Graduate Students Studying

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You should follow the admissions requirements for international applicants if you are not a United States citizen, a Permanent Resident of the U.S., refugee, asylee, or DACA status holder. Prospective students with pending U.S. Permanent Resident applications should follow the admissions requirements for international applicants.


Admissions Requirements

At Ball State, we have two tiers of admission criteria for international students who wish to pursue a graduate degree:

  1. minimum standards for International Admissions and the Graduate School:
    • NACES member credential evaluation for transcripts from non-U.S. institutions: Click here to learn more about our transcript requirements. *Please note that students are responsible for paying the fees associated with NACES member credential evaluation*
    • Proof of English proficiency: Ball State University recommends all graduate applicants to demonstrate English proficiency unless eligible for a waiver. Click here to review English proficiency requirements.
  2. criteria specific to the degree program set by the academic department

Please note: Meeting the minimum requirements for International Admissions does not guarantee admission into your degree program.

Dates and Deadlines

International Admissions must receive all of your application materials by these dates for consideration for a specific term

  • Fall Term - application materials due by June 15th
  • Spring Term - application materials due by November 15th
  • Summer Term - application materials due by March 15th

    Graduate Program Department Deadlines: Your graduate program department may have a different deadline than the ones for International Admissions listed above. Please note that you will be required to submit all documentation prior to the earliest deadline; whether this is the International Admissions deadline listed above, or the department's deadline for your specific graduate program. Please be sure to check with your program department directly regarding any deadlines they may have. 

    I-20 Deadline: The deadline for the Rinker Center to issue I-20 documents is 6 weeks prior to the start date of each semester. 

    Online Program Deadlines: If you are planning to study online from your home country or if you have a visa status that allows for online-only study (this does not include the F1 student visa), you may follow the application deadlines set by the academic department. Please consult International Admissions for online program eligibility.

Application Requirements

Make sure to review all the steps below to apply, which depends on what type of student you are:  traditional graduate, exchange, or online. Please read each description carefully to ensure you apply correctly and have the best chances of being admitted to Ball State.
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Application Requirements

International applicants must adhere to the admission requirements by program type.  Click here to review the requirements for master's, certificate, doctoral, and specialist programs.

Required Documents

The types of transcripts required at the time of application vary by program. You will be requested to submit unofficial transcripts for either your complete academic record or your highest earned degree based on your program of interest. Please check your specific program of interest's admission requirements for these details.

If your program requires you to provide your complete academic history, you must provide a NACES member evaluation of your transcript(s) with your complete foreign education history.  If your program requires you to provide your highest degree earned only, you must provide a NACES member evaluation of your foreign education transcript(s) if the degree was earned outside the U.S. (if highest degree earned was from the U.S. you do not have to submit documentation of your foreign education).

Members of NACES are independent, non-governmental organizations that provide credential evaluation services to individuals who have completed part or all of their education outside of the United States. If you have not earned a U.S. degree, your transcript and degree must be evaluated by a NACES member organization.

If you’ve already received an evaluation from a NACES member organization, you may upload a copy of your evaluation to your applicant status portal.

Your NACES Member Evaluation report must contain the following:

  • U.S. equivalency of study/degree
  • U.S. equivalent overall credits & GPA earned
  • Accreditation status of institution(s)
  • Course-by-course evaluation (each course listed along with credits and grade earned for the course)

Please note that if you have any credential evaluation done by a NACES member, you will need to upload your scanned official copy to your applicant portal, or send it to us via email at admissions@bsu.edu.

Proof of English Proficiency

Ball State University requires all graduate applicants to demonstrate English proficiency unless eligible for a waiver.  Click here to review English proficiency requirements.

You can submit all necessary documentation by:

After Step 1

  • You will receive an email explaining how to activate your Ball State account (if you do not have an existing account).
  • You will receive an email explaining important documentation that will need to be submitted in order to complete your application.

Attention: In addition to minimum requirements for International Admissions, departments may have their own admission requirements. Find instructions from your department of interest’s admission requirements. You can submit all necessary documentation by:

After Step 2

  • Once your application is complete and has been reviewed, you will receive an official decision from the university.

You must submit the following documentation after you have been admitted to Ball State, and we suggest that you submit the materials as soon as possible.

Passport Photocopy — You must provide a copy of the main passport page for you and any dependents (including your spouse) you plan to bring with you to Ball State.

Financial Documentation — You must document your ability to pay for your living expenses and university fees through one of the following:

  • personal funding
  • private sponsorship (family and friends)
  • Ball State sponsorship

Ball State cannot create visa-enabling documents for international students (I-20 or DS-2019) until we have received these items.

You will receive additional instructions on completing Step 3 after you have been admitted.

After Step 3

  • You will receive an email confirming that your documents were received and that your file is being reviewed.
  • If any other documentation is required based on your situation, you will be contacted.
  • You will receive your visa-enabling documentation (I-20 or DS-2019) by email upon admission to Ball State University.

Ball State has established exchange partnerships with universities around the world.

Consider applying as a graduate exchange-program student if you:

  • plan to take graduate courses or seek a graduate degree
  • find that your home university has an exchange partnership with Ball State, such as International Student Exchange Programs (ISEP)

Graduate students from Ball State wishing to participate in an exchange program need clearance from their department before applying.

We partner with nearly 20 other universities, plus you have other options. See the programs.

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Application Requirements

International applicants must adhere to the admission requirements by program type.  Click here to review the requirements for master's, certificate, doctoral, and specialist programs.  Application fees are waived for all inbound exchange students.

Required Documents

If you have studied at a non-U.S. institution, you may be required to provide an evaluation of your transcripts.  Click here to learn more about our transcript requirements.  If you have earned a U.S. degree, you may be eligible for a waiver of your evaluation.  Please contact International Admissions for more information.

Proof of English Proficiency

Ball State University requires all graduate applicants to demonstrate English proficiency unless eligible for a waiver.  Click here to review English proficiency requirements.

You can submit all necessary documentation by:

Attention: In addition to minimum requirements for International Admissions, departments may have their own admission requirements.  Find instructions from your department of interest’s admission requirements.

You can submit all necessary documentation by:

AFTER STEP 2

  • Once your application is complete and has been reviewed, you will receive an official decision from the university.

 

You must submit the following documentation after you have been admitted to Ball State, and we suggest that you submit the materials as soon as possible.

Passport Photocopy — You must provide a copy of the main passport page for you and any dependents (including your spouse) you plan to bring with you to Ball State.

Financial Documentation — You must document your ability to pay for your living expenses and university fees through one of the following:

  • personal funding
  • private sponsorship (family and friends)
  • Ball State sponsorship

Financial documents are valid for only six months from the date of issue. Applicants are allowed to have a maximum of three sponsors for their education.

Note: If your exchange consortium (for example, ISEP) is sponsoring your studies, then we do not require financial documentation.

Third party release form – You will receive this document as an email attachment. Please fill it out and include any advisors, such as your home institution coordinators, whom you might wish us to release information to concerning your application.

Ball State cannot create visa-enabling documents for international students (I-20 or DS-2019) until we have received these items.

You will receive additional instructions on completing Step 3 after you have been admitted.

After Step 3

  • You will receive an email confirming that we received your documents and are reviewing your file.
  • You will receive your visa-enabling documentation (I-20 or DS-2019) by express mail courier after Ball State confirms your admission.

Apply Now

 

Minimum Requirements

Online graduate programs have the same minimum requirements as on-campus graduate programs.  Click here to review requirements for master's, certificate, doctoral, and specialist programs.

English Proficiency Requirement

Conditional admission is not permitted for online degrees. You must demonstrate English proficiency or qualify for a waiver to be eligible for admission for an online graduate program.

 Authorization
If you are currently in the United States and want to be an online student, you must obtain authorization based upon your visa status.

Contact International Student Services and your current visa sponsor to obtain permission.

*Please note that international students who will be studying in the U.S. on an F-1 (student) visa may be eligible to study in blended delivery programs under certain circumstances. For more information contact International Admissions.*