Undergraduate Admissions Information and Application Procedures for International Students

A non-refundable application fee of $100.00 U.S. dollars (certified check or money order) made payable to 'Chicago State University' must accompany the International Admissions Application.  Applications received after the deadline will automatically be processed for the following semester. Click here for a paper copy of the application.

Costs: International students wishing to study at Chicago State University must have a minimum of $34,996.00 available to them for all tuition and living expenses for each academic year. The tuition for all students on a student visa (F-1) is assessed at the non-resident rate. If you are married and plan to bring your spouse and/or children, a proportionately larger amount must be certified: an additional $2,500.00 per year for your spouse and $3,500.00 for each child. 

Cost of attendance is subject to change*

Application Requirements: All international students must meet all admissions criteria in addition to the following.

Financial Assistance: Each international student must accept full responsibility for expenses incurred while studying in the United States. The university does not provide any loans, grants, fellowships or scholarships to international students for their initial academic year.

Employment: Immigration requirements prohibit international students from off-campus employment until they have been students for at least one academic year .However, subsequent years, part-time employment may be granted in cases of financial hardship. Part-time work cannot provide enough funds to meet expenses.

Take a Virtual Tour of our campus, view the Residence Hall and other areas of our beautiful campus!

Admissions Criteria for FRESHMEN AND TRANSFER students.

A. Documents Required:

• Original certified true copies of credentials from all secondary and post-secondary schools attended in the United States and abroad. (Records must list the subjects studied and grades/ marks earned for each subject). Signed and stamped by a school official. Credentials in a language other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation from a nationally known credentials translator. Credentials from all secondary schools attended abroad must be accompanied by a certified and detailed evaluation from a nationally known credentials evaluator:

Contact www.ece.org  or www.wes.org for further credential evaluation information.

In the United States, the academic record is called a transcript. It may be called by another name, such as leaving certificate, maturity certificate, bachillerato or baccalauréat in your country.

• Students transferring from a U.S. College / University are required to complete the International Students Transfer Verification. Please complete the form and fax it to 773-995-3820.

B. English Language Proficiency 

• International applicants whose native language is not English must present evidence of proficiency in oral and written English by obtaining a satisfactory score on the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL code for CSU is 1118.
• Submit an official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score report. A minimum score of 525 Paper-based, 195 Computer-based or 70 Internet-based is required
• You may also submit scores from International English Language Testing System. The IELTS minimum score is 7 (seven).
  

• International applicants are not subject to the CSU TOEFL/IELTS requirements if any of the following factors apply:
  a. The applicant completed secondary education in a country where the native or official language is English; OR
  b. The applicant completed secondary education at a institution where English
  was the medium of instruction; OR
  c. The applicant has completed a minimum of 24 semester hours or
  36-quarter hours at an accredited U.S. College or university.

Check with the U.S. Consulate nearest you or visit the TOEFL website at www.toefl.org.

NOTE: TOEFL information may be obtained by writing to or visiting their website:

TOEFL Educational Testing Services
Princeton, New Jersey USA 08541-6151
http://www.toefl.org

• Chicago State University's school code: 0992
• For information about registering for ACT Test, School Code: 0992
• For information about registering for SAT Test, School Code: 1118

C. Evidence of Financial Support Forms:
The forms below are a part of the application, if you need extra forms please download.

• Financial documents must be in English and issued within nine months prior to date of receipt at the Office of Admissions. These documents become property of Chicago State University and they will not be returned. Students should keep copies for their own records. Please note that U.S. consulates and embassies require current original documents at the time of F1 visa application. Funds must be accessible prior to the first day of classes.
  Examples of documents that ARE acceptable: ORIGINAL bank letters signed by a bank official; original bank statements issued directly from the bank; loan or award letters stamped or certified by a lending institution.
  Examples of documents that ARE NOT acceptable: photocopies of bank letters; Internet bank statements; bank documents without account holder
  name in English; checking accounts.
• A completed International Data Sheet
• If you need an additional Financial Certificate of Sponsorship for International Students form for separate sponsorships click here.

Application Deadlines: International applications are accepted and processed for two semesters according to the following deadlines: 

FALL semester - MAY 1, Classes begin late August

SPRING semester - SEPTEMBER 1, Classes begin mid January

Please mail all information to:

Chicago State University

Office at Admissions / ADM 200

9501 King Drive

Chicago IL 60628

Note: An admission decision will be made once all of the application requirements have been met. Provisional or probationary admission will not be granted.

Top of Page