International students add an important and dynamic perspective to the School of Public Health. The University community includes 2,700 international graduate and professional degree-seeking students in more than 190 fields. We take pride in our diverse student population and embrace the opportunity to work with students from around the world.

International applications require additional documentation as listed below. As a result, international applicants are strongly encouraged to compile application materials as early as possible to ensure they can be submitted on-time.

International Applicant Requirements

Applicants who attended a post-secondary institution outside of the U.S. or Canada must provide the following additional documentation:

1. General Application Requirements
2. World Education Services (WES) ICAP evaluation of your foreign academic credentials. We recommend you start your WES at least 2 months prior to the application deadline. You must choose SOPHAS as the CAS provider from the drop down options. WES ICAP evaluations cannot be received at our office and you will be required to order an official copy to be sent directly to SOPHAS.
3. Proof of English Proficiency. For applicants whom English is not their native language or whose education was completed exclusively at an institution(s) whose language of instruction is not in English, including domestic applicants; proof of English language proficiency must be provided through one of the following:
   • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT scores
     • Scores must be sent to SOPHAS -DI Code: 5688
     • Preferred minimum score: 100
     • Scores must be less than 2 years old
   • International English Language Testing (IELTS) scores
     • Scores must be sent to SOPHAS
     • Preferred minimum score: 7.0
     • Scores must be less than 2 years old
   • An Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate; upload a copy in your SOPHAS application.
   • Completion of 16-semester credits/24-quarter credits (within the past 24 months) in an academic program at an accredited institution of higher learning in the U.S. or Canada (English-speaking) and does not include ESL coursework.
   • Applicant attended a university in which the primary language of instruction is English as verified through the submission of the WES ICAP Evaluation when you choose SOPHAS as the CAS provider.

    

WES Exceptions:

1. Physicians with a foreign medical degree who are licensed to practice medicine in the U.S. who are applying to the Clinical Research MS, Executive MHA, Executive Public Health Administration & Policy MPH, or Executive Public Health Practice MPH programs, may instead have their official FCVS evaluation sent directly to the University of Minnesota School of Public Health via e-mail to arntz007@umn.edu.
2. International applicants to the Biostatistics PhD program may instead upload copies of their international transcripts and international degree conferral directly into the SOPHAS application, under Program Materials – Documents: International Transcripts.
   • Students who are admitted to the Biostatistics PhD program will, upon matriculation, be required to provide a WES ICAP document-by-document evaluation of academic credentials directly to SOPHAS.
3. U.S. applicants who have attended post-secondary institutions outside of the U.S. as part of a study-abroad program at a U.S. or Canadian college/university, do not need to provide a WES evaluation of their foreign coursework as long as it is noted on their U.S. or Canadian transcript.