International Graduate Admissions

Complete the Application for Graduate Admission in English, making sure all information is accurate, before the application deadlines.

Because processing visa paperwork and financial arrangements takes time, we enforce firm submission deadlines. We cannot process applications received after May 1 for the fall semester or November 1 for the spring semester.

If you are applying for international graduate admissions and have not earned a degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree, you will be considered an undergraduate student.

Along with your online application, you must submit official transcripts—or certificates—of all academic records or exam results from each year of study, beginning with your first year of secondary school through all postsecondary or university-level education.

The appropriate school official must sign these documents. We accept only original or certified copies, and we will return original documents upon request.

The Office of International Programs cannot consider your application for admission until it receives all required credentials.

Please send all credentials to Jazzlyn Melnyk, International Admissions Manager, via email at [email protected] .

Official Credential Evaluation

Additionally, you must submit an official credential evaluation for a fee through a reputable provider, e.g., The Evaluation Company (TEC) or World Education Services (WES). This fee is estimated at $160 to $200 U.S. dollars (USD), and you must pay it directly to the evaluation company you choose.

Franciscan University requires a Course-by-Course Evaluation/Report, which identifies and describes each diploma or certificate, indicates the periods of education, provides an equivalency for each document, lists all courses (subjects) with U.S. semester credits, and gives a grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale.

Review the full list of approved National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) credential evaluation companies.

For graduate applicants, we require three letters of reference, which should be submitted by persons not related to you by birth or marriage. It is preferred that these letters be completed by teachers or professors who have knowledge of your past academic work and competencies.

You’ll provide your three letters of recommendation within Franciscan’s online graduate application.

When applying for graduate admissions at Franciscan, you must submit scores from one of our approved standardized tests of English language proficiency:

1. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
2. Duolingo English Test
3. International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

Applicants who are citizens of Canada (except Quebec) or whose requirements have been waived by the Admissions Office do not need to submit these test scores.

Minimum Test Score Requirements

• TOEFL
  • If you are taking the paper-based test, the minimum score required is 550.
  • If you are taking the computer-based test, the minimum score required is 213.
  • If you are taking the internet-based test, the minimum score required is 80.
• Duolingo English Test
  • The minimum score required is 115.
• IELTS
  • The minimum score required is 8.0 (overall band score).

Note: Although English is the native language of many countries, some students from English-speaking countries must submit English proficiency exam scores to meet the minimum English language proficiency requirements for admission to Franciscan University.

Please contact the Admissions Office at Franciscan University as soon as possible to determine whether you are required to submit English proficiency exam scores with your application materials.

English proficiency exam information and registration forms are available in many locations outside the United States, usually at U.S. embassies, consulates, and other U.S. educational commissions and foundations.

If you cannot obtain information locally about the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), or American College Test (ACT) exams, you should write Educational Testing Service, Box 955, Princeton, New Jersey, 08540, U.S.A., or visit the ETS website .

Other Testing

We also encourage you to submit SAT or ACT scores. The SAT is designed to assess your academic readiness for college, while the ACT measures what you have learned in school. Both are globally recognized admission tests.

If you meet our minimum SAT or ACT scores, the English proficiency exam requirement will be waived. These scores will be considered in your application and will assist us with academic advising.

Fill out the Certification of Finances form completely and accurately, including signatures and the submission of bank statements.

How to Fill Out Your Financial Certification

The form lists four distinct funding sources: personal or family savings, parents, sponsors, or the government. Next to the applicable source, please state the exact amount promised for your education, ensuring this financial support covers all years of your study.

After you have filled in the blocks horizontally, you must total the blocks vertically.

The totals at the bottom of each column (first year, second year, third year, fourth year) should each equal the total cost of attending Franciscan University. Estimates of tuition, room and board, books, and travel to and from the United States must be provided before an I-20 can be issued by the University, or you may review the expenses estimate in this section.

After the columns and rows are filled out completely, you need to complete “Section 9,” which asks for signatures of bank officials to verify that the financial resources are available.

Familiarize yourself with the regulations of your government regarding the sending of funds to you in the United States and make arrangements to have the necessary funds available at the designated times.

All checks for payment of tuition and fees should be made payable to Franciscan University of Steubenville in U.S. dollars. Funds may also be wired through your bank. Instructions for wiring funds will be provided after acceptance to the University.

Affidavit of Support

If you are able to secure a private sponsor to aid you with your educational expenses, your sponsor must complete an Affidavit of Financial Support and provide documentation to prove their ability to support you financially. You will need to submit one affidavit for each sponsor.

Expenses Estimate

Students are also responsible for paying all costs associated with each subsequent semester or term at the time of registration. Based on the 2026–2027 academic year, the estimated expenses for one academic year across our different graduate degree programs are as follows:

Graduate Theology, Philosophy
Tuition & Fees (full-time): $12,330*
Books (estimate): $800
Room and Board (approximate, off campus): $8,000
International Orientation Fee (one-time): $210
Total: $21,340**

Graduate Counseling
Tuition & Fees (full-time): $18,300* (includes one mandatory summer semester $9,000)
Books (estimate): $800
Room and Board (approximate, off campus): $8,000
International Orientation Fee (one-time): $210
Total: $27,310**

Graduate Nursing
Tuition & Fees (full-time): $9,000*
Books (estimate): $800
Room and Board (approximate, off campus): $8,000
International Orientation Fee (one-time): $210
Total: $18,010**

*These estimates do not include travel expenses.

**Based on the Tuition and Fees schedule . Prices are updated annually.

Please note: International students are not eligible for any type of financial aid (grants or loans) through the U.S. government.