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International undergraduate students

With students enrolled from more than 50 countries, Metro State proudly considers students from around the globe for freshman or transfer admission.

Students should apply though Metro State’s online application.

In order to review a student’s application, the university must receive the following:

Transcripts

If you have attended college or university within the Minnesota State system, Metro State can usually pull your transcript with eTranscript.

  • Application required: Admissions staff may not view your transcripts until we receive your application.
  • Success rate: We are able to pull eTranscripts successfully for about 95 percent of applicants. If we cannot, we will notify you so that you can request that an official transcript is sent to Metro State.
  • Academic reporting: Report all post-secondary institutions attended. Complete reporting assists admissions staff in pulling transcripts using eTranscript.

Students applying with fewer than 16 transferable post-secondary credits will need to provide an official transcript from their high school.

  • Important: If applying prior to graduation, you must also arrange to have an official, final high school transcript showing your date of graduation sent to the university once you have graduated.

Evaluation and nation-specific requirements

  • Foreign high school transcripts must be evaluated by an accredited agency, such as :
  • The type of evaluation report should be general for students who have only a high school diploma.
  • The report must show the equivalence of a U.S. GPA of at least a 2.0.
  • We will not accept student or fax copies.
  • Official transcripts must be sent directly to the Admissions Office.
  • Transcripts which are not in English will need to be officially translated into English and sent to us directly from the school.

Bahamas

Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education or O-Levels. Report sent directly from the Bahamas Ministry of Education and Culture. O-Levels report sent directly from the Cambridge Local Examinations board.

Canada

Students from Montreal may need to have transcripts translated by an official translation service or through the secondary (high) school and will need to have both the French and English versions sent from the school, and will be required to have an English proficiency exam (TOEFL, IELTS, etc).

Ethiopia

The Ethiopian University Entrance Examination Certificate (official document will be returned to applicant) or attested copy by the EducationUSA office.

Ghana

West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and Scratch Card information.

India

Senior School Certificate Examination offered by CBSE. Send official certificate or have it attested by United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF).

Kenya

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) official document (will be returned to applicant) or attested copy by the EducationUSA office.

Nepal

Send Secondary Education Board and Higher Secondary Education Board results attested by the United States Educational Foundation in Nepal (USEF - Nepal). 

Nigeria

West African Examination Council examination results (WAEC) Senior School or NECO Certificate and Access card (Scratch card).

  • If you have attended institutions outside of the Minnesota State system, request that your official transcript(s) be sent directly to the Admissions Office. Official transcripts submitted by applicants cannot be accepted unless the envelope is still sealed.
  • If you have attended a closed Minnesota institution, there are still ways of obtaining the transcripts. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education has taken over the processing for a majority of the closed institutions. Complete the online form to request an official transcript.
  • If the school you have attended is not listed on the request form, please visit the higher education’s list of closed institutions and their contact information. Find the school in alphabetical order for directions on how to request the official transcript.
  • If you have attended a non-U.S. post-secondary institution, college or university a course-by-course transcript evaluation by a NACES accredited agency is required for admission.
  • NACES accredited agencies:
  • Please note:
    • An official copy of your course-by-course transcript evaluation must be sent directly to the Admissions Office. We do not accept faxed copies or copies from students.
    • It can take six to eight weeks to receive a transcript evaluation report. Initiate this process well in advance to ensure your report is received prior to the application deadline for your program of interest. Metro State University is not responsible for any delays in receiving the report.
  • The International Baccalaureate (IB) full diploma is accepted for admission.
  • The diploma covers six subjects, three or four of which must be at the higher level and others at the subsidiary level.
  • Grades of 4 and above on each examination level are required.
  • Submit exam reports from Cambridge so we can verify the report.
  • O-Levels you will need to have taken English, Math, a Science, a Social Science, and another subject of your choice. You will need to have received a C or above in the above subjects.

English proficiency

  • TOEFL iBT (internet-based test) score of 61 or better (Official score report sent directly from ETS required); OR
  • IELTS academic test score of 5.0 or better (Score report can be uploaded); OR
  • Duolingo English Test score of 90 or better (Official score report comes into Metro State dashboard from Duolingo); OR
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 50 or better (Only scores accessed via the Score Report Website are considered to be valid.); OR
  • Michigan English Test (MET) score of 56 or better with cover letter from testing institution (for colleges or universities with and ESL program only); OR
  • Completion of Level 112 at an English Language School (ELS) in the U.S.; OR
  • SAT Critical Reading sub-score of 570 or higher (Official score report sent directly from testing center required.); OR
  • ACT English score of 24 or higher (Official score report sent directly from testing center required.)

Exemptions

  • Minimum of 12 credits of a 2.5 GPA from a U.S. college or university
  • Successful graduation from a U.S. high school
  • Successful graduation from an English-medium high school or university with a 2.5 GPA or higher. (An original letter from the school principal/headmaster/rector on school letterhead must be submitted as part of the application. The letter must state that English is the medium of instruction and attest to the applicant's English language abilities.)
  • IGCSE/Ordinary Levels (British exam with official grade reports from Cambridge, EduExcel, Pearsons, etc) with grades of C or above in subjects of at least English, Math, a hard Science, a Social Science, and another subject of your choice.
  • Associate degree conferral from a U.S. college or university
  • Undergraduate degree conferral from a U.S. college or university
  • English speaking country: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Canada – except Quebec, Cayman Islands, Dominica, England/United Kingdom, Federate States of Micronesia, Fiji, the Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Scotland, Seychelles, Shetland Islands, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Tanzania, Trinidad, Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, Virgin Islands, Wales, Zambia, Zimbabwe