International graduate students are a vital part of the University of Oklahoma family. With more than 2,000 international students from more than 130 countries, OU is a truly global community.
The University of Oklahoma strives to be a community that welcomes a variety of talents and perspectives from around the world. We wholeheartedly welcome you to become part of the OU family, where your unique contributions will help shape a vibrant and globally connected academic community.
Does your degree equate to a United States degree?
Find out more about obtaining an I-20 and the student visa process.
Review the options for providing proof of English proficiency.
If you are thinking of applying to graduate school, consider the following questions:
Have you earned at least the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree, or will you earn this degree before the semester you would like to start your graduate studies?
Yes
No
Do you know which program you want to apply to?
Yes
No
Have you demonstrated English Proficiency?
Yes
No
Do you have enough money to pay for your study in the U.S.?
Yes
No
Note: If you are admitted to a graduate program, you must submit funding documentation for your first year of study before your I-20 or DS-2019 can be processed.
You will receive several emails from the OU Graduate College Admissions throughout the application process. These emails will tell you where your application is in the process and let you know if we need any additional documents or information from you. If you have additional questions, you may:
Application deadlines for each academic program can be found on the Explore Programs webpage. Many programs have deadlines earlier than those listed below. In that case, the earlier deadline takes precedence.
If your academic program either does not have a deadline or has one that is later than those listed below, then the date listed below is your deadline. These application deadlines apply only to international students who reside outside the United States. If you are currently studying in the U.S., then your academic program's U.S. deadline applies.
Fall Semester (starting in August): April 1
Spring Semester (starting in January): September 1
Summer Semester (starting in May): February 1
For most international applicants, a complete academic record includes:
If your academic records are in a language other than English, you must provide both the original document and an official or certified, word-for-word English translation.
Applicants must submit a transcript from the college or university where they earned their most recent degree in order to be considered for admission. If the transcript is not in English then a certfied English translation should be included. For example, if you have both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, you must provide a copy of the transcript from your master’s degree. If you are currently in a degree program and will earn that degree before the semester you are applying for, you must submit a transcript from your current institution.
To minimize your application’s time to review, please upload a copy of your official transcript and degree certificate directly to the application.
If you are admitted, you must submit official academic records from all institutions where you earned a degree. This should include an official transcript, degree certificate, and certified English translations. You can either schedule an appointment with your admissions counselor to submit your official documents to our office when you arrive on campus or mail them to:
Graduate College Admissions
731 Elm Avenue, Room 213
Norman, OK 73019
Official transcripts are required if you are admitted.
Unofficial transcripts are uploaded as part of the application process.
To earn a bachelor’s degree in the U.S. educational system, students complete 16 years of formal education –12 years of elementary and secondary education plus four years of undergraduate study.
To be eligible for graduate study at The University of Oklahoma, you must have received at least a bachelor's degree or equivalent from an institution approved to offer credit and degrees at the bachelor's level or higher by the home country's Ministry of Education (or other government authorized authority).
Your Admissions Counselor will review your academic records and determine whether you are meet the eligibility requirements. In some circumstances, we may request that you submit additional documentation to assist in this evaluation process.
The following are common examples of international degrees that are considered equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree. This is not a compehensive list of all equivalent international degrees. If you do not see your degree on this list please contact Graduate College Admissions.
Bachelor's Degree
The Bachelor's degree that represents at least four years of study from Afghanistan, China, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Libya, Mongolia, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sudan, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.
The following are common examples of international degrees that are not considered equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree. This is not a compehensive list of non-equivalent international degrees. If you have questions about degree equivalency, contact Graduate College Admissions.
Two or Three-year Bachelor's Degree
Two- or three-year Bachelor’s degrees (B.A., B.Com., B.Sc., B.C.A.) from Bangladesh, Burma, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
The language of instruction at OU is English. Adequate English language skills are essential to academic success. If you are not from one of the OU-Approved, English-speaking Countries*, Graduate Admissions will require you to demonstrate English language proficiency for studying at OU, before admission, by doing one of the following:
| Requirement | Description | Composite Scores Required | Minimum Subscores Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOEFL (iBT) | Consistency across subsections will be examined. Subsections required are as follows: reading, listening, speaking, writing. | 79 or higher | 20 |
| IELTS Academic or IELTS Indicator | Consistency across subsections will be examined. Subsections required are as follows: reading, listening, speaking, writing. | 6.5 or higher | 6.0 |
| PTE Academic | Consistency across subsections will be examined. Subsections required are as follows: reading, listening, speaking, writing. | 60 or higher | 55 |
| 24 Credit Hours | Completion of required credit hours at an accredited college or university in the U.S. | - | - |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | Earn a bachelor's degree or higher from at an accredited university in the U.S. or one of the OU-Approved, English-Speaking Countries | - | - |
| OU Track | Successfully completing the OU Track intensive English language program at OU's Center for English as a Second Language (CESL). | - | - |
| GEP Completion | Successfully completing the Graduate English Pathway Program (GEP) at OU's CESL. | - | - |
*Not all countries which have English listed as an official language are considered exempt from English proficiency requirements. See the list of OU-Approved, English-Speaking Countries below for the countries OU Graduate Admissions currently exempts from English proficiency proof.
The University of Oklahoma defines a first language speaker of English as someone who has citizenship and education in countries listed below. Such individuals do not need to demonstrate English proficiency to be admitted to OU.
Note that English proficiency for admission cannot be substituted for the English certification required to teach for some international instructors/graduate teaching assistants. Please see the English Training and Certification Services website for details about policies regarding English certification to instruct.
Citizens of the countries on the list below use English pervasively as a lingua franca throughout the country and experience English as their medium of instruction at all educational levels.
The countries of Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe were added to the list below starting for the Summer/Fall 2024 application cycle.
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**Applicants from the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine if English proficiency tests are needed.
OU Graduate Admissions currently accepts the Duolingo English Test (DET) in the following limited capacity:
If an applicant earns a DET score of 120, but has not previously taken the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE and earned a qualifying score for OU admission, then they cannot use the DET alone as a method of English proficiency satisfaction.
The following graduate programs require higher English proficiency scores than the University minimum scores listed above.
Applicants must submit official test scores to OU Graduate College Admissions. Test scores expire after two years; scores over two years old by the beginning of the term in which you wish to start are not accepted.
Send your official English proficiency test scores to OU through the official test website and selecting the University of Oklahoma (Norman Campus).
Visit the TOEFL website for more information about the TOEFL iBT, testing centers, dates for upcoming tests, and test preparation resources.
Visit the IELTS website for more information about the IELTS test, sample questions, locations, and dates for the upcoming tests.
Visit the Pearson PTE website for information about the PTE test, testing availability, locations, format, and test preparations.
The Graduate English Pathway (GEP) Program is a collaborative initiative by the Graduate College, College of International Studies, and graduate academic programs. This program allows international graduate applicants with English proficiency scores just below those required to begin their graduate degree programs while simultaneously completing English language training.
The Graduate English Pathway (GEP) program allows international graduate applicants with English proficiency test scores slightly below OU's admission minimums to be admitted to OU on a conditional basis while simultaneously completing up to two semesters of English language training at the Center for English as a Second Language (CESL) at OU.
Participants will complete 12 hours per week in the CESL GEP course in the morning and up to six credit hours of academic program coursework in the afternoons and/or evenings.
Participants can hold a graduate research assistant (GRA) position or a grading-only graduate teaching assistant (GTA) position while completing the GEP program. If participants hold a GRA or GTA position, they are limited to 4 hour credit hours of program coursework.
The GEP program lasts 1-2 semesters, depending on the first semester's performance. Upon successful completion of the GEP, participants can transition fully into their academic program coursework. Successful completion means earning at least a letter "B" grade in all CESL and program courses.
The following programs are participating in the GEP program:
Programs not on this list above are welcome to participate in the Graduate English Pathway program. To set up their program's participation, unit leaders should contact Jessica Reynolds.
Note that the GEP program can be completed in the Fall and Spring semesters but not in the Summer semester.
International applicants qualify for GEP nomination by meeting the following two criteria:
1) Be recommended for admission by a graduate academic unit that is participating in the GEP program.
2) Achieve one of the following English proficiency test scores:
The submitted English proficiency test scores cannot be expired.
Note: This program is currently designed as an in-person experience, so this requires enrollment in an in-person program course in addition to in-person CESL instruction.
The cost of the GEP program depends on the participant's academic unit/program, the amount of funding offered by the participant's academic unit/program, and the number of credit hours the participant is allowed to enroll in.
GEP participants are allowed to enroll in 3-6 credit hours while in the program, but there is a limit of 4 credit hours for those who hold a GA position.
Below is a list of the general sources of costs for the GEP program. For more specific cost estimates, see the International Student Services page regarding financial documentation.
If you have already submitted qualifying English proficiency test scores, the next step is to check with your academic unit faculty and/or administrators to see if the program you applied to is participating in the GEP.
If yes, you can indicate to the program faculty that you are interested in the GEP program. Academic program faculty decide which applicants to nominate for the GEP.
After you are admitted, you must obtain a visa that allows you to study in the United States. Most international students come to OU with either a Student (F-1) visa or an Exchange Visitor (J-1) visa. Some specific circumstances may allow you to study with a different visa, such as an H-1B, but that is uncommon. Review the information listed below, but also visit the International Student Services (ISS) office for a more in-depth review of the immigration and student visa process.
If you are being sponsored by your government, international agency, or another entity to study in the U.S., you may be required to apply for a J-1 Visitor Exchange visa. This is fairly rare. If you don’t know which visa you should apply for, you probably need an F-1 visa.
In order to apply for a J-1 visa, you will need Form DS-2019, which is issued by the International Student Services (ISS) office. Providing the following documents will allow International Student Services to issue your Form DS-2019.
Financial Documentation
Provide a letter of support from the entity that is sponsoring your study in the U.S.
Passport Copy
Your name and birth date in our records must exactly match those printed on your passport for you to be approved for a visa. Send a copy of the name page of your passport so the spelling of your name and your birth date can be verified.
Dependent Documents
If you plan to bring your spouse and/or children with you to the U.S., you must provide copies of the name pages of their passports as well as a copy of your marriage license and/or copies of your children’s birth certificates.
The above documents can be uploaded to your application, or you can wait to provide them until later. Note that processing of your DS-2019 will be delayed if International Student Services does not receive all required documents before admission.
If you are being sponsored by your government, international agency, or another entity to study in the U.S., you may be required to apply for a J-1 Visitor Exchange visa. This is fairly rare. If you don’t know which visa you should apply for, you probably need an F-1 visa.
In order to apply for a J-1 visa, you will need Form DS-2019, which is issued by the International Student Services (ISS) office. Providing the following documents will allow International Student Services to issue your Form DS-2019.
Financial Documentation
Provide a letter of support from the entity that is sponsoring your study in the U.S.
Passport Copy
Your name and birth date in our records must exactly match those printed on your passport for you to be approved for a visa. Send a copy of the name page of your passport so the spelling of your name and your birth date can be verified.
Dependent Documents
If you plan to bring your spouse and/or children with you to the U.S., you must provide copies of the name pages of their passports as well as a copy of your marriage license and/or copies of your children’s birth certificates.
The above documents can be uploaded to your application, or you can wait to provide them until later. Note that processing of your DS-2019 will be delayed if International Student Services does not receive all required documents before admission.
Under U.S. immigration law, you must verify sufficient financial documentation of funds available for study in the U.S. for you and your dependents, as applicable. Note: If a financial document is under someone else's name, the account holder must fill out a Financial Support Letter to be submitted with the financial document.
Financial documents must clearly state bank name and logo, account number (partial is acceptable), account holder's name, date of statement, and account balance. Date on financial document cannot be more than 90 days ago.
All non-US citizens applying to study in the U.S. are required to demonstrate financial support equivalent to annual academic and living expenses. Find out more about cost of living estimates.
| Acceptable Financial Documents* | Unacceptable Financial Documents |
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*If you have another type of financial document, please submit the financial documentation as requested. We will review your document and let you know if it is acceptable.
