FAQs
Questions About Applying
Questions About English Proficiency Requirements
Questions About Transcripts
Questions About Applying
Q. What is the application fee?
A. The application fee for all graduate applicants is $50 payable in
Q. I want to apply to two different programs. Do I have to pay two application fees?
A. No. Only one application fee is required.
Q. I am an alumnus of
A. Yes. The application fee can be waived for WSU Alumni Association members upon proof of membership. Check the appropriate box on the application and be sure to include a copy of your valid Alumni Association membership card with your supporting application materials. You must be an active member of the Alumni Association at the time you submit your graduate application and provide proof of valid membership at the time you apply. No application fees paid prior to submission of valid proof of Alumni Association membership will be refunded.
Q. I applied last semester but was not accepted. Will I have to pay the application fee again to reapply?
A. Your application fee is good for four semesters. For example, if you applied in fall 2007, your application fee will be good through fall 2008.
Q. I am currently living in the
A. The international graduate application should be used for all applicants (including Canadians) who are not citizens or permanent residents of the
Q. I am not a
A. Non-U.S. citizens should provide a copy of their visa or permanent resident card. If you are in the process of changing your status, also include copies of the applicable paperwork.
Q. I currently have an H-4 visa. Do I have to provide the financial documents (i.e. bank statement and financial statement of support)?
A. No. Only applicants who wish to have a student visa (F-1) issued need to provide financial documents. F-2 visa holders should be aware that it can take between four and six months for the change in visa status.
Q. Do I need to submit anything other than the application, the application fee and transcripts?
A. Many departments have additional requirements beyond those of the Office of Graduate Admissions, such as GRE, letters of recommendation and statement of purpose. You should visit their Web site and communicate with the program to determine their requirements. Then make sure all required materials are submitted. Once you identify their particular requirements, please send them directly to the program, including letters of recommendation not supplied through our online application.
Q. I want to apply for financial aid, a scholarship, or a graduate teaching/research assistantship. Should I send my application to the Office of Graduate Admissions?
A. No. Any applications for support should be submitted to the program to which you are applying, or, if indicated, the department listed on the form. Submitting these requests to the Office of Graduate Admissions can cause a costly delay.
Questions About English Proficiency Requirements
Q. I have lived in the
A. Yes. Because your education was completed in a country where English is not the native language, you are still required to provide proof of English proficiency. The TOEFL is the most frequently used standardized indicator of English proficiency. For further information on registering for the test, visit www.TOEFL.org.
Q. What countries are exempt from taking the TOEFL?
A. If you completed a bachelor's degree or higher from an institution in the following countries, you do not have to take the TOEFL: Anguilla, Antigua, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Greenland, Guyana, Jamaica, Liberia, New Zealand, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, South Africa, Tobago, Trinidad, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Kingdom, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
Q. I took the TOEFL five years ago. Do I have to take it again?
A. Yes. To be valid, the TOEFL must be no more than two years old upon application date. Scores which are older than two years cannot be reported by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Please report your score to
Questions About Transcripts
Q. I've read that I need to submit official transcripts. What types of transcripts are official?
A. Official transcripts are those issued directly by your previous institution. They usually include a school imprint, seal, or original signature and stamp of the registrar or senior school official. For schools in the
Q. I only took one course from a community college and it shows up on my university transcript. Can I just have my university transcript sent to
A. No. We require transcripts from all post-secondary schools (colleges and universities) you have ever attended. Courses taken at one institution and reported on another institution's transcript are not considered to be official.
Q. I haven't graduated with my bachelor's degree yet. Do I have to wait until my degree is posted to apply to graduate school?
A. No. You do not have to wait until you have the bachelor's degree in hand to apply. Simply have your institution submit a transcript containing the most current record to support your application. Once your degree is posted, you must have an official final transcript with degree statement (name of degree and date granted) sent to
Q. I sent my transcripts but heard that I also need a degree certificate. Why?
A. If your degree is not posted (name of degree and date granted) on the transcript, you will need to provide official documentation of your degree certificate or diploma. You may want to specifically ask the issuing institution to confirm to you that your degree statement has been posted on your most recent transcript before having it issued. If not, you will need to provide an official degree certificate. Provisional certificates are acceptable for overseas internationals.
Q. I live in
A. Bring your original documents and a photocopy to the Office of Graduate Admissions and an admissions counselor will review them and attest that the copy is true. These attested copies may be used in place of the originals. Copies of foreign transcripts, etc. attested by public notaries will not be accepted in place of the originals.
Q. I have had my transcripts evaluated by WES, ECE, or another credentials evaluation service. Do I still have to submit my official transcripts?
A. Yes. These evaluations can be used as an English translation of applicant transcripts, but do not replace the official transcripts. Please be sure to include native language versions of all transcripts and degree statements.
Q. My transcripts are written in a language other than English. What should I do?
A. Most foreign institutions provide copies of your transcripts and degree certificates in the English language as well as your native language. In some cases, you may have to ask specifically for them, and in certain cases, you might also have to pay an additional fee for this service. It is important that you submit native language and English language versions to