International Admissions
Sacred Heart University welcomes students from around the world. International students are eligible to apply to the undergraduate program for full-time study at Sacred Heart University if they have completed the equivalent of a United States secondary-school education (approximately twelve years of formal education) and have the appropriate diploma or satisfactory results on leaving examinations.
Sacred Heart University classifies an international student as a student who does not hold U.S. citizenship, U.S. Permanent Residency (U.S. Resident Alien), or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and one who must obtain an F-1 student visa to study in the United States. This includes students who are living and/or studying outside the U.S. and students who are living and/or studying in the U.S. at the time of their application for admission.
Sacred Heart University prefers that international students submit the following information to the Office of International Admissions before November 1 for January entrance and before March 1 for September entrance:
- Complete SHU's Online Application for International Students or the Common Application
- A non-refundable application fee
- Official scholastic records from all secondary schools and college/universities attended which may include semester-by-semester mark sheets, academic transcripts, grade reports, final examination results, diplomas and degree certificates from every high school, college or university attended showing dates attended, course titles, grades obtained, credit hours if any, and the conferral of a bachelor’s degree. In addition, an explanation of the secondary/university/college grading system must be provided along with transcripts
- One letter of recommendation
- A course-by-course credential report from World Educational Services, or a similar company, is required for all students who wish to transfer and receive academic credit for coursework taken at another college or university located outside the U.S. In addition, course descriptions, translated in English by a certified official/agency must be submitted for every course the applicant is requesting to be considered for transfer credit.
- For all non-native English speakers, an official English language proficiency examination is required. The following examinations and minimum scores are accepted:
- TOEFL score of 550 on the paper-based test or 80 on the TOEFL iBT
- IELTS – 6.5
- SHU ELI online placement exam – 80%
- PTE – 62
- iTEP – 5
- ELS English for Academic Purposes - Level 112
- Education First (EF) - C1
- Cambridge Advanced English - 58
- Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) – 5.5
- Cambridge Certificate in Proficiency in English (CPE) – 5.5
- Official SAT or ACT test scores (optional)
- Copy of passport, specifically the page(s) containing identification data and signature of bearer
- An official certified bank statement or government financial guarantee in English and U.S. dollar figures, signed by a bank or government official and dated within six months of enrolling at Sacred Heart University verifying the ability of the student, the student’s family, and/or the student’s sponsor to pay the full cost required to attend SHU for one year (tuition, room, board, books, travel expenses, health insurance, miscellaneous)
- The Immigration I-20 form (the form needed to obtain a student F-1 visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate) will be issued by SHU after the student has been accepted to the University, a non-refundable enrollment deposit has been received, and proof of financial support in the form of an official bank statement or financial guarantee and payment for the shipping of the I-20 document have been provided. The issuance of an I-20 and subsequent F-1 visa constitutes a legal agreement with the U.S. government binding the student to maintain full-time enrollment (at least 12 credits per semester) at all times except during the summer session. Employment in the U.S. is only allowed if authorized by the Immigration and Naturalization Service
NOTE: Materials that are received by fax (203-365-7607) and e-mail will be used as working documents only and are considered to be unofficial. Such documents may be used for making an admission decision; however, original documents or photocopies with a school seal and signature are required when a student enrolls at Sacred Heart University. Submission of falsified documents is grounds for denial of admission or dismissal from the University.