Information for International Applicants

International Student & Scholar Services

The Office for International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) is the resource and advisement center for UAlbany's international student community.  

As soon as you arrive in the United States, ISSS provides a wide range of services and programs, including: 

• An orientation program for new arrivals
• Counseling on visa changes, immigration compliance and tax returns
• Advice on academic and administrative issues 
• Opportunities to improve your English-language skills, including speaking, writing and studying 
• Social activities, a buddy program and excursions
   

Our Campuses 

• UAlbany has three distinct campuses, each of which offers a multitude of opportunities. The University Police Department is dedicated to ensuring our campuses are safe.  
• All students have access to free access to public transportation — including buses and bicycles — between campuses and throughout the Capital Region.  
   

Academic Assistance

• UAlbany’s three libraries offer a collection of 2 million volumes, free interlibrary loan, and access to electronic journals and databases for registered students logging in from anywhere in the world. 
• The Center for Advancement of Teaching, Learning, and Online Education (CATLOE) offers resources and training for graduate students who will serve as instructors.  
• The Writing Center, the Office of Career & Professional Development and Disability Access & Inclusion Student Services (DAISS) are also available to help you succeed. 
   

Health Care 

• Student Health Services provides year-round medical services to all enrolled students.  
• International students will be automatically enrolled in the University’s mandatory health insurance plan. (Please contact International Student & Scholar Services to apply for a waiver.) 
• Counseling and Psychological Services provides individual and couples therapy, as well as support groups. Services are available in person or by telephone or email. 
   

Meeting Fellow Students 

• The Graduate Student Association's programs will help you meet other graduate students in both academic and social settings. 
• UAlbany offers more than 300 student organizations, including religious and cultural groups.

Original & Translated Transcripts 

Your academic transcripts must be provided in the original language, accompanied by certified translations into English. 

If you attended an institution where instruction was conducted in English and your transcript is in English, then that transcript is sufficient. However, you must also provide official documentation on the language of instruction. 

(Official copies of your transcripts will be required upon admission. For instructions, please visit our Apply to a Degree or Certificate Program page.) 
 

Students from India, Bangladesh, and Nepal

We require official and complete individual mark skeets for each examination attempt, including subsidiary exams.  

These documents must be issued by the University Registrar or Controller of Examinations.  

We will only accept photocopies of your mark sheets when they are attested by the University Registrar or Controller of Examinations and placed in a sealed, stamped envelope that is sent directly to the Graduate School. 

We will accept a Provisional Certificate of Degree or Degree Certificate as proof of degree completion. 
 

Students from China 

We require both the Graduate Certificate and the Bachelor’s Degree Certificate for proof of earned degree. 
 

Students from Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Moldova 

We will accept apostilled photocopies of your official academic record, in lieu of those records being officially sent to us by the institution of higher education. 
 

Transcript Evaluation 

Although not required, we accept WES Evaluations sent directly to UAlbany from WES. 

A transcript evaluation allows the review committee to correctly compare the quality of your school, coursework and grades with all other applicants. 

Other evaluation services can only be used if they require official documents directly from the institution of higher education, not the student, to evaluate coursework. 
 

Proof of Degree 

An official document showing award of degrees is required.

If you do not submit acceptable documents showing proof of a U.S. bachelor’s degree or its equivalent with your admissions application, UAlbany must receive official proof of degree by the end of your program’s first semester. Otherwise, a hold will be placed on your account, preventing you from registering for the following term.

Since English proficiency is required to ensure success in UAlbany’s graduate programs, the TOEFL, the IELTS, the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) exam or the Duolingo English Test is required. 

We will not accept scores from an exam taken more than two years before the date your application is submitted. 

Your application will not be considered complete — and therefore cannot be evaluated — until all required materials are submitted. This includes English proficiency exam scores.

If you have not taken an English Language Exam or your score does not meet our minimum requirement, some graduate programs will offer conditional admission with our Intensive English Language Program (IELP) if all other admission standards are met. Please contact Director of Graduate Recruitment and Marketing, Soha Acosta, at [email protected] to see if your program participates in conditional admission with IELP and the requirements to complete IELP.  
 

Submitting Scores 

We will only accept official scores sent by the testing institution.  

UAlbany’s TOEFL code is 2532. We do not use department codes. 

For electronic IELTS score results reporting, please provide the following information to your test center: 

University at Albany (SUNY) 
1400 Washington Avenue 
Albany 
NY 
12222
 

Minimum Scores 

UAlbany’s minimum scores for general admissions are as follows: 

• TOEFL internet exam: 79
• TOEFL paper exam: 550
• IELTS: 6.5 
• Duolingo English exam: 110
• PTE Academic: 53 

Note: Some departments require higher scores. Contact your academic program of interest for more information. 
 

Waivers 

Applicants can waive the English Language Proficiency requirement if they upload transcripts to the application portal showing they successfully completed at least four full-time semesters within a four-year time frame from time of application and maintained at least a B average at a college or university in the United States or a country from an approved list. For questions regarding English Language Proficiency waivers, please email Director of Graduate Recruitment and Marketing, Soha Acosta, at [email protected].

Note: Waivers are subject to evaluation by the Graduate School and UAlbany reserves the right to request proof of English proficiency on a case-by-case basis. 

International students attending UAlbany on an F1 student visa must document their ability to meet all expenses while attending UAlbany by submitting a financial affidavit and financial documents. 

Please visit the Tuition & Fees for International Students page to learn about graduate student expenses. A wide range of financial aid opportunities are available on our Funding Graduate Studies page. 

If you have any dependents (including your spouse and/or children) who will be accompanying you to Albany, you should budget an additional $4,000 annually. Each dependent will need to apply for an F2 visa. 

If you are an international applicant transferring from another institution of higher education within the United States, please also complete the International Transfer Form and send it to Director of Graduate Recruitment and Marketing, Soha Acosta, at [email protected]. 
 

Financial Affidavit 

You must submit a financial affidavit, dependent form (if applicable) and supporting documentation evidencing your financial support (bank statements, deposit verification, etc.) 

Although we encourage you to submit your financial documentation with your admission application, you can submit the files after your application has been reviewed. However, if you are admitted, we cannot send the Form I-20 for you and, if applicable, your dependents until you have submitted your financial documentation. 

Download the Financial Affidavit here.

You may wish to read these instructions for completing the financial documentation.