An official secondary (high school) diploma or transcript with graduation date, sent directly from the issuing institution or submitted with original stamps.* If you apply while still attending a secondary (high) school, an official school letter to confirm that you are on track to graduate is required for admission, and your diploma or final transcript will be required upon completion of school. If the document is issued in a language other than English, both the document in the original language and a certified English translation are required.

This requirement is waived if you have completed at least 24 semester hours of college level coursework with a C- or better. You must submit official college/university transcripts to qualify. Coursework completed outside of the U.S. must be professionally evaluated before being accepted. Refer to the college/university transcripts section below for further information.

*Please contact us if you experience difficulty obtaining official high school credentials due to COVID-19.

If applicable, college/university transcripts for transfer credit evaluation.

• U.S. college/university transcripts must be sent directly to MSU Denver from the issuing institution.
• For non-U.S. college/university transcripts, a professional course by course translation and evaluation completed by a professional transcript evaluation service, in addition to the official transcript(s), will be required.*

*The service agency must be a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES.) We suggest that you choose a service that can send us a copy of your verified transcript(s) together with the credential evaluation, such as WES ICAP or ECE.

English Proficiency Test Requirements

International students must be proficient in English prior to being accepted to Metropolitan State University of Denver.  MSU Denver accepts the following test scores as proof of English proficiency.

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): Obtain a minimum score of 72 on the Internet- based TOEFL (iBT) (an equivalent of 533 on the paper-based TOEFL (PBT)). An official score must be sent directly from TOEFL Services; MSU Denver’s institution code is 4505. Scores older than two years are not acceptable.
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System): Obtain an overall band score of at least 6. An official score must be delivered to MSU Denver’s IELTS Results Service E-Delivery account by the IETLS test center where you took the test. Please provide the following E-Delivery Account Name when requesting your scores: Metropolitan State University of Denver Undergraduate. Scores older than two years old are not acceptable.
• Duolingo English Test: Obtain an overall score of at least 90 in the Duolingo English Test. An official score must be submitted via the Duolingo English Test service. Search for "Metropolitan State University of Denver" to submit your scores. Scores older than two years old are not acceptable.

Exemptions

Proof of English Proficiency is not required for applicants who:

• are lifetime residents of Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand or the United Kingdom;

• have completed the highest level of an accredited intensive academic English language training program (note that you may be required to take our college assessment tests to verify college readiness);

• have graduated from an American high school that they attended for at least two years (note that you must also submit ACT/SAT scores and may be required to take our college assessment tests to verify college readiness);

• hold an associate’s degree (AA and AS only) from an American community college;

• have completed at least 24 semester hours of college level coursework with C- or better at a U.S. institution;

• have completed both of the required English composition courses (English Composition I and English Composition II) with grades of C or better at a U.S. college or university;

• have passed a U.S. General Education Development (GED) test (note that you may be required to take our college assessment tests to verify college readiness);

• submit an official SAT Reading and Writing section score of 470 or higher; or

• submit an official ACT Reading score of at least 17 and English score of at least 18

The Office of Admissions reserves the right to request proof of English proficiency under certain circumstances, even if an applicant meets one or more of the above conditions.

Important Note: Applicants who do not meet the English proficiency requirements can seek conditional admission to MSU Denver and will be granted full admission upon presenting evidence of English proficiency and submitting all other required application materials.

Tuition and Expenses (2021) 

Students requesting an I-20 to apply for an F-1 student visa must show that they have enough money to pay for at least the first year of study at MSU Denver.  This includes tuition and fees as well as living expenses for themselves and any dependents. The following documents are required before you are accepted to the university and receive an I-20: 

• An official bank letter or statement in English showing sufficient liquid assets to cover tuition & fees, books & supplies, room & board, health insurance, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses for one year. The bank statement must be on official bank letterhead, must be dated within the last 3 months of submission, and must include the following information: account type, account holder’s name, currency and balance.

• The Affidavit of Financial Support F1 form completed by yourself and your financial sponsors.  Please complete all sections and submit the form together with the bank statement. 

If you will be accompanied by dependents (spouse and/or minor children) who will need to apply for F-2 visas, your financial support documents must show sufficient funds for your spouse and/or minor children, as well. Current expenses are $10,000 for a spouse and $10,000 for each child.

Copy of current passport identity page, along with copies of current visa, Form I-94 and Form I-20, if applicable.

If you will be accompanied by dependents (spouse and/or minor children) who will need to apply for F-2 visas, you will also need to submit copies of their passport identity page(s) and other immigration documents if applicable.

Step 1:  Complete the online visa application

Complete the Form DS-160. Be sure to print the completed application and bring it to your visa interview. You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. Please review the photo requirements prior to completing your application.

Step 2:  Schedule your visa interview appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate 

You must schedule an appointment for your visa interview, generally, at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. Visa interview appointments must be schedule online. You may schedule your interview at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be difficult to qualify for a visa outside of your place of permanent residence.

Step 3:  Pay the visa application fee

This fee must be paid prior to attending your visa interview. The SEVIS I-901 application fee is payable online at www.fmjfee.com.

• Be sure to write your name exactly as it appears on your I-20.
• Print a copy of the receipt. You may wish to make copies of this receipt, as it may be needed for future visa applications.
• MSU Denver will not pay this fee for you; you must pay this fee.

Step 4:  Prepare documentation for your interview

You are required to prepare and provide the following documentation to the visa officer during your appointment:

• All three pages of the Form I-20, provided by MSU Denver. The I-20 must be signed and dated by the applicant at item #11 on page one.
• Non-immigrant visa application, Form DS-160.
• Passport valid for at least six months after your intended date of entry in the U.S.
• A photo that meets the photo requirements, if the photo upload failed while completing the Form DS-160.
• Receipt of payment of the visa application fee.
• Receipt of payment of the SEVIS I-901 fee.

Additional documentation that you should prepare includes:

• Transcripts and diplomas from previous institutions attended.
• Scores from standardized tests required by the educational institution, such as TOEFL, IELTS, etc.
• Financial evidence showing that you or your financial sponsors have sufficient funds to cover tuition and living expenses for one year. This financial documentation should match what was provided to MSU Denver. Documentation may include affidavits of support, bank statements, scholarship letters, or other documents showing liquid assets available for educational support.
• Proof of your binding ties to a residence in your home country which you have no intention of abandoning.
• For applicants with dependents: Proof of the student’s relationships to his/her spouse and/or children (i.e., marriage and birth certificates). It is preferred that families apply for F-1 and F-2 visas at the same time, but if the spouse and children must apply separately at a later time, they should bring a copy of the student visa holder’s passport and visa, along with all other required documents.

If you are denied the F-1 visa, you may apply again. Should this happen, contact the International Admissions Counselor at MSU Denver for advice on how to prepare for a second interview.