transcripts of all high school and/or college-level course work be signed and sealed by the registrar of the institution(s) attended. Transcripts must be issued in the original language and include certified English translations. Please see Applying for Admission: Bachelor's Degree Programs for undergraduate student transcript requirements.
  4. Submit test scores from the SAT or ACT Plus Writing.
  5. Submit official TOEFL or IELTS test scores.
  6. Send a copy of your passport identification page to the Office of Admissions and the Registrar.
  7. Complete UAF's financial statement and provide supporting documentation.
    International students must sign a financial statement and provide documentation that they have funds available to pay all expenses at UAF, as well as round-trip transportation between their home and Alaska.

Graduate Applicants

Apply online at www.uaf.edu/admissions/. Application forms may also be printed from the above website or requested from the Office of Admissions and the Registrar. Before an application can be reviewed, you must:

  1. Review your department's requirements and application deadlines.
  2. Submit an application for admission.
  3. Send university transcripts to the Office of Admissions and the Registrar (certified official, translated into English). Please see Applying for Admission: Graduate Degree Programs for graduate student transcript requirements.
  4. Submit official GRE or GMAT test scores if required by your department or you have less than a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
  5. Submit your resume/curriculum vitae.
  6. Submit your statement of goals.
  7. Submit three letters of recommendation.
  8. Submit official TOEFL or IELTS test result.s
  9. Submit a copy of your passport identification page.
  10. Complete UAF's financial statement and provide supporting documentation. International students must sign a financial statement and provide documentation that they have funds available to pay all expenses at UAF, as well as round-trip transportation between their home and Alaska.

Required Funding Amounts

The minimum estimated cost for one school year at UAF for an international student is $31,675 for undergraduate students and $31,170 for graduate students. This covers university fees, room and board on campus, and a reasonable amount of personal expenses. It does not include transportation to and from Alaska, summer living or winter clothing costs. Add approximately $4,500 for summer living expenses.

Residents of countries which hold approved sister city/sister province agreements qualify for resident tuition. A complete list of sister cities and provinces is in Table 2: UA Sister Cities and Provinces. For international students who are residents of a sister city, the estimated cost for one school year at UAF is $21,020 for an undergraduate and $23,610 for a graduate student. Because the application for F-1 visas requires international students to affirm that they do not intend to live in the United States permanently, they are not eligible for resident tuition fees.


TABLE 2 UA Sister Cities and Provinces
Country City or Province
Australia Darwin
Canada Inuvik, Northwest Territory Whitehorse, Yukon Territory
China Harbin, Heilongjiang Province
Great Britain Whitby, England
India Pune
Japan Chitose, Hokkaido Prefecture, Kanayama, Nemuro, Noshiro, Obihiro, Saroma, Teshio
Korea Inchon
Mongolia Erdenet City
Norway Hammerfest, Mo, Tromsø
Philippines Camiling
Russia Khabarovsk Region, Magadan, Mirnyy, Noglicki, Okha, Providenya, Vladivostok, Yakutsk, Yelisovo
Taiwan Chiayi Township

Immigration Requirements

Once a student has been accepted to UAF, the Office of International Programs and Initiatives will issue a Form I-20, which students must present at a U.S. embassy or consulate in their country of citizenship in order to obtain an F-1 (student) visa. The I-20 form requires the university to certify to U.S. immigration agencies that a student has been accepted for full-time enrollment and has sufficient funds to meet estimated expenses for an academic program.

Anyone who is already in the United States on an F-1 visa must maintain a full-time course load and may not enroll as a part-time student (less than 12 credits per semester for undergraduate students, or less than 9 credits per semester for graduate students).

English Proficiency Requirements

Students on an F-1 visa are required to submit scores from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam unless English is the primary language of their country of origin (e.g., Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Canada [except Quebec]). English proficiency may be demonstrated by:

  1. Passing the TOEFL with a minimum score of 79 (Internet-based exam), or 213 (computer-based exam), or 550 (paper-based exam) or
  2. Passing the IELTS with a minimum score of 6.5.

A score from the TOEFL or IELTS is required and cannot be waived even though English may be the language of instruction in your educational system. Additionally, some graduate departments may require a higher TOEFL or IELTS score in order to qualify for admission.

Requests for exception to this policy must be submitted in writing to the Office of Admissions and the Registrar. At minimum, students must demonstrate:

  1. Successful completion (C or higher) of college-level, non-ESL English composition course; or
  2. Other substantiation acceptable to the Office of Admissions and the Registrar. Other tests may be required to satisfy application requirements for specific undergraduate or graduate degree programs.

For clarification on TOEFL waivers, please contact the Office of Admissions and the Registrar.

Request to Postpone

If applicants are unable to attend, they must notify the Office of Admissions and the Registrar and the Office of International Programs and Initiatives. Undergraduate applicants may request a postponement for one calendar year. Graduate admission may be postponed for up to one calendar year with the approval of the academic department and the dean of the graduate school. UAF's financial statement and any outstanding transcripts will need to be resubmitted.

Where to Get More Information

Office of Admissions and the Registrar
University of Alaska Fairbanks
First floor, Signers' Hall
P.O. Box 757480
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7480
Email: uaf-admissions@alaska.edu
Online: www.uaf.edu/admissions/international/
Telephone: 907-474-7500
Toll free: 800-478-1823
Fax: 907-474-7097

Office of International Programs and Initiatives
University of Alaska Fairbanks
P.O. Box 757760
215 Eielson Building
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7760
Email: uaf-internationalprograms@alaska.edu
Online: www.uaf.edu/oip/
Telephone: 907-474-5327
Fax: 907-474-5979