International Students

If you are a prospective student from a country other than the United States, our International Student web pages provide information you will find helpful as you consider applying to our graduate programs. On this page, you will find general information about the application process, financial considerations related to study at Emory, Emory's English as a Second Language program, immigration requirements and documents, and housing. On the Admissions Requirements and the Health Insurance web pages (see the left sidebar), you will find details about requirements for admission to our PhD programs and Emory’s policy on student health insurance coverage.

If you have any questions about the information found on these pages, or if you can not find the information you need, please contact us at 404-727-6028 or gsoas@emory.edu.

Preliminary Application
Formal Application
International Student Budget
Number of Monthly Stipend Payments by Program
I-20 Forms and Visas
English as a Second Language Program
Housing
Office of International Student and Scholar Programs (ISSP)
Employment of International Students
SEVIS

Preliminary Application
In an effort to expedite the application process, a number of programs have adopted an online preliminary application for international applicants. When applying online, an international applicant may be prompted by the system to complete a preliminary application before proceeding to the formal application. For a thorough explanation of the online application system, see About the Online Application Process.

• Go to the online application
  

A paper version/PDF of the preliminary application is available from the website only for those applicants who are unable to utilize the online application.

Graduate programs review the preliminary application and determine if the applicant meets program criteria. If the criteria are met, the applicant will receive an invitation to complete the formal application.

Divisions and programs currently requiring preliminary applications are:

1. Anthropology
2. Art History
3. Graduate Division of Biological an Biomedical Sciences (GDBBS)
4. Biomedical Engineering
5. Biostatistics
6. Clinical Research
7. Comparative Literature
8. Division of Educational Studies
9. English
10. Epidemiology
11. Film Studies
12. Jewish Studies
13. MD/PhD Program
14. Music
15. Physics
16. Political Science
17. Sociology
18. Spanish

Formal Application
All applicants are strongly encouraged to utilize the online application. In addition, international applicants are required to submit the supplemental form called the Financial Certificate. For more information, see Academic Requirements for International Students.

International applicants who choose to utilize the PDF version of the application must submit Parts 1 through 5 of the formal application, including the Financial Certificate (Part 4). Applicants mail Part 1 and the $50 application fee (payable to Emory University in U.S. dollars) directly to the graduate school office. Parts 2, 3, 4, 5A-5C, and one set of official transcripts should be sent directly to the graduate program office. Applications without the $50 fee will not be processed unless the graduate program makes a request and the dean approves a fee waiver.

Note: International applicants who have concerns about completing Part 4, the Financial Certificate, should complete the application to the best of their ability. This information is required by the university for statistical purposes only and is not a factor in determining financial awards.

International Student Budget
Before the university will issue documents in support of visas, international students must demonstrate the ability to cover the full cost of educational and living expenses, either from personal resources or a combination of personal resources and financial awards. For this reason, Part 4 of the application is forwarded to the university admissions office when an international student is accepted. For 2007-2008, nine and twelve-month expenses are estimated below. A married student planning to bring his or her family will need an additional $700 per month ($8,400 per year) for the spouse, and $350 per month ($4,200 per year) for each child.

*Required of all international students, unless the student shows proof of comparable coverage from another source.

**Does not include travel from home country, or fees for on-campus parking.

***Costs incurred in paying utility and housing deposits and setting up housekeeping.

Number of Monthly Stipend Payments by Program

I-20 Forms and Visas
The Graduate School office handles I-20 forms for international students attending graduate and professional school. Each international applicant returns the Financial Certificate (Part 4 of the application) listing all financial resources, a requirement for the I-20. The student's award package and/or personal resources should equal the estimated expenses. Students should contact the U.S. consulate in their country for details on the visa application process. The I-20 is used to obtain an F-1 visa (student visa). The DSO2019 is used to obtain a J-1 visa. Most international graduate students enter under F-1 visas, but sometimes the J-1 visa is appropriate. In some cases, the J-1 visa carries a two-year home residency requirement (in other words, the J-1 visa recipient must agree to return home for at least two years after completing the degree).

English as a Second Language Program
The English as a Second Language Program administers language assessment and Engish support classes for international students admitted to the Graduate School. All students whose first language is not English are required to take an English language assessment before registering for classes. Results of the assessment are used to place students who need English language support in one or more classes for the academic year. The assessment has a speaking and a writing component. Based on the speaking score attained, a student will be recommended for full participation in the TATTO program or be required to take ESL oral communication support. Based on the writing score attained, the student may be required to take ESL composition support courses during his/her first year at Emory.

A core curriculum of courses helps students perform well in their academic classes and prepares students for future professional opportunities. Goals and objectives of the speaking and writing courses have been established to fit the needs and requirements of the academic departments and the students.

Grades for ESL courses appear on students' official transcripts, indicating improvement in written or spoken English specifically designed for graduate-level performance. Upon completion of required ESL oral skills courses, all students take the Emory Post Speaking Assessment. Students and program directors of graduate studies receive the final scores with recommendations for student teaching.

Oral Communication Courses Offered:
ESL 505: Intermediate Communication Skills (4 credits)
ESL 515: Advanced Communication Skills (4 credits)
ESL 516: Laboratory in Advanced Communication Skills (2 credits)
ESL 520: Seminar in English Language Skills for Teaching (4 credits)
ESL 597: Directed Study (1 credit)

Writing Courses Offered:
ESL 510: Graduate English Writing (4 credits)
ESL 511: Laboratory in Writing (2 credits)

Students needing two ESL courses in one term will be expeced to reduce their discipline-specific loads to accommodate the academic requirements of English support classes. Experience indicates that time taken for improvement of English skills early in one's graduate program will be recovered as performance improves.

For questions, contact Grace Canseco, ESL Program Director, 101 North Decatur Building, 404-727-2183 or grace.canseco@emory.edu.

Housing
The International Student and Scholar Programs (ISSP) has a housing assistant available during the month of August to help students locate housing in the Emory University area. For additional information about housing opportunities, please visit the Housing webpage.

Office of International Student and Scholar Programs (ISSP)
The ISSP office provides assistance in maintaining immigration status, certification of enrollment, developmental counseling, and advising student groups. ISSP staff process IAP-66 forms for visiting scholars. The International Student and Scholar Programs office conducts orientation for new students. Sessions begin in mid-August and continue up to a day or two before registration. Many sessions are repeated, allowing students to attend a variety of presentations. In addition, all new international students must attend the Graduate School Orientation, traditionally held on the Wednesday before registration.

Employment of International Students
Students on J-1 and F-1 visas must have written authorization for employment even if it is required as a part of a scholarship or fellowship award. Direct questions to the Office of International Student and Scholar Programs (ISSP) at 404-727-3300.

SEVIS
In the 2002-2003 academic year, the federal government implemented enhanced reporting requirements for international students called the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). International students must inform themselves of the rules and procedures related to SEVIS. Detailed information regarding SEVIS is located at the Office of International Student and Scholar Programs (ISSP).