International Students

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Application Instructions for International Students

Most, but not all, of our graduate degree programs are open to international students. Please be sure to check the admissions requirements for the program in which you are interested in enrolling.

International students currently in the U.S. on an F-1 or M-1 student visa are not eligible to pursue an online degree, per U.S. immigration regulations. Verify that your country allows access to essential software like VPN or DUO, which is vital for seamless online access during your studies.

If you are an Indian student interested in studying online with USD, see our USD Online in India admissions information page. If your are an Indian student interested in applying for the Full-time, On-campus programs in San Diego for the MS in Applied Artificial Intelligence or MS in Cyber Security Engineering starting Fall 2026, please send inquiries to [email protected].

For international applicants, it is recommended that you begin the application process up to three months before the application deadline. In addition to the standard admission requirements, you may also be required to submit the following items for acceptance to the program:

English Proficiency Examination Scores

International graduate applicants must demonstrate their ability to comprehend academic English, including written academic text; rapid, idiomatic English used in lectures and group discussions; and the ability to express themselves clearly in spoken English.

Acceptable English Proficiency Exams

TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores must be taken within two years of your application submission date. Be sure to designate the University of San Diego Office of Graduate Admission as a recipient of your score report.

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
  • the traditional computer-based test at a test center
  • the TOEFL iBT Home Edition
  • the TOEFL iBT Paper Edition (available in select countries only)
  • Minimum score is 4.5 for all tests taken after January 21, 2026, and the minimum score for tests taken prior to that date is 83. Some programs may have a higher standard for admission - please check with your enrollment advisor.
  • Important: The TOEFL Essentials exam will not be accepted

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic exam
  • the traditional computer-based or paper test at a test center
  • the IELTS Online
  • Minimum band score of 7.0 on IELTS Academic is required. Some programs may have a higher standard for admission - please check with your enrollment advisor.
  • Important: The IELTS Indicator exam will not be accepted
• Duolingo English Test
  • the traditional online test
  • Minimum total score of 120 is required. Some programs may have a higher standard for admission - please check with your enrollment advisor.

Waiving out of the English Language Exam requirement: 

The English Language Exam requirement may only be waived if you have earned a 4-year bachelor's degree or 2-year master's degree, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, from an institution where English is the official language of instruction. Waiver requests based on living or working in an English-language context, or based on educational pursuits that resulted in less than the conferral of a 4-year bachelor's or 2-year master's degree, will not be accepted.

Waivers are not automatically applied; all waivers must be requested. Waivers are granted on a one-by-one basis for a specific program and term. Obtaining a waiver is not guaranteed under any circumstances.

To request a waiver of the English Language Exam requirement:

1. Submit the Online Application; your waiver request will not be considered until we receive your Online Application.
2. Submit your official transcript or official course-by-course international transcript evaluation showing proof of your bachelor's and/or master's degree having been earned at an institution where English is the language of instruction. Please be aware that if you attended a foreign institution, that institution must clearly state on their website that English is the language of instruction. If no such statement is posted, you will need to obtain an official verification letter from that institution confirming English as the language of instruction, and submit it as part of your application for admission.
3. Once you have submitted both your Online Application and your official transcript(s)/evidence of degree earned at an institution where English is the language of instruction, please email your enrollment advisor in order to request the waiver. Your waiver request must be supported by the program you are applying to before it can be reviewed.

Transcript and Credential Evaluation

If you earned a degree from an institution outside the United States, you are required to submit an official international transcript evaluation (also called a foreign credential evaluation) as part of your application. Please note that the evaluation must be a course-by-course evaluation. You must order your official course-by-course evaluation from one of the following evaluation services:

• World Education Services, Inc. (WES)
• Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)
• International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (IERF)
• The Evaluation Company (SpanTran)
• Foreign Academic Credential Service (FACS)