International Graduate Student Admissions

International Graduate Student Requirements

Approximately 2,201 international students from 100 countries are currently enrolled at Kent State. We’re excited to have you join us as a graduate student and are here to help you every step of the way. We take a holistic approach to the application review process and consider a variety of factors in the admissions decision. Good luck!

Admissions Criteria and Requirements

Before you begin your application, please review Kent State’s requirements.

English Language Proficiency

All international undergraduate and graduate applicants must submit an English language proficiency test score to be considered for a Kent State program unless they meet specific exceptions.

Undergraduate

All undergraduate applicants must obtain one of the following:

TOEFL iBT: 71; Home Edition iBT: 71
Revised PBT: 18 (average score)
IELTS Academic and IELTS indicator: 6.0
Duolingo:100
PTE Academic: 48
Completion of the Kent State University ESL Center Level 8 Intensive English program with a minimum of 3.75 out of 4.0 GPA
ELS Level 112 Intensive English Program completion
SAT: a minimum of 510 evidence-based reading and writing
ACT: a minimum of 21 in English

Please note, Kent State accepts MyBest™ scores for the TOEFL iBT® test, in addition to TOEFL iBT scores from a single test date.

Graduate

Graduate programs set their own English requirements. Please review the Graduate Program English Requirements before submitting your application.

Conditional Admission

All international applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency unless they qualify for a proficiency waiver.

Undergraduate applicants who do not meet the minimum language score for admission may be admitted conditionally if they meet academic requirements.
Some graduate programs offer Conditional Admission. Graduate applicants who are interested in Conditional Admission should still provide an English language proficiency test to be considered.

Conditional Admission means students will take English language classes at our ESL Center before entering their programs.

If you only want to apply for the ESL program then you should submit an ESL application.
If you are looking for Conditional Admission, then you should submit a regular undergraduate application.

Submitting your English test score

When applying as an undergraduate or graduate student to Kent State, there are a variety of ways to submit your score depending on which type of test you took.

Students should request that ETS send official TOEFL scores directly to Kent (institution code: 1367).
An IELTS or PTE report needs to be uploaded as a scanned PDF into our online application system..

All English scores will be verified for authenticity. Students with fraudulent documents will result in denial of admission or immediate dismissal.

Proficiency Waivers

Depending on your educational background, you may be eligible for an English language proficiency waiver, meaning you do not need to take a language exam. See our country list and related requirements.

Check Eligibility for an English Proficiency Waiver

Academic Resources

Once you are enrolled and throughout your time with Kent State University, there are numerous academic resources that you can take advantage of such as tutoring, peer mentoring, advising drop-ins, study groups, language or conversation clubs. We offer a variety of options to assist you with your academics and your personal wellbeing too.

Explore our Campus Resources

Application Deadlines

Graduate admission deadlines differ from program to program, so you will need to follow the expectations of the specific department, school or college you wish to apply to. Sometimes graduate departments may consider a late application. Please check the for the latest updates.

Application Process and Steps

Follow the steps below to become part of the Kent State community. If you have any questions, please reach out to us any time.

Prepare Application Documents to Upload as You Apply

Passport biographical page.
English Language Proficiency official results report for IELTS, PTE or MELAB. TOEFL score should be submitted officially through ETS (Institution Code 1367).
College transcript/detailed marksheets (Certified English translation and original language).
College Graduation Certificate/Diploma if already issued (Certified English translation and original language).
GRE/GMAT or other standardized tests if required (submit official test report through test center).
Graduate assistantship application (if applicable).
- Assistantship application.
- Graduate assistantship applicants may need to meet earlier deadlines. Please check with department for deadlines.
Additional documents if required. *Review requirements from individual department or school.
Financial guarantee (bank statements) that show sufficient funds to cover educational expenses.*
.*
- *Financial documents are only required after acceptance.

Provide Final and Official Documents After Arrival

For admissions purposes, we accept scanned documents of international credentials and scanned copies of official U.S. transcripts. When an applicant is admitted, his/her final and official transcripts and diploma should be brought to the International Admissions Office for verification. This should be done within the first semester (or the first module for ESL students). Otherwise, the student's account will be put on HOLD.

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