How to Apply
Download an Application. Download, type online and print the Application for Admission to the School of Graduate Studies (Master's Level or Education Specialist Level) .
Request a Paper Application. Request that an application for admission to the School of Graduate Studies be mailed to you. Email the request to mpagliero@uwa.edu.
Expectations
Students must hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent with a minimum of 2.75 grade-point average (four-point scale). The undergraduate degree must be equivalent to that granted by a regionally accredited institution in the United States. Students must have a teaching certificate in an area that the Alabama State Department of Education offers and/or recognizes. Unless they meet all requirements for certification at the Class B level, students must sign a statement indicating they are not seeking Alabama certification.
Application Materials
In addition to the application, the following credentials must be filed with the School of Graduate Studies, Station 31, Livingston, AL 35470 USA in order for an international student to be considered for admission to graduate school.
- Application Fee. A non-refundable $35.00 application fee. If this fee is paid by a check or money order from outside the U.S., it must state on the document the name of a U.S. bank through which it is payable.
- Official College Transcript. All official international transcripts should be sent to either the World Education Service or Educational Credential Evaluators for evaluation. This evaluation is to be forwarded directly to the UWA Registrar. The cost of this evaluation will be the responsibility of the student.
- GRE or MAT Test Scores. Acceptable scores from either the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Students must earn a score of 850 or above on the GRE (Verbal and Quantitative) and a 392 or above on the MAT to receive unconditional admission to the School of Graduate Studies.
- TOEFL or IELTs Scores. A score report from the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required. A student must earn a minimum TOEFL score (UWA code 1737) of at least 500 on the paper-based test, 173 on the computer-based test, or 61 on the internet-based test. The minimum IELTS score required is a 5.0 overall with no score less than a 5.0 on any section of the test module. This requirement will not be waived. Students may find more information regarding the TOEFL at www.toefl.org. Students may find more information regarding the IELTS at www.ielts.org.
- A Statement of Financial Support. This financial statement must be completed by both your sponsor, indicating his/her willingness to finance your education, and your sponsor’s bank, verifying that your sponsor has the ability to finance your studies. This figure of $17,000 quoted on the Statement of Financial Support is the total estimated cost a foreign student will incur during an academic year at the University of West Alabama. This amount includes expenses for tuition, fees, room and board, books and supplies, travel, clothing, and all other personal expenses. This amount will be entered on your I-20 form as the estimated cost of attending the University of West Alabama for one academic year (twelve months). The Statement of Financial Support may be printed out and used by international student applicants.
- Deposit. A deposit of $500 to be placed in an escrow account with the University. This deposit is placed in the student’s account at the Business Office to be used by the student for any emergencies that the student may encounter while enrolled. If money is withdrawn from this account by the student, the amount withdrawn must be replaced in the account before the student will be allowed to re-enroll for another term. Acceptance to the University cannot be granted until the $500 deposit is received. At the beginning of each term, an international student is required to pay in full all required tuition and fees due the University for that term before being allowed to register. The international student has the option of depositing $1,500 into an escrow account instead of $500 and be granted the normal payment schedule afforded to U.S. students.
Admission Decisions After these credentials are on file, the student’s application will be reviewed by the School of Graduate Studies and a decision made. An acceptance letter and an I-20 form cannot be released to a student until all of the above admission requirements are met.
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