International Students FAQs

If you are not a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, you would be classified as an international student at Assumption University. International students are eligible to study in the United States on an F or J class visa.

A complete application to Assumption University includes a completed Common Application, an official transcript, proof of English Proficiency test, and International Financial Statement. You can review our admission requirements for undergraduate students here.

Now that you’ve applied, you’re one step closer to starting that journey. Once you submit your application to Assumption you will receive an email with your credentials for your Assumption University Applicant Status Page. To monitor your application status, we encourage you to log in to your Applicant Status Page.

The Admissions Committee will review your application. We encourage you to log in to your Applicant Status Page to ensure your application is complete and we have received all required materials. While you wait for your admission decision, explore Assumption your way and chat with our ambassadors to learn about their experience as a Greyhound!

Assumption University is test optional. SAT scores are not required but may be used for an English language waiver if you have a qualifying score of evidence-based reading/writing score of 550+.

All students, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate English language proficiency when applying to Assumption. If English is not your first language, you will need to submit official results from one of the following:  

Recommend minimum scores:  

• TOEFL (code: 3009) – 80 (iBT), 550 (pBT)  
• IELTS – 6.5  
• Duolingo – 105  
• Pearson – 53  
• iTEP – 3.7  

Some students may qualify for an English Proficiency Waiver. If you believe you qualify for an English proficiency waiver, please submit the English Proficiency Waiver Request Form. Proficiency waiver requests must be received by the application deadline and must accompany a complete application. 

You will be informed via email that an update has been posted on your Applicant Status Page.

All international applicants must complete the Declaration of Finances at time of application as a required material to be considered for admission at Assumption University. You will be prompted to answer several questions regarding your finances and asked to submit supporting financial documents from your educational sponsor.

If you cannot obtain all necessary documents to complete this form by the deadline, please contact your admission counselor to discuss further options. 

Please Note: The admission process for international students may be influenced by their ability to be financially self-supporting.

Although Assumption does offer competitive financial aid packages, we do not offer full tuition scholarships to any of our applicants, domestic or international. If you would like a full breakdown of all scholarships and grants we award, please find detailed information here.

Assumption offers many different scholarship opportunities including academic merit scholarships, a community-service based scholarship known as the Light the Way Scholarship, as well as audition-based vocal and band scholarships. For our full list of scholarships and grants, and the requirements associated with them, please click here.

For international students planning to live on our campus during the academic year, please view our Cost of Attendance breakdown here.

Although Assumption is not an explicit partner with CSS, we will accept these documents in lieu of the International Financial Aid Application. If we feel your CSS profile does not provide enough information to issue a decision, we may ask for supplemental financial documents to be submitted.

Please note that we require a completed Declaration of Finances for an application to be considered complete and, as a requirement to complete the form, you will be asked to submit supporting financial documents from your educational sponsor.

Since Assumption does not meet full need for any of its students, we are looking for sufficient proof that you, or your educational sponsor, have adequate funds readily available to meet the gap left from our overall cost and the aid you have received. This documentation is necessary for the completion of your Form I-20 once you submit your enrollment deposit and will need to be brought with you to your visa appointment to obtain your F-1 student visa.

Paying your deposit will confirm your attendance to Assumption University. You can submit your deposit here.

We have many different opportunities for students to learn more about Assumption! We offer interviews for all students to meet with their Admissions Counselor, this allows the Counselor to get to know you, but also gives you an opportunity to ask any questions you may have. We also offer a number of events each year that you may be able to attend, these give great insight into what it is like to be a Greyhound! In between these offerings, we have a comprehensive website that covers many different topics and offers interactive opportunities.

To obtain your F-1 Student Visa, you must first have a completed Form I-20 from the DSO (Designated School Official) at Assumption. The Form I-20 is started, completed and sent to you after you submit your $400 deposit to Assumption. Once you receive your Form I-20, you will need to submit a request for a visa interview with your local embassy. When you are given a date for your visa interview, important points to remember are to show up early and bring as much documentation as possible. These documents should include all the information you have sent Assumption including your transcripts, financial statements and Form I-20. They will also send you a list with documents that they will need you to show.

After you have submitted your deposit to Assumption, your completed Form I-20 will be sent via mail. Form I-20’s have to be a physical copy and cannot be sent electronically.

Yes and No. When transferring to a new institution or moving from a secondary school to an institution of higher education, you will need to seek out your current school’s DSO to have your SEVIS records transferred to the new institution you wish to attend. Your new institution will then be able to use your same SEVIS record and update your I-20 to show that you are now attending their institution. The only time you will need a new Form I-20 is if you leave the U.S. after your original Form I-20 has expired.

You can enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the program start date listed on your I-20. Upon completion of your studies, you have 60 days to leave the country or apply for OPT. Visa expiry times vary depending on your home country. Learn more about your approved Duration of Status.

Yes! International Student Orientation takes place prior to the start of the First-Year Orientation. Depending on the class size, the International Student Orientation ranges from one to three days. This orientation is specifically designed with you, our international students, in mind. Our typical International Student Orientation includes interactive sessions with our International Student Ambassadors on topics like culture shock, cross-cultural communication, and living with a roommate; sessions across campus in our dining hall, lecture hall, and wellness center; and more formal sessions on topics like staying legal in the US and one-on-one academic advising. We even take students on a tour of Worcester with a stop at a local ice cream shop at the end!  

Once you are enrolled, you will receive information from us about Orientation and other resources that will be available to you as an international student.

The Coordinator for International Student Success assists undergraduate and graduate international students with their transition into the American classroom. The Coordinator also currently acts as Assumption’s Principal Designated School Official, assisting international students with their I-20s, employment, and other immigration-related matters. Additionally, there are several other Designated School Officials around campus who can work with, and can assist, international students. Designated School Officials can help with updating your I-20 form if your information changes, provide you with travel signatures, academic questions, and more.

We offer on-campus housing guaranteed for all four years of your undergraduate degree at Assumption. If you plan to move off campus at any point, you will need to meet with your International Advisor so they can update your Form I-20 and make sure your SEVIS record is up to date.

Students are not required to live on campus the first year, however it is highly recommended as you acclimate to the learning environment, community, and culture of campus.

International students are allowed to work on campus part time (up to 20 hours per week) per semester and full time (up to 40 hours per week) during breaks (summer & winter). International students work in a variety of offices at Assumption such as Admissions, Student Affairs, Testa Science Labs, and Taylor Dining Hall. International students are allowed to work off campus under CPT (Curricular Practical Training) and OPT (Optional Practical Training). CPT and OPT give international students the opportunity to put into practice lessons they have learned in the Assumption classroom.

We have a number of ways for students to get around Worcester and the surrounding areas. We have a public bus system that is free to our students with your student ID, this runs to the other college campuses, the train station and some of the other culinary and shopping destinations around Worcester. We are 50 miles or 80 kilometers away from a major international airport. We offer discounted taxi, Uber, and Lyft rides.

Assumption offers over 60 social, cultural, academic, and recreational student clubs and organizations you can become part of. Assumption also offers opportunities to participate in sports through our Club Sports and Intramural team programs. The Office of Student Activities host a fair at the start of each semester where you can discover more about these groups and how to join. Learn more about these opportunities.

Assumption University is also a member of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) at the DIV II (division 2) level in 24 sports in a group called the NE 10 (Northeast 10) Conference. Learn more about our athletic teams.

Our undergraduate degrees do not offer an online option. Our graduate degrees offer flexibility of some courses available in an online format. International students are only able to take one course online per semester.

Yes, all international students who complete their degree(s) from Assumption are eligible to apply for OPT. We recommend submitting your application for OPT 90 days before graduation due to long USCIS processing times. You are allowed 12 months of OPT. Students who complete a degree in an applicable STEM field can apply for a 24-Month STEM Extension. Please talk to the Coordinator before you begin the application process for OPT or CPT.

If you are not a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, you would be classified as an international student at Assumption University. International students are eligible to study in the United States on an F or J class visa.

The financial statement is a required bank statement in USD which must be officially certified or notarized indicating that the candidate has sufficient funds for living and study expenses for one full calendar year. That total amount should be a minimum of $36,700.

Transcript evaluations are required for all international applicants who completed their degree at a foreign university to determine U.S. degree equivalency. Transcript evaluations results must be sent directly from the evaluating company to Assumption University. Below are a few suggestions for evaluation companies. Although Assumption University does not endorse these companies, several applicants have found this information to be helpful:

• Academic Credentials Evaluations Institute, Inc. – www.acei1.com
• CED (Center for Educational Documentation, Inc.) – www.cedevaluations.com
• Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. – www.ece.org
• Josef Silny & Associates, Inc., International Education Consultants – www.jsilny.com
• World Education Services (WES) – www.wes.org

If you will be considered for transfer credit, we would require a course by course evaluation to be done. Otherwise, the general evaluation or any of the other evaluation options would suffice as long as the evaluation can confirm that you completed the bachelor’s degree and provide a cumulative GPA.

Applicants whose native or official language is not English* are required to provide evidence of English proficiency through one of the following tests:

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): Assumption’s TOEFL code is 3009. Minimum score requirements for the TOEFL 540 paper and 200 computer and 79-80 internet (https://www.ets.org/toefl).
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System): Minimum score requirements for the IELTS is 6.0 (www.ielts.org).
• Duolingo English Test: Assumption’s minimum score requirement for the Duolingo English test is 105 (https://englishtest.duolingo.com/).

Please have your official scores mailed to Assumption University (DI Code: 3009). If you list your test scores on the application, you are still required to have original test scores forwarded to Graduate Studies. For more information, please visit the TOEFL website (https://www.ets.org/toefl) or IELTS website (www.ielts.org)

*The English proficiency requirement may be eligible for a waiver if the applicant has completed their Undergraduate study or has been working in the U.S. Please reach out to the Graduate Admissions office to verify if you are eligible for the waiver.

Assumption University
Admissions House
Graduate Admissions
500 Salisbury Street
Worcester, MA 01609

International students are not eligible for Federal Financial Aid which are offered in the form of unsubsidized loans.

International students are eligible to take up to one online course per semester.

To maintain your F-1 Visa Status students must maintain full-time status which is a minimum of 3 courses (9 credits) per semester.

Limited on-campus graduate housing is available for full-time, unmarried students in the Aubuchon Townhouses. The Aubuchon Townhouses are six-person apartments – three double rooms with a shared bathroom, living room and kitchen. Aubuchon will house 12 graduate students. You may find more information on our website.

We will begin processing your I-20 once we have your completed I-20 request packet and supporting documentation. The process can take up to two weeks.

Eligible F1 Visa holders can apply to receive up to 12 months of OPT employment authorization after completing their academic studies. There may be some circumstances that can affect the eligibity requirements such as the length and time to complete Curricular Practical Training (CPT). Please check with our International student office or the program director for specific information about your program.

The Coordinator for International Student Success assists graduate international students with their transition into the American classroom. The Coordinator also currently acts as Assumption’s Principal Designated School Official, assisting international students with their I-20s, employment, and other immigration-related matters. Additionally, there are several other employees around campus who can work with, and can assist, international students. They have the title DSO or Designated School Official and can help with updating your I-20 form if your information changes, provide you with travel signatures, academic questions, and more.