International Admissions

International students comprise a growing number of students at the University of Richmond’s various schools, and the University welcomes all international applicants into its undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

As you consider the School of Professional & Continuing Studies — and we hope you plan to apply — contact our recruitment coordinator for a pre-admissions appointment early in the application process. It can take 3-4 months or longer to secure a student visa, so begin planning as early as possible.

Notice About Specific Programs

Not all of our programs are all suited for international students.

The M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction and the post-bachelor’s certificate in Data Analytics are entirely online programs and do not meet the in-person instruction requirements for international students on F-1 visas, who are not permitted to apply.

Because the Master of Teaching program is designed for part-time students, the VDOE licensure application requirements, the clinical practicum experience, and the complex requirements for F-1 student visas, MT applications, for both elementary and secondary/comprehensive candidates, will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Additionally, the Master of Organizational Effectiveness and the post-bachelor’s certificate in Cybersecurity and Information Systems are not yet approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for international students on F-1 visas, who are currently not permitted to apply.

Enrollment Requirements

To qualify for a student visa to the United States, a student must be enrolled as a full-time student (at least 9 semester hours, typically three classes) for all terms of study.

Additionally, for the first semester of study, a student cannot be enrolled in 100% remote or online classes; a student must be in Richmond for the first semester.

Application Process

The following questions will help you focus on specific parts of the international and non-U.S. citizen application process.

Is English a second (or third or fourth) language for you?

  • If yes, review “Demonstrate English Proficiency” below.
  • If English is your native language, continue to the next question.

Was your high school (for first-year admissions) or prior college coursework taught in a language other than English?

  • If yes, review “Demonstrate English Proficiency” and “Evaluate Transcripts & Mark Sheets” below.
  • If your prior learning was in English, continue to the next question.

Do you want to become a licensed teacher in Virginia?

  • If yes, first review “Applicants Seeking Teacher Licensure” then “Evaluate Transcripts & Mark Sheets” below
  • If you are not planning to become a licensed teacher, continue to the next question.

Are you a non-U.S. citizen who needs a student visa to enter the country?

  • If yes, review “Obtain a Student Visa” below.
  • If you are already a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or already have a visa, review other sections below.
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  • Demonstrate English Proficiency

    If your native language is not English, and/or if your collegiate- or secondary-level instruction was not in English, you must demonstrate English proficiency by submitting scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) directly to the School of Professional & Continuing Studies.

    You must earn minimum TOEFL scores to be admitted, and the TOEFL score must be no more than five years old at the time of application.

    • At least 550 on the paper-based test;
    • At least 213 on the computer-based test; or
    • At least 80 on the Internet-based test.

    The IELTS requires a score of 6.5 on the test.

  • Evaluate Transcripts & Mark Sheets

    Overview

    If you attended high school (for first-year admissions) or college (for transfer or post-bachelor’s program admissions) outside of the U.S., you must have transcripts from those institutions evaluated by an educational credit evaluation service and the evaluation results sent directly to the School. Please submit official transcripts or mark sheets directly to one of the services listed below and have the service send an official copy of the evaluation directly to the School.

    Transcripts and evaluation results submitted for admission or credit transfer become the property of the University of Richmond and cannot be returned to the student or forwarded to other institutions.

    Membership Organizations

    Transcripts and mark sheets evaluated by Membership Organization providers do not meet Virginia teacher licensure requirements.

    • Any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES): www.naces.org
    • The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO): www.aacrao.org

    Individual Organizations

    Transcripts and mark sheet evaluated by select Individual Services meet Virginia teacher licensure requirements. Look for the (MT evaluation eligible) notice for eligible providers.

    Educational Credential Evaluators
    P.O. Box 514070, Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470
    Phone: (414) 289-3400
    Fax: (414) 289-3411
    Email: eval@ece.org 
    www.ece.org 

    Global Credential Evaluators (MT evaluation eligible)
    P.O. Box 9203, College Station, TX 77842-9203
    Phone: (512) 528-0908
    Fax: (512) 528-9293
    Email: gce@gceus.com 
    www.gceus.com or www.gcevaluators.com 

    Josef Silny & Associates (MT evaluation eligible)
    7101 S.W. 102 Avenue, Miami, FL 33173
    Phone: (305) 273-1616
    Fax: (305) 273-1338; translations (305) 273-1984
    Email: info@jsilny.com 
    www.jsilny.com 

    World Education Services (MT evaluation eligible)
    P.O. Box 5087, Bowling Green Station, New York, NY 10274-5087
    Phone: (212) 966-6311
    Fax: (212) 739-6100
    Email: info@wes.org 
    www.wes.org 

  • Applicants Seeking Virginia Teacher Licensure

    For those seeking Virginia teacher licensure through our Master of Teacher (MT) program, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) governs licensure requirements. VDOE has additional requirements for evaluating non-U.S. institution transcripts. While these are licensure requirements, we encourage applicants to consider them application requirements.

    If you attended institutions outside of the U.S., you must have transcripts from those institutions evaluated by one of the educational credit evaluation services marked “MT evaluation eligible” above.

    Please submit official transcripts or mark sheets directly to one of these services, and have the service send an official copy of a course-by-course evaluation directly to the School. The evaluation must include: 

    • a listing of the courses completed;
    • the semester-hour equivalent for each course;
    • a statement regarding the equivalency of the program of study to the four-year baccalaureate degree (or post-bachelor’s degree, if applicable) from a regionally accredited college or university.

    In lieu of an official transcript from the non-U.S. institution, VDOE will accept the credential evaluation of the degree(s) and course work equivalencies.

    Individuals must submit documentation to a Virginia school division or nonpublic school for consideration for employment. Upon hiring the individual, the employing agency will submit the documentation and the request for a Virginia license to this office.

    For detailed VDOE information regarding teacher licensure in Virginia and the credential evaluation process, visit the VDOE Licensure page and the Licensing Services page (scroll down to “International Coursework/Degrees”).

    Once all application materials — including fees (if applicable), TOEFL/IELTS score, and official transcript evaluations — are received by the School, you will be notified of your admission status. This notification will occur by email, and may also be contacted by your student advisor.

  • Obtaining a Student Visa

    If you are not a U.S. citizen and require a student visa for study at the University of Richmond, the Center for Global Engagement handles the process of procuring student visas. Student visas will be issued only AFTER an applicant has been admitted to a degree program.

    Once you have been notified of an admission decision by the School of Professional & Continuing Studies, the Center for Global Engagement will be notified of your status, and will assist you with the documents to procure a student visa.

    Additional information about student visas is located on Center for Global Engagement Immigration page.