International Students

International Students

An international student applicant must submit the following required items to be considered for admission:

  • A completed application for admission.
  • Official ACT or SAT scores.
  • All official transcripts submitted must be evaluated course-by-course by an outside evaluation agency at the applicant's expense. Click here for accredited agencies
  • Evaluations must be sent directly to Fisk University's Office of Recruitment and Admission.
  • We receive an electronic transcript from the following companies that evaluate transcripts:

Demonstration of English Proficiency (if the student's native language or their country's official language is not English) by one of the following:

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of:
    • 500 (paper-based)
    • 173 (computer-based)
    • 61 (internet-based)
  • International English Language Test Systems (IELTS) overall band score of 5.5

 

 

I-20 Requirements

Admitted students will receive correspondence from the Office of Global Initiatives detailing the documents required for the I-20. The information includes:

  • Affidavit of Support
  • Copy of Passport (both pages)
  • Copy of Enrollment Deposit receipt
  • Copy of Housing Deposit receipt
  • Original/certified bank statements converted to (USD) from the student's family or sponsor(s), 3 months prior to the date of admission

Note: Fisk University will only issue an I-20 when all required documents have been received and reviewed by the Office of Global Initiatives. Obtaining an I-20 from Fisk University does not guarantee that the student will be granted a student (F-1) visa by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Important Notes

International applicants are considered non-Tennessee residents for both admissions and residency criteria. All application documents must be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. Fraudulent documentation may result in the denial of admission to the university.

International students already in the United States studying at another college/university who wish to transfer to Fisk University must follow the admissions criteria.

International students must attend mandatory orientation sessions and to register for classes. International students must submit a Student Health History form showing current immunizations and enrollment in the student health insurance program is required.

An international student must be enrolled as a full-time student (at least 12 credit hours as an undergraduate student and 9 credit hours as a graduate student) each semester, with the exception of the summer session, in order to maintain a proper F-1 visa status.

International students are accepted for admission for the fall or spring semester. No international students may begin their initial enrollment at Fisk during a summer session. International students must meet the published application deadlines set by the University. It is recommended, however, that international students apply well in advance of those dates, as the process to obtain a student (F-1) visa can be time-intensive.

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Fisk University is required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) to verify that international students can finance their entire education at Fisk University, as well as meet academic and language proficiencies before an I-20 can be issued.