Admission Criteria

General Admission Statement

The admission information contained in this section reflects standard admissions requirements. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission to the University or to specific programs. Persons who are not citizens of the U.S. but hold permanent resident, refugee, or political asylee status should apply based on their state of residence.

International Freshmen and Overseas Transfer Students

Applicants from overseas must submit the following information well in advance of the desired date of admission. Admissions are possible during all terms provided the deadline for application is met. Students should plan to arrive one week prior to the beginning of the term.

1. A completed application form, a $30 non-refundable application fee (to be drawn on a U.S. bank) and a list of all educational experiences including studies undertaken in the U.S.
   
2. Official credentials and transcripts from all secondary schools, colleges and universities which the student has attended, including subjects studied, grades, and a key to the grading system. If credentials are not in English, official translations must be provided. Transfer credits may be granted for courses taken at U.S. and overseas accredited institutions. Other options include credit by examination. Evidence of academic and disciplinary good standing at the last prior institution with a minimum grade point average of 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale). Some YSU programs may have higher requirements.
   
3. Transfer applicants who have successfully completed more than one year of full-time post-secondary study (excluding English as a Second Language courses) do not need to submit secondary school records or results of school certificate, matriculation, or certificate of education examinations. However, they must submit official transcripts and syllabi for all college-level work as described above.
   
4. Certification of financial resources available for education and living expenses while attending the University.
   
5. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). Minimum score of 500 is required on the paper-based TOEFL or 173 on the computer based TOEFL. Minimum score of 80 is required on the MELAB.
   
   • Applicants should indicate on the registration form that they wish test results to be sent to YSU. THE TOEFL CODE FOR YSU IS 1975. The official test score report is due by the appropriate application deadline date and is required to be for a test taken within the last two years.
     
   • A student who does not achieve the minimum required scores on the TOEFL or MELAB will be referred to CISP's English Language Institute.
     
   • Antiqua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, the British Caribbean and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), Cook Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Granada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kiribati, Liberia, Mauritius, Micronesia, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Niue, Northern Mariannas, Papua-New Guinea, St. Christopher Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom and the United States (except Puerto Rico), Zambia, Zimbabwe, are native English-speaking countries. Therefore citizens from the above countries are exempt from the TOEFL or MELAB, but must submit the SAT or ACT if they are attending U.S. high schools or international schools that follow the U.S. high school curriculum.
     
6. Applicants may be required to submit additional materials.

English Proficiency Requirement

Since English is the language of instruction at YSU, proficiency in English is required of all students.

Regardless of nationality, English proficiency is an admissions requirement; therefore, non-native speakers of English are required to be tested for English proficiency (this testing is available through CISP). Depending on their score applicants may be required to attend CISP's English Language Institute (ELI) or take supplementary English as a second language (ESL) courses through the English Department until they have reached the necessary level of proficiency. At that point, they will be placed into the English composition sequence.

The ESL courses cannot be used as credit toward a degree. You need to understand in advance that deficiencies in English may increase the amount of time and money required for completing a regular program of study.

TOEFL/MELAB Registration and Official Score Reports

It is to your advantage to take the TOEFL early or before the application process. The TOEFL Bulletin, which includes a registration form, is available in many locations outside of the U.S. usually at American embassies and consulates, U.S., educational commissions and foundations, binational centers, and many private organizations, such as the Institute of International Education (IIE), the African-American Institute (AAI), American-Mideast Educational and Training Services (AMIDEAST), and the American-Korean Foundation. You may also contact: TOEFL/TSE Publications, P.O. Box 6154, Princeton, NJ 08541-6154, USA. (http://www.toefl.org/ , Telephone 609.771.7760.) The official reporting TOEFL code for YSU is 1975.

You may register for the MELAB if you are unable to take the TOEFL. For more detailed information about the MELAB, contact:
English Language Institute,
MELAB Office
TCF Building
University of Michigan
401 E. Liberty, Suite 350
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2298
melabelium@umich.edu
Telephone 866.696.3522 Fax: 734.763.0369

English Requirement for Permanent Residents, Refugees, or Political Asylees

YSU requires proof that you have sufficient knowledge of the English language to follow your program of study. To assure such competence, the University normally requires you to submit scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB), if your native language is not English. Citizens in the following countries are exempt from the TOEFL or MELAB requirement because YSU considers these countries to be native English-speaking: Antiqua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, the British Caribbean and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), Cook Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Granada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kiribati, Liberia, Mauritius, Micronesia, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Niue, Northern Mariannas, Papua-New Guinea, St. Christopher Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom and the United States (except Puerto Rico), Zambia, Zimbabwe, are native English-speaking countries. You are also exempt if you have received a bachelor's or higher degree from a university in one of these countries or if you attended a U.S. high school for at least three years and have graduated. Additional testing may be required.

If English is not your native language, and you have been a permanent resident, refugee, or political asylee less than one year, you are required to submit scores from either the:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum score of 500 is required on paper-based test. Minimum score of 173 is required on computer-based test.
• Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). Minimum score of 80 is required.

Based on test results, individual applications may be reviewed on an individual basis.

These tests are recommended for any student who speaks English as a second language, even those who attended high school in the U.S. If you score below the minimum for the test, you must improve your English skills before beginning academic work at YSU. Intensive English study is available through CISP's English Language Institute.

The English Language Institute (ELI)

The English Language Institute (ELI) at YSU was established through the Center for International Studies and Programs (CISP) and the Department of English to provide intensive study of English to speakers of other languages. It offers pre-college, non-credit courses designed to teach English and to provide an orientation to college life and culture in the U.S. Courses are available both to international students and to immigrants. ELI also offers specially tailored courses to groups by contract.

The ELI prepares students for academic study in American Universities, using the following curriculum:

Four Levels (Beginning, Low Intermediate, Intermediate and Advanced). There are (8) listening/speaking, (8) reading/writing, (4) grammar, and (3) TOEFL Preparation, for a total of 23 hours weekly. There are two 15 week terms (Fall, Spring) per year. Summer term is 10 weeks.
Please look at our website.

Standardized Academic Testing

Scores on the SAT or ACT are required only for the admission of international students from Canada, those who are attending U.S. high schools or international schools that follow a U.S. high school curriculum, and those who intend to participate in the intercollegiate athletic program and need to comply with NCAA eligibility requirements.

Other students will be tested on a case by case basis.

To receive more information about the SAT I: Reasoning Test, contact:

College Board ATP
CN6200
Princeton, NY 08541-6200 USA
Telephone: 609.771.7600
Web address: http://www.collegeboard.org/student/testing/sat/about.html
YSU's SAT reporting code number: 1976

To receive more information about the ACT, contact:
ACT National Office
500 ACT Drive
P.O. Box 168
Iowa City, IA 52243-0168
Telephone: 319.337.1000
Fax: 319.339.3021 Web address: http://www.actstudent.org
YSU's ACT reporting code number: 3368