Admission of International Applicants

Acceptance deadline is 30 days prior to the beginning of the semester.

Oakwood University is approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for the admission of nonimmigrant students. Applicants should not leave their country with the intention of enrolling at Oakwood University without a letter of acceptance and an I-20 A-B Form from the Office of Admissions. To be considered for admission, international students must submit:

1. An application form completed, signed, and dated along with a $30.00 (U.S. currency)nonrefundable fee.
2. Official/certified academic records of all secondary, preparatory, government exams, and university courses as applicable. High school credentials will be evaluated according to the guidelines of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. Transcripts may require evaluation by one of the following: Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), Foreign Credits, or World Education Services (WES). All documents must be submitted in the original language together with an English translation if the original is not English.
3. English Proficiency Testing Guidelines: 
   English Language Proficiency Testing provides insight on the level of understanding and fluency the applicant currently holds. Meeting the minimum performance level is a criterion of acceptance. Applicants scoring below the Low Intermediate scoring range will not be granted acceptance. Applicants may re-test to satisfy this requirement. Exam scores must be sent directly to the Oakwood University Office of Admissions.

4. ACT/SAT scores. (These must be submitted before permission to register is granted. The test is given within the first few weeks of class; however, it is advisable for students to take the test before arriving if it is offered in their country.)

To obtain the Form I-20 A-B, international students must submit an Affidavit of Support (the U.S. sponsor must submit Form I-134) and an advanced security deposit of $1,000 in U.S. currency. The security deposit is refundable upon graduation or withdrawal from Oakwood University. It can only be used for an emergency, such as travel for death or sickness of an immediate family member, and must be replaced before readmission the following semester.

Please note the following immigration regulations:

• Nonimmigrant students applying for admission to the United States for the first time after being issued an F-1 student’s visa will not be admitted unless they intend to attend the school specified in that visa. Therefore, if before they depart for the United States, students decide to attend another school, they should communicate with the issuing American consular office for the purpose of having the other school specified in the visa. Any other nonimmigrant students will not be admitted to the United States unless they intend to attend the school as specified in the Form I-20 or Form I-94, which they present to the immigration officer at the port of entry.
• Nonimmigrant students who do not register at the school specified on their temporary entry permit (Form I-94), or whose school attendance is terminated, or who register for less than a full course of study, or who accept unauthorized employment and fail to maintain their F-1 status will not be allowed to enroll or continue enrollment until proper documentation has been received from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

International students must report to the Office of Admissions each semester after financial clearance so that USCIS clearance can be processed for immigration purposes. All students must be registered within 30 days, starting with the first day of classes. Copies of the passport, visa, I-94, and financial clearance forms must be submitted. Students who do not register during this time period may have their immigration status terminated by USCIS. Students with terminated records will have to reapply to USCIS and pay additional fees to have their files reinstated. Reinstatement is neither automatic nor guaranteed.

After Enrollment: Services available to international (F-1) students include the following:

1. Advisement in the areas of immigration regulations and documentation, financial concerns, health insurance, housing and residential life, employment, institutional policies, and matters of social and cultural adjustment.
2. Orientation session for new international students on F-1 visas.
3. Workshops, seminars, and campus programs to enhance student development, adjustment, and success.
4. ESL curricular and co-curricular support services. Please reference that section of the bulletin for a detailed description.