Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Our international student community is very diverse. International students from all over the world, including Europe, Africa, Latin America, Asia and Oceania, study at Kutztown University.

Yes. International students who remain eligible for renewal of their tuition waiver will see the waiver amount posted to their tuition bill. Tuition waiver renewals are only available for a cumulative maximum of nine (9) semesters.

Students who become ineligible for a tuition waiver renewal may appeal if they become eligible during the next semester. In this case, tuition waiver renewal is not guaranteed and appeal decisions are final.

Students can only be admitted to the University for the August or January semesters. Students wishing to study at KU in the summer may attend KU as a transient or visiting student if they have a visa status that will allow them to study.

You may email your transcript for the purpose of admissions, however, it will not be considered official. Your school counselor may email a transcript to us from his/her school email account, which will be considered official. We do not accept transcripts from Yahoo, Gmail, etc. accounts as official documents. 

You can also upload unofficial documents to your admissions application.

When you enroll at KU, you will be required to request that final official test scores, transcripts, and certificates are sent directly to Kutztown University. 

Application fee waivers are limited, but if you have extreme difficulty paying the application fee due to your payment method or location, please contact us.

KU encourages students to transfer coursework completed at other colleges and universities!

It is helpful to submit syllabi and/or course descriptions of all courses completed. After you are accepted to KU and we receive official transcripts from the universities you attended, the Registrar’s Office will review your transcript(s) and award transfer credit based on the grades/marks you received and whether the external course matches a KU course. Credits transfer; grades/marks do not transfer and therefore will not be calculated in your grade point average (GPA) at KU.

1-semester credit is equal to 1.5 quarter credits. 

You are not required to transfer credits to Kutztown University. Please know that if you do not disclose your attendance at a college or university on your application for admission that you will not be permitted to transfer those credits to KU at a later time. 

Yes. You must declare a major or program of study in order to apply to Kutztown University. You may change your major within the first two years at Kutztown University. Learn more about the majors offered at KU.

Any national examination that will be used to meet the high school transcript/completion requirement cannot be used in place of a standardized test such as SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo. 

Yes, KU accepts CAPE results for admission to the university. You may also receive college-level credit for the exams. Request that the Caribbean Examinations Council send exam results directly to Kutztown University. Credit will be reviewed and awarded on a case-by-case basis. 

Yes. Kutztown University accepts O-, AS-, and A-level coursework. In some cases, the coursework may be deemed equivalent to the completion of a secondary-level program (i.e. high school diploma). This is determined on a case-by-case review of grades in the coursework.

You may receive university credit for A-level coursework depending on your final scores on the exams. You will need to request that the examination company send official score results directly to Kutztown University. The number of credits awarded is determined on a case-by-case basis.

You may check the status of your application online at myku.kutztown.edu using the ID and password you received in the application acknowledgment email or by contacting the Office of International Admissions and Services.

Find contact information for KU coaches at www.kubears.com.

Accepted students on a non-student visa may apply for a change of status to a student visa (i.e. F-1 or J-1). In this case, the following documents must be submitted to the assigned USCIS Service Center:

• Completed Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status - please review instructions
• Form I-539 Filing Fee - U.S. check or money order made payable to "U.S. Department of Homeland Security"
• Original Form I-20 (for F-1 students) or DS-2019 (for J-1 students), issued by the Office of International Admissions
• Proof of payment of the SEVIS I-901 fee - this cannot be paid until the Form I-20 has been issued
• Original I-94 card or electronic I-94 
• Copies of passport ID pages, visa, and other current immigration status documents
• Copies of financial support documents
• Letter explaining why you are requesting the change of status

Please note that the following visa holders may not apply for a change of status within the United States: M-1, C, D, or K non-immigrants, J non-immigrants subject to the 212(e) two-year foreign residency requirement, and WT and WB visitors admitted under the visa waiver program.

Submit the application for admission. The Office of International Admissions and Services will tell you which items you are required to submit to complete your application for admission. 

If you are a student who hasn't yet earned a Bachelor's degree, then you are considered an undergraduate student. However, if you are a student who has earned a Bachelor's degree, then you are probably a graduate student. If you want to earn a second Bachelor's degree, then you will still be considered an undergraduate second-degree student.

After the Office of International Admissions and Services receives your application and all required items, you can expect to receive an admissions decision in two to three weeks. 

Students who hold a non-student visa may apply for admission to Kutztown University, however, students must meet all academic requirements and be accepted to KU before they can apply for a change of status to a student visa (i.e. F-1 or J-1). Certain non-student visa holders, such as B-1, B-2 visitors may not begin their program of study until the change of status has been approved by USCIS. F-2 visa holders may enroll part-time at KU.

International students who are selected to receive a tuition waiver may not see the waiver immediately applied to their initial tuition bill. Generally, the amount of the waiver is posted to the student's account within the first month of the semester. Please be aware that the waiver is only applied to the cost of tuition. All other administrative fees, as well as room and board, still remain the responsibility of the student. Students should contact the Office of Student Accounts if they are relying on the tuition waiver to pay the balance of their account.

Yes. Kutztown University will not deny admission to the university so long as the student meets general admissions requirements. Please contact the Office of International Admissions & Services.

No. You are considered a permanent resident and thus should apply through the domestic application process.

International students are not eligible for federal financial aid, however. Kutztown University offers a 40% out-of-state tuition discount to all new international freshman and transfer students as well as merit-based scholarships and need-based tuition waivers to new incoming students. More information is listed on our International Student Financial Aid website.

Financial need is the difference between the estimated cost of attendance for Kutztown University and your family’s ability to pay. We have partnered with the College Board to offer the CSS Profile, a tool that calculates your financial need based on your family’s financial resources. If your expected family contribution is less than the cost of attendance for KU, you have demonstrated financial need.

Financial aid offered by Kutztown University generally only covers part of the cost of tuition. Housing scholarships are generally not available and the few that are offered will not cover the full cost of housing and meals. 

Graduate students may apply for a graduate assistantship.

No. International students may also hold other visa types (i.e. J-1, L-2, etc.), however, international students who are not on an F-1 visa may not be eligible for various F-1 benefits such as campus employment and practical training. Students are encouraged to research the various types of student visas available to them. If you have any questions about whether you may study at Kutztown University, please contact the Office of International Admissions & Services.

Transfer students with 12 or more college-level semester credits are not required to submit test scores from the SAT or ACT.

• Official, original language transcript with official English language translation
• Official transcript in English, if issued directly by the school or examination agency (UMALUSI, Cambridge, WASSCE, CAPE, etc.)
• Certified copy of original language transcript sent with official English translation (if applicable) and signed by one of the following: (a) Administrator of the student's school, (b) U.S. Embassy official, (c) Ministry of Education official, (d) U.S. Overseas Advising Office staff member, or (e) Notary Public

You can find the cost to attend Kutztown University on the Funding your Education webpage.

We review applications on a rolling basis, which means we are always accepting applications for future semesters. Certain programs have limited seats available, and thus you are encouraged to submit your completed application as early as possible. Students seeking graduate admissions should consult the Graduate Admissions website to find out the application deadline for the academic program to which they are applying.

Kutztown University offers more than 50 undergraduate and 18 graduate programs.

An undergraduate program of study is appropriate for students who have completed their high school or secondary school program but have not yet earned a Bachelor's degree.

A graduate program of study is appropriate for students who have completed their Bachelor's degree and are seeking to complete advanced study in an academic or professional field and earn a Master's degree.

The language of instruction at Kutztown University is English and as such, all students must provide evidence that they have achieved a high enough level of proficiency in the English language to be successful in their courses. You may prove English proficiency in one of the following ways:

1) Examination Results

Submit results from an English proficiency examination. Scores must be less than two years old. Unofficial results are accepted for the application review; official score reports are required to complete your application record when you enroll at KU. 

• IELTS: 6.5 Overall Score
• TOEFL: 79 internet-based test
• PTE: 53 Overall Score
• Duolingo English Test: 105 Overall Score
• SAT: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 560 (KU School Code 2653)
• ACT: 21 English/Writing Score (KU School Code 3706)

2) Waiver

Request a waiver of this requirement if you are from one of the following countries: 

3) Study at a U.S. College/University

We will waive the English language requirement if you studied at a U.S. college or university for at least one academic year, earned at least 24 college-level semester credits (or 36 quarter credits) and have completed the equivalent of CMP 100, Effective Composition, with a grade of C or higher.

OR

We will waive the English language requirement if you studied at a U.S. high school for at least two academic years, and have earned a C or higher in core English language classes. 

When you arrive in August, you'll likely experience temperatures ranging anywhere from 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit (21-32 degrees Celsius). In these temperatures, lightweight clothing is suggested for your comfort. As the semester continues, heavier clothing may become necessary. In November and December, temperatures can drop to 17-40 degrees Fahrenheit (-8-4 degrees Celsius) and are typically accompanied by snow and ice, therefore a heavy overcoat, gloves, and scarves are highly recommended. These temperatures generally last until February. Once springtime approaches in March, temperatures begin to rise again to about 45-60 degrees Fahrenheit (7-15 degrees Celsius) and are often accompanied by rain, so a raincoat and umbrella are also a good idea. These temperatures can last throughout the remainder of the spring semester.

The fall semester begins in late August and ends in mid-December. 

The spring semester begins in mid-January and ends in mid-May.

Only new incoming undergraduate international students may apply for a tuition waiver. If you are interested in applying, please complete and submit the CSS Profile as soon as possible.

Students are required to live on campus for their first two years of study unless they meet one of the Residency Exceptions. 

Housing is guaranteed for students who pay the Advanced Registration Deposit by May 1 for August admission. After May 1, housing is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Housing is usually available for students who begin their students in January.

Kutztown University staff do not inspect, recommend, regulate, nor approve privately-owned off-campus properties.

Kutztown University does not offer host family accommodations.

You must submit an application and the required items, which are described according to your application type. Review the International Admissions requirements for first-year (freshmen), transfer, and exchange students.