International Students

Who Is an International Student?

You are considered an “international” student if you will attend Widener University on a nonimmigrant United States visa.  The most common examples include enrolling in Widener using an F student visa or an H work visa among other visa statuses.
If you are a permanent resident or citizen of the United States, but you are studying in another country, you are not an international student and should apply as a “freshmen” or “transfer” student, see below for definitions.  If you are in the U.S. with “Refugee” or “Asylee” status, you should apply as a “freshmen” or “transfer” accordingly, not as an international student.

Freshmen or Transfer?

If you are currently attending high school (secondary school) or have graduated high school and you have never been enrolled in a university or other post-secondary institution, then you are a freshmen student.

Click here for the freshmen application instructions

If you have graduated from high school and have been enrolled in university or other post-secondary studies anywhere in the world, then you are considered a transfer student.

Click here for the transfer application instructions

Conditional Admission

Both freshmen and transfer students can apply for conditional admission consideration.  Students who apply for conditional admission must submit all of the application materials except for the Proof of English Language Proficiency.  Your application will be reviewed for admission without your proof of English language proficiency, and you can receive and offer of conditional admission.  Students often use a letter of conditional admission when planning to attend and English language program in the United States.  Local U.S. Embassies and visa officials prefer to see university admission accompanying the I-20 from the English language program.  A letter of full admission and an I-20 will be issued upon fulfilling the requirements listed in the letter of conditional admission.  Until the conditions are fulfilled, an I-20 to attend Widener University cannot be issued.

Proof of Financial Responsibility

You do not need to submit proof of financial responsibility with your application for admission.  If you are admitted to Widener University, you will have to submit proof of financial responsibility in order to receive your I-20.  In order to issue an I-20, proof of financial responsibility cannot be more than six months old, so please wait to submit your documents until later in the process.  You will receive additional instructions about submitting proof of financial responsibility with your acceptance.

educationUSA

Widener encourages any student living and studying outside of the U.S. to visit their local educationUSA center.  Your local educationUSA center can help you complete and submit your university application, attest documents, locate scholarships and funding, provide information on getting a U.S. visa, and much more.  You can locate your local center by visiting the educationUSA website.

Questions

Contact Erick Hyde, Coordinator of International Admissions, at eshyde@widener.edu or 610.499.4595 with any questions.

Freshmen Application Instructions

To apply to Widener University as a freshmen student, simply follow these steps:

1. Click on the “Personalize this Site” link in the upper right corner of this page
2. Follow the instructions to personalize the site according to your specific information
3. After you personalize the site, click on the “My To-Do List” link and select “APPLY ONLINE”
4. Complete the FREE online application and remember to click the “Submit” button at the end of the application.  If you do not click the “Submit” button, we cannot access your application.
5. Submit the rest of your application materials.  To make an admissions decision, you must send us the following information:

• Official, original, stamped and sealed secondary school transcripts, mark sheets, or grade reports.  Attested copies can be submitted in place of original forms if necessary.  Visit the educationUSA website to find a local educationUSA Center where you can have your copies attested.  Photocopies, electronic copies, or faxed copies cannot be accepted as official documents.
• If required by your home country, official, original, stamped and sealed national examination results (A-Level, SSCE, WAEC, CXC, etc.) or attested copies of your results must be submitted.
• Official proof of English language proficiency.  We accept the following forms of proof:
• TOEFL IBT 60
• TOEFL PBT 500
• IELTS 6.0 band score
• Pennsylvania Language Institute Level 9 completion certificate
• ELS Language Centers Level 112 completion certificate
• Letter(s) of recommendation.  You can download and print the “High School Counselor Evaluation,” or you can submit a standard letter, no specific format is required for recommendations.
• SAT and/or ACT scores are not required, but recommended, especially for students seeking scholarship consideration.
• An essay or personal statement is not required, but recommended.

Transfer Application Instructions

To apply to Widener University as a transfer student, simply follow these steps:

1. Click on the “Personalize this Site” link in the upper right corner of this page
2. Follow the instructions to personalize the site according to your specific information
3. After you personalize the site, click on the “My To-Do List” link and select “APPLY ONLINE”
4. Complete the fee FREE online application and remember to click the “Submit” button at the end of the application
5. Submit the rest of your application materials.  To make an admissions decision, you must send us the following information:

• Official, original, stamped and sealed university transcripts in English, or attested copies with certified English translations.  Visit the educationUSA link to find a local educationUSA Center where you can have your copies attested.  Widener will also accept an official course-by-course credential evaluation completed by a NACES certified organization in lieu of transcripts.  If you send an official credential evaluation you do NOT need to send transcripts.
• Official university course descriptions, in English, for all of the coursework you have completed.  These course descriptions will be used to evaluate your coursework for transfer credit.  Visit the undergraduate bulletin and go to page 115 for examples of course descriptions
• Official proof of English language proficiency.  We accept the following forms of proof:
• TOEFL IBT 60
• TOEFL PBT 500
• IELTS 6.0 band score
• Pennsylvania Language Institute Level 9 completion certificate
• ELS Language Centers Level 112 completion certificate
• Letter(s) of recommendation
• An essay or personal statement is not required, but recommended.

Students who have less than 12 transferable credits will also need to submit:

• Official, original, stamped and sealed secondary school transcripts, mark sheets, or grade reports.  Attested copies can be submitted in place of original forms if necessary.  Visit the educationUSA link to find a local educationUSA Center where you can have your copies attested.  Photocopies, electronic copies, or faxed copies cannot be accepted as official documents.
• If required by your home country, official, original, stamped and sealed national examination results (A-Level, SSCE, WAEC, CXC, etc.) or attested copies of your results must be submitted.
  

Erick Hyde
Coordinator of International Admissions
One University Place
Chester, PA 19013
tel: 1-888-WIDENER
fax: 610-499-4676
eshyde@widener.edu