International Student Admissions

St. Olaf College is a private liberal arts and science college offering programs leading to a bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Music). Graduate programs are not available at St. Olaf. Located in the safe surroundings of a small town in southern Minnesota (70 km from the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport), St. Olaf offers a secure community in which to pursue a degree of higher learning. We typically enroll 25-35 international students each year. You will find the college small enough to be a caring community, yet large enough to be diverse.

At St. Olaf College, an international student is defined as someone who requires a student visa (F-1, J-1, etc.) to study in the U.S. Jenny Howenstine (write to her at howensti@stolaf.edu) works with international students as well as with American citizens and residents who are applying from schools outside of the U.S. Once you arrive at St. Olaf, you can look forward to working with an International Student Advisor and be involved with an active International Student organization. To learn more about International Student Services, see the International Student Advisor site.

The information below is intended to help answer some of the questions you may have about applying to St. Olaf. The course listing and other catalog information about St. Olaf can be accessed here.

For general information about studying in the U.S., visit the nearest EducationUSA office in your area.

Admission

International students may apply under the Early Decision (November 16 or January 15) or Regular Decision (January 15) processes. Applicants should have completed secondary education before matriculation at St. Olaf and should have successfully completed any national examinations normally required at the end of secondary study for university admission.

Financial Aid

Degree-seeking students may apply for international scholarships that may cover up to tuition fees; average awards are half of tuition. Scholarships, on-campus work-study and, in some cases, loans are awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence and economic need.

For student visa purposes, all applicants are required to complete the International Student Certification of Finances form to prove adequate financial support for the first and subsequent years of studies. To apply for financial aid, international students should complete the International Student Financial Aid Application. International students SHOULD NOT submit the FAFSA or CSS PROFILE forms.

For the 2009-10 academic year, estimated I-20/DS-2019 visa certification expenses are $46,400 ($35,500 for tuition, $8,200 for room and board, and $2,700 for health insurance, books, and personal expenses). Costs are expected to increase annually.

International Application Requirements

Unless noted, the following items are required for admission. You are encouraged to complete the online Common Application and St. Olaf Supplement.

  1. Common Application and St. Olaf Supplement (also found online or downloadable here).
  2. $40 application fee (Fee is waived ONLY for those who submit an online application.)
  3. TOEFL (minimum score 80, 213, or 550) or Academic IELTS (minimum band 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
  4. SAT or ACT scores.
  5. One teacher evaluation from an academic subject area and one additional recommendation (from another teacher, pastor, employer, coach, etc)
  6. Secondary school transcripts or reports with progress grades (the last four years of schooling)
  7. Official college/university transcripts (if applicable)
  8. Official external examination results and/or diploma (if applicable)
  9. International Student Certification of Finances form (required for student visa certification)
  10. International Student Financial Aid Application (if applicable)

* English Proficiency Requirement

International students are required to submit official results of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System). If English is not your native language the TOEFL or IELTS is required.

Minimum TOEFL score is 80 (IBT), 213 (CBT), or 550 (PBT). Scores must be sent directly to St. Olaf College from ETS; the code assigned to St. Olaf is 6638. Academic IELTS minimum band is 6.0. Visit www.TOEFL.org or www.IELTS.org for testing information.

The SAT-I (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or ACT (American College Test) should be taken no later than January and you should request that the results be mailed directly to St. Olaf. St. Olaf’s SAT code is 6638 and ACT code is 2150 . In all cases, test scores are not the sole determinant for admission. The Admissions Committee evaluates both academic records and test scores. Information regarding these tests as well as educational advising may be obtained at the nearest educationUSA office, the U.S. Department of State’s Educational Advising Center, at http://educationusa.state.gov/.

SAT
Educational Testing Service
Princeton, NJ 08540
USA
TEL: +1-609-771-7600 or
www.collegeboard.com

ACT
P.O. Box 168
Iowa City , Iowa 52243
USA
TEL: +1-319-337-1270 or
www.act.org

Transcript/Gradesheets/Marksheets

Official transcripts (and diploma, if you have finished secondary schooling) from at least the past four years of your studies must be submitted for evaluation before an admissions decision can be made. If admitted, international students who have completed a year or two of university work may receive credit for previously completed work, if such work is equivalent to courses offered at St. Olaf. Transcripts must comply with all of the following criteria for them to be official:

  • Transcripts must be written in the language used for instruction.
  • An English translation must accompany all transcripts not in English. If the school does not provide an official English translation, you may prepare the translation yourself, but someone who is fluent in both languages, such as an English teacher or a certified translator, must certify it.
  • Transcripts must have an original and legible seal or stamp of the school that issued the document. A photocopy of the seal or stamp is not acceptable.
  • If you have taken an external examination (O-levels, A-levels, ICSE, HSC, ISC, I.B. exams, etc.), the authorities administering the examination, e.g., The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations or Hong Kong Examination Authority, must certify your exam results.

Note: If you have only one original copy of your transcript(s), you may send a certified photocopy of the original document. The school that issued the original transcript must certify the photocopy.

High School Credits Applied to College

St. Olaf College accepts credit earned through the College Board Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams upon receipt of official documentation. With certain restrictions, students who score 4-5 on their AP exams or 5-7 on their Higher Level IB exams may receive credit and/or placement. You can find more information at www.stolaf.edu/offices/registrar/apexam.htm .

Special Note to Applicants From:

All British-Patterned Educational Systems
Applicants should present the General Certificate of Education, Ordinary (O) Level, Advanced (A) Level, or the Higher Education Certificate.

Norway
Special information for Norwegian citizens can be found on this page.

Contact

Application and financial aid forms can be sent to:

St. Olaf College
Office of Admissions
1520 St. Olaf Avenue
Northfield, MN 55057-1098
USA
TEL: +1-507-786-3025
FAX: +1-507-786-3832
admissions@stolaf.edu

Please address admissions related questions to Jenny Howenstine, Director of International Recruitment at howensti@stolaf.edu.


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