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International Student Admission Requirements

Once a student has been admitted and submitted the required financial documentation, WVU will issue a I-20 to obtain a Student Visa. WVU Tech cannot guarantee that you will be able to receive your visa in enough time to start classes if you are admitted close to or on the deadline date. Contact your local consulate/embassy for visa processing timelines.

Minimum Academic Requirements:

First-Time Freshmen International Student

  • A cumulative 2.5 or better secondary/high school GPA (4.0 scale) 
  • College Entrance Exams- ACT or SAT - If you are applying to the School of Engineering or the School of Nursing, you are required to submit ACT or SAT exam score results. Applicants to all other academic programs do not need to submit an ACT or SAT but will be required to take a placement exam before your arrival to campus.
  • Proof of English Proficiency 

Applicants to the Leonard C. Nelson College of Engineering, including all Engineering programs, Engineering Technology, Mathematics and Chemistry, must obtain an ACT math score of at least 19 or a SAT math score of 460 on exam taken prior to March 2016 or 510 SAT score taken March 2016 and after.

Those interested in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing have additional requirements to be admitted to the WVU Tech Department of Nursing.

International Transfer Students

  •  A cumulative 2.0 or better college GPA (4.0 scale) 
  • 24 or more earned credit hours (Equivalent to U.S. system) 
  • Students with less than 24 hours will also have to meet the same requirements as First time freshman     
  • English Proficiency test score (English 101 and English 102 also meet this requirement) 

NOTE: WVU Tech considers each applicant as an individual, with no limit on the number of students admitted from any given background, secondary school or country. Meeting the minimum curriculum requirements does not, however, guarantee admission.

Submission of Transcripts

Applicants to WVU Tech must provide:

  • Copies of all academic records/transcripts in original language of issue (transcripts from U.S. institutions must be sent directly to WVU Tech from the institutions).
  • Diploma(s) or Certificate(s) showing degree awarded.
  • English translations of academic records/transcripts and certificates/diplomas.
  • Copy of current passport or visa for visa status
Note: Original or certified copies of official records/transcripts must be submitted after admissions or upon arrival.

For international applicants from non-US schools, the required supporting documentation must include:

  • The original documents or certified (attested) copies of original documents in the original language of issue, and the official English translations of these documents 
  • Transfer students must complete the transfer credit evaluation from WES. We do not accept any other company. 
  • To ensure proper calculation of GPA and credit for courses taken, it is the responsibility of the applicant to submit their academic records to an independent evaluating company. While WVU Tech does not endorse a specific company or program, we suggest using World Education Services (www.wes.org). We also accept InCred and SpanTran for Freshman. The required evaluation to have completed on your transcripts is the WES basic evaluation with GPA. We will not accept evaluations from any organization or program that is not a member of NACES. The evaluation company must directly send the electronic or hard copy to WVU Tech at Tech-Admissions@mail.wvu.edu or WVU Tech Office of Admissions 410 Neville St. Beckley, WV 25801

For international applicants who have attended US secondary schools or post-secondary institutions:

Official transcript(s) must be sent directly to WVU Tech by the institution.

NOTE: All application documents become the property of WVU Tech. Under no circumstances will they be duplicated, returned to the applicant, or forwarded to any agency or other college or university. Admission documents of applicants who do not enroll in the college may be destroyed after one year.

NOTE: Materials from applicants are retained alphabetically, under the family name, as indicated by the applicant on the Admission Application. It is important that all forms, records and correspondence use the same name and spelling. Your name needs to be as it appears or will appear in your passport. Materials often cannot be matched to files when papers arrive with different names.

English Language Proficiency

Students applying to WVU Tech must have demonstrated a mastery of the English language. WVU Tech accepts the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) or DuoLingo as a measure of English language proficiency. Additionally, the ACT and SAT English/Writing scores can be utilized as can the Pearson Test of English (PTE). Only official score reports for the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, ACT, SAT and PTE are accepted.

Required test scores for admission to WVU Tech are:

                                        May be Required to enroll in English support courses        Regular
TOEFL

Internet-Based                                                        61 - 78                                                      79

IELTS                                                                     6.0 - 6.4                                                    6.5

Duolingo                                                                90 - 104                                                   105

ACT English                                                            19 - 23                                                      24

SAT EBRW                                                            490 - 560                                                  570

Pearson Test of English (PTE)                                44 - 52                                                      53
                                                                                                

Note: WVU Tech does not accept performance in the IEP or ESL program of another university or college as a substitute for our TOEFL/IELTS requirement.

Students who are citizens of Australia, Canada, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, Commonwealth Caribbean Countries (Anguilla, Antigua, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos) or any other native English speaking countries are exempt from the TOEFL and IELTS requirements.

Proof of Financial Support

Before WVU Tech can review students for admissions and issue the necessary document (I-20) to apply for a student visa (F-1), the student must provide proof of adequate financial support to cover the expense of studies at WVU Tech. The proof must show financial support for one full year of study (including tuition, fees, living expenses, books and supplies, personal expenses, etc.) 

Documentation of financial support can take one or a combination of the following forms:

If the student or student’s parents will fund the student’s studies at WVU Tech, the applicant must provide an official bank statement showing the availability of the required amount. The statement:

  • Can be no older than 6 months
  • Must be translated into English
  • Show all amounts in U.S. dollars ($)

NOTE: Income tax statements or returns, salary information from employers, proof of property ownership, credit card statements and statements of retirement accounts are not acceptable evidence of the availability of funds.

If the student will be supported by a private sponsor, the sponsor must complete and sign the “Declaration of Support By Financial Sponsor” form in addition to the official bank statement. 

If a student will be sponsored by a government agency or a public or private institution, the agency or institution must provide official certification that the appropriate costs will be forwarded at the required level.

Students receiving an  academic or  athletic scholarship may deduct the amount of the scholarship from the total amount of financial support needed.

Student Visa

Once the student has completed the necessary steps to be fully admitted and submitted the required financial documentation, WVU Tech will issue the following:

  • Official I-20 document 
  • Letter of Admission 
  • Student ID number, and MIX account log-in information

Once you have received the documentation, you must pay the  SEVIS fee before a Visa can be issued. This fee is paid directly to the United States Government through SEVIS. For more information about the fee and to pay online, visit  SEVIS I-901 Fee. It is incumbent upon the student to make the necessary arrangements with a United States Embassy or Consulate to schedule an appointment and interview.

Once you have arrived on campus, immediately visit the Office of Admissions to certify your status as an International student. If this is not done, SEVIS will terminate your student visa status.

If you will be traveling outside of the United States at any point, you will have to have your I-20 signed by a designated school official at WVU Tech. This signature will allow you to have the ability to leave the country and return without difficulty.

We do not admit M-1 or any other category of visa other than a regular student visa which is an F-1.

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