Graduate International Admissions Resources

Meredith College welcomes students from all over the world because we believe that our entire community is stronger when students bring different ideas, experiences, and cultures to the classroom. We are so pleased you are interested in joining us at Meredith.

What follows is general information for international graduate applicants. Particular admission criteria and processes are managed by the different graduate programs, so please visit your program of interest for more details and the most specific guidance.

Application deadlines

Deadlines vary by program, but international applicants needing to secure an F-1 visa are encouraged to apply as early as possible, allowing several months at least for the visa application process. (Please note that not all programs are approved for F-1 visa sponsorship. Consult with your program of interest to ensure that they can accept your application if you’re intending to pursue the program in-person at Meredith.)

General application requirements for all graduate programs*

  • Completed online application; nonrefundable application fee required. Online payment available upon submission of application
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, in sealed envelopes or sent electronically from the institution directly to Meredith College 
  • Two completed recommendation forms from professionals who can speak to your work ethic or academic ability within your area of work or study, available to submit electronically through the online application portal (optional for MBA applicants)
  • Statement of Work Experience (Resume or C.V.)
  • English proficiency documentation, if applicable.
  • Interview: once a complete application has been received, the applicant may be contacted for an interview.
  • Check with program about any admissions testing requirements

     

*Check the specific requirements on the webpage for your program of interest.

Academic Transcript Translation & Evaluation

If your original transcripts are not in English, a certified translation into English is required. In addition, a course-by-course evaluation of the applicant’s academic documents compiled by an independent academic credential evaluation provider will be requested for any post-secondary work or Commonwealth advanced level examinations taken outside the United States. Meredith College recommends using an organization that is a member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AIEC) or the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) such as International Education Evaluations (IEE), Education Credential Evaluators (ECE), or World Education Services (WES) for translation and evaluation services. Meredith has integrations with the above linked organizations which will automatically import the completed evaluation directly to your application. Students wishing to use other credential evaluations should first check with Graduate Admissions (graduate@meredith.edu) to see if these evaluations will be accepted.

English Proficiency

Non-native English speakers and/or applicants whose principal language of instruction has not been English must submit official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) reported directly from ETS.org; or official scores from International English Language Testing System (IELTS) reported directly from IELTS.org; or official scores from the Duolingo English test, reported directly from Duolingo.

Test score dates must be within 18 months of anticipated enrollment date, unless the student has been enrolled full-time in an accredited American college or university in the interim.

The required minimum scores on the exams are:

  • TOEFL (i-net) = 79
  • TOEFL (Essentials) test = 8.5
  • IELTS = 6.5
  • Duolingo English test = 120

Meredith’s institution code for the TOEFL is 5410. For IELTS provide your test center with this exact information when requesting scores to be sent to Meredith.

Account Name: Meredith College Graduate

Address: Graduate Admissions, 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607

When sending Duolingo scores, Meredith will appear in a drop-down box as a recipient.

Next Steps After Admission for International Students

After admission, all students who are not in a Resident status in the U.S. will need to submit one, or both, of the following:

Visa Clearance Form (VCF): Students already in the US in any nonimmigrant status are required to complete the VCF. Access the Visa Clearance Form

Certificate of Financial Responsibility (CFR): Students applying for F-1 student status (from abroad or by transfer from another institution or change of status) are required to document funding to cover all estimated expenses for the first academic year of study at Meredith. This is done by completing the CFR and attaching documentation of the estimated funds (for example, a bank statement or scholarship award letter). The CFR (and VCF above, if applicable) must be received and approved before Meredith can issue a Form I-20. The I-20 is then used to apply for the F-1 visa (if applicable) and for travel to and maintenance of status in the U.S. Access the Certificate of Financial Responsibility

Once you are finished with the VCF and/or CFR, please upload them (along with the required accompanying documents) to your Applicant Status Portal.

International Admission FAQs

While most programs attempt to make decisions within 30 days of receiving a completed application, it may vary depending on the time of year you apply.

Interviews are not uniformly required but may be requested by the admissions committee.

Tuition varies by program, but is the same for any Meredith student enrolling (domestic or international). Your program’s tuition can be found on our Graduate Tuition and Fees page. 

Transcripts and test scores must be official and come directly from the school or testing organization. Any self-submitted documents will be considered unofficial unless in a sealed envelope from the issuing institution.

We recommend taking the exam at least two months before applying to allow sufficient time for the results to be sent to Meredith.

We recommend starting this process as early as possible, as some evaluation agencies can take quite a long time. 

Financial aid resources for international students are limited in both type and amount at Meredith. Learn more about Graduate Scholarships

Proof of funding is not required for your admission application. However, after admission, proof of funding is required as part of the request for a Meredith Form I-20, which is the Certificate of Eligibility required for an F-1 visa application, visa transfer, or change of status.

Yes, if you are enrolling on-campus at Meredith and do not already have a status that allows you to travel to the U.S. and engage in full-time study here, F-1 student status is the appropriate status for which to apply. A Form I-20 is what you will request from Meredith after admission. The I-20 can then be used for the F-1 visa application and travel to the U.S. (note: citizens of Canada and Bermuda are exempt from the visa requirement but still need an I-20 to enter the U.S. in F-1 student status). *Meredith’s Criminal Justice programs are taught 100% online and therefore not eligible to sponsor F-1 visas. If you would like to enroll online from abroad, please contact Admissions.

After admission, you will be contacted by Meredith’s Office of International Programs (OIP) to begin the I-20 request process. The I-20 request process will involve you uploading your completed VCF and/or CFR and all requested accompanying documentation to your Applicant Status Portal. Once all required documents are received, OIP typically processes the new I-20 within a week. 

On page one of the CFR, please select your academic program to see the amount of funding required. This amount is based on estimated living expenses (housing, food, transportation) of $13,610 for one academic year, ‘other’ expenses (health insurance and books/supplies) of $4,246, and tuition and fees (vary by program) for the minimum full-time enrollment requirement of six (6) credits/semester. Please note that you may end up enrolling in more credits in order to progress more quickly through your program, but only the minimum tuition is required to be certified on the CFR. To better plan out your tuition and fees, please reach out to your Graduate Admissions Counselor for information about the typical credit load students in your program take each semester.

If your Meredith program will begin within five months of your current program ending, you may be eligible to transfer your I-20 to Meredith College. You will still complete the VCF and CFR referenced above, but the timing of getting your Meredith I-20 will depend on when your SEVIS record is released from your current school to Meredith. Please contact OIP with any questions.

If your current visa status is not expiring and meets your needs (allows you to study full-time if you’d like, allows you to work if you’d like, etc.), you are absolutely welcome to enroll at Meredith without changing your status. Please plan to submit the VCF. However, if you would like to change to F-1 status, you can do so either by a Change of Status application to USCIS within the US or by traveling and applying for an F-1 visa at a US Consulate abroad. Each option (USCIS application vs. travel) may have its benefits and challenges, so please contact the Office of International Programs (OIP) to discuss your plans and options. Whether you plan to apply to USCIS or travel, the first step is to request an I-20 after your admission, so you will submit the VCF and the CFR.

Your Graduate Admissions Counselor can assist you with further questions about the program and admission requirements. Locate your counselor 

Contact Information
Graduate Programs
3800 Hillsborough St.
Raleigh, NC 27607-5298
(919) 760-8423
Fax: (919) 760-2898
graduate@meredith.edu