International Student Admissions


“My mother is of Indian/Scottish descent, and my father is 100 percent Indian. I was born in southern India, but moved to Nigeria, West Africa, (and lived there for 12 years). My parents (were) missionaries, and I loved growing up there.”
- Ladeisha Bhide '09, India/Nigeria

“[Although Japanese,] I was born in Singapore and spent most of my life there. My parents currently live there so I try to go back as much as I can. I have had many opportunities to interact with people from around the world as I went to international schools in Japan and Singapore. ”
- Arisa Iizuka '08, Japan/Singapore

“I grew up in Starnberg, Germany (for 3 1/2 years) and Moscow, Russia (12 years), although I was born in San Bernadino, California. I adore European and Russian culture and hope to move back there someday.”
- Holly Patterson '09, US/Russia

“I'm from Bangkok, Thailand, and went to high school in Singapore for three years, so I'm from there too. I speak three languages: Thai, English, and Mandarin. I really enjoy traveling. I've been to almost every continent of the world except South America, and I look forward to doing that soon. ”
- Khammawan Tangtanaporn '09, Thailand/Singapore

At St. Olaf College, we look forward to having you contribute your stories to our international community. We welcome applications from around the world, and hope you will join us next fall.

Read on, or begin with a list of frequently asked questions. (Special information for Norwegian citizens can be found here.)

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 20-30 international students each year. You will find the college small enough to be a caring community, yet large enough to be diverse. To learn more about International Student Services, contact the International Student Advisor.

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. Luyen Phan (write to him at phan@stolaf.edu) works with international students as well as with American citizens and residents who are applying from schools outside of the U.S.

This information 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. The course catalog will be mailed to those who are offered admission to St. Olaf College.

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

Admission

International admission to St. Olaf is competitive. The priority deadline is February 1. 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.

Special information for Norwegian citizens can be found here.

Financial Aid

Degree-seeking students may apply for international scholarships that may cover up to tuition fees; average awards are half of tuition. No full scholarships are offered. 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. Both forms will be sent to those who submit an admissions application. International students SHOULD NOT submit the FAFSA or CSS PROFILE forms.

For the 2007-08 academic year, estimated I-20/DS-2019 visa certification expenses are $41,000 ($30,600 for tuition, $7,900 for room and board, and $2,500 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)
  4. SAT-I or ACT
  5. Two (2) teacher evaluations (or academic recommendations)
  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)

For items number 5 and 6, you need to download these PDF forms from Common Application. Because these items cannot be submitted electronically, you must print and mail the paper copies. If you have started your application, please review the letter mailed to you to see what we have already received.

English Proficiency Requirement

All international applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Reports of other tests are not acceptable. The English proficiency requirement applies also to students whose courses may have been taught in English (in India, Pakistan, Philippines, Hong Kong, Tanzania, etc.), but whose native language is not English. Exceptions will be granted only to applicants who have studied for at least two years in a U.S. secondary school or college or in a school in a country where English is the official language (England or Australia, for example) or where English is the main language of instruction, such as IB & AP programs.

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.

Aptitude Tests

All degree-seeking applicants must take the SAT-I (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or ACT (American College Test) no later than January and 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:

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.

The People's Republic of China
Because students from the P.R.C. still cannot readily take the SAT or ACT, candidates may substitute the aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) for the SAT or ACT. Request that your GRE results be sent to St. Olaf College, but leave blank the department designation on the GRE registration form.

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

Contact

Application and financial aid forms and questions 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
www.stolaf.edu

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