International Admissions

Admission

All prospective international students are welcome at The University of Alabama. Please visit our application page to submit your application and learn more about our requirements.

Each international applicant must hold the equivalent of a U.S. four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution to be eligible for graduate admission. While individual departments may have more stringent requirements, bachelor degrees from Bologna Accord certified institutions are considered to meet this criterion. We do also consider Indian three-year degrees to be equivalent to a U.S. four-year degree.

The fall semester begins in August and is considered the beginning of the academic year. International students are strongly advised to plan to begin their studies then. Many of our departments and programs will consider applications for the spring semester, which starts in January, but fewer openings for new students are available at that time.

Students who are offered admission to The University of Alabama Graduate School will receive housing and health insurance information, a letter of admission, and an immigration document (usually Form I-20 or DS-2019). We will also provide information about our Graduate Orientation and Welcome (GROW).

Upon arrival in Tuscaloosa, students should report International Student and Scholar Services. This office is also the best place to ask any questions concerning immigration.

We ask that international applicants who are using a recruitment agency to help them with their application visit our agent information page. This page lists the agents that we work with and provides additional information about the standards of practice to which we hold these partners. 

Language Score Requirements

Non-native speakers are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE scores unless they meet at least one of the following criteria: 1) at the time of initial enrollment, they will hold a degree from a U.S. institution or an institution in one of the English speaking countries or regions listed below; 2) at the time of initial enrollment, they will have been enrolled in coursework for at least two years at a U.S. institution or an institution in one of the English speaking countries or regions listed below; 3) they are a citizen or legal resident of one of the English speaking countries or regions listed below. Information on registering for the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE is available online or at U.S. embassies, consulates, Institute of International Education offices, AMIDEAST offices, and other organizations concerned with international education. Note that during the application process we only need unofficial language score reports. Official reports must be sent on admission. 

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): The minimum score for admission to a degree program or for non-degree admission is 79 on the internet-based TOEFL (iBT).
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): The minimum score for admission to a degree program or for non-degree admission is 6.5.
• Duolingo: We are accepting Duolingo scores during the COVID-19 crisis. The minimum score for admission to a degree program or for non-degree admission is 105.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): The minimum score of admission to a degree program or for non-degree admission is 59.

The TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE scores must be less than two years old at the time of the application.

Conditional Language Admission

An international graduate applicant to The University of Alabama may be considered for Conditional Language Admission if he or she does not meet the minimum TOEFL score requirement of 550 on the paper-based TOEFL or 79 on the iBT, 6.5 on the IELTS, 105 on the Duolingo test, or 59 on the PTE and/or does not have an admission test score (e.g. GRE/GMAT/MAT). Please click here to check if your prospective program offers Conditional Language Admission.

A conditionally admitted international student must complete the English Language Institutes’s (ELI) Intensive English Program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the advanced levels (levels 4, 5, and 6) or earn a score of at least 550 on the paper-based TOEFL or 79 on the iBT, 105 on the Duolingo test, or 6.5 on the IELTS before he or she will be allowed to enroll in graduate courses, hold teaching assistantships, or hold internally funded research assistantships. Students who have Conditional Language Admission are eligible to hold only externally funded research assistantships. In special circumstances an applicant may also enroll in graduate classes while enrolled in the ELI. Please see the Graduate Catalog for more information.

Transcript Requirements

During the application process please upload copies of your transcripts (with English translations if necessary) to the application portal. Once admitted, international applicants must submit one certified copy in the native language along with certified English translations of all transcripts, diplomas, and certificates of degree. Transcript and diploma copies submitted after admission must be certified by the issuing institution. Notary copies are NOT acceptable.

International Teaching Assistant Program

The University  of Alabama maintains (through the English Language Institute) the International Teaching Assistant Program (ITAP), a program that all graduate assistants with any teaching or instructional activities who are non-native speakers of English must successfully complete before they are allowed to teach. Students are recommended for ITAP by their departments. For information about these please contact the English Language Institute

Application Deadlines

Applicants applying from outside the U.S. are encouraged to have complete applications, with all supporting documents, at least 180 days before the beginning of the semester for which application is made. Some departments have earlier deadlines; applicants should contact the departments in which they are interested to obtain information about department deadlines and other requirements.

Document Mailing

Please see the ISSS website for information about mailing documents.