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International Admission

Criteria

Admission of international students is based on two factors: meeting the academic criteria for admissions (see the freshman and transfer admission criteria section of the catalog) and English language proficiency.

Along with the admissions applications students educated outside of the U.S. need to submit:

  • Copies of complete secondary school record

  • Secondary school graduation diploma

  • Any external examination certificates earned

If the documents were not issued in English, we require a word-for word- translation:

  • Complete and literal (word-for-word) with no attempts to interpret or evaluate the credential

  • Prepared in same format as the original document

  • Typed on business or school letterhead stationery

  • Signed by a translator attesting to familiarity with the foreign language

Official translations may be obtained from the following:

  • Consulate or embassy of the country that is issuing the document

  • Translation agency

  • Immigrant or refugee association in the U.S. representing the country issuing the document

  • The institution where the student studied

  • Faculty member of U.S. high school, college, or university (must signify his/her academic department and rank)

Although the guarantee of sufficient financial resources to meet the cost of attendance is essential to maintaining one’s respective status, it does not solely determine admissions into Hunter College. For purposes of admission, an international student is defined as an applicant who currently holds a student (F-1) or Exchange visitor (J-1) visa or seeks to change such an immigration status upon enrollment. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) requires documentation of financial support before approving the issuance of a F-1 or J-1 Exchange Visitor status within the United States (if the admitted student is within the United States) and the State Department reviews financial status and substantial home ties of the applicant before issuing a visa, if the admitted student is overseas. 

Applicants are responsible for the payment of all tuition and fees at the time of registration. Hunter College does not provide financial assistance to international students; they must be in a position to finance tuition, fees, room and board, insurance, books and incidental expenses. The estimated cost is $41,247 per year for undergraduate students and is subject to change. Hunter College does not make housing arrangements for students; it is essential that students be prepared to make their own housing arrangements, preferably before pre-departure or upon arrival. Admitted undergraduate students may visit http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/livingathunter for more housing information. 

International Students are not eligible to apply for fully online or hybrid (online and in class) programs at the College; this includes the Undergraduate RN to BSN Nursing Program.

Non-English Speaking Applicants

International applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate a firm command of the English language by scoring a minimum of 500 Paper-Based TOEFL, 6 (IELTS), 61 (IBT) and 44 Pearson Academic on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). No conditional admission is offered whereby a student may come to the college and spend a semester or year learning English. 

All applicants to graduate programs in CUNY for whom English is not their first language must take one of three exams*: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Pearson Test of English (PTE). Hunter College has until now accepted only the TOEFL exam. The IELTS is accepted by 3,400 institutions in the U.S. including Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Brooklyn College and John Jay. The Economics department has requested that Hunter College accept the IELTS in addition to the TOEFL.

*RESOLUTION ON THE INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING SYSTEM (IELTS) EXAM

Be it resolved that Hunter College will accept the following exams as proof of English Language proficiency as one of the graduate admissions requirements for international students: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Departments will be given the option of using one or both of those exams.

International Students Office (ISO)

Rooms 1109/1133 Hunter East Building
(212) 772-4864
E-mail: intlss@hunter.cuny.edu
Website: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/studentservices/is

The International Students Office (ISO) provides vital immigration-related information to international students, including F-1 and J-1 Exchange Visitor status or visa holders, including Fulbright students and other students with questions about their statuses to assist them in learning advocacy and status maintenance skills. The ISO also advises faculty/staff on matters of F-1/J-1 employment eligibility. Since the students’ academic progress is related to their respective immigration status, we refer all undergraduate international students to Academic Advising Services and graduate international students to their respective departments for educational planning for timely graduation from Hunter College.

The ISO is an important resource of immigration matters, such as the requirements for compliance with the Student Exchange and Visitors Information System (SEVIS) and the US Department of State. The ISO offers opportunities for off campus cross cultural and community engagement. The ISO issues SEVIS I-20/DS2019 forms to all newly admitted inter­national students. It is also a strong liaison between the students and various offices within and off campus to help make the students’ transition to Hunter College easier. It also provides individualized advising and holds topical small group discussions throughout the academic year, such as employment options, immigration law, tax issues, and adaptation to both the United States (U.S.) educational systems and to the U.S. We assist students with change of employment authorizations. We work closely with CUNY’s Citizenship Now for matters regarding Permanent Residency and Naturalization

We warmly welcome all students. For more information, visit the International Students Office and website.