Welcome prospective international applicants!

The Graduate College at the University of Vermont represents 49 countries in our master’s and doctoral programs and welcomes applications from students around the world.

What's it like to study and live in Burlington, Vermont? Students from Uganda, India, and Bangladesh talk life and research at the University of Vermont (UVM).

View the International Grad Student Brochure

 

In addition to the application requirements listed under the Application Instructions page, please read below for further information and requirements for international students:

International Application Deadlines

In order to allow sufficient time to process applications and immigration documents for international applicants, the Graduate College recommends that applicants submit their application and supporting materials as early as possible. Although deadlines posted by the program may be different, international applicants must submit their documents by the following dates:

Deadline to Submit Complete ApplicationDeadline to Submit Response to Offer of AdmissionDeadline for Admitted Students to Request Immigration document*
Fall Term: June 24
(Or program deadline if earlier)
Fall Term: July 5Fall Term: July 15
Spring Term: November 8
(Or program deadline if earlier)
Spring Term: November 21Spring Term: December 1
Summer Term: March 8
(Or program deadline if earlier)
Summer Term: March 21Summer Term: April 1

*Once you have officially accepted the Graduate College’s offer of admission, the Office of International Education will contact students to request their immigration documents. For instructions on how to accept your offer and submit your response, please see the Frequently Asked Questions section below.

Evidence of Financial Support

For purposes of obtaining a visa, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service requires that all international students submit evidence of independent financial support in the form of a signed statement from a bank or scholarship source.

Upon admission, you will be required to provide evidence of independent financial support in the form of a statement from a bank or scholarship source. The appropriate form and instructions will be sent to you after you have officially accepted your offer of admission to the University. This communication will come from the Office of International Education.

Please note that all documents showing evidence of financial support should go directly to the Office of International Education, not the Graduate College.

Documents not issued in English must be accompanied by a notarized English translation.

English Proficiency Examination

Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit proof of English proficiency. Applicants must submit official scores of either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements of the English proficiency will not be eligible for direct entry admission.

 Internet Based (iBT)
TOEFL: Minimum for admission to the Graduate College at UVM90
TOEFL: Minimum for a student to qualify for funding as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at UVM100
IELTS: Minimum for admission to the Graduate College at UVM6.5
IELTS: Minimum for a student to qualify for funding as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at UVM7.0
Duolingo: Minimum for admission to the Graduate College at UVM110
Duolingo: Minimum for a student to qualify for funding as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at UVM120

Note: TOEFL results will not be superscored.

Institution Code for TOEFL test scores for UVM is 3920.

Special Note: To meet the needs of students who are unable to take the TOEFL iBT® test at a test center due to public health concerns, ETS is temporarily offering the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition test. The Graduate College will accept scores from the Special Home Edition test for admission.

For more information about taking the TOEFL exam remotely, please visit ETS’s website at - TOEFL iBT® Test Takers.

Official electronic IELTS scores should be sent to the following address:
Account Name: University of Vermont Graduate College
Address: 85 South Prospect Street Waterman Room 330
City: Burlington
State: VT
Zip code: 05451
Please note that applicants must enter the address exactly as it appears when making their request to the testing center.

Applicants can also report their official scores by emailing their Test Report Form Number (TRFN) to the Graduate College at graduate.admissions@uvm.edu.

For further information about the TOEFL or IELTS exams, please see the following websites:
TOEFL - https://www.ets.org/toefl
IELTS - https://www.ielts.org/
Duolingo - https://englishtest.duolingo.com/home

 

Frequently Asked Questions

I have a 3-year Bachelor’s degree. Am I eligible to apply for a graduate program?

Applicants with a 3-year Bachelor’s degree are considered on a case-by-case basis. If you would like to know if you are eligible to apply before submitting your application, please send your official mark sheets or transcripts to Serenity Bolt at serenity.bolt@uvm.edu for review.

Do I qualify for an English proficiency requirement waiver?

The English Language Proficiency requirement can be waived for applicants who have received, or are expected to receive, an undergraduate or graduate degree from an institution in the United States or a country in which English is the language of instruction and/or English is the language of instruction of the institution which conferred the degree.

For institutions outside of the U.S. – it must be stated that English is the language of instruction on either the transcript, diploma certificate (or equivalent), or a letter directly from the institution to qualify for the waiver.

How do I request an English proficiency requirement waiver?

If applicants have earned a degree from an U.S. institution or an institution in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, or an English speaking institution in Canada, Ghana, Kenya or Nigeria, the English proficiency requirement waiver will be applied by the Graduate College. This waiver will be applied as long as an unofficial or official transcript has been submitted with your application. Please note it may take between 3-5 business days for the waiver to appear on your application checklist after your application has been officially submitted.

Applicants who have an earned qualifying degrees from an institution outside of the U.S. (that are not listed in the above paragraph) will need to submit an official transcript from the qualifying institution and complete PDF icon this form (PDF). Please email the completed form to graduate.admissions@uvm.edu. Please note that in order to be considered official, the transcript must come directly from the qualifying institution to the Graduate College.

How long are my English proficiency scores valid?

The TOEFL, IELTS and DuoLingo exam scores are valid for two years after the test date.

In what language should I submit my transcripts?

Applicants are required to submit their transcripts in the official language of the institution and provide a certified literal (word-for-word) English translation. Translations must be done by your institution, an U.S. Embassy or Consulate, an EducationUSA Advising Center, or a certified translation agency such as University Language Services or an official course-by-course credential evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

Should I have my documents evaluated by a credential evaluation service?

While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for review of applications, an official transcript will be required for a program to admit you. If you do not use an approved credential evaluation service, academic credentials earned from institutions outside the United States will receive an in-house evaluation. However, the Graduate College encourages admitted international applicants to have their credentials reviewed by a NACES or AICES approved third party credential evaluation service as the in-house evaluation process does take longer than using an approved evaluation service. UVM has partnered with SpanTran for a discounted rate for UVM applicants; you can access their application here: SpanTran Application - University of Vermont.

Where should my official documents be sent?

Official transcripts/subject mark sheets and degree certificates (when applicable) should be sent directly to the Graduate College from the institution electronically or by mail. Transcripts must be obtained from each of the post-secondary educational institutions you have attended including your current institution, if applicable.

At this time, we accept electronic transcripts from the following services:

  • Direct from your institutions registrar's office
  • eScripts
  • National Student Clearinghouse
  • Parchment Exchange
  • A NACES or AICE approved third-party credential evaluation service which requires official transcripts for evaluation

Electronic transcripts can be sent to: graduate.admissions@uvm.edu

Paper transcripts can be sent to:
The Graduate College Admissions Office
The University of Vermont
330 Waterman Building
Burlington, Vermont 05405-0160

Please note that once received, international transcripts will receive an in-house credential evaluation unless a third-party credential evaluation is sent. This evaluation may take several business days before the documents will be uploaded to the application.

When will I receive information about the immigration documents required to apply for my student visa?

If you have been offered admission to the Graduate College, you must accept your offer through the decision response form in your application portal to receive information about your immigration documents. After you have accepted the offer, Office of International Education (OIE) will contact you by email with more information.

In order to allow sufficient time to process immigration documents, applicants must submit their decision response form by the following deadlines:

TermDeadline to Submit Response to Offer of Admission
FallJuly 5
SpringNovember 21
SummerMarch 21

 

How much does it cost to attend a graduate program for an academic year?

Detailed information about the tuition and fees can be found on the Student Financial Services website. Please note that some programs may have a different tuition price. Please click on the “Graduate Programs with Alternate Pricing” button for more information.

Is funding available for international students?

Funding may be available for qualified international students in the form of a Graduate Teaching Assistantship, Research Assistantship, departmental scholarship, international scholarship or funding from your home country.
Please contact the department to which you are applying for more information.

For information about external funding opportunities available to international students, please visit Funding your Graduate Degree webpage.

Is there on-campus housing available for graduate students?

The UVM Residence Life does not offer on-campus housing for graduate students. For information on how to find other off-campus housing options, please visit the Office of International Education’s page. Please see the sections titled “UVM Off-Campus Housing for Graduate Students” and “Other Off-Campus Housing Options”.

 

For further questions, please contact graduate.admissions@uvm.edu