An International

Student’s Guide
to Applying to
US Colleges and
Universities
What should I know about
applying to American
Universities?

• It is a year-long process that begins

as early as ”Junior” year.
• Points of consideration…
• Area of study interest
• Desired location
• Cost and affordability
• International admissions
requirements and the application
process
• School acceptance rates
• Student life and school culture
• Post-grad opportunities
 Paying for University
• The cost of college or university varies with
every institution.
• The total cost includes, not only tuition, but
room and board and various fees.
• The average cost of college in the United
States in 2022 is about $36,000 per student
per year, including books, supplies, and daily
living expenses. Private schools can be over
$50k/year.
• International students are not eligible for
federal financial aid programs in the U.S.;
however, some universities do offer financial
aid, loans, and scholarships to international
students and their families, but this varies by
school.
• Inquire with the institution’s financial office
about scholarships and loans.
What are universities
looking for?

• US universities and colleges want

students who will contribute to the
school’s mission, diverse programs, and
culture.
• They look at students holistically,
examining factors such as grades and
class standing, overall GPA, the rigor of
the student’s transcript, standardized
test scores, achievements, letter of
recommendation, extra-curricular
activities, volunteer work, community
involvement, sports, and anything else
that makes the student a stand-out
candidate for enrollment.
 • Find the school’s “Admissions” page and search for
Locating School information related to “International Applicants” or
“International Admissions.”
Admissions
• First-year students are called “Freshmen” and the
Information years leading to a Bachelor’s degree are known as
undergraduate.
 Navigating the Admissions Page

The admissions page will

usually include
information such as:
• The application deadline
• Testing requirements
• A link to the admissions
application
• Contact information for
the admissions office
Transcripts and Certificate Requests
• Dual Diploma students may visit our website to request a
Transcript or Certificate of Participation.

• For Certificate requests, select Electronic Transcript

Request for Students, and then fill out the Webform
Request.

• Be sure to fill out the Webform accurately, including your

Student ID, which can be found on your Colegia dashboard.

• Allow 10 business days for processing.

• If your school of choice requests that an Official
Transcript be sent directly to the university in the
https://ais.academica.org/transcript-request/
United States, then click on Official Transcript
Request for Universities and fill out the Webform
accurately.

• There is a fee associated with sending your transcript.

College Entrance
Readiness Exams

• Each college or university will have different testing

requirements, and this changes annually.
• Check with your school of choice to see what they
require.
• Common exams:
• SAT: http://sat.collegeboard.org/home
• ACT: http://www.actstudent.org/
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
• http://www.ets.org/toefl
What are the SAT and ACT?

• The SAT and ACT are college readiness assessments. They are standardized tests for high school
achievement and college admissions.
• Beginning March 2023, the SAT assessment will only be administered digitally for international students.
• ACT and SAT results are accepted by most four-year colleges and universities in the United States.
• Students who plan on applying to college in the United States are required to register and take the ACT
and/or SAT as part of the application process for some four-year colleges.
• Each college/university has their own college application requirements and deadlines, so it is
imperative that students know exactly what the colleges they are planning to apply to require and
when the deadlines are.
• When registering for the SAT and/or ACT, the 6-digit school registration code, or College Entrance
Examination Board code, for Academica International Studies is 100062. You will be prompted to enter
this code when signing up for the SAT and ACT.
 The SAT and ACT Tests

SAT ACT
Website http://sat.collegeboa http://www.actstu
rd.org/home dent.org/

Test Dates- Will AUG, OCT, DEC, SEPT, OCT, DEC,

vary based on MARCH, MAY, APR, JUN
where you live JUNE

Registration About a month 5-6 weeks before

deadline before test test

Registration http://sat.collegeboard.https://global.act.o
org/register/sat- rg/content/global/
international-dates en/products-and-
https://mysat.collegebo
services/the-act-
ard.org/login non-us.html
 What is on the SAT and ACT?

The SAT The ACT

• 64 minutes – Reading and Writing • 45 minutes – English (MC); 75 questions

(MC); 54 questions • 60 minutes – Math (MC); 60 questions
• 70 minutes – Math (MC and fill-in); 44 • 35 minutes – Reading (MC); 40 questions
questions
• 35 minutes – Science (MC); 40 questions
• 40 minutes – Writing (Optional)

https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/digital/whats -on-the-
http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/descriptions /
test/structure
 TOEFL Information
• The TOEFL is offered more than 50 times a year in locations all around
the world.
• You must register for the TOEFL 7 days before your desired test date.
The site to register is at http://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/register/
• The TOEFL is broken up into 4 sections with a 10-minute break in-
between
• 60-80 minutes – Reading
• 60-90 minutes – Listening
• 10 minutes – Break
• 20 minutes – Speaking
• 50 minutes – Writing
• For more information on the TOEFL exam, go to: http://www.ets.org/toefl
• Free TOEFL practice exams can be found at:
• https://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/prepare/test_questions
• https://www.4tests.com/toefl
The
Application
Process
Directly on the
school’s website

• Check out the school’s

website to see what they
offer.
• View the admissions
requirements
• Deadlines
• GPA required
• Standardized tests
needed
• Acceptance rates
The Common App

• This is a third-party website that allows

you to see more than 900 schools’
admission requirements in one location.
• You must create a Common App
account.
• You can add multiple schools to your
account based upon university selection.
• Free to use, but individual schools often
charge admissions other fees as part of
the application process.

https://www.commonapp.org/
The Coalition App

• Similar to the Common Application.

• It includes more than 150 schools, such as
the Ivy League and other top tier schools.
• Seeks historically underrepresented
students.
• Free to use, but may be required to
pay a separate application processing
fee by the school
• For more information, please check out
http://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/
If you know which schools you
want to attend or learn more
about…

• Begin your search early so you see the

requirements schools are looking for and
requirements you would need to meet.
• If you are considering a school that
participates in the Common Application or
the Coalition Application, create an
account so you can see the admissions
requirements for the institution(s) of your
choice.
• Not all schools participate in the Common
App or Coalition App system. Always
double check with the individual school's
website.
If you’re not sure where to start, check out
“The Big Future” site from The College Board.

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/
The Big Future

• The “Big Future” helps students and parents map

out a plan for applying to U.S. colleges and
universities and stay on track throughout the
application process with various tools such as:
• Tools to help you decide on a major/area of
study.
• Search tools for school information, admissions
requirements, acceptance rates, etc.
• The cost of each university, as well as financial
aid information.
• Tips for the application process (like completing
the application, writing the essay, taking various
admissions exams, and other common
admissions requirements.)
Special
Conditions for
Graduates of
the Dual Diploma
Program
Doral College
(www.doral.edu)
Florida, United States

• Doral College offers Dual Diploma graduates the

opportunity to study with an accredited college in
the United States.
• Doral College offers virtual access to the
American college experience and the ability to
earn college credit in courses approved through
the state common course numbering system,
which facilitates transfer to any state college or
university in the state of Florida.
St. Thomas University
(www.stu.edu) –
Florida, United States

• Waiver of the application fee to undergraduate admission.

• Automatic undergraduate admission to St. Thomas University for

students graduating with a High School diploma from Academica
schools, including AIS, with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of
2.75, with a waiver of compliance with SAT requirements;

• Waiver of Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the

International English language Testing System (IELTS), or the
Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE), for international students.

• Eligibility for an Academic scholarship, which may provide a tuition

discount of up to fifty percent (50%) for undergraduate studies.
Full Sail University
(www.fullsail.edu) – Florida,
United States

• Graduates of Academica schools, including

students graduating through Dual Diploma
program, who meet Full Sail´s enrollment
eligibility requirements, will be granted
admission.
• Applicants whose native language is not
English are subject to additional admission
requirements to demonstrate English language
proficiency.
• Students admitted to Full Sail shall receive a
scholarship equal to a program tuition
reduction of 5%, which will be based on the
total tuition charged for the student´s
respective program.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

Coming Soon!

• New partnerships are always in

development with US-based colleges
and universities.
• Regis College, in Weston,
Massachusetts is the latest under
agreement! More details are coming
soon.(https://www.regiscollege.edu/)
Special conditions for graduates
of the Dual Diploma Program
(Spain)

Students who successfully complete the Dual Diploma

program may have the opportunity to attend certain
colleges with special considerations.
• Each university’s requirements will be different, but
may include test waivers (Admissions, TOEFL,
and/or ILTS) or admissions fees.
• Scholarship opportunities may also be available
based on the area of interest.
• For more information visit:
https://www.academica.school/university-2022
What now?
Plan and Create a Timeline for Applying to College.
Research your top
schools.

• Determine what’s important to

you. Consider…
• What you want to study
• Where you want to live
• Cost and affordability
• Student life and school culture
• Opportunities once you
graduate, like graduate school,
internships, and job
opportunities
Get a calendar and
make checklists to
stay organized.
• Awards and achievements
• Extra-curricular activities
• Letters of Recommendation
• Contact information for
someone in International
Admissions office who can
answer questions.
• What is needed for transcripts?
• What tests are needed?
Prepare for admissions
testing, if needed.
SAT Test Practice:
• https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/pr
actice/full-length-practice-tests
• https://www.khanacademy.org/sat
• https://www.4tests.com/sat
ACT Test Practice:
• http://www.actstudent.org/sampletest/
• http://www.powerscore.com/sat/help/content_pr
actice_tests.cfm
• https://www.4tests.com/act
TOEFL Test Practice
• https://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/prepare/test_questi
ons
• https://www.4tests.com/toefl
 Know your The following table summarizes the most common college
application deadlines for the four main admissions
deadlines. windows.

Application Deadline Application Decision

Early Action (non-binding) November December

Early Decision (binding) November December

Regular Decision January/February March/April

Rolling Admission Varies Usually within 4-6 weeks

4-Year Timeline to Prepare for College
Admission
Freshman Year
• Maintain strong GPA—
grade point average—as
close to all As as possible
or As and some Bs.
• Begin taking challenging
courses.
• Get involved in
extracurricular activities.
• Look at colleges and
universities to get an idea
of what you may be
interested in.
Sophomore Year
• Maintain strong GPA.
• Research US schools that
interest you.
• Continue with challenging
courses.
• Continue extra-curricular
activities.
• Consider volunteer work.
• Keep records of awards
and activities.
Junior Year Senior Year
• Maintain strong GPA. *Summer before Senior
• Create calendar with Year
deadlines,
• Know your admissions • Take the TOEFL, if
requirements for each required.
school.
• Register and take required • Write admission essays.
admissions-based exams.
• Continue extracurricular • Monitor calendar with
activities and volunteer application due dates and
work. other deadlines.
• Seek letters of
recommendation from • Register to take SAT and
teachers and community ACT in October, if
leaders. needed.
• Keep records of activities
and awards