Procedure 203: Undergraduate Admissions – Procedure for International Students

University Procedure #203

Section 1. Purpose

The purpose of this Procedure is to provide for the implementation of Policy 2030: Undergraduate Admissions Standards for International Students, by articulating the process and standards for reviewing applications for admission from both individual and cohort international students, as defined in that policy, for both degree and non-degree programs of study.

Section 2: Authority

This university procedure is issued pursuant to the authority granted under the Rules and Regulations of the Minnesota State College and University (MnSCU) system.

Section 3. Effective Date

This university procedure becomes effective immediately upon the signature of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and the President and remains in effect until modified or expressly revoked. This procedure may be changed without notice to comply with federal and MnSCU mandated changes in policy and procedures.

Section 4. Responsibility

The responsibility for implementation and revision of this University regulation is assigned to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Section 5. Definitions

1. Academic Core: A secondary school curriculum sufficiently rigorous to prepare a student for college.
2. International Applicant or Student: A degree or non-degree seeking student who is neither a U.S. citizen nor a permanent resident of the U.S. engaging in full time or part time academic study in an accredited non-U.S. institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Any individual holding an F, J, H, L, M or TN visa who is studying at a U.S. educational institution is considered an international student.

C. Cohort: A group of international students from an accredited foreign university who will enter the University as a class and will remain together to complete a defined degree program or a set program of study (degree or non-degree) pursuant to a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and Articulation Agreement with the University.

D. Baccalaureate Degree Seeking Student:

1. A first time individual international student who is granted admission to the University for the purpose of obtaining a baccalaureate degree. An individual international student will be considered a first time student if s/he has accumulated less than the equivalent of 16 semester credits or 24 quarter credits of normally transferable post-secondary course work.

2. An international student who is a member of a cohort, currently enrolled in an accredited foreign university and normally in his/her third or fourth year, having completed at least 60 credits or equivalent of undergraduate work, who is granted admission to the University for the purpose of completing a baccalaureate degree as part of a defined degree program under an MOA and an Articulation Agreement with a partnering international institution.

E. Non-Degree Seeking Student:

1. Individual international applicants who are seeking to enroll in courses without being admitted to a university degree program and hold, at minimum, a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent as determined by a recognized U.S. international educational evaluation entity. Students enrolling in 300 level or higher need to submit a transcript in English showing completion of 30 semester credits or equivalent and meet course requirements.

2. Cohort applicants who are seeking to enroll in degree courses for academic credit, without being admitted to a University degree program, which will be accepted in transfer by their home foreign institution, with whom the University has an MoA to provide a specified set of courses and number of credits per semester or academic year.

F. Transfer Student:

1. An individual international applicant who has attempted 16 semester or 24 quarter credits or more of normally transferrable post-secondary course work. This definition is for the purpose of admission processing and evaluation.

2. An international cohort applicant who is transferring a maximum of 90 credits from an accredited foreign institution in accordance with a written MoA and Articulation Agreement between that institution and the University, which credits may contribute to a University degree or a dual degree with their home institution.

Section 6. Application Requirements

International individual and cohort students shall be considered for admission to the University upon submission of a complete application, which shall consist of:

A. Complete and accurate Metropolitan State University application for admission;

B. Payment of any required application fee;

C. Required academic transcripts

1. Degree Seeking

1. 1. Individual
      1. First time individual international student: An official high school transcript in English, evaluated for equivalency by ECE or WES, showing the date of graduation, or official GED or equivalent, with date of completion and all post-secondary transcript(s) even if no credit or clock hours were earned.
      2. Transfer Student: Credits earned from post-secondary institutions outside the U.S. must be documented by an official transcript and a course by course ECE or WES evaluation.
      3. English Proficiency as specified in the current International Student Admissions page on the University website

2. Cohort

When the accredited international partnering institution has an MoA and Articulation Agreement with the University, that institution’s official transcript detailing the courses to be transferred must be provided. Credits earned from a partnering institution outside the U.S. must be validated for transfer by the University’s GELS Committee or department and discipline. English proficiency as noted in Section 6,C,1,iii (above).

2. Non-degree Seeking

a. Individual

Since the student will be transferring credits completed at the University to another institution, any transfer evaluation is the responsibility of the student and the receiving institution, whether in the U.S. or overseas.

b. Cohort

Credits completed at the University shall be transferred to the student’s academic record at the partnering institution, as specified in the MoA or Articulation Agreement signed by both parties.

Section 7: Offer of Admission to the University

The University shall admit students with completed application files which fully meet admission standards. Admission to the University does not guarantee admission to specific majors, programs or courses for individual students, but students who are members of a cohort are admitted both to the University and the specific program designated for the cohort based on an MoA and Articulation Agreement with the student’s home institution.

A. New individual first year students must have completed courses determined to be college preparatory, or which provide mastery of equivalent competencies in grades 9-12, as defined by MnSCU Policy.

B. Individual and cohort transfer students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or equivalent and must have a level of academic achievement that is at least equivalent to good academic standing at the University.

Section 8: Denial of Admission

The University reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant. Reasons for denial of admission include, but are not limited to:

A. Failing to meet the admission criteria;

B. Academic suspension or dismissal from a previous post-secondary institution. Applicants under academic suspension from another institution will not be considered for admission for at least one full year since the suspension was imposed.

C. Disciplinary suspensions or dishonorable dismissals from a previous post-secondary institution. Any application for admission will not be considered for at least one full year since the suspension or expulsion was imposed;

D. Conduct that violates the Student Code of Conduct (University Policy #1020) any time prior to the final evaluation of the admission application. Denial under this subsection shall be consistent with the standards for disciplinary action under the Student Code of Conduct policy;

E. Falsification or omission of relevant information on the application for admission, or submission of fraudulent or altered academic credentials.

Applicants denied admission may appeal, consistent with university procedures.

Section 9: Cancellation of Admission to the University

1. Individual. An offer of admission by the University to an individual student shall be canceled upon the occurrence of any of the following events:

A. Failure to enroll in and attend at least 12 credits of coursework during each semester while admitted to the University, without prior permission from the University’s International Student Services department;

B. Post-admission evidence of deliberate omission or falsification of information relevant the application for admission;

C. Academic dismissal from another institution;

D. Dismissal for disciplinary reasons from another institution including the University.

2. Cohort. Cancellation of an offer of admission to the University to a member of a cohort shall be governed by the appropriate clause in the MoA and Articulation Agreement with the partnering institution.

Section 10. End dating of Admission Status

A matriculated individual student’s admission status shall be end dated upon the occurrence of the following:

A. Failure to enroll in and receive a grade in any credit-bearing course during the degree program timeframe specified in the student’s I-20. For the purposes of this policy, a grade is defined as A, B, C, D, F (including+ and – grades), I, S, NC, W or AU;

B. Completion of one of the University’s baccalaureate degree programs;

C. Discovery of B, C, D in section 9.

Section 11. Readmitted Students

Previously admitted and/or matriculated individual students whose admission to the University is end dated under section 9 and 10 of this policy must complete a new application for undergraduate admission and submit new official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions. These students will be expected to meet any admission and academic program requirements in place at the time of re-admission. They will not be required to pay another application fee.

Section 12. Review

This policy will be reviewed by the Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs and Student Affairs as needed.

Section 13. Signature

Issued on this 3rd day of December 2013.

Virginia Arthur, Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs

Sue K. Hammersmith, President