International Applicants

Some academic departments recommend that international applicants planning on pursuing a research-based degree, submit our extended inquiry form before submitting a full application. The extended inquiry form will be reviewed by the academic faculty and a department representative will reach out if your background and qualifications are a good fit for the program. 

The full application is required for all applicants to complete. Here is some helpful information for international applicants:

• The application fee is $65 for a degree program and $25 for a graduate certificate.
  • Application fee waivers are not available for most programs in most circumstances. Applicants are expected to pay the fee.
• Refer to the application requirements section of each program of study page to understand deadlines and application requirements.
  • To better understand your cost of attendance, please refer to the OISS Estimate of Costs and Tuition and Fees.
• Applicants will be required to provide the names and emails of 2 or 3 recommenders.
• Once submitted, applicants must monitor their application portal for updates on required checklist items.
  • An email notification will be sent when checklist items are complete.
  • Processing of documents and requests can take 5-7 business days.

You must have official test scores sent from the testing agency. The following tests are accepted, along with the minimum scores:

• TOEFL iBT: 80
• TOEFL Essentials: 8.5
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System): 6.5
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic: 59
• Duolingo English Test (English Proficiency Test): 120

All international applicants will be required to provide English Proficiency Test Scores. If your first language is English, your medium of instruction is English, or you have earned a degree within the United States, you may request a test score waiver. Approval of the test score waiver is at the discretion of the academic department.

• Transcript evaluation by a third party is not required as long as an application is in English. However, if transcripts are in a language other than English, certificate translations are required. Additionally, translation and evaluation services may be requested at the discretion of the academic department.
• Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.
• International applicants may submit copies of official transcripts by emailing grad.school@unh.edu. We will upload those transcripts to your application checklist. 
• Official transcripts will be required if admitted. These can be hand-delivered in a sealed envelope upon arrival, emailed to grad.school@unh.edu, or mailed hardcopy to UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall, 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824.

• Admitted international students requiring an F-1 student-visa to study will be notified by the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) of the requirements and procedure for issuing an I-20 immigration document.
• Mandatory International Student Orientations will be held before the start of the semester.
• Students on assistantships must attend Graduate Assistant Orientation and any required trainings before beginning their employment.

All international students are responsible for following all Graduate School registration policies and requirements. In addition, all international students on F-1 and J-1 visas are required to register full-time each semester of the academic year until the completion of their programs. There are no registration requirements during the summer. Please see below for policies related to "special" registrations.

• GRAD 800: Permissible only for Master’s students who have completed all requirements for the degree and will be engaged in full-time OPT (immigration regulations do not require enrollment in a full course of study in this case) and both employment and residence will be off-campus.
• GRAD 900: Appropriate for Master’s students who have completed coursework, will be engaged in full-time OPT and will be employed on campus or living in UNH residential facilities.
• Doctoral Research (GRAD 999): Required of all doctoral students at candidacy.
• Fee Waivers: Students enrolled in Doctoral Research (GRAD 999) who have left the immediate geographic area while completing their doctoral research may petition for a waiver of the mandatory fees.
• UNH Graduate program admissions allows a maximum of 5 backlogs from international colleges/universities: We will make an exception to applicants that receive more than 5 backlogs but less than 10 because they were unable to attend a semester of schooling due to unforeseen circumstances.

Masters’ students in their final term who are not on assistantships may register for less than 9 credits, but no less than 5 credits with approval of the Office of International Students and Scholars, prior to the first day of classes of the student's final term. Students must file their Intent to Graduate with the Graduate School prior to or concurrent with their request to register for a reduced course load.

• International students on assistantships must maintain a work-eligible visa, this is typically an F-1 visa. 
  • Students who have been offered an assistantship, but do not have an eligible visa status to allow them to begin their assistantship duties at the beginning of the semester, have until the last day to register without having their degree and assistantship status discontinued for that semester. The start date for the assistantship would then be the date allowed by the visa status and the student's stipend would be pro-rated. The appropriate tuition waiver associated with the assistantship would be valid and not prorated.
  • Students who have not resolved their visa status by the last day to register without having their degree status discontinued are not eligible to hold an assistantship. Such students may be eligible for a non-status appointment during the semester in question once their visa status is resolved. In such cases, the stipend would be prorated. Programs could award scholarships to cover the tuition cost to such students. Under no circumstances should students who do not have a visa that make them eligible to work begin any assistantship-related duties.

International Student Policy for Online Programs

International students who wish to take online courses at UNH can apply through our regular admission process. However, please be aware that there are guidelines that determine if online programs in the United States will be recognized in the country where you reside.

Guidelines for assessing your eligibility for online programs as an international applicant

Individuals who are already in the U.S. with permanent resident status are eligible for acceptance to fully online programs.

Fully online students residing outside the United States are not eligible for admission into UNH programs that lead to professional licensure and/or certification. A list of those programs may be found here: https://www.unh.edu/registrar/registration/professional-licensure-disclosure-information

Students who will study outside of the U.S. are responsible for determining if our online degree programs are recognized in the country in which they reside. To learn this information, you must contact your country's Ministry of Education (also called Secretariat of Education or Department of Education) and determine the following:

• UNH may lawfully offer an online degree program to me
• My chosen degree program or course will be recognized in my country for employment or further education
• A UNH degree may have to be validated in my country, and I take responsibility for that process
• I am responsible for paying any taxes or surcharges levied on tuition by my country
• UNH will collect, store, and process my personal data in order to deliver courses and communicate to me. The university will follow U.S. privacy laws about data protection unless otherwise noted
• My location has sufficient internet availability and I have access to a computer that meets the technical requirements listed in the "Requirements for Taking an Online Course".
• If English is not my native language, I can provide proof to UNH of English proficiency.
• I understand that UNH does not sponsor visas for online programs.
• I understand that I must meet the admissions and program requirements for this degree program.