International Graduate Student Admissions

We are excited that you are considering Slippery Rock University for graduate study. Below you will find helpful information regarding the application process for graduate international students. Please be sure to read through each section carefully as some programs are not approved by the US government for the issuance of the Form I-20 (F-1 visa holders) or DS-2019 (J-1 visa holders) to enroll and must be completed from outside of the United States.

SEVP Approved Programs

Slippery Rock University offers a variety of graduate programs with differing instructional methods (e.g., face to face, online and blended). Per the Federal Regulations governing both F-1 and J-1 visa holders, these students are restricted from enrolling in Online Only programs. Some blended programs also do not meet the requirements for SEVP if less than half of the course is taught face to face. For this reason Slippery Rock University is only approved by SEVP to issue the Form I-20 or DS-2019 for the following programs:

Athletic Training, MS*
Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MA
Doctor of Occuptional Therapy, DOT*
Doctor of Physical Therapy, DPT*
Physician Assistant Studies, MS*
Student Affairs in Higher Education, MA
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, MA

All other graduate programs offered by Slippery Rock University are either taught fully by distance education (online) or blended which do not meet the U.S. governments requirements for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) approval.

We recommend that you review the full list of graduate programs by instructional method.

* To apply for admission to any of the graduate health science programs must be done through the associated CAS applications. For the link to these applications and more information go to - graduate programs by requirement.

General Application Instructions

Each graduate program will have various requirements. We recommend that you review the requirements by program. Below we have listed the general admission criteria for international graduate students:

Admission Application: Complete the Application for Admission to one of the SEVP approved Graduate Programs.
Application fee. A fee of thirty dollars (U.S. $30.00) is needed to process all applications. This fee cannot be waived and is non-refundable. The fee is paid within the application portal.
Verification of finances: All international applicants that require either an F-1 or J-1 visa for entry to the United States must verify finances. This is not used to determine academic qualification for admission but must be satisfactorily documented for the issuance of the Forms I-20 or DS-2019 used to obtain a student visa through the U.S. Consulate. Applicants must submit a certified original bank statement indicating that sufficient funds are available for at least the first year. If the bank statement is not your own, the sponsor must complete the SRU Financial support statement. Personal bank letters/Affidavits are NOT acceptable. For a list of estimated costs by program see the tab below.
Submit Transcripts: Official, certified true copies of all post-secondary school transcripts (a transcript is a year-by-year listing of courses, grades earned for courses, and credits earned for each year of attendance). All transcripts should bear the official school seal and signature of the person issuing the transcript. Whenever possible, transcripts should be sent directly from the school. If the original document was not issued in English it must be submitted with an official certified English translation. WES or another company that issues official foreign credential evaluations is highly encouraged for graduate international admission.
Proof of your English Proficiency. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit proof of English language proficiency. For a list of accepted tests and minimum required scores by program refer to this pdf - Grad Intl English Proficiency Requirements by Program
- Applicants who have studied in the U.S.A. for a mimimum of 1 year may have the language requirement waived if sufficient verification of English Language proficiency is proven. Proof of sufficient language proficiency to receive a waiver are made at the discretion of the Graduate Coordinator upon review of the students complete academic history. Questions related to exemptions for English language proficiency should be directed to graduate.intl@sru.edu.
Verify Admission Requirements: Each program has specific requirements for admission. Please verify the required documentation for which you are applying to ensure that you have all the necessary supporting documents prepared for submission.
Copy of a valid passport - biographical page. If you are a current F or J student visa holder you must include a copy of the visa.
Submit Required Information: All application materials, transcripts and other supporting documents can and should be uploaded in the application portal. IF there is a need to send print materials those can be forwarded to:

Global Engagement
110 Central Loop
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock, PA 16057-1383 U.S.A.

International students are NOT required to submit transcripts to an external evaluation company (e.g., WES) for review but are highly encouraged at the graduate level, particularly when a program has extensive pre-requisite requirements.

Entry Terms and Application Deadlines

The entry terms and admission deadlines vary by program (some only have in-take once per academic year). To complete an application all required materials must be received by the deadline, this includes all supplemental items.

Fall (August) entry term - application deadline is March 1

Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MA
Student Affairs in Higher Education, MA
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, MA

Spring (January) entry term - application deadline is September 1

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, MA

Summer (May/June/July) entry term - application deadline is December 1

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, MA

Health Sciences entry terms - application deadlines vary by program

Athletic Training recommended deadline October 15 (Summer start only)
Doctor in Physical Therapy recommended deadline October 1 (Fall start only)
Doctor in Occuptional Therapy recommended deadline August 1 (Summer start only)
Master of Science in Phyiscian Assistant Studies recommended deadline August 1 (Summer start only)

INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE ESTIMATED COSTS

International graduate students who will require a visa to enter the United States or currently reside in the U.S. on an F-1 or J-1 visa are required by law to verify finances for the issuance of the immigration documents. Below is a link to the Graduate International Estimated Cost of Attendance matrix. This includes estimated costs for all in-person graduate programs for which a Form I-20 or DS-2019 can be created.

All graduate applicants must submit the SRU Financial Affidavit. No other affidavit will be accepted by Global Engagement for the verification of finances. NOTE: Financial Affidavits are only required if the bank statement submitted is NOT in the students name but rather from a sponsor (e.g., family, friend etc).

2025-2026 - Graduate International Estimated Cost of Attendance Matrix

2026-2027 - Graduate International Estimated Cost of Attendance Matrix

FINANCIAL SUPPORT STATEMENTS

KEY: AT (Athletic Training), CDEV (Clinical Mental Health & Student Affairs in Higher Education/College Counseling), DPT (Doctor, Physical Therapy), DOT (Doctor, Occupational Therapy), PA (Physician Assistant Studies), TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

2025-2026

Effective for Fall 2026 graduate international applicants who provide a bank statement from a sponsor will use a singular Affidavit Form linked below. Sponsors must complete the form and retreive the total estimated cost total quoted in the 2026-27 matrix linked above.

2026-2027

SRU Financial Affidavit

Financial Aid Opportunities For Graduate International Students

Since financial difficulties are a concern for many international students, we offer some details below for assistance.

Campus Employment

The University offers employment on campus for students. The pay range varies based upon the position. Students can work up to 20 hours of work per week during the academic year and full-time during scheduled breaks and holidays. This employment is not guaranteed and thus cannot be used in calculating finances. This is in compliance with U.S. federal regulations. For more information visit the Payroll and Student Employment website for details. Positions are posted in Handshake.

Graduate Assistantships

A limited number of graduate assistantship positions are available in specific academic departments and other offices on campus. However, acceptance to graduate school is not a guarantee that you will receive an assistantship. Assistantships may be granted for up to two years, with full-time recipients working 17.5 hours a week and taking at least 9 graduate credits per semester. Tuition is waived and yearly stipends are included. If you have questions about graduate assistantships please contact graduate.assistantships@sru.edu.

Other financing options

Many international students also secure financial assistance through sponsors or scholarships not offered through the University. However, we are unable to help you obtain these additional sources of financial aid.

If you require any additional information about cost of attendance for an international graduate student please contact graduate.intl@sru.edu.

International Admissions

International Graduate Student Admissions

International Admissions

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