International Student Information

Merrimack College welcomes applications from all qualified international students. We define international students as non-United States citizens or non-permanent residents of the United States.

Academic Requirements

• Successful completion of equivalent US secondary school (high school) preparation
• An official secondary school transcript or university transcript with an official English translation
• A catalogue or syllabus of courses taken with an official English translation (transfer applicant)
• Completed Common Application as either freshman or transfer applicant and the Merrimack College Supplement (www.commonapp.org)
• Demonstration of English Proficiency
• One letter of recommendation

English Requirements

All international applicants are required to demonstrate English proficiency if English is not their native language. English proficiency to satisfy Merrimack College’s requirement can be demonstrated by the following:

• A minimum TOEFL score of 75 (internet-based) with no subset score lower than 16 for all students whose native language is not English.
• A minimum IELTS score of 6.0 (with no band below 5.0) for all students whose native language is not English.
• A minimum SAT Critical Reading Score of 500

The English proficiency requirement may be waived if a student has successfully completed all four years of secondary school at either an American school in the U.S. or an American international school abroad, and had achieved satisfactory grades in all four years of English courses. Students who have taken one or more years of ESL in place of traditional English courses will be required to demonstrate English proficiency in another way.

Financial Requirements

• Once admitted, applicants must provide official, notarized financial documentation before an I-20 can be issued. Notarized financial documentation can come from family sources, international scholarship agencies or government sponsors, and should certify that funds are on deposit/available to meet costs for one academic year of study. For the 2011-2012 academic year these costs are $45,945.00.

Accepted Students

• Accepted students, who have fulfilled the English Requirement, will be approved to enter Merrimack College.
• Admissions decisions for Fall 2012 international undergraduate applicants will be released in mid-March 2012. Students will be notified via mail of our decision, and will receive information about next steps at this point.

Deadlines

• The deadline for international freshman applications for Fall 2012 is June 1, 2012.

Visa Information

• A Certificate of Eligibility (form I-20A) will be issued by the College to the student after the student has been accepted and has paid the required non-refundable tuition deposit of $500.
• Students are responsible for applying for the F-1 Student Visa at the appropriate US Consulate. F-1 Visa applications and procedures may vary. Current information about US Visa procedures can be found at the US Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs.

We’ll also need a copy of your passport.

Paying for Merrimack College

The following sites contain information about scholarships for international students:

• International Education Financial Aid
• Edupass Financial Aid to International Students Studying in the US