Admissions

Carson-Newman welcomes applications from qualified international students who seek a quality education at a small, private, liberal arts college.  We highly value international students and hope to make the admissions process as smooth as possible.

There are three levels of instruction offered at Carson-Newman:

1) Undergraduate - The Undergraduate Program awards the same basic four-year university level degrees offered at most U.S. colleges and universities.  The Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor or Science, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing are available in over 55 different majors and over 70 programs of study.

2) Graduate - C-N offers Master's Degrees in Nursing and in several areas of Education.

3) English Language Institute - C-N offers intensive academic English classes for those international students who may need additional help with English prior to beginning the undergraduate and graduate programs.  A placement exam is administered upon arrival to determine the proper level at which ELI Students should begin their studies.  Upon successful completion of the ELI Program, students may apply for admission to the undergraduate or graduate programs.

 

International Admissions Requirements

Although there are similarities in the application process for all students, international students must submit some documents not required for U.S. Citizens and permanent residents.  There are also differences according to the program in which you are interested. 

In addition, students who have completed some university-level studies outside the United States must submit a Professional Course-by-Course Evaluation of their transcripts.

Undergraduate International Admissions

1) Application - You may apply for admission online (with a major credit card).  You may also download a printable copy of the application form, print it out, and mail it to C-N.  Or, you may request that a paper form be sent to you by post.  To apply on-line, click on the following link: APPLY NOW.

2) Application Fee - The Application Fee for international students is $50.00 (fifty dollars U.S.).  If you use the online application process, you must provide a major credit card number in order to submit the application.  If you download and print a paper application or request one by mail, you may pay the application fee by means of a check drawn on a U.S. bank, by international money order, or by writing your credit card number on form itself.  Please do not send cash by mail.

3) Official Transcripts - You should submit official transcripts of both your high school (secondary school) and any university-level studies completed.  Original transcripts are preferred, but if these are not available, certified copies may be sent.  These should be accompanied by certified English translations.  Applicants for the undergraduate program must also send transcripts of university-level studies to a professional evaluating agency for a Course-by-Course Evaluation and request that the evaluating agency report the results to Carson-Newman College.  A listing of evaluating agencies are located at the bottom of this page.

4) Official Test Results Report - Carson-Newman requires official score reports of the results of a standardized test for admission to the undergraduate program.  We prefer the ACT, but we recognize that this test is not offered in many countries.  We will also accept the SAT 1.  Because many international students speak English as a second or third language, and because this may affect the results of not only the verbal but also the math and science reasoning sections of these exams, C-N will also consider for admission international students for whom English is not their first language based upon the results of IELTS, the STEP, or the TOEFL exam.  Students admitted without an ACT or SAT exam score report will be required to take a math placement exam upon arrival and before being allowed to register for a math course.  Any student who hopes to participate on a varsity sports team is required by the NCAA to submit an ACT or SAT 1 exam to the NCAA Clearinghouse.  The team Coach, the Athletic Director, or the NCAA Compliance Officer can provide additional information concerning the NCAA Clearinghouse.  Our institutional codes for these exams are: ACT - 3950, SAT and TOEFL - 1102.

Graduate International Admissions

 - Graduate Program in Nursing

 - Graduate Program in Education

English Language Institute

1) Application - You may apply for admission online (with a major credit card).  You may also download a printable copy of the application form, print it out, and mail it to C-N.  Or, you may request that a paper form be sent to you by post.  To apply on-line, click on the following link: APPLY NOW.

2) Application Fee - The Application Fee for international students is $50.00 (fifty dollars U.S.).  If you use the online application process, you must provide a major credit card number in order to submit the application.  If you download and print a paper application or request one by mail, you may pay the application fee by means of a check drawn on a U.S. bank, by international money order, or by writing your credit card number on form itself.  Please do not send cash by mail.

3) Letter of Recommendation - Your letter of recommendation should be written by a teacher or administrator at your current (or former) school.  It should convey to us the writer's appraisal of you as a student and clarify that in the opinion of the writer you are capable of completing  university-level studies in a U.S. college or university.  It should also contain contact information so that we may follow up if necessary.

4) Official Transcripts - You should submit official transcripts of both your high school (secondary school) and any university-level studies completed.  Original transcripts are preferred, but if these are not available, certified copies may be sent.  These should be accompanied by certified English translations.  Applicants for the undergraduate program must also send transcripts of university-level studies to a professional evaluating agency for a Course-by-Course Evaluation and request that the evaluating agency report the results to Carson-Newman College.  A listing of evaluating agencies are located at the bottom of this page.

 

Student Visas

As an international student coming to the U.S. to study, you will need to apply for a Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Visa at the U.S. Consulate or Embassy in your home country.  The process is basically the same regardless of the school to which you apply. 

1) Be accepted for admission into the program for which you have applied (English Language Institute, Undergraduate, or Graduate).

2) Officially accept any offers of financial assistance that you wish to receive.

3) Confirm your enrollment at Carson-Newman College

4) Provide to the Designated School Official a Confirmation of Financial Support and bank statement providing that you have the financial resources to support yourself for at least one full academic year

5) Receive from the DSO a Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status (Form I-20)

6) Make an appointment with the Consulate or Embassy for a visa interview.

7) Complete the Visa Application and other required forms (DS-156, 157, and 158), pay the Visa Application Fee and the SEVIS Fee and save the receipts for these, and obtain the required photographs in the proper format.

8) Take to the interview your acceptance letter, financial aid awards, Certificate of Eligibility, and any other documents clearly supporting your petition.  You should be prepared to explain your reasons for wanting to study in the U.S., how you plan to use your education once you return to your own country, how you will support yourself while you are in the U.S., and that you fully intend to leave the U.S. once you have completed your educational program.

If you are an international student already studying in the U.S., you may transfer from one college or university to another.  It is not necessary to acquire a new student visa unless the current visa expires.  However, it is necessary to acquire a new Certificate of Eligibility (I-20).  You should visit the DSO of your current school to request a transfer release.  Once you have been released by your current school, a Carson-Newman DSO will be allowed to issue a new Certificate (I-20).