Application Information for International Students and Exchange Visitors In order to matriculate and receive credit for course- SCHOLARSHIP AND AID FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS work, internationals students enrolling in degree International students are eligible for institutional programs that require residency must hold either a scholarship awards and financial aid. Students must valid F or J non-immigrant student visa. be prepared to cover the expenses involved while engaged in study at Columbia. Therefore, upon adThose who meet requirements for admission to a mission, and before the visa application process can master’s degree program but do not wish to work begin, persons must complete a financial toward degree completion may enroll as a special certification process to show proof of adequate student and take courses for credit. Those who do financial resources to cover costs which include, not meet the requirements for admission to a but are not limited to, tuition, fees (e.g., activity, master’s degree program may be admitted as an program, and graduation fees), textbooks, health unclassified student. Unclassified students are insurance, travel, and living expenses for the entire admitted for a limited number of courses as period of study in the United States. The required determined by the academic and international form I-20/DS-2019, and other visa documents will student offices. Special students may be enrolled not be issued until this financial information has for an approved course of study over a specified time period determined by the Office of Academic been received and verified. Only students enrolling in degree programs that require U.S. residency shall Affairs. be eligible to apply for F Visa support. English Language Learners (ELL) and students for whom English is not their first language are required to submit recent test scores, ordinarily taken within the last two years, from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). In most cases, students accepted to Columbia’s first-level master’s degree programs (MDiv, MAPT, and MA{TS}) submit a TOEFL score of 84 or higher on the internet-based TOEFL (iBT, iBT Home Edition, or Paper-delivered) with a minimum score of 21 in each of the skill sections. Student entering advanced degree programs (ThM, DMin, and DEdMin) typically submit a TOEFL score of 90 with a minimum of 22 in each of the skill sections. TOEFL scores should be submitted by TOEFL directly to Columbia (Institutional Code: 5118). All test fees are the responsibility of the applicant.
All international students and accompanying family members are required to carry health insurance which meets the standards of the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. No applicant should come to Atlanta until he or she has received a formal letter of admission to a degree program from the Offices of Admissions and Financial Aid and the required form I-20 or form DS-2019 from International Students & Scholar Services (isss@ctsnet.edu). Prospective international applicants should contact the admissions office (admissionsstaff@ctsnet.edu) for application assistance and additional information.
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