Admissions for undergraduate international students
Attending college far from home can be simultaneously exciting and overwhelming. It is our mission at The University of Akron's International Center to support you before and after you arrive and make you feel at home here in Akron.
Please note: This page is for undergraduate degree applications (bachelor’s and associate).
International application deadlines
Semester you wish to begin | Apply by this date |
Fall | May 1 |
Spring | October 1 |
Summer I, II, III | March 1 |
Note:
- New freshman cannot start, hence apply for, the summer semesters.
- If required documents arrive after the deadline, your application may be deferred to the following semester.
- The University of Akron operates on a rolling admission basis. You will receive your international admission decision through email after all application documents have been received.
Required documents listed below in the table and are categorized by the type of applicant you are. Please see the important notes under the table.
New freshman
You are a high school student, or have completed high school or equivalent and have never enrolled in a college/university.
Transfer
You are taking, or have completed, classes at another college/university and want to complete your degree at UAkron. You may have already earned an associate degree and seek another, or a bachelor's degree.
Post-Baccalaureate (Post-Bac)
You have an equivalent U.S. bachelor's degree and want to take more undergrad classes toward another degree.
Exchange
Exchange students are nominated by exchange partner institutions and will study for 1 or 2 semesters at UAkron.
Guest/Transient
You attend another college/university and want to take a few classes at UAkron before returning to your college/university.
Required Documents | ||||||
Online Application | Application Fee Currently Waived | Official Secondary School Transcripts | Official College/ University or Professional School Transcripts | Official Proof of English Proficiency | Official SAT/ACT | |
New freshman 1 | Optional |
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Transfer 2 | Proof of secondary school graduation | |||||
Exchange | ||||||
Post-Bac | And proof of college degrees |
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Guest/Transient 3 |
1 New freshman:
- Must provide your (projected) date of graduation for application.
- Proof of final graduation must be submitted before you will be permitted to register for classes.
2 Transfer students:
- Must submit supporting documentation for all earned degrees indicated on the application. Provisional certificates may be accepted pending the award of a degree.
- If you have completed an approved college English Composition course with a final grade of C or better, you do NOT need to provide additional proof of English proficiency.
- Our Transfer Equivalency Database lists the pre-approved transfer courses from universities/colleges around the world. If you do not find your college/university or your course(s), we highly recommend you provide course syllabi to assist the credit evaluation. You may email the digital copies to: intlrecruit@uakron.edu or you can upload them to your applicant portal.
3 Guest/transient students:
- Must provide a transient permission form from the college/university you are attending that approves you to take classes at The University of Akron.
Transcript Translation and/or Evaluation
- If your transcripts are not in English, they must be officially translated. Original copies should be provided together with the translated versions.
- If you want to have your transcripts and credentials evaluated, we accept evaluations from WES and other accredited members of NACES and AICE. You can find a list of accredited members on their websites.
- An excellent example of an affordable NACES member company is SpanTran.
Official Documents vs. Unofficial Documents
- Official documents, including transcripts, test results, and diplomas/certificates, must be submitted for full admission, award of scholarships and the issuance of an I-20.
- An official final transcript must be submitted before you can register for your second semester coursework.
- Unofficial copies of those aforementioned documents are accepted ONLY For admission purpose. Students will receive conditional admission with unofficial documents if they meet the admission requirements. We highly recommend that you should submit official documents to avoid delay in your admission and immigration process
What is an official transcript?
An official transcript can be one of the following:
- A hard copy transcript mailed by your secondary school or college/university in a sealed envelope. Please find the mailing address in section 4.
- Transcripts uploaded by your counselor as part of your Common Application.
- An e-transcript directly sent by your college/university to the University of Akron.
- Digital transcripts emailed by your school counselor or other school officials through an official institutional email address or an email address that can be verified on the school’s website.
- For some West African countries, the WAEC exam result is only considered official after we verify it at the official WAEC website. Applicants must provide their scratch card information as part of the application.
SAT or ACT
SAT or ACT is not required for standard admission or admission scholarship consideration for all types of applicants. An official SAT or ACT score is required to be considered for direct admission into your intended major.
To send official test results directly from the test organizations to The University of Akron, please use the codes below:
- ACT: 3338
- SAT: 1829
All undergraduate international applicants must provide proof of English proficiency by meeting the minimum score from one of the following acceptable tests. This requirement can be waived if you meet certain criteria.
Minimum requirements for English proficiency:
Test | Minimum required |
TOEFL iBT | 71 |
IELTS | 6.0 |
SAT (Evidence-based reading & writing) *test taken after March, 2016 | 500 |
ACT English | 18 |
Duolingo English Test (DET) | 95 |
CAE (Cambridge English: Advanced) | 169 |
PTE | 48 |
GTEC CBT/GTEC | 1126/1135 |
Notes:
- TOEFL, IELTS, SAT and ACT scores are valid for two years from the test date. The University of Akron accepts only valid test scores.
- All TOEFL results from ETS will be accepted. We do not accept Institutional TOEFL results or certificates from non-University of Akron Engllsh language programs.
- To send official test results directly from the test organizations to The University of Akron, please use the codes below:
- TOEFL: 1829
- ACT: 3338
- SAT: 1829
- If you are a transfer student from a US college/university and have completed an approved college English Composition course with a final grade of C or better.
English Proficiency Requirement Waiver
Proof of English Proficiency can be waived if you meet one of the following situations:
- If you have completed or will complete 3 or more years of high school in one of the following countries:
Applicants who are citizens and primarily educated in the following countries may be waived for the English language proficiency requirement:
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbados
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
British Virgin Islands
Canada (except Quebec)
Cayman Islands
Ghana
Grenada
Guyana
Jamaica
Kenya
Liberia
Montserrat
New Zealand
Nigeria
Republic of Ireland
St. Kitts & Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent & Grenadines
Trinidad & Tobago
Turks & Caicos Islands
United Kingdom (England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales)
United States & US Territories - If you have completed or will complete 3 or more years of high school in a school whose primary language of instruction is English, as indicated by your official transcripts and high school profile.
- If you are in or have taken IB, A-level or AP curriculum and meet the follow requirements:
- IB: score of 5 or above in the Diploma Program higher level or a minimum score of 6 in the standard level English language examinations
- A-level: score of C or higher in English Language or English Language and Literature
- AP: scored 3 or higher in English Language and Composition or English Literature and Composition
- CLEP: score of 50 or above in College Composition
How to submit documents:
After you apply, please visit your Applicant Status Portal to view a checklist of required materials and upload unofficial documents.
By email:
Email official or unofficial digital copies to intlrecruit@uakron.edu.
- PDF format is preferred.
- If you are a school counselor or official to send official transcript on your student’s behalf, please include the student’ full name in the email and explain whom the transcripts are from.
- Please note: The email must be from an official institutional email or from one that can be verified on your school website.
By postal mail:
Mail official hard copies in a sealed envelope to the following mailing address:
- International Recruitment and Admissions
The University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325-4724
USA - Please note: Documents submitted to the University in the application process will NOT be returned. Be careful sending original diploma, degrees or certificates.
Direct Import:
Your school counselor or official can upload official documents directly to your application through the Common Application or Slate Org.
If you have any questions, contact International Recruitment at +1 330-972-4930 or email us. We are in the U.S. eastern standard time zone (EST).