Admission Requirements Overview

Admission requirements are conditions you have to fulfil in order to be considered for admission to a US university or college through the admission process. The application process is straight forward and you just have to make sure that you submit everything that the university or college asks from you and that you allow yourself plenty of time to gather everything you need before the application deadline.

Some admission requirements are optional or recommended. You do not have to submit these items if you do not want to or you can’t, although it is advisable to do so if it strengthens your application. Depending on university/college, an example of this could be the SAT/ACT requirement.

Things to consider

It generally takes time to complete an application and submit all supplemental documents. You are wise in giving yourself at least 12 months ahead of the application deadline to complete and submit your application. Visit the see Application Timeline for an overview of the entire application process.

The requirements vary from one institution to another so make sure that you fully understand the admission requirements for each of the US universities or colleges you are interested in attending.

There are generally two sets of admission requirements. While students have to meet general admission requirements set by the university/college, often individual study programs have additional requirements that also need to be fulfilled. For instance, in addition to the general requirements set by a university, individual programs such as the College of Business or the College of Engineering may require a higher GPA or that prospective students have taken classes relevant to the proposed major. Make sure you visit the admission page for your program as well as the university’s main admission page.

Don't forget

When reviewing admission requirements you must make sure that you are looking for the requirements applicable to international students and not to domestic students (US students). Be aware that some universities/colleges do not distinguish between international students and US students in terms of admission requirements. However, even in these cases there are likely to be differences in the requirements, such as the English proficiency requirement.

The minimum acceptable Grade Point Average (GPA) varies from institution to institution, which means that certain universities/colleges require that prospective international students have excellent grades while others will accept lesser grades. Information is usually prominently displayed on each university’s/college’s general admission homepage or on each individual program page (e.g. School of Business or School of Nursing).

We have compiled a comprehensive list of admission requirements for each study level, accompanied with explanations and helpful information. Although named the same, the requirements vary slightly depending on degree level, so make sure to review the requirement for your intended level of study.

Click on one of the images for a detailed discussion on admission requirements related to bachelor, master, or doctorate (PhD) study in the United States.