International Studies at University of San Diego
International students add diversity and varied perspectives to USD programs
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.
If you are an international applicant, 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:
- A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL-iBT) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam.
- International applicants are required to demonstrate proof of English proficiency by supplying official TOEFL or IELTS scores as part of their application package. However, applicants who are unable to take an English proficiency exam at an in-person test center due to concerns related to COVID-19 may choose to instead take either the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition exam or the IELTS Indicator exam. Applicants may submit official scores from one of these at-home exams if in-person testing is unavailable or unadvised due to public health concerns.
- In summary, official English proficiency scores will be accepted from the following exams:
- Applicants will need to designate the University of San Diego Office of Graduate Admission as a recipient of their score report.
- English Proficiency Exam Waivers: The English Proficiency Exam requirement may be waived if English is your primary language or if you obtained a bachelor’s degree in the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada (with the exception of Quebec), Australia, or New Zealand. Other exceptions may be made on a case by case basis. Waivers are not automatically applied; all waivers must be requested.
- Transcript and Credential Evaluations – 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:
Please review our COVID-19 provisions at the bottom of this page if you are having difficulty obtaining your international transcript evaluation.
Sending Transcripts, Evaluations & Additional Application Materials to USD
The University of San Diego encourages applicants to have their supporting application materials (WES evaluations, official transcripts, standardized test scores, etc.) sent via secure electronic means so as to expedite processing. Please keep in mind that in order to be considered official, all materials must be sent electronically directly from the institution or organization providing them. Materials emailed from applicants will not be accepted.
Please send all supporting materials to: [email protected]
If your institution or organization cannot support electronic delivery, materials may be mailed to:
University of San Diego
Office of Graduate Admissions
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110-2492
More Information for International Applicants
Application Provisions Due to COVID-19
The following provisions are approved for all Summer and Fall 2021 applicants:
Are you having trouble getting an official transcript from your foreign university?
We understand that due to continued disruptions caused by COVID-19, some foreign institutions may be unable to process or send official documents required by WES and other agencies for their credential evaluations. Because of this, the Office of Graduate Admission will temporarily postpone requiring an official course-by-course WES evaluation if you are having a hard time getting official documents sent from your foreign university to WES in time to meet the application deadline.
If you cannot supply an official course-by-course foreign credential evaluation by one of the agencies listed above, you will be asked to provide proof of your earned foreign degree by supplying either a copy of your transcript and/or a scan of your diploma. You can upload these documents to your online application.
Please note that you will need to submit your official course-by-course foreign credential evaluation showing appropriate degree(s) conferred in order to register for your second semester.* A hold will be placed on your student account, preventing registration until your evaluation is received.
*International applicants planning to attend on a school-sponsored visa (such as the F or J visa) must submit at the minimum an unofficial copy of their course-by-course foreign credential evaluation to the Office of Graduate Admission before their visa eligibility document (Form I-20 or DS-2019) can be released. It is strongly recommended that international applicants request their official course-by-course evaluation as early as possible so as to decrease the potential for the delay of their visa eligibility document. If an unofficial copy is submitted for purposes of releasing the visa eligibility document, the student will still be required to submit their official course-by-course evaluation to the Office of Graduate Admission prior to their first required day on campus.