International Students

International applicants must submit the same application materials as American applicants. In addition, international applicants are required to submit additional supporting materials; see below.

Financial Information/Certification of Finances
A Certification of Finances form (available on the Mills College website and through the Office of Graduate Admission) and supporting bank documents must be submitted with the application. An international applicant should have sufficient funds for two years of tuition plus living expenses in the United States.

International applicants should be aware that financial assistance is very limited. Even applicants who receive financial aid must be prepared to contribute significantly to the cost of their education. Failure to pay outstanding fees prevents students from registering for classes and endangers maintaining valid visa status.

U.S. government regulations prohibit students with an F-1 student visa from off-campus employment. While the visa does allow for on-campus employment, Mills College is, unfortunately, unable to offer on-campus jobs to international students except in situations where assistantship opportunities are awarded upon acceptance. Mills financial aid is very limited, and the College cannot guarantee assistance to any graduate student.

Transcripts
Mills College requires: one (1) hard copy of official transcripts in the native language of all undergraduate and graduate work; two (2) hard copies of official transcripts translated into English of all undergraduate and graduate work.

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TOEFL
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam is required of all non-native speakers of English. It is administered by the College Entrance Examination Board. Graduate programs in English and computer science require TOEFL scores of 250 or more on the computer-based test, 600 or more on the paper-based test, or 100 or more for the Internet-based exam; other programs require 213 or more on the computer-based test or 550 or more on the paper-based test or 80 or more for the Internet-based exam. For fall admission, these tests should be taken by December of the preceding year. Generally, international students are admitted for the fall semester.

Please contact the Office of Graduate Admission if you have questions about IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test scores.

Recommendations
Letters of recommendation should testify to the international applicant's English writing and speaking ability, as well as potential for success in graduate studies. If, after the accepted applicant arrives, it appears that further help in language is needed, a tutor's services may have to be obtained at the applicant's expense.

I-20 Form
An I-20 form will be provided only after the admitted student has confirmed her/his intention to enroll by forwarding the $300 nonrefundable tuition deposit ($500 for studio art) to the Office of Graduate Admission. This deposit will be credited to the student's first-semester tuition.

The I-20 form will allow international applicants to apply for an F-1 student visa to come to the United States. Applicant students should take the I-20 form, their passport, proof of their financial ability, and copies of their educational records to the nearest U.S. Consulate in their country. Upon consulate approval, an official at the consulate will stamp an F-1 visa inside the passport. Together with the I-20 form, this student visa will enable the student to enter the United States.

It is important for international students to follow United States USCIS regulations. A prospective student may not obtain an I-20 from one institution and use it to attend another. International students must be in continuous full-time enrollment in order to maintain their valid student visa status.

The College advises international applicants to communicate clearly with the U.S. Consulate or Embassy in their country to receive the most accurate information and guidance in seeking opportunities for study abroad.

Housing
On-campus housing is available for graduate students. Please see the appropriate section of this catalog and the Mills College website for more information about on-campus housing.

If international students plan to live on campus, the College recommends they apply for on-campus housing early. If international students plan to live off campus, the Office of Graduate Admission advises them to research commuting options and neighborhoods.

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