International Students
Become a part of the WCU Community
We are glad you are interested in joining us here at Ìð¹ÏÊÓÆµapp. Tucked away in the mountains of Western North Carolina, we are a close-knit community of faculty and students who are working together to build a global community. All of us in the Office of Global Engagement are here to help guide you through the application process, answer your questions, and introduce you to our university, as well as life here at Western Carolina.
If you have any questions, please feel free to stop by Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, or contact us by phone at +1 828.227.7494 or email at global@wcu.edu
| Education Level | Deadlines | Links and Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate |
FALL SEMESTER: SPRING SEMESTER: SUMMER SEMESTER: |
Applications become available up to one year in advance of their submission deadline. Deadlines apply to the application form in addition to receipt of all supporting documentation, official test scores, and official transcripts. |
| Graduate |
Application deadlines vary by program. Choose you major to learn about specific program deadlines and application requirements. |


All international students must demonstrate a proficiency in English in order to be admitted to Ìð¹ÏÊÓÆµapp.
English Proficiency Exams
English requirements must be met when entering as a degree-seeking undergraduate students.
| Accepted Test | Required Score | Official Link |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL (school code: 5897) |
75 (internet based) 537 (paper based) |
|
| IELTS | 6.0 Overall (No score lower than 5.0 in each area) |
|
| Duolingo English Test | 95 | |
| PTE Academic | 50 |
National College Admission Exams
International students who graduated or will be graduating a U.S. high school their
senior year must take the SAT or ACT.
| Accepted Test | Required Score | Official Link |
|---|---|---|
| SAT (school code: 5897) |
880 | |
| ACT (school code: 3172) |
18 |
Potential exempting circumstances
Students may be exempt from demonstrating English proficiency if they meet one of the following
conditions.
- From a country where English is the primary language (see below)
- Completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) high school diploma
- Completed high school or higher education in an English-medium institution.
(Your institution must send a letter to the WCU Undergraduate Admissions verifying that English is the language of instruction at your institution.) - Successfully completed 24+ credit hours at a US college or university.
Countries with English as Primary Native Language (Exempt): Anguilla, Antigua, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Greenland, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tobago, Tonga, Trinidad, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
International Transcripts
Any non-U.S. high school, college, or university transcripts that are not on the U.S,
International Baccalaureate or Cambridge grading scales must be evaluated by one of
our approved companies. The international transcript evaluation is a required part of your application and
cannot be waived except for those who attended highschool at a U.S. based institution.
WCU’s Office of Global Engagement and Office of Admissions generally recommend , and for international transcript evaluations. WCU accepts evaluations from agencies who are .
Evaluation agency discounts:
- Applicants receive a discounted evaluation cost + three-day turnaround timewith this link:
- By following this link to , applicants will have access to a discounted Span Tran evaluation that will be sent to WCU at no extra charge.
U.S. high school, college, and university transcripts
All documents must be officially sent to WCU Undergraduate Admissions to the following
address below or at admiss@wcu.edu. Students may not send the transcripts; only their
institution or approved evaluating company.
Freshman Students
All freshman students, regardless of age, will need to send in high school transcripts.
Transfer Students
Must request a course by course transcript evaluation. High school transcripts are
waived for transfer students age 21 or older, or those who have an AA/AS or higher
degree.
Students with less than 24 credits of US college/university coursework.
Required to submit a full academic transcript of their secondary school courses with
their WCU application.
***All International and U.S. high school, college, and university transcripts must be
officially sent to WCU Undergraduate Admissions to the following address below or
at admiss@wcu.edu. Students may not send the transcripts; only their institution or
approved evaluating company.***
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Ìð¹ÏÊÓÆµapp
110 H.F. Robinson Building
Cullowhee, NC 28723
Explore our quality academic programs including nationally recognized degree programs in fields such as nursing, education, forensic science, emergency management, entrepreneurship, engineering, project management, natural resources conservation and much more.
If you are a transfer student, please review the NC Community College Majors Pathway to Transfer to WCU.
NC Promise: All international undergraduate students, both residential and online, attending WCU will receive dramatically reduced student tuition costs only of $2,500 per semester as part of a new program from the State of North Carolina called the NC Promise Tuition Plan. LEARN MORE. all other fees
In order to issue or update travel documents and visas, students must show proof of funding for their first year of study. Once admitted, you will recieve the certificate of finance form that you must complete to receive your I-20. With that form, you will need to attach a bank letter or statement proving the funds. Multiple bank statements or letters adding up or beyond the amount is acceptable. The bank statements do not need to be translated, but it should be clear what the balance is and the name of the currency. All documents must have a date no more than 6 months from the time of application.
*Please note that actual bill will be less than above amount and students pay a semester at a time.
All students must have the required immunizations to attend campus and must fill out the immunization information form. Immunizations not completed will be administered at orientation or afterward at student's own cost. The form is not part of initial admissions but can be completed after acceptance.
Graduate


Each graduate program has its own program deadline. Some graduate programs have earlier
deadlines. Deadlines for specific programs. Please be advised that obtaining a visa can take up to 11 months or more. Apply
earlier than the deadlines to ensure that you can obtain a visa in time for the start
of classes.
Please be sure to upload any visa, I-20, or DS-2019, if you have any in your application
form.
Admission Deadlines for International Applicant Requirements
All international students must demonstrate a proficiency in English in order to be admitted to Ìð¹ÏÊÓÆµapp. Students may be exempt from demonstrating English proficiency in certain situations.
English Proficiency Exams
English requirements must be met when entering as a degree-seeking graduate students.
Check your program for specific details on all the tests and documents required of
your specific graduate program. Some programs may require the or in addition to an English proficiency test.
| Accepted Test | Required Score | Official Link |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL (school code: 5897) |
79 (internet based) 550 paper based) |
|
| IELTS | 6.5 Overall (No score lower than 6.0 in each area) |
|
| Duolingo English Test | 105 | |
| PTE Academic | 56 |
Potential exempting circumstances
Students may be exempt from demonstrating English proficiency if they meet one of the following
conditions.
- Students from countries where English is the primary native language (listed below).
- Students who have completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) high school.
- Students who have completed high school or higher education in an English-medium institution.
Note: An official from your institution must send a letter to the WCU Graduate School, gradadmissions@wcu.edu, that English is the language of instruction at your institution. - Students who have successfully completed 24 credit hours or more at a US college or university.
Countries with English as Primary Native Language (Exempt): Anguilla, Antigua, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Greenland, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tobago, Tonga, Trinidad, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Any non-U.S. high school, college, or university transcripts that are not on the U.S, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge grading scales must be evaluated by one of our approved companies. The international transcript evaluation is a required part of your application and cannot be waived except for those who attended highschool at a U.S. based institution. Visit the Graduate School website for more information about submitting evaluated transcripts.
Transfer Students must request a course by course transcript evaluation. High school transcripts are waived for transfer students age 21 or older, or those who have an AA/AS or higher degree.
International Transcripts
WCU’s Office of Global Engagement and Office of Admissions generally recommend , and for international transcript evaluations. WCU accepts evaluations from agencies who
are .
Evaluation agency discounts:
- Applicants receive a discounted evaluation cost + three-day turnaround timewith this link:
- By following this link to , applicants will have access to a discounted Span Tran evaluation that will be sent to WCU at no extra charge.
Explore our quality academic graduate programs designed with three things in mind: quality, flexibility, and affordability.
Find out more about the cost, funding opportunities, and how to pay for your education. Please note that we do not offer full scholarships.
In order to issue or update travel documents and visas, students must show proof of funding for their first year of study. Once admitted, you will recieve the certificate of finance form that you must complete to receive your I-20. With that form, you will need to attach a bank letter or statement proving the funds. Multiple bank statements or letters adding up or beyond the amount is acceptable. The bank statements do not need to be translated, but it should be clear what the balance is and the name of the currency. All documents must have a date no more than 6 months from the time of application. If you are granted an assistantship, please provide that documentation. Please contact your program director to obtain it.
If you have a spouse and/or children coming with you, please provide their passports,
the marriage certificate in English translation, and financially show that you can
pay $5,000 extra for the spouse and/or $3,000 extra for each child for the year.
*Please note that actual bill may be less than above amount and students pay a semester
at a time.
All students must have the required immunizations to attend campus and must fill out the immunization information form. Immunizations not completed will be administered at orientation or afterward at student's own cost.