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.

Certification of Finances
The Certificate of Finances form and official supporting bank documents must be submitted at the time of application. Per US government regulation, an international applicant should have sufficient funds for two years of tuition, fees, and living expenses in the United States. Faxed and photocopied materials are not official and will not be accepted.

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.

US government regulations prohibit students with an F-1 student visa from off-campus employment. Mills College is, unfortunately, unable to offer on-campus jobs to international students except in situations where departmental 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 all applicants who hold a bachelor's degree outside the US to submit an official transcript from their institution. If the transcript is written in a language other than English it must be accompanied by a certified English translation. Applicants are required to have their official transcripts evaluated by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). There is no exception to this requirement. For more information, contact a member organization of NACES.

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TOEFL/IELTS
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required for all non-native speakers of English unless she/he holds the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university or college located in the US, Canada, or Great Britain.

For fall admission, these tests should be taken by the end of October of the preceding year. Generally, international students are only admitted for the fall semester due to visa processing timelines.

Graduate programs in English and computer science require minimum TOEFL scores of 600 on the paper-based test, 100 for the Internet-based exam, or an IELTS overall band-score of 7.0 or greater. All other programs require a minimum of 550 on the paper-based test, 80 for the internet-based exam, or an IELTS overall band-score of 6.0 or higher.

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 submitted her/his Statement of Intent with a $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 US 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 US Citizenship and Immigration Services (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 US 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 Housing section of the 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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