Admission of International Students

Undergraduate international students must submit the following documents in order to be considered for admission:

1. International application for admission
2. $40 non-refundable application fee
3. Certified, translated copies of all transcripts, mark sheets and diplomas. Mississippi State University may void enrollment if an original transcript is not received; if a student is not eligible for readmission to any college formerly attended; or if any document is fraudulent or altered.
4. Official American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores.
5. The following documents to receive immigration documents:
   1. Bank or employer letter documenting financial support
   2. Required test scores (see below)
       

English Language Proficiency Requirement

International undergraduate students admitted to Mississippi State University must demonstrate English language proficiency to register for academic courses offered through the colleges. Any of the following scores are acceptable to demonstrate English language proficiency:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): minimum band score of 6.0.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): minimum 525 for paper-based test; 197 for computer-based test, and 71 for Internet-based test.
• English portion of the ACT: minimum 19.
• Critical reading portion of the SAT: minimum 480.

Although applicants may meet general language requirements to the university, some departments have established higher English language proficiency requirements. For a complete listing, please visit the Web site at www.admissions.msstate.edu/international .

Exemption from English Language Proficiency Requirement

Completion of intensive English training or English composition courses at a U.S. college does not waive the English language proficiency requirement. Only students who are citizens of Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, England, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Monteserrat. New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Wales are automatically exempt from this requirement. Citizens of Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, and Swaziland are only exempt if English is listed as the first language on the Senior Certificate.

Admission with English Language Deficiency

International students who are admitted and wish to enroll in academic courses, but fail to demonstrate English language proficiency using one of the approved methods will be required to enroll in English as a second language (ESL) courses. Students who successfully complete the English as a Second Language program will be considered to have demonstrated English language proficiency and allowed to register in academic courses offered through the colleges.

Freshman Admission Requirements

Diploma from secondary school or secondary leaving examination, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score of 860 or higher or American College Test (ACT) score of 18 or higher, and appropriate TOEFL score.

Transfer Admission Requirements:

Option A: One year of successful study at a foreign university and appropriate TOEFL score.

Option B: Meet freshman admission requirements and maintain a quality point average of 2.00/4.00 or higher (as evaluated by Mississippi State University) on all college level work attempted.

Option C: Thirty (30) semester hours of transferable credit from a regionally accredited U.S. college, with a grade-point average of 2.00 or higher on a 4.0 scale, as evaluated by Mississippi State University, including all of the following credits:

• 6 semester hours English Composition
• 3 semester hours College Algebra, Quantitative Reasoning, or higher level mathematics
• 6 semester hours Natural Science
• 9 semester hours Humanities and Fine Arts
• 6 semester hours Social or Behavioral Sciences

NOTE: Students who meet Option C requirements do not need to submit English language proficiency test scores.

English as a Second Language Course

Courses in English as a Second Language (ESL) are considered developmental and are not transferable. They may not be used to satisfy any of the requirements for admission listed above. English courses taken at universities in non-English-speaking countries are considered to be ESL courses unless specific documentation is provided that literature, rather than language acquisition, was the primary focus of the course.

Transfer Credit from Foreign Universities

The Office of Admissions and Scholarships certifies appropriate transfer credit from foreign universities. These courses are recorded on the Mississippi State University permanent record with the grade of S, rather than with letter grades. However, these courses are treated as graded courses (rather than pass-fail courses) in satisfying degree requirements. The student’s dean has the discretion to apply this transfer credit toward degree requirements or to reject any or all of it, just as with domestic students. Students may be asked to supply course descriptions, syllabi, tests, or other documentation to the dean or department to justify the applicability of a transferred course toward a particular degree requirement. No transfer credit will be awarded for English composition courses completed in colleges or universities outside the United States.

Deadlines for Submission of Materials

International students who are already inside the United States should submit all required materials for admission at least two months prior to the date of expected enrollment. Students who are outside the United States should apply at least four months in advance of enrollment. Undergraduate international application forms, required declaration of financial support forms, and additional information are available from the following address: Office of Admissions and Scholarships, P.O. Box 6334, Mississippi State, MS 39762 USA