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Choose Your Path

Choose your program of interest from our on-campus and online programs

Undergraduate Programs      Graduate Programs

Choose this option if you have completed secondary and tertiary education at the bachelor’s level or equivalent (or will complete by the time of enrollment in Ball State University) and you wish to enroll in a master's or doctoral program.

Choose this option if you have completed secondary school (or will complete before you enroll in Ball State University) AND have not completed any tertiary education.

Choose this option if you have completed secondary school AND have completed a minimum of one semester of tertiary education. If you have completed less than 24 credit hours (or equivalent) of tertiary education, we will require both your secondary and tertiary education information. If you have completed 24 or more credit hours (or equivalent), we will require only your tertiary education information. 

If you are currently attending an institution in the U.S. and have an active SEVIS record in good standing, we will assist in transferring your SEVIS record after you are admitted to a program.  

Choose this option if you have completed secondary school or higher and wish to enroll in our Intensive English Institute only. PLEASE NOTE that admission to the Intensive English Institute does not guarantee admission to a degree program. PLEASE ALSO NOTE that applicants to the Intensive English Institute will be required to submit language proficiency test scores.  

Choose this option if you are participating in degree programs between your institution and Ball State University. Please only select this option if you have been instructed to do so. 

Choose this option if you are a student from one of our exchange partners and plan to attend Ball State University as a bilateral exchange student. You may also choose this option if you are participating in a sponsored exchange program (such as Global UGRAD, Amideast, or Fulbright). Use either the Undergraduate or Graduate application, depending upon your educational background.

Please only select this option if you have been instructed to do so. 

Costs and Funding

Step

Number 2Review Admissions Criteria


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. Find instructions from your department of interest’s admission requirements.

Please Note: Meeting the minimum requirements for the Graduate School does not guarantee admission into your degree program. 

Online graduate programs have the same minimum requirements as on-campus graduate programs. Conditional admission for language proficiency reasons 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. 

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 by the earliest deadline: either the International Admissions deadline listed above, or the deadline for your specific graduate program. Please be sure to check with your program/department directly regarding any deadlines they may have. 

 
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 or J1 exchange visa), you may follow the application deadlines set by the academic department. Please consult International Admissions for online program eligibility.

 

Ball State practices rolling admission, which means our staff will review your application and decide on your admission after we receive all of your credentials. You should follow the admission 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. This includes prospective students with pending U.S. Permanent Resident applications. 

Make sure to review all the steps to apply, which depends on what type of student you are: first-time undergraduate, transfer, exchange, or online. Please read each description carefully to ensure you apply correctly and have the best chances of being admitted to Ball State. 

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

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), your application deadline is two weeks prior to the start of the term. 

Criteria for Admission

Admission to Ball State is competitive. We review each individual application to consider your academic performance, level of course work, and English proficiency test scores. Ultimately, we aim to determine if you can be successful here. Review the following criteria we consider when you apply. 

Academic Performance and Curriculum

Admission to Ball State is selective. We seek new students who have the ability, motivation, and intellectual curiosity needed to thrive in our innovative learning environment. Admission criteria include the strength of your high school curriculum and your performance, curricular patterns, and if your grade trends in academic courses were positive and consistent. 

No grade point average guarantees admission to Ball State. We look for applicants that have demonstrated above average grades. 

SAT AND/OR ACT Scores and English Proficiency Standards

SAT/ACT scores are not required for admission but scores may be used to meet our English proficiency requirement. 

For admission to a degree program, you must earn a TOEFL score of 79, IELTS Academic score of 6.5, Pearson’s PTE of 53, Duolingo 110, SAT Critical Reading section or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 500, or ACT English Section score of 21 unless eligible for a waiver. If you have taken an English proficiency test (TOEFL, IELTS Academic, Duolingo or Pearson's PTE), please request that scores be sent directly to Ball State University (school code: 1051; email: admissions@bsu.edu). 

You can retake any test and submit new scores an unlimited number of times.

Students who are eligible for conditional admission are admitted to the Intensive English Institute at Ball State and must meet English proficiency requirements before beginning a degree program. Please note that, beginning Spring 2024, a language test score will be required for conditional admission and/or admission to the Intensive English Institute. The Intensive English Institute offers Academic English courses for students who have the following minimum language test scores. 

          • IELTS Academic 4.5
          • TOEFL iBT 42
          • Duolingo 65
          • Pearson PTE 40

          Do you play an instrument, compete in sports, perform onstage, participate in clubs, have a job, or volunteer? Depending on your desired major, we may require a design portfolio, performance audition, or an essay. 

           

          ARE YOU ELIGIBLE TO TRANSFER? 

          We'll consider you for transfer admission if you’ve earned a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for all transferable coursework attempted. 

          Admission decisions will be based on your academic records at all educational institutions you’ve attended. You must be in good academic standing and eligible to return immediately to the last institution you attended. 

          If you apply for transfer admission to Ball State while you’re enrolled at another college or university, you may be considered for admission based on your current college or university cumulative GPA. 

          If you’re admitted to Ball State while enrolled at another college or university, your cumulative GPA must remain above 2.0. Admission granted under such circumstances may be withdrawn if your cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. 

          SAT AND/OR ACT SCORES AND ENGLISH PROFICIENCY STANDARDS 

          SAT/ACT scores are not required for admission but scores may be used to meet our English proficiency requirement. 

          For admission to a degree program, you must earn a TOEFL score of 79, IELTS Academic score of 6.5, Pearson’s PTE of 53, Duolingo 110, SAT Critical Reading section or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 500, or ACT English Section score of 21 unless eligible for a waiver. 

          You can retake any test and submit new scores an unlimited number of times.

          Students who are eligible for conditional admission are admitted to the Intensive English Institute at Ball State and must meet English proficiency requirements before beginning a degree program. Please note that beginning Spring 2024, a language test score will be required for conditional admission and/or admission to the Intensive English Institute. The Intensive English Institute offers Academic English courses for students who have the following minimum language test scores.

          • IELTS 4.5
          • TOEFL iBT 42
          • Duolingo 65
          • Pearson PTE 40

          Do you play an instrument, compete in sports, perform onstage, participate in clubs, have a job, or volunteer? Depending on your desired major, we may require a design portfolio, a performance audition, or an essay.  

          Course Descriptions—You must submit course descriptions for every course you wish to receive transfer credit for. Course descriptions must be in English. They can be copied from your home institution’s course catalog, course syllabi (outlines for how the courses proceed), or written by your academic advisor. 


          Students wishing to apply for the Intensive English Institute should complete an undergraduate application. We will require secondary school transcripts in English, proof of graduation in English, and language proficiency test scores in order to apply to the IEI.  
          Students who are participating in a dual degree program should receive instructions from their home institution and/or dual degree coordinator regarding completion of an application.   
          Students who are participating in a bilateral exchange program should receive instructions from their outbound exchange coordinator regarding completion of an application.  

          Step

          Number 3Apply and Pay the Application Fee

          Create an account (remember your email address and password) and select the appropriate application to complete (applicants to the Intensive English Institute should complete an UNDERGRADUATE application).  Please carefully read the instructions and supply the requested information. If you have questions about an application item, please reach out to intadmit@bsu.edu and we’ll be happy to clarify. It will take approximately 30-60 minutes to complete your application.

          • Undergraduate application includes 10 sections: personal details, guardian details, program selection, term selection, academic details, school history, Ball State information, additional information, achievements, and signature. Undergraduate Application Apply Now
          • Graduate application includes 6 sections: personal details, academic intent, term selection, personal history, academic history, and signature.  Graduate Application Apply Now

          Once you have supplied all the requested information and checked it for accuracy, be sure to click submit! Unless you have been provided with an application fee waiver code because you are part of a specific group, you will be expected to pay the $60 fee. We do not offer individual application fee waivers.

          Step

          Number 4Submit Materials via Cardinal Landing Portal

          After submitting your application, you will be asked to upload your application materials via the Cardinal Landing Portal. You will log in to the Cardinal Landing Portal using the email and password for your application. Once you have logged in, you will see a checklist of required items, and an upload interface. Please note that it takes 24 hours for uploads to reflect on your checklist.  

          Cardinal Landing Portal

          We do not accept scanned copies of paper score reports. Please contact your testing agency or center to have results shared directly with Ball State University. Our school code is 1051 and the email address for all test results is admissions@bsu.edu. 

          Undergraduate applicants may submit scanned copies of official transcripts in English via their cardinal landing portal. Our international admissions team will follow up if further information is needed. Please note that transfer students will be asked to provide course outlines/syllabi and course descriptions for all courses for which they wish to receive transfer credit. 

          Graduate applicants are required to have a credential evaluation completed by a NACES member. The credential evaluation should be sent by the evaluation service directly to Ball State University. Our school code is 1051 and the email address is admissions@bsu.edu. Please note that your credential evaluation must include (1) a U.S. equivalence AND (2) a course by course analysis. Applicants are responsible for paying all costs associated with a credential evaluation.

          Depending on your program and level, you may be required to submit other material, such as letters of recommendation, school leaving exam results, statements of purpose, writing samples, portfolios or auditions, etc. Please carefully check your program’s application requirements to understand what additional materials you may be required to submit.  

          Step

          Number 5Check your status via Cardinal Landing Portal

          Once you're admitted, please check back to your Cardinal Landing Portal for information about the post-admissions process. Students who require a travel document (I-20 or DS-2019) will need to provide a passport copy, an intended visa form, and proof of finances via GlobalBSU. Once you have been issued an I-20, we will also send reminders via the Cardinal Landing Portal that you keep us updated on your visa process and your arrival plans. Students who will be transferring a SEVIS record from another U.S. institution will receive information about how to request the transfer. All students will receive next steps and checklist items in your Cardinal Landing Portal that guide them through the pre-arrival, arrival, and orientation processes.