Application Requirements for International Graduate Students

We understand that the admissions process for international students can seem complicated. Here you can find all relevant information to help guide you through the process. Once you decide to apply to one of our graduate programs, please review the requirements for the particular degree you plan to pursue. You may apply to more than one program as long as you complete separate applications for each.

English Language Requirements

Typically, international applicants must submit official test score results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).  

TOEFL: 79 overall, MBA programs require 83
IELTS: 6.5

You can send English proficiency scores directly to SUNY Oswego using the college code 2543.

Students who are native speakers of English, or who graduated from an accredited degree program with instruction entirely in English, are exempt from the English language requirement and therefore do not have to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score as part of their application for admission to SUNY Oswego. If you do not meet the minimum English language requirement for admission into a graduate program at SUNY Oswego, then you may enroll in the university’s Intensive English Program (IEP) which offers conditional admission to the degree program of your choosing upon successful completion of IEP.

Documents Required for I-20

After you accept the offer of admission, please upload the following documents to your online account:

• A scanned copy of the biographical of your passport

• And an original bank statement with a bank official’s signature and stamp evidencing sufficient funds for your first year at SUNY Oswego ($36,658 for MBA majors and $35,704 USD for all other majors).

• A completed SUNY International Student Financial Statement signed by all parties

Obtaining a Student Visa

After you upload the documents listed above to your online account, your information will be reviewed by SUNY Oswego’s International Student & Scholar Services Office (ISSS). The ISSS Office will then produce your Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status) and mail it to you along with your official SUNY Oswego acceptance letter and other important documents. You will use your Form I-20 to apply for your F-1 student visa. Here is a brief overview of that process:

• Read the biographical information in your Form I-20 to ensure that all of these details are correct. Contact SUNY Oswego’s International Student & Scholar Services Office at isss@oswego.edu if you notice any inconsistencies in your Form I-20.

• Pay your I-901 SEVIS fee of $350. Keep the receipt for your records and email isss@oswego.edu to indicate that you have paid this fee. 

• Complete your Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application (DS-160).

• Schedule a visa interview with your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate Office. 

• At your visa interview, you must present your Form I-20, your valid passport, your official acceptance letter to SUNY Oswego, your financial documentation, the I-901 SEVIS receipt, a DS-160 barcode page, and one 2x2 photograph. More information on the documents you should bring to your visa interview can be found here.

Ready to Apply?

To try and make the process as easy and efficient as possible, we use an online application system. You can start and save an application to complete at your own pace. We have an admissions counselor on staff that can help guide you through the application or help you with the details of any requirement. 

General Application Requirements

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