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Prospective Students

International Applicants

International Applicant Procedure Foreign Credential Evaluations English Proficiency Requirements Undocumented Applicant Procedure

International Applicant Procedure

Application Procedure:

  1. Seek advisement from the college or program to which you are planning to apply.  OUHSC academic programs are found at http://www.ouhsc.edu/ .
  2. Submit the application for admission
  3. If admitted in *full-standing status:
    1. Admissions and Records emails acceptance and international information letter.
    2. Office of Immigration Services (OIS) sends email to explain international student check-in and requests completion of the Confidential Financial Form in addition to supporting documentation for one year of tuition and fees for the specific program stated in United States equivalency.  (This step is required prior to the start of each new academic year.)
    3. OIS issues I-20 to an admitted international student upon receipt of requested documentation. 
      1. I-20 is the Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant (F-1) Student Status-For Academic Students.  This is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) document issued by SEVP-certified schools.
  4. Admitted student presents the I-20 to U.S. Embassy or Consulate to apply for student visa interview, etc.
    1. Student visas can be issued up to 120 days prior to beginning the course of study; however, students are not allowed to enter the US prior to 30 days before the term begins.

Note:  Federal financial aid is available only to a valid citizen of the US, a permanent US resident with a valid Permanent Resident Card, or a US national.  Exceptions to this policy are found on the Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility/requirements/non-us-citizens.

* International students admitted on probation status are not eligible for issuance of the I-20 document.  Specific admission policies with minimum academic requirements are listed on the college websites and/or handbooks.

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FOREIGN CREDENTIAL EVALUATIONS

If you have attended a college or university outside of the United States, you must arrange to have all post-secondary records evaluated by a U.S. credential evaluation agency.  The evaluation should assess on a course-by-course basis and convert the GPA to a 4.0 grading scale.  Prior to ordering the evaluation, review the Foreign Credential Evaluation Program Guide to learn which agency evaluations are acceptable for your program of study.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

  • Not all degree programs at our institution accept Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).  If you have not done so already, review the Foreign Credential Evaluation Program Guide to learn which agency services are acceptable for your degree program. No exceptions will be made for programs accepting WES only. 
  • Transcripts from foreign institutions (high school and post-secondary) must be sent directly to the evaluation agency using instructions given on their site.  It is not necessary to send foreign transcripts to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. 

World Education Services (WES)

Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)

  • Official evaluations should be sent to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma or the central application service by the agency.
  • Evaluations submitted by any agency other than those specified on this site will not be accepted.
  • Students who are currently enrolled and/or lack degrees will be required to submit an updated final evaluation prior to issuance of the I-20 and first term of enrollment.
  • Coursework completed through study abroad programs that are posted to U.S. transcripts do not require evaluation.

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English Proficiency Requirements

Proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English is essential to your success at the OU Health Sciences Center.  If English is not your first language, you will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency before admission.  See the list of English proficiency requirements by academic program.

  1. Who is required to take TOEFL (iBT) or IELTS?
    1. Persons born outside of the U.S. including naturalized U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and international applicants.
    2. Persons born in U.S. territories where English is not the first language.
  2. Who is exempt from taking TOEFL (iBT) or IELTS?
    1. Applicants born abroad to parents with U.S. native citizenship with a U.S. birth certificate or passport.
    2. Applicants born in one of the OUHSC Approved Native English-Speaking Countries.
    3. Applicants with degrees awarded from the University of Oklahoma.
    4. Applicants with degrees awarded from Institutions other than OU, if listed on the English Proficiency Requirements chart.
    5. U.S. Naturalized citizens, permanent residents, green card holders, and U.S. military personnel who have spent the last two or more years working continuously in the U.S. (or with the U.S. military) are eligible for automatic waivers.
  3. How can I satisfy the English proficiency requirement?
    1. Submit minimum TOEFL (iBT) or IELTS scores listed on the English Proficiency Requirements chart.
    2. Complete the institutional TOEFL examination offered through the University of Oklahoma, Norman campus.  To learn about registration and see a list of exam dates go to http://cidl.ou.edu/ or call (405)325-1208.  Exams administered through institutions other than the University of Oklahoma will not be accepted.
  4. How should I send my official test scores?
    1. Send TOEFL (iBT) scores to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center by going to the TOEFL website and following the instructions for score reporting.  The institution code for OUHSC is 6902.
    2. Send IELTS scores by following the instructions on the IELTS website.  OUHSC accepts paper Test Report Forms.
  5. What additional information should I know?
    1. Test scores expire after two years, so scores over two years old by the beginning of the term in which you wish to start are not accepted.
    2. The University of Oklahoma HSC has high standards for English proficiency; therefore, it does not waive the English proficiency requirement for transferring students with completion of twenty-four semester hours of coursework from the U.S. unless noted in the English Proficiency Requirements chart.
    3. An application is not complete until the University receives official scores from the testing agency, or the formal approval of a waiver request.
  6. How can I request a waiver exception?
    1. Applicants who do not meet the minimum TOEFL or IELTS requirement, but have compelling evidence of having English proficiency with supporting documentation, may REQUEST A WAIVER.  The submission of a waiver request does not guarantee its approval.  Allow 1-2 weeks for decision notification.

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UNDOCUMENTED APPLICANT PROCEDURE

Federal Policy:
Effective June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that individuals who came to the United States as children may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal. On November 20, 2014, the President extended the period of deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) and work authorization to three years. 

Eligibility and Procedure to Obtain Deferred Action: 
Guidelines found at www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/consideration-deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca.

  1.   Attended Oklahoma High School:  Assigned non-resident tuition waivers 
  2.   Attended High School Out of State:  Must pay non-resident tuition

OUHSC Required Documents:

  1.  Affidavit of Intent:   Provided by Admissions and Records which must be signed and officially notarized.  The sworn statement says that the student will file an application or petition with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to legalize immigration status at the earliest opportunity eligible, but not to exceed one year after the date first enrolled at OUHSC.
  2. Confidential Financial Form:  Admissions and Records requests completion of the Confidential Financial Form plus supporting documentation for one year of tuition and fees for the specific program. (This step is required prior to the start of each new academic year.)

Note:   Federal financial aid is not available to undocumented students.  It is the student’s responsibility to ensure tuition and fees are paid at the designated time.   

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