An international student is studying at a U.S. institution on a non-immigrant visa. Most international students admitted to UND obtain F-1 or J-1 visas.  

Students who are studying at other U.S. institutions and have valid documents can transfer to UND without applying for a new visa.  In addition to the  admission requirements , transfer students must complete a  Statement of Financial Responsibility .  Students that are currently in F-1 status and transferring from another U.S. university or high school, will need to fill out the  I-20 Transfer Form  and return it to the Office of International Programs.

Undergraduate

Apply online  or use the  International Student Application (PDF document) which may be downloaded, printed, and mailed to the UND Admission Offices. See also  Steps to Becoming a Student in the U.S. 

Canadian Students

Graduate

Apply online  

Undergraduate

Apply by online  or you may use the  International Student Application  which may be downloaded, printed, and mailed to the UND Admission Offices.

Please make sure that all admissions documentation and inquiries are directed to:

University of North Dakota
Undergraduate Admissions
Twamley Hall Room 205
264 Centennial Dr. Stop 8357
Grand Forks, ND 58202-8357
United States of America
Tel: (00 +1)701.777.3821
fax (00 +1) 701.777.2721 

Graduate

Please see  International Student Graduate School application information.

Graduate School
Twamley Hall, Room 414
264 Centennial Dr. Stop 8178
Grand Forks, ND 58202
United States of America
tel (00 +1) 701.777.2784
fax (00 +1) 701.777.3619
E-mail 

Undergraduate

Fall Semester (August - December) - May 1
Spring Semester (January - May) - October 1

For list of required documents

Graduate

Fall (August - December) Admission - May 1
Spring (January - May) Admission - September 1
Summer (May - August) Admission - February 1

Please note that some of our programs have specific application deadlines. See a complete list of these deadlines by program.

Completing your application by the deadline will ensure full consideration for admission and financial assistance.

For International Student Graduate School application information

Once you have completed all the requirements for admission and have been accepted to UND, the admissions office (either undergraduate or graduate depending on your application) will send an I-20 request to the Office of International Programs. The OIP usually completes I-20 requests within ten working days.  When completed, the I-20 form will be mailed to the student with the option of the student requesting and paying the cost for the I-20 to be sent by FedEx.

• All forms to be filled out in English and typewritten.
• Application for Undergraduate Admission for International Applicants - online or paper copy
• Official records from each secondary or middle school, university and/or professional school attended - certified or photostatic copies; These records should cover the entire secondary school, university and/or professional school period, not just the latest institution attended. Your application will not be considered until your secondary school records are in our office.
• Health History form
• Statement of Financial Responsibility
• English proficiency scores from 
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) 
  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
  • PERS A (Pearson Test of English)
  • or completion of ELS Language Centers' Intensive Level 112, to be sent directly from the College Entrance Exam Board. 

Any student, whose first language is not English, must take this test in order to be considered for admission no matter how long the student has been in the U.S. or how many English courses the student has completed.

• $35 (U.S. Funds) application fee.  
  This fee must be paid before the application will be processed. To pay the $35 application fee please send a check from a US bank, or money order in US funds payable to University of North Dakota and mail to the address listed below. You also have the option to pay by credit card by calling the UND Student Account Services at +1.701.777.3911. Our business hours are 8:00 am – 4:30 pm CDT (US). The latter option may be the easiest and most efficient. Utilizing such services such as Google Voice or Skype make this call very inexpensive as well.

University of North Dakota
Undergraduate Admissions
Twamley Hall Room 205
264 Centennial Dr. Stop 8357
Grand Forks, ND 58202-8357
United States of America

In order to complete the application, you will be required to submit the following items before being considered for admission: 

• A completed  Graduate School application.
• A $35 application fee, which is required of all applicants and will not be waived for any reason.
• Two complete sets of official transcripts (one with English translation) for all undergraduate and graduate work attempted.
• Official copy of your diploma or degree certificate (if you have already received your degree).
• Three letters of reference.
• Statement of purpose.
• Required test scores (TOEFL scores older than two years are not valid and will not be accepted). All test scores must be sent directly by ETS.
• Certification of Finances form or letter of sponsorship (accompanied by a certified bank statement). This form and more information can be found at Graduate School Online Application site.
• A photocopy of your passport is recommended, but not required at this time.

More information 

Undergraduate Students

Your application cannot be considered unless you can give evidence of a command of both written and spoken English, adequate for the successful pursuit of University courses conducted entirely in English. For undergraduate studies, the minimum test scores required are:

• TOEFL - 525 (paper based - PBT); - 195 (computer based - CBT); - 71 (Internet based- iBT)
• IELTS - 6.0 (International English Language Testing System)
• PTE A - 50 (Pearson Test of English)
• Completion of ELS Language Centers' Intensive Level 112

Graduate Students

To demonstrate that you possess this advanced proficiency in English, you must have any one of the following:

• A Bachelor's degree or higher from a recognized institution in the United States, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Jamaica, Australia, New Zealand or English-speaking Canada,
• An overall band score of 6.5 on the  IELTS ,
• A satisfactory score on the  TOEFL , which depends upon the type of TOEFL taken:
• paper-based TOEFL (PBT), you must score at least 550
• internet-based TOEFL (iBT), you must score at least 76, with at least the following scores on each of these subsections:
• Speaking 21/30
• Listening 19/30
• Reading 19/30
• Writing 17/30
• Or successfully complete the  ELS Language Centers Intensive Level 112.

(*note: To be considered for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship, a Speaking subtest score of 26/30 is required on the TOEFL.)

Because we want all our students to excel from the very first day of their studies, all applicants (degree-seeking, certificate-seeking and non-degree seeking) must meet these requirements. We will not waive this requirement for any reason.

Please write to TOEFL, Educational Testing Service (ETS) , Princeton, New Jersey, 08540, U.S.A., for an application or visit their web page. The Institution Code for UND is 6878.

You must request that your scores be sent to:

University of North Dakota
Undergraduate Admissions
Twamley Hall Room 205
264 Centennial Dr. Stop 8357
Grand Forks, ND 58202-8357
United States of America

ELS Language Centers  is currently the provider for the intensive English language instruction at the University of North Dakota and can provide you with the English skills necessary for academic success. The ELS Intensive English Programs are structured to accelerate your learning with maximum time in the classroom. Its design enables students to reach their academic and career goals in the shortest possible time period. You are encouraged to enroll in ELS if you haven't acquired the minimum TOEFL score to be admitted to UND or if you need assistance in improving your language skills. ELS programs are offered on a monthly basis. See the  ELS calendar  for details.

For students who plan to enter the U.S. on an F-1 or J-1 student visa they are required to certify that you will have adequate financial support for your program of study at the University of North Dakota. Complete support for your entire time of study at UND must be provided. Form I-20 or DS-2019 cannot be issued until you have completed this form satisfactorily and returned it to the Office of International Programs. Information provided must be no more than six months old at the time of enrollment.

An international undergraduate student is required to use the UND form:
Undergraduate International Admissions Statement of Financial Responsibility

An international graduate student is required to submit a Cerification of Finances for International Students. This form can be found in the online application under downloadable forms.

While many scholarships to U.S. schools seem to be only for U.S. citizens, there are some for which international and Canadian students are eligible. Contact the  Financial Aid Office  or visit their  Scholarships and Waivers page .

For Undergraduate Students: 

• First-Year Partial Tuition Waiver Scholarship for International Students  is available for the first two semesters of enrollment at UND and only for a maximum of $3,000.
• After their first two semesters at UND, all international undergraduate students become eligible to apply for our regular  Undergraduate International Student Tuition Waiver Scholarship  on a competitive and need-based basis.

International students may work on campus up to 20 hours per week during the semester and up to 40 hours per week during winter/spring break and summer. Find out more about  on-campus jobs .

F-1/J-1 visa students are only eligible for on-campus jobs that are non-work study. Work Study jobs are a part of the federal financial aid program.

All international students are required to pay for mandatory student health insurance upon arrival to the university. The student is automatically billed for this health insurance. The health insurance premium for the 2011-2012 is $894 for one academic year.

The State of North Dakota policy requires documentation of immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). Documentation of immunity means:

• Evidence of two doses of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine no less than one month apart from a licensed physician or authorized representative of a state or local health department.
• Proof of a positive serologic test for measles, mumps, and rubella

For more information follow this link to UND student health requirements.

You should apply for a visa at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country using the Letter of Admissions and an I-20 from UND. If you have been accepted by several U.S. colleges or universities, do not apply for your F-1 student visa until you decide which institution you want to attend. Please only use the UND I-20 form to apply for a visa and enter the U.S. if you are planning to attend UND.

The Office of International Programs (OIP) helps international students who would like to apply to UND. Once a student is enrolled at UND, the OIP helps students adjust to life at the University and in the United States. The OIP offers orientation programs, workshops on important topics, and one-on-one counseling on immigration, academic, employment and financial matters.

The OIP employs courteous staff members who are sensitive to the needs and concerns of international students and eager to help make your stay enjoyable, comfortable and safe. Please contact the OIP at  701.777.4231   for further information. The OIP is located in the International Centre.

Grand Forks is a city of approximately 50,000 people. Located in the heart of a rich agricultural area, at the fork of the Red Lake River and the Red River of the North, Grand Forks serves as a hub of agriculture, commerce, education, research, and health care for Northeastern North Dakota.

There are many indoor and outdoor recreational, cultural, and athletic activities throughout the year. The community offers the Alerus Center, the Ralph Engelstad Arena, the Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra, the Greater Grand Forks Master Chorale, the Fire Hall Theater, the Grand Forks County Historical Society and Myra Museum, the North Dakota Museum of Art and Hughes Fines Arts Center at UND, and many other cultural activities.

Grand Forks is a center of education, with 25 public schools and 7 private or parochial schools and the University of North Dakota. The excellent medical facilities include Altru Hospital, UND Family Practice Center, Grand Forks Clinic, Meritcare and Family Medical Center as well as many others.

It is very easy to travel in Grand Forks. There are city and UND buses that provide transportation on campus or around the city.

For more information and Grand Forks highlights visit the Greater Grand Forks Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Currently there are students and facuty at UND from these 71 countries:

University of North Dakota
Office of International Programs
2908 University Avenue, Stop 7109
Grand Forks, ND 58202-7109 USA
tel (00+1) 7 01.777.4231        
fax (00+1)  701.777.4773        
und.internationalinfo@email.und.edu