Graduate Admission for International Students

Loyola University Maryland is authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant students who are the citizens of countries other than the United States. International applicants should review the following information carefully to understand some of the additional requirements to apply for admission to a graduate program as an international student.

International Graduate Application Information

Graduate programs at Loyola University Maryland may have specific application deadlines for international applicants. This is done to ensure that there is sufficient time to issue visa paperwork for international students who are offered admission to the university.  

Please note that not all Loyola graduate programs are eligible to issue visa documentation which would allow international students to enter the United States (for example, part-time or online graduate degree programs). International students are still welcome to participate in these programs from their home country, but visas cannot be issued for these programs.

International students seeking visas for full-time, in-person graduate programs are admitted to the Fall semester only (except for School Counseling and Kodaly Music Education which admit for the Summer semester).

For more information about application deadlines, visit the Graduate Programs at Loyola webpage, click on your program of interest, and go to the “Apply” section of their page.

English Language Examination Requirements

Applicants are required to submit official English language examination scores unless they have earned or will be earning a bachelor's (or higher) degree from either:

*Applicants who attended a college or university in Puerto Rico are still required to take the exam.

**If English is not the sole language of instruction listed, or if no language of instruction is listed, or if your college/university is not included in WHED, you will be required to submit English language examination scores.

Note: Applicants to either of the M.Ed. in Literacy graduate programs are exempted from the English language examination requirements due to other admission requirements of the programs demonstrating English language fluency. 

English Language Examination Options

Loyola University Maryland accepts any of the following English language exams. All English examination scores are considered valid for up to two years after the testing date.

Note: Although the minimum eligibility scores for each exam are listed below, graduate programs expect competitive applicants to have scores that exceed the university's minimum eligibility requirements. Please check the graduate program application instructions to see if the program has higher minimum or recommended scores.

TOEFL iBT (test center exam, home edition, or paper edition)

Minimum score required for eligibility: 80 overall score (Note: We do not accept TOEFL MyBest scores)

Website: http://www.ets.org/toefl

Scores must be submitted to Loyola University Maryland electronically using Institution Code 5370 (Exception: Applicants to the Speech-Language Pathology graduate program must submit their TOEFL scores to CSDCAS instead using Institution Code C122).

IELTS Academic (in-person exam)

Minimum score required for eligibility: 6.5 overall band score

Website: http://www.ielts.org

Scores must be submitted to Loyola University Maryland for review and verification. Contact graduate@loyola.edu for additional information.

IELTS Indicator (online exam)

Minimum score required for eligibility: 6.5 overall band score

Website: https://www.ieltsindicator.com

Scores must be submitted to Loyola University Maryland electronically. Make certain to select our university and "Graduate Admission" when sending your scores.

TOEFL Essentials (online exam)

Minimum score required for eligibility: 9.0 overall band score (Note: We do not accept TOEFL MyBest scores)

Website: https://www.ets.org/s/toefl-essentials/

Scores must be submitted to Loyola University Maryland electronically using Institution Code 5370.

Duolingo English Test (online exam)

Minimum score required for eligibility: 115

Website: https://englishtest.duolingo.com/

Scores must be submitted to Loyola University Maryland electronically.

International Academic Records

Loyola University Maryland requires that all international (non-U.S.) academic records be evaluated by an academic record evaluation service and submitted to the Office of Graduate Admission and Financial Aid for review. The evaluation must be sent to our office directly and must be from one of the following evaluation services:

In addition to the international evaluation, applicants must also send scanned copies of all of their original international academic records (including diplomas, degree documents, and university verifications, etc.) to graduate@loyola.edu. Each college/university record must be scanned as a single PDF document - do not send separate attachments for each page. Be sure to include "International Academic Records" in the subject line of the email.

Additional Application Requirements for International Applicants Requesting F-1 Student Visa Status

  • Passport: Upload a scanned image or photo of the biographical page of your passport in the "International" section of the online application or via the Applicant Status Page after you have submitted your application using the "Upload Materials" tool. Be sure to select "Passport" from the drop-down menu when doing so.
  • International Student Supplement: After you have submitted your application, go to the Applicant Status Page and click the "International Student Supplement" link in the checklist, then complete and submit that online form.

Steps Required to Finalize Admission for International Applicants Requesting F-1 Student Visa Status

If you are admitted to a Loyola graduate program which is eligible for an F-1 visa, you must complete the steps listed below by the following dates:

For programs with a Summer semester start:  April 15

For programs with a Fall semester start: June 1 

  • Enrollment Deposit: Pay your tuition for your first semester at Loyola. You must use Loyola Flywire to make the payment.
  • Proof of Health Insurance: Email proof of your health insurance coverage to graduate@loyola.edu. Graduate students enrolled in full-time programs at Loyola are required to either enroll in the Loyola Student Health Insurance Plan or submit a request to waive the requirement. To waive the requirement, your health insurance plan must have comparable coverage based on Loyola's waiver criteria. Please review your health insurance plan to ensure that your benefits extend to the United States and the state of Maryland in particular. For more information, visit the Student Health Insurance Plan website.

The following financial documents must be sent to the Office of International Student Services (OISS) by the deadlines listed above:

  • Declaration of Finances Form: This must be accompanied by a current bank statement issued within one month of applying (in U.S. dollars). The bank statement must be an original document. Photo copies and scanned documents will NOT be accepted
  • Current Bank Statement: Provide a current, original bank letter showing funds (in U.S. dollars) available to cover the full cost of attendance (tuition, fees, housing, board, books, medical and all other expenses) for one year at Loyola University Maryland.  The bank letter must be on bank stationery, in English, and signed by a bank official with contact information.  
  • Affidavit of Financial Self-Support: This document is required if you plan to support yourself using your personal financial resources and you will not be sponsored or receiving outside financial support. It affirms that you will pay all expenses during your enrollment at Loyola University Maryland, including tuition, fees, housing, books, medical, and all other expenses, OR
  • Affidavit of Financial Support: This document is required if you are being sponsored or are receiving another form of financial support. It must be completed and signed by your sponsor or benefactor, affirming that all expenses will be paid for you during your enrollment at Loyola University Maryland, including tuition, fees, housing, books, medical, and all other expenses.

The financial documents listed above must be sent by mail in a single envelope to OISS at the following address:

Office of International Student Services
ATTN: Ms. Sunanda K. Bhatia, Director
Loyola University Maryland
4501 North Charles Street, HU 141
Baltimore, MD 21210
USA

Requirements for International Students on a Visa other than F-1

An international applicant who has a different visa type allowing them to study in the United States (i.e.A-2, G-4) must complete the following requirements as part of the admission process:

  • International Student Supplement: After you have submitted your application, go to the Applicant Status Page and click the "International Student Supplement" link in the checklist, then complete and submit that online form.
  • Student's Passport and Current Visa: Upload a scanned image or photo of the biographical page of your passport, your most current U.S. entry stamp in your passport (or a current copy of electronic Form I-94), and a copy of your current U.S. visa in the "International" section of the online application or via the Applicant Status Page after you have submitted your application using the "Upload Materials" tool. Be sure to select "Passport" or "Current Visa" from the drop-down menu when doing so.
  • Passport and Visa Copy-Principle Visa Holder (if applicable): If you are on a dependent visa, submit a copy of the biographical page of the principle visa holder’s passport, U.S. visa, electronic I-94, and most current U.S. entry stamp. Upload these as a single document via the Applicant Status Page after you have submitted your application using the "Upload Materials" tool. Be sure to select "Passport" or "Current Visa" from the drop-down menu when doing so.

Contact Us

For questions regarding admission requirements:

Office of Graduate Admission and Financial Aid
+1 (410) 617-5020
graduate@loyola.edu

For questions regarding immigration, visas, or financial documentation:

Office of International Student Services
+1 (410) 617-5245
oiss@loyola.edu