You are considered an international applicant if you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
Steps to Apply and Enroll
- Research the admission requirements for WVU and your program
- Establish English language proficiency
- Create an accountand complete the graduate application
- Upload unofficial transcripts and supplemental materials
- Pay the non-refundable $60 application fee to submit the application
- Check your checklist and provide any required items
- After application approval, send official transcript for admission
- Plan for your travel and arrival
University GPA and Degree Requirements
You must have a bachelor's degree from a properly recognized institution.
The minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) is 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.Some programs have higher minimum GPA requirements. Please consult with a representativefrom your program for details.
Tips:
WVU considers Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) from Nigeria or Ghana to be comparable to US bachelor’s degrees under the following conditions: the HND is a 2-year program that followed a 2-year National Diploma (ND) or Ordinary National Diploma (OND) program, for a total of at least 4 years of post-secondary study.
Applicants with 3-year bachelor’s degrees can be reviewed for admission to graduate programs.We recommend asking your program contact if your coursework meets their expectations.
WVU doesn’t require external credential evaluations.We can convert your GPA based on your academic records.
WVU will accept the GPA, credential equivalency, and university recognition status from official WES ICAP evaluations if provided. This does not apply to other evaluation agencies.
Program Specific Requirements
Applicants must meet both University and program requirements. Each graduate program sets their own admissions requirements. These requirements may include:
- a GPA higher than the University standard
- standardized test scores
- letters of recommendation
- statement of purpose
We recommend contacting a representative from your program to discuss their requirements.Visit the program databaseand to find contact information.
English Language Proficiency
WVU’s minimum score requirements for English proficiency are:
If you completed your bachelor’s degree in one of the following countries, then you do not have to submit a test score for English proficiency: Australia,Canada,Republic of Ireland,New Zealand,United Kingdom,United States,Liberia,Nigeria,Commonwealth Caribbean Countries (Anguilla,Antigua,The Bahamas,Barbados,Belize,British Virgin Islands,Bermuda,Cayman Islands,Dominica,Grenada,Guyana,Jamaica,Montserrat,St Kitts and Nevis,St Lucia,St Vincent,Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos).
Some programs consider applicants who do not meet those requirements for Intensive English Program (IEP) conditional admission. You may ask your programabout conditional admission. Conditionally admitted students must enroll in the WVU IEPuntil they achieve one of the English proficiency scores listed above.
Admission to the WVU IEP does not guarantee admission to an academic program.
Tips:
WVU does not accept school-issued statements of proficiency or statements of the medium of instruction outside of the countries listed above.
WVU accepts the TOEFL iBT Home Edition and Paper Edition.
WVU accepts TOEFL MyBest scores.
Applicants interested in teaching assistantships should review the requirements for eligibility.
Submitting the application
The applicationruns best in the Google Chrome browser.
You will need to complete all required sections and upload all required documents before submitting your application.
The percent complete feature of the application only applies to the application document itself. You may still need to provide additional items even after the application is 100% complete and submitted. Use the checklist to see if any items are missing.
Some checklist items are not automatically updated. Please allow 48 hours for someone to review your checklist after submission of the application or submission of new material.
If you experience any technical difficulties or payment errors, please email graduateadmissions@mail.wvu.eduor call 304.293.1988
Application fee waivers are available for current WVU and WVU Medicine employees, active military personnel and veterans, McNair Scholars, and AmeriCorps and Peace Corps members.
If you applied to WVU as an undergraduate applicant in 2017 or later, you can use the same account to apply as a graduate student.
If you are in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria or Crimea and you cannot access the application, please email InternationalAdmissions@mail.wvu.edu.
Sending Academic Documents
WVU will review your application based on unofficial transcripts.You can upload unofficial transcripts with your application.If more academic documents are necessary, you can email them to us.WVU will email you with the program’s decision.If the program approves your admission, you will need to provide official transcripts. WVU needs to have your official bachelor’s degree transcript before we send your University admission letter or your I-20.
Scans, uploads, faxes, or unverified photocopies arenot official. Emailed documents are not official even if they come from a university official.If your school uses eScrip-Safe,the National Student Clearinghouse, or Parchment, please use that to send transcripts to graduateadmissions@mail.wvu.edu.If not, you need to send original or certified paper documents to:
West Virginia University
Office of International Admissions
2nd Floor One Waterfront Place
Morgantown, WV 26506
Tips:
- No documents are returned to applicants.
- It is important that you use the same name and spelling of your name on all documents, scores, and forms. Your name on your WVU record needs match your name on your passport.
- If you have not completed your degree when you send your transcripts, you will need to send transcripts to-date. To enroll, you will need to provide final transcripts thatshow all courses and your degree.
- If your transcript does not have complete information about your degree, you also need to provide a diploma.
- If your documents are not in English, you will need to provide an English translation.
- If you will get your bachelor’s degree from WVU, you do not need to send transcripts.
- If you were admitted based on an unofficial WES evaluation, you will need to provide an official WES ICAP evaluation for admission.
- WVU does not require official masters or doctoral transcripts, but your programmay require them.
- WVU’s Office of Admissions may make exceptions to the requirement for official transcripts in cases of war, civil unrest, or extenuating circ*mstances deemed out of the student’s control.
Sending Test Scores
If your program requires GREscores, they must be sent through ETS before your application is reviewed. WVU’s institution code is 5904. It’s ok if it’s listed as an undergraduate organization. Use the generic department code 00.
WVU accepts electronic score delivery for TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, and Duolingo scores.WVU also accepts TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, and Duolingo scores that can be verified through the testing agency. For other scores, ask your program about the procedure
Programs set their own requirements for which exams/subjects are required and the minimum scores. Please ask the program contact for more information.
Arrival and Student Activities
Once you been notified of acceptance into your graduate program of interest, the Office of International Students & Scholars Services (ISSS)can assist with your student visa.
All visa related questions can be directed to isss-students@mail.wvu.edu.
International graduate students are welcomed to campus forcheck-in and orientationin early-August. Check your MIX email account for more information.
If you have secured a graduate teaching assistantship you will have an additional orientation.
It’s easy to get involved at WVU! ISSS offers cross-cultural programs and activities for international students on-campus. Additionally, there are many student organizations related to areas of study, areas of interest, international student groups, and professional organizations.
Research Graduate Programs
WVU offers over 220 graduate programs. Let us help you find the perfect graduate program that aligns with your interests and goals! Follow our simple three-step process.
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