International Students

Find your home away from home at Chicago State University

If you want to earn your degree while studying in a diverse, supportive academic community, Chicago State University welcomes you. As an international student, you’ll join a global campus that supports you in gaining knowledge and skills needed to meet your goals. 

Chicago State University is authorized under federal law to enroll international students and issue the documents you need to study in the U.S. on an F-1 visa. Once you’ve completed all required application steps, we can issue your I-20.

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Application Deadlines

To ensure enough time to process your application and visa documents, you're strongly encouraged to apply by the priority deadline.

Desired Term	Priority Deadline	Final Deadline
Spring	October 1	November 1
Fall	December 1	June 1

Admission Requirements

To apply as an international student, you’ll need to complete the following steps:

1. Complete an Online Application

Submit your application to Chicago State University online.

2. Submit English Language Proficiency Scores

If you haven't completed prior education in one of the countries listed in the Academic Catalog (see page 31), you’ll need to submit a valid English proficiency score from the past two years using one of the following:

• TOEFL (iBT): 68
• IELTS (Academic): 6
• PTE-A (Academic): 47
• iTEP- (Academic Plus): 3.7
• ACT: 18
• SAT: 960

You are not required to provide proof of English proficiency if you:

• Completed secondary education in a country where English is recognized as the primary language or medium of instruction, or
• Earned at least 24 semester credit hours or 36 quarter hours of credit from an accredited U.S. college or university

NOTE: If you are transferring with fewer than 24 semester hours, you’ll be considered a transfer freshmen and must follow freshman admission requirements.

3. Complete a Foreign Credential Evaluation

You must have all international academic credentials evaluated by a NACES-approved organization, showing equivalency to a high school diploma and a cumulative GPA of 2.5.

 Common providers include:

• Educational Perspectives
• Educational Credential Evaluators
• International Education Evaluations
• Josef Silny & Associates
• The Evaluation Company
• WES

4. Submit Transcripts or Official Academic Credentials

All documents from institutions outside of the U.S. must be accompanied by an evaluation from a NACES-approved organization.

5. Additional Requirements 

• ACT or SAT score (optional) 
• $50 application fee 

Question? We're here to help

If you have questions about applying or studying at Chicago State University, our Admissions team is ready to support you. 

Office of Admissions

• Email: admissions@csu.edu
• Phone: (773) 995-2513