Undergraduate International Admission FAQ

I’m both an international student and a transfer/homeschool/seminarian applicant. How do I apply?

It does not matter if you are a transfer student, homeschool student or a prospective seminarian; you still apply as an International student if you are graduating from a high school outside the United States (including DOD schools or American schools). However, only applicants who are NOT US citizens or permanent residents (green card holder) and who wish to attend the University of Dallas as an F-1 student need to turn in a Confirmation of Financial Resources form with supporting bank statements.

I am an international student in the US.  Will I have to go back to my home country in order to be issued a visa?

Typically, applicants who are already in the US (except for those in tourist status), do not have to return to their home countries before starting school. International applicants who are in the US as tourists typically will return home to get the F-1 visa in order to come back to the US and begin school. Tourists are not permitted (by US law) to enroll at a college or university.

If you are presently attending school (either high school or college) in the US in F-1 status, your F-1 status can be transferred to the University of Dallas. You would not have to return to your home country before starting at UD.

If you are in the US as the child of a parent who is working on a work visa (you probably have a dependent status such as H4, L2, R2, etc.), you can attend the University of Dallas and remain in that status until your 21st birthday. Depending on your circumstances, you may need to go home to apply for the F-1 visa to enter the US. To continue to stay in the US to attend school after your 21st birthday, you would have to change to F-1 status. The University of Dallas International Student Advisor can provide further details.

If I already have a visa (non-descript), do I need to submit financial documentation as part of my application?

If you are already in the US AND not on a tourist visa, you can probably attend school on your present status. If you want to change your status to F-1, you will need to provide financial verification in order to get an I-20 to apply for the change of status.

If you are home in your home country, you will need to provide financial verification in order to get an I-20 and apply for an F-1 student visa to come to the US.

Why do I need to submit a Confirmation of Financial Resources (CFR) form?

The CFR is a requirement of US Federal regulations for issuance of an I-20 by the International Student Services and issuance of the F-1 visa. US embassies will need proof that you/your family can support the expenses associated with an American education (tuition, living expenses, travel, etc). Because it is possible that scholarships awarded could be lost due to poor academic standing or any other circumstance, the CFR requires documentation proving the student can cover all costs.

Will my credits from an international university count toward my UD degree?

Because our university adheres to a classical curriculum based in the Great Books, no student can graduate from the University of Dallas without completing at least 60 credit hours of a Core curriculum. Consequently, students who are bringing in foreign credits to UD will likely not have all their credits transfer and count toward our diploma. In order to qualify for a review of international credits, students must have their foreign transcripts translated and evaluated by a certified service.

What if I am an international student who only wants to be a part-time student/enroll in a pre-professional program?

To attend school in the US on an F-1 visa, you must be enrolled full-time. That is a US federal regulation. In addition, you are only permitted to enroll in a course of study that is published in our catalog as a full-time course of study.

What is the tuition for international students?

Since UD is a private university, all students are required to pay the same tuition. There are no additional direct costs for attending UD for International students.

Do international students qualify for scholarships?

All scholarships offered by the University of Dallas are merit-based awards. They are based 50% on your high school GPA (on a 4.0 scale) and 50% on your SAT/ACT scores. Additional scholarship is available to students who visit our campus before February 1st of their senior year of high school and submit the appropriate documents for a Departmental Scholarship by January 15th. Full IB diploma candidates can be considered for the IB Scholar Award, subject to their final IB scores.

Can I apply for financial aid as an international student?

If you have applied and been admitted into the undergraduate program, then you may file an application for financial aid using the CollegeBoard's CSS profile.  International students are also eligible to apply for private loans as long as they have an American co-signer. 

Will my IB diploma be recognized at UD?

Yes, the University of Dallas recognizes the rigor of an IB curriculum and diploma. International students graduating with a full International Baccalaureate diploma may also qualify for the IB Scholar Award. IB Candidates must submit a one page cover letter of intent requesting consideration for the award, proof of citizenship outside the United States and official IB diploma and scores. IB diploma students can also receive up to 30 college credit hours with IB scores of 5, 6 or 7 on the IB higher level exams in transferable subjects. If you are interested in competing for this award or learning more about IB credits, please visit our IB Scholar Award page.

I am a dual citizen.  How do I apply?

If your dual citizenship includes US citizenship, then you apply as regular incoming freshmen.  If you were educated outside the US in a language other than English, an English proficiency exam is also required in addition to the regular student application materials.

If I go to an American or British high school, do I still need to submit a TOEFL?

No, students who submit either an SAT or ACT score are exempt from submitting an English proficiency exam score.

I only need a few more credits to finish my international bachelor’s degree. Can I complete my undergraduate degree at UD?

No, all students who wish to graduate from UD must complete a minimum of 60 credits from our institution. Keep in mind that all International students who wish to attend UD must have an I-20 which cannot be issued unless full-time status is confirmed.

Do my international transcripts need to be translated into English?

Yes. If you wish for your transcript to be reviewed by the Admission Committee and/or reviewed for transfer credit by the Academic Dean, they must be translated by a certified translator. Translations must include a translator’s signature and official company stamp.

If I was not born in the US but have lived here and gone to school here for most of my life, do I apply as an international student or as an incoming freshman?

Students who have lived in the US for most of their life still must apply as international students. Students who were born outside of the US but have permanent US residency may apply as regular freshmen. 

The application requires either a TOEFL, SAT, or an ACT score.  Which do you recommend I take?

Every student wishing to apply for admission is required to take one of the exams and submit official scores. Although all scores that satisfy admission criteria are used for admission purposes, only the SAT and ACT can qualify a student for scholarship.

I have the only copy of my original high school transcripts, diploma, and/or TOEFL scores.  What do I do?

If this is the case, you will need to personally bring or mail the original documents to the Office of Undergraduate Admission so that we may photocopy and certify them ourselves. Once you have done this, you will have satisfied the requirement, and the original documents will be mailed back to you (or you can choose to pick them up here when you arrive on campus).