How to Apply | International

A completed UW System application for admission is required for admission. Apply online – there is no application fee required! Here are step-by-step instructions if you need more information on how to complete the online application.

There is currently no application fee for undergraduate applicants. However, a $50 international undergraduate admissions processing fee is required as part of the application process. Undergraduate applicants will receive a direct link to pay the fee after submission of the application.

The following official (or clear scans of official) documents are needed:

• Records for all secondary education (high school), including diploma, graduation certificate and results issued by an examining board, where applicable.
• Transcripts for all post-secondary (college or university-level) education, even if you did not complete the program.
• All original-language documents, as well as professional-quality, literal English translations, where applicable.

Please visit our International Student Transcripts and Academic Records page for more details.

Students who have taken the SAT or ACT are encouraged to submit their scores, however this is not required for admission. The UW-Superior institutional code for the SAT is 1920, and for ACT, 4682

The following applicants are required to submit evidence of English proficiency:

• International students (except those from an exempt country)
• U.S. citizens or permanent residents (who have been primarily educated in the US or exempt country)

Countries Exempted from Proof of English Proficiency

All international applicants whose education has been primarily outside the U.S. must provide objective evidence of proficiency in the English language. However, the following exceptions apply:

1. Applicants primarily educated in the following countries/territories.
2. Applicants who have recently completed three years of full-time study at a high school in the U.S. or at a U.S. accredited high school abroad, and have received (or will receive) a U.S. high school diploma may be exempted from this requirement after supporting academic records have been reviewed by International Admissions.
3. Applicants who have received a U.S. bachelor’s, master’s or Ph.D. degree or who have successfully completed two years of full-time academic study at an accredited post-secondary institution within the U.S. or at a U.S. accredited post-secondary institution abroad.

UW-Superior reserves the right to require evidence of English language proficiency for all applicants; the determination of whether a student has provided sufficient evidence of adequate English proficiency is at the sole discretion of UW-Superior.

Applicants will be notified via email if required to submit evidence of English proficiency. The English proficiency requirement can be met in a variety of ways. Depending on their test scores, students may be required to take a combination of English as a Second Language (ESL) and non-ESL courses during their first semester. See ESL at UW-Superior for additional information.

• TOEFL Internet-Based Test: 61
• IELTS: 5.5
• Duolingo English Test (DET): 100
• TOEFL MyBest: 61 (Minimum Test Date Score: 56)
• SAT ERW: 470
• ACT English: 18
• Pearson Test of English Academic: 47
• MET: 69
• TOEFL Paper-based Test: 500
• STEP Eiken (Japan only): Pre-1st Grade
• ITEP Academic: 4.0
• Cambridge English: B2 First (FCE): 169
• Cambridge English: C1 Advanced (CAE): Pass
• Cambridge English: C2 Proficiency (CPE): Pass
• GTEC (Japan Only): 1200

UW-Superior’s Partner Language Programs

• ELS: Successful completion of Level 110
• Wisconsin English as a Second Language Institute (WESLI): Letter of Recommendation
• FLS International: Successful completion of FLS Level 16
• The Language Company (TLC): Successful completion of Level 9

More than 90% of our international students receive financial assistance/scholarships worth $5,300-$7,200 per year through the Nonresident Tuition Waiver (NTW) program. Students who submit all required application items are automatically considered for an NTW. No application is required. For additional information, visit Paying for College: International Students. 

1. Submit the Financial Verification Form
2. Original bank letter(s) or statement(s) from the student and/or sponsor(s) indicating a current balance with sufficient funds to pay the first year of total expected costs. The name(s) on the bank document(s) must match the name(s) on the Financial Verification Form.

Additional Guidance Regarding Financial Documentation

Sponsors who live in the United States (only) must also submit a completed, signed Declaration of Financial Support, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-134.

Financial documentation is required for UW-Superior to issue a Form I-20, the document needed to apply for an F-1 student visa. Per U.S. regulations, students must demonstrate that they have sufficient funding to pay for all educational and living expenses while in the U.S.

Financial documents must be in English and issued within the previous three months. Examples of bank documents that are acceptable:

• Bank statements issued directly from the bank or printed from an online bank account
• Loan or award letters stamped or certified by a lending institution
• Original bank letters signed by a bank official with the official’s name and contact information indicated

Examples of bank documents that cannot be accepted: 

• Bank letters/statements that are not legible or do not indicate the name of the bank or account holder;
• Bank letters without the name of the account holder or do not specify an amount of available funds at least equal to the first year of total expected expenses
• Bank letters/statements from businesses.

Submit a paper or scanned copy of the passport identification page.

Applications and all required materials must arrive to our office by 11:59 PM Central Standard Time on the deadline dates below.

Fall Semester (September – December)

• Preferred deadline: May 1
• Final deadline: July 1

Spring Semester (January – May)

• Preferred deadline: October 1
• Final deadline: November 15

International students who are currently in F-1 status and in the U.S. at the time of application will be considered after the application deadline on a case-by-case basis.

For admissions purposes, in most cases UW-Superior will accept scanned copies of application materials if they are clear and complete. Please mail scanned copies as PDFs to international@uwsuper.edu and be sure to include your full name. If you are admitted, you will be required to submit official paper copies of your application documents when you arrive to campus.

Once all of the necessary documents have been received, please allow 2-3 weeks for a decision.

Please note you should request additional original documentation for your own records and to present to the U.S. Consulate or Embassy. Original documentation will be required when applying for a student visa and when entering the United States.

Academic Integrity is valued in our community and in the admission process. By signing your application, you certify that it is complete and accurate. The written statement is a required part of the application. Applications for admission that include written statements that are wholly or partially plagiarized (not written by the applicant) or generated by AI (an artificial intelligence tool) will not be approved.