International Student Admissions

The steps outlined below will help you to complete the graduate program’s admission process.

The application and all ​​required documents for the program must be received by the deadline. This includes all supporting documents, such as transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation, statements of purpose and resumes are submitted on or before the deadline. Unofficial documents are not accepted to render an admission decision. No Exceptions.

If all required documents are not received by the deadline your application will not be considered for admission. Any unofficial documents mailed or emailed to the office will not be reviewed and discarded.

1. Apply for Graduate Admission. Click here to apply or here for our online portal.
2. Click here to pay the non-refundable application processing fee (will not be waived).
   • Domestic - $20
   • International - $75​​​​​​
3. Submit Résumé or Curriculum Vitae. Pursuant to FVSU, your application requires the inclusion of all post-high school education and employment, as well as information about ongoing international affiliations and research funding, if applicable.
4. Submit your Statement of Purpose. 550-600 Word Statement of Purpose should be in essay format and include personal characteristics/disposition, professional goals, your academic background, research, work/volunteer experience, and why you?
5. Submit 3 letters of recommendation. Click here for the Recommendation for Admission Form. Completed recommendations are required for you to be considered for admission into the graduate program. Recommendations from friends or relatives are not acceptable.​​​​​​ Note: Older version of the recommendation form will not be accepted. No Exceptions.
   • Please Read Carefully Before Sending The Recommendation For Graduate Admission Form to Your Recommenders:​​​​​​
   • Please make sure your recommenders are aware of the following:
     • Your recommenders must be the sole authors of your form and letters of recommendation. Drafting, writing, translating, or submitting your own reference, even if asked to do so by a recommender, is a violation of our application terms.
     • Letters of recommendation without the completed form will not fulfill the recommendation requirement for admission review.
     • All recommendations must be emailed directly from the recommender’s academic/business professional email to graduatestudies@fvsu.edu.
     • Mailed recommendations for admissions will not be accepted.
     • Your recommender cannot copy you on the submission of the recommendation for admission. If you are copied, this would be a violation of the Public Law 93-380, Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.  As a result, the recommender nor will the recommendation for graduate admission be considered for admission.
     • Note: Older version of the recommendation form will not be accepted. (No Exceptions!)
6. Official transcripts are required from EACH College and/or University you have attended (foreign and within the United States). Contact each institution you have attended and request that they mail an official copy of your transcript directly to the FVSU Graduate Studies.
   • Electronic Delivery Method: Official transcripts must be submitted directly by the college/university in a secure electronic format such as Student National Clearinghouse, or Parchment to graduatestudies@fvsu.edu, which is the preferred method.
     • Please note:
       • Transcripts bearing the stamp “Issued to Student,” hand-delivered transcripts, transcripts mailed or handled by the student, faxed transcripts, or transcripts issued to third parties cannot be accepted.
       • Transcripts must be current, up-to-date transcripts. We will not accept official documents/academic records for admissions-related purposes via fax, email (pdf), or postal mail directly from the applicant. Documents received in this manner will be destroyed without review. 
       • Transcripts must be submitted electronically or postmarked no later than the deadline to be considered for desired term and program.
       • Transfer credit reflected on a transcript issued by another institution is not acceptable, you must submit a transcript from the institution at which the credit was earned.
       • Official transcripts become the property of the Fort Valley State University and will not be returned, and copies will not be released to students or third parties.
   • Traditional Mail Delivery Method: If your college/university or testing agency does not support sending official documents electronically, the documents should be mailed to our mailing address in a sealed envelope by the issuing institution:
     • Fort Valley State University
     • Office of Graduate Studies _ Troup Building Room 319
     • 1005 State University Drive
     • Fort Valley, Georgia 31030
   • Transfer work outside the U.S: If you have attended colleges or universities outside the 50 U.S. states or the District of Columbia, you must provide a foreign credential report which includes English translations and information showing detailed, course-by-course evaluations and appropriate U.S. degree equivalency.
     • The foreign credential report MUST be an independent review prepared by an agency. These agencies are private enterprises that charge a fee for their services and that expense is the responsibility of the applicant. The following agencies are approved. Reports from any other agency will NOT be accepted.
     • List of Professional Academic Credential Evaluation Agencies - Professional transcript evaluations of college/university transcripts must include a course-by-course evaluation with GPA calculation). Will not accept agencies not listed. 
       • Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE) 
       • National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) 
       • Education Credential Evaluators 
       • WES World Education Services 
       • Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.) 
       • Scholaro 
     • Original or certified true copies of documents must be mailed directly to the Office of Graduate Studies or submitted directly by the Professional Academic Credential Evaluation Agency to graduatestudies@fvsu.edu, which is the preferred method.
       • Traditional Mail Delivery Method: Transcripts must be in the original envelope, sealed from the institution they are being requested from. They must be mailed to:
         • Fort Valley State University
         • Office of Graduate Studies _ Troup Building Room 319
         • 1005 State University Drive
         • Fort Valley, Georgia 31030
       • Fort Valley State University may require you to submit a credential evaluation for certain college/university coursework. You will be notified if this is required. Admission decisions will not be made based on copies, faxes, or other unofficial documents.
7. Test of English Proficiency. If English is not your native language, even if you are currently a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and regardless of how long you have resided or been educated in the U.S., you must demonstrate English proficiency. Official test scores must be received directly from the testing agency. No Exceptions.
   • Applicants from the following countries are exempt from the English Language
     • Proficiency requirement: Anguilla, Antigua Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas,Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, Jersey, Kenya, Malawi, Federated States of Micronesia, Monteserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent/ Grenadines, Sierra Leone, South Africa, St Helena Ascension, Tristan da Cuhna, Tobago, Trinidada, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom Great Britain, United States of America, Virgin Islands, or Zimbabwe.
   • Applicants provide an official transcript showing one of the following are exempt from the English Language Proficiency requirement.​​​​​​
     • A degree earned at an accredited U.S. college or university accepted by Fort Valley State University OR
     • A degree earned at a foreign institution where the language of instruction was exclusively English OR
     • Successful completion (‘C’ or higher) of ENG 1101 and/or ENG 1102 or its equivalent in one or both courses, at an accredited U.S. institution accepted by Fort Valley State University
   • Applicants do not exempt by A or B above can take either of the following tests: Official test scores must be received directly from the testing agency.  No Exceptions. Please note that TOEFL and IELTS scores expire two years after the test date. The applicant should take one of these tests at the earliest available date to ensure that the scores are reported in time to meet application deadlines. Applicants will not be admitted if they lack an acceptable proficiency score.
     • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) 
       • Minimum required score:  Internet version (iBT) – 69
       • Minimum required score:  Paper TOEFL - 523
     • International English Language Testing System (IELTS)*  
       • Minimum required score: 6
         • Note: If you have not sent your official test scores to FVSU, we will accept scanned copies of score reports with the online application and will verify your scores with IELTS.
8. Submit an unexpired copy of your foreign passport. Click here to review the documents that are acceptable to provide verification of residency and lawful presence in both the State of Georgia and the United States. This must be received prior to enrollment (if applicable), NOT prior to admission.
9. Submit your Certificate of Immunization record. FVSU-Immunization-Form-November-2021.pdf.  Must be received prior to enrollment (if applicable), NOT prior to admission.
   • Notes:
     • Older version of the Certificate of Immunization that is prior to November 2021 form will not be accepted. No Exceptions!
     • This form must be validated by a health care provider with a signature and medical office stamp.
     • All vaccinations or history of disease must be validated by a licensed health care provider with a gnature and medical office stamp.
     • If offered admission, the following vaccines are required before you can enroll in any courses. All vaccines must be satisfied and updated, if required.
       • 2 MMR - Two doses of MMR vaccine are administered at least 28 days apart
       • 2 Varicella/Chickenpox – Two doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days or evidence of immunity to varicella
       • Tetanus/Diphtheria Pertussis (Whopping Cough) – can be given at any time and must be administered within the last 10 years
       • Hepatitis B – Three doses of HEPB vaccine depending on vaccine or condition (typically the dosages listed below)
         • 3-dose series Engerix-B or Recombivax HB at 0, 1, 6 months [minimum intervals: dose 1 to dose 2: 4 weeks / dose 2 to dose 3: 8 weeks / dose 1 to dose 3: 16 weeks])
         • 3-dose series HepA-HepB (Twinrix at 0, 1, 6 months [minimum intervals: dose 1 to dose 2: 4 weeks / dose 2 to dose 3: 5 months])
       • If your documents are not marked as received after 5-7 business days (Mon-Fri 8:00am-5pm EST), please forward a copy of your delivered and downloaded receipt confirmations to graduatestudies@fvsu.edu.
       • Please keep in mind that we must receive ALL required documents to complete your file before you receive an admission decision. Once completed and ready for review, we will provide an admission decision based on the start term of the graduate program.
10. Please note:
    • of the minimum admission requirements of Graduate Studies does not guarantee admission to a graduate degree program.
    • All materials and documents submitted as part of an application for admission become the property of FVSU and cannot be returned.