International Student Admissions

“My mother is of Indian/Scottish descent, and my father is 100 percent Indian. I was born in southern India, but moved to Nigeria, West Africa, (and lived there for 12 years). My parents (were) missionaries, and I loved growing up there.”
- Ladeisha Bhide '09, India/Nigeria

“[Although Japanese,] I was born in Singapore and spent most of my life there. My parents currently live there so I try to go back as much as I can. I have had many opportunities to interact with people from around the world as I went to international schools in Japan and Singapore. ”
- Arisa Iizuka '08, Japan/Singapore

“I grew up in Starnberg, Germany (for 3 1/2 years) and Moscow, Russia (12 years), although I was born in San Bernadino, California. I adore European and Russian culture and hope to move back there someday.”
- Holly Patterson '09, US/Russia

“I'm from Bangkok, Thailand, and went to high school in Singapore for three years, so I'm from there too. I speak three languages: Thai, English, and Mandarin. I really enjoy traveling. I've been to almost every continent of the world except South America, and I look forward to doing that soon. ”
- Khammawan Tangtanaporn '09, Thailand/Singapore

At St. Olaf College, we look forward to having you contribute your stories to our international community. We welcome applications from around the world, and hope you will join us next fall.

Read on, or begin with a list of frequently asked questions. (Special information for Norwegian citizens can be found here.)

St. Olaf College is a private liberal arts and science college offering programs leading to a bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Music). Graduate programs are not available at St. Olaf. Located in the safe surroundings of a small town in southern Minnesota (70 km from the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport), St. Olaf offers a secure community in which to pursue a degree of higher learning. We typically enroll 20-30 international students each year. You will find the college small enough to be a caring community, yet large enough to be diverse. To learn more about International Student Services, contact Luyen Phan, the International Student Advisor.

At St. Olaf College, an international student is defined as someone who requires a student visa (F-1, J-1, etc.) to study in the U.S. Jenny Howenstine (write to her at howensti@stolaf.edu) works with international students as well as with American citizens and residents who are applying from schools outside of the U.S.

This information is intended to help answer some of the questions you may have about applying to St. Olaf. The course listing and other catalog information about St. Olaf can be accessed here. The course catalog will be mailed to those who are offered admission to St. Olaf College.

For general information about studying in the U.S., visit the nearest EducationUSA office in your area.

Admission

International students may apply under the Early Decision (November 15 or January 15) or Regular Decision (January 15) processes. Applicants should have completed secondary education before matriculation at St. Olaf and should have successfully completed any national examinations normally required at the end of secondary study for university admission.

Special information for Norwegian citizens can be found here.

Financial Aid

Degree-seeking students may apply for international scholarships that may cover up to tuition fees; average awards are half of tuition. No full scholarships are offered. Scholarships, on-campus work-study and, in some cases, loans are awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence and economic need.

For student visa purposes, all applicants are required to complete the International Student Certification of Finances form to prove adequate financial support for the first and subsequent years of studies. To apply for financial aid, international students should complete the International Student Financial Aid Application. Both forms will be sent to those who submit an admissions application. International students SHOULD NOT submit the FAFSA or CSS PROFILE forms.

For the 2007-08 academic year, estimated I-20/DS-2019 visa certification expenses are $44,760 ($34,300 for tuition, $7,900 for room and board, and $2,560 for health insurance, books, and personal expenses). Costs are expected to increase annually.

International Application Requirements

Unless noted, the following items are required for admission. You are encouraged to complete the online Common Application and St. Olaf Supplement.

  1. Common Application and St. Olaf Supplement (also found online or downloadable here).
  2. $40 application fee (Fee is waived ONLY for those who submit an online application.)
  3. TOEFL (minimum score 80, 213, or 550) or Academic IELTS (minimum band 6.0) or SAT-I or ACT.
  4. One teacher evaluation from an academic subject area.
  5. Secondary school transcripts or reports with progress grades (the last four years of schooling)
  6. Official college/university transcripts (if applicable)
  7. Official external examination results and/or diploma (if applicable)
  8. International Student Certification of Finances form (required for student visa certification)
  9. International Student Financial Aid Application (if applicable)

English Proficiency Requirement

International students are required to submit official results of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (International English Language Testing System), ACT (American College Test), or SAT-I (Scholastic Aptitude Test). If English is not the official language of your country or the primary language of instruction, the TOEFL or IELTS is required.

Minimum TOEFL score is 80 (IBT), 213 (CBT), or 550 (PBT). Scores must be sent directly to St. Olaf College from ETS; the code assigned to St. Olaf is 6638. Academic IELTS minimum band is 6.0. Visit www.TOEFL.org or www.IELTS.org for testing information.

The SAT-I (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or ACT (American College Test) should be taken no later than January and you should request that the results be mailed directly to St. Olaf. St. Olaf’s SAT code is 6638 and ACT code is 2150 . In all cases, test scores are not the sole determinant for admission. The Admissions Committee evaluates both academic records and test scores. Information regarding these tests as well as educational advising may be obtained at the nearest educationUSA office, the U.S. Department of State’s Educational Advising Center, at http://educationusa.state.gov/.

SAT
Educational Testing Service
Princeton, NJ 08540
USA
TEL: +1-609-771-7600 or
www.collegeboard.com

ACT
P.O. Box 168
Iowa City , Iowa 52243
USA
TEL: +1-319-337-1270 or
www.act.org

Transcript/Gradesheets/Marksheets

Official transcripts (and diploma, if you have finished secondary schooling) from at least the past four years of your studies must be submitted for evaluation before an admissions decision can be made. If admitted, international students who have completed a year or two of university work may receive credit for previously completed work, if such work is equivalent to courses offered at St. Olaf. Transcripts must comply with all of the following criteria for them to be official:

Note: If you have only one original copy of your transcript(s), you may send a certified photocopy of the original document. The school that issued the original transcript must certify the photocopy.

High School Credits Applied to College

St. Olaf College accepts credit earned through the College Board Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams upon receipt of official documentation. With certain restrictions, students who score 4-5 on their AP exams or 5-7 on their Higher Level IB exams may receive credit and/or placement. You can find more information at www.stolaf.edu/offices/registrar/apexam.htm .

Special Note to Applicants From:

All British-Patterned Educational Systems
Applicants should present the General Certificate of Education, Ordinary (O) Level, Advanced (A) Level, or the Higher Education Certificate.

Norway
Special information for Norwegian citizens can be found on this page.

Contact

Application and financial aid forms and questions can be sent to:

St. Olaf College
Office of Admissions
1520 St. Olaf Avenue
Northfield, MN 55057-1098
USA
TEL: +1-507-786-3025
FAX: +1-507-786-3832
admissions@stolaf.edu
www.stolaf.edu

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