International Applicant Requirements

In addition to the required criteria for freshman or transfer admission, the Admission Committee will also consider the following factors for all international applicants:

• National education system
• Types of institutions attended
• English language proficiency
  • If English is not your native language-regardless of your citizenship-you must provide the university with verification of your proficiency in English.
  • Your English language proficiency test scores, which must be less than two years old, must be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions directly from the testing agency.
  • Your application will not be considered complete until we have received your official English proficiency test scores.
• Third-party academic evaluations for non-U.S. academic credentials
  • Please review the “Non-U.S. Academic Credentials” section below for specific instructions on satisfying this requirement.

For a list of all required materials, please review the international application checklist.

When completing your application, remember to use your full legal name as it appears on your passport in your application and on all supporting documents, and be sure to provide a foreign street address—not a P.O. Box—as your permanent home address so we can issue the necessary immigration documents if you are admitted.

Please do not send unnecessary supporting documents such as photographs, recordings or writing samples. The university will not be responsible for keeping them or storing them in your file.

The Admission Committee considers 26 unique factors as part of our holistic review. This process considers all aspects of each applicant’s qualifications and offers admission to the most competitive applicants in order to build a vibrant class of students. When a decision is available, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will send an email to the applicant notifying them that their admission decision can be viewed online.

Applications are considered complete when the online application and all required documents have been submitted. All materials must be received or postmarked by the application deadline for consideration. It may take up to 10 business days for documents to be matched to your application and the status of your application to be updated. It is your responsibility to confirm receipt of all application materials.

When you apply to UMD, your preferred major is not considered in whether or not you are admissible to the university. You cannot indicate double-major preferences or minors at the time of application. However, after you are admitted, you can work with the academic advisor in your college to declare these preferences.

Certain majors are very popular and require a limit on the number of students they can accommodate. These majors are known as Limited Enrollment Programs (LEP). Admitted students who selected an LEP as their major are then reviewed by the specific program to determine admission to that major.

While the majority of students are admitted to their preferred major, some LEP applicants may not be. If you are admitted to UMD but not your preferred LEP major, you will be placed in Letters & Sciences, where you'll work with an advisor to meet the gateway requirements to earn admission to that major. If you are admitted to UMD and did not select an LEP major, you will be admitted directly to the major indicated on your application. The major you are placed in will be included in your admission decision letter. 

UMD requires all students with non-U.S. academic credentials to submit additional information. Depending on your application type and the associated requirements, you may need to submit some or all of the following:

High school/secondary credentials - 

• Official copies of your high school transcript(s), from each institution you've attended, sent in the native language along with a certified English translation.
• Official results and certificates of completion from national secondary school examinations such as GCSE/GCE (where appropriate).

Post-secondary/university credentials - 

• Official copies of your college transcript(s), from each institution you've attended, sent in the native language along with a certified English translation.
• A third-party academic evaluation from one of the approved evaluators.

Review the International Application Checklist for specific details on the required materials for freshman and transfer applications, as well as information on approved third party evaluation services.

If you are admitted to UMD and hold or intend to seek an F-1 Student or J-1 Exchange Visitor visa, you must provide bank statements that demonstrate sufficient funds to cover expenses. We do not need this documentation until after you are offered admission to the university.

Learn more about financial certification >>

If you are admitted to UMD and hold or intend to seek an F-1 Student or J-1 Exchange Visitor visa, you must submit a photocopy of your I-94 Arrival/Departure Record and visa stamp. We do not need this documentation until after you are offered admission to the university.

Learn more about visa requirements >>