Graduate International Students

Admissions Deadlines
Due to the complexity of issuing an I-20, obtaining a visa, and arriving on campus in time, it is strongly recommended that ALL admissions and housing information be submitted two months or more prior to the beginning of the term.
Fall Admission: July 15
Spring Admission: December 1
Summer Admission: May 1
Application Process and Requirements for International Student Admission
If your transcript is in English:
Ask your previous institution(s) to submit an official final transcript on your behalf.
If you send your transcript yourself, this will be considered an unofficial transcript, and we cannot review your admissions eligibility with unofficial transcripts.
Submission options:
By email:
admissions@hnu.edu
By mail:
Attn: HNU Admissions
3500 Mountain Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94610
By fax:
(510) 436-1325
If your transcript is not in English:
- Submit an official transcript with a word-for-word certified English translation from all secondary and post-secondary schools attended.
- Evaluation of credits: International students who have taken post-secondary courses outside the United States are required to have their international credentials professionally evaluated by a third-party organization.
- Transcripts may be evaluated by one of these professional evaluation service organizations:
- World Education Services WES (http://www.wes.org/)
- Educational Credential Evaluators ECE (ece.org)
- SpanTran Foreign Transcript Evaluations (www.spantran.com)
- Global Credential Evaluators GCE (gceus.com)
- We accept evaluations from any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services NACES
- And from any member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators Inc. AICE
- All transcripts of schools attended are to be mailed in a sealed envelope from each granting Institution to the evaluation group of your choice, which will verify that the transcripts are official and received appropriately.
Graduate program application materials:
See Graduate Admissions Requirements for your specific program’s requirements)
- International students who have taken post-secondary courses outside the United States are required to have their international credentials professionally evaluated by a third-party organization.
- Transcripts may be evaluated by one of these professional evaluation service organizations:
- World Education Services WES (http://www.wes.org/)
- Educational Credential Evaluators ECE (ece.org)
- Global Credential Evaluators GCE (gceus.com)
- We Accept evaluations from any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services NACES
- And from any member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators Inc. AICE
- SpanTranlink
- All transcripts of schools attended are to be mailed in a sealed envelope from each granting Institution to the evaluation group of your choice who will verify that the transcripts are official and received appropriately. Please be sure you are ordering a course-by-course evaluation.
A photocopy of your passport must be submitted along with any previous visas. It is important that the copy is clear and that your counselor can see the picture and read all of the words on the page.
Test | Minimum Score | Send Your Official Scores |
TOEFL iBT Total Score | 79 | www.toefl.org; Institutional Code: 4059 |
IELTS Overall Score | 6 | www.ielts.org |
PTE Academic Score | 45 | www.pearsonpte.com |
ELS Language Centers (ELS) Proficiency Report | 109 | www.els.edu |
SAT Evidence Based Reading and Writing | 550 | www.sat.collegeboard.org/scores/send-sat-scores; School Code: 4059 |
ACT English Score | 22 | www.actstudent.org/scores/send; School Code: 0230 |
Duolingo English Score | 100 | https://englishtest.duolingo.com/applicants |
- Completion through advanced intermediate level at any other accredited English language program, to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
- One year of undergraduate work at an accredited U.S. college or university.
- Students who have completed study at a U.S. secondary school, with a minimum of two years of continuous enrollment.
- If English is your first language or if undergraduate instruction was in English, no other proof of English competency is required.
- Students from Quebec and Francophone educational systems may be required to submit proof of English language proficiency.
- Students must submit documentation of financial support showing sufficient funds to cover Cost of Attendance (tuition, housing, and other expenses) for at least the first year of study and that, barring unforeseen circumstances, adequate funding will be available from the same or equally dependable sources for subsequent years. Documentation is valid for up to six months from the date of submission to HNU.
- Funds may come from any dependable source, including scholarships, fellowships, sponsoring agencies, personal funds, or funds from the student’s family. Documentation of scholarships and fellowships may be in the form of an official award letter from the school or sponsoring agency; documentation of personal or family funds should be on bank letterhead stationery, or in the form of a legally binding affidavit. Form I-134, “Affidavit of Support,” can be used to document support being provided by a U.S. citizen or U.S. legal permanent resident. If a bank statement is in the name of someone other than the applicant, a letter demonstrating support from the sponsor is also required. Students from countries with currency restrictions must also submit a letter from their Central Bank indicating that the cost of one year’s expenses will be released. The amount that you will need to show is below.
Cost of Attendance
Graduate Students Living on Campus | ||
Tuition and Campus Fees | $18,590.00 USD | |
Room and Board | $13,994.00 USD | |
Other costs (books/supplies, insurance, transportation) | $6,713.00 USD | |
Total | $39,297.00 USD |
Graduate Students Living off Campus | ||
Tuition and Campus Fees | $18,590.00 USD | |
Room and Board | $13,994.00 USD | |
Other costs (books/supplies, insurance, transportation) | $6,713.00 USD | |
Total | $39,297.00 USD |
- Acceptance letter
- Intent to Enroll/Tuition Deposit form
- Letter from International Student Advisor
- Frequently Asked Questions and Important Information
- I-20 Document
- Maintaining Status Document
- SEVIS Fee Information
If you intend to live on campus, you must apply for housing. The form can be filled out online at HNU Housing Application
The following must be submitted in English to the Office of Residence Life AND Admissions:
- Immunization records (proof of Tetanus, TB, MMR and Hepatitis B vaccinations)
- Health Insurance (proof of Insurance and a copy of Explanation of Benefits\standard insurance form) which shows that insurance is equal to or greater in benefit than that which the university mandates.
Your Intent to Enroll/Tuition Deposit form must be signed and returned to HNU with a $100 tuition deposit to secure your place.
Your Housing Deposit of $100 must be submitted to secure housing.
To pay by check, make check payable to Holy Names University and be sure to write your name in the memo line, so it is correctly applied to your account. Contact your Admissions Counselor to pay by the Tuition Deposit by credit card.
Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for F-1 Students,” verifies that you intend to study at Holy Names University. If you are outside of the U.S., the I-20 is the document used to obtain an F-1 student visa, which will allow you to enter the U.S. After a student receives an I-20 from the HNU Admissions Department, s/he must pay a $200 I-901 SEVIS fee. For more information about this fee or to pay the fee please visit www.ice.gov/sevis
After paying the I-901 fee, the student must attend an interview at a US embassy or consulate in his or her country to obtain an F-1 Visa. The appointment can be made before payment, but a receipt of payment is required at the interview appointment.