International Admissions

We are pleased that you are interested in Florida Atlantic University. Florida Atlantic is recognized as one of the leading institutions in the United States for its strong global representation. Students from approximately 100 countries around the world contribute to a vibrant and dynamic community on our campus. Carefully review the information below to learn about the international admission process, immigration documents, estimated educational costs for international applicants, and your international student visa process.

International Admissions for Degree-Seeking Students:

Admission to a degree program is a two-part process:

1. Academic admissions where the student must meet all academic requirements for the program of interest;
2. Immigration process where students must provide appropriate documentation to obtain the Certificate of Eligibility (I-20) to be able to study in the US and at Florida Atlantic University. Prospective F-1 students may submit documentation for both steps concurrently, but they are not fully eligible to attend FAU until they meet all academic requirements and obtain the I-20. 

Part II: Immigration Process

Provide the following required documentation to obtain the F-1 visa eligibility document (I-20) from International Student Services. The I-20 will only be issued after you are formally admitted to the university and after you provide the documents listed below:

1. Request for I-20 - along with required proof of financial support.
2. Proof of financial support from the student, the student's sponsor (parent, relative, etc.) government agencies, or other sponsoring entities. Review the Financial Certification Form (FCF) for the financial criteria and to learn more about the Alternate Estimated Cost of Living.
3. SEVIS Transfer In Form  – required  only for applicants  who are currently in the U.S. in either F-1 or J-1 status and transferring from another institution within the U.S.
4. Passport Information Form - copy of the passport's biographical page and visa page (if applicable) 

To ensure appropriate time for review of your FCF/STF documents and for issuance of the undergraduate I-20 document, please adhere to the following deadlines:

Submitting your I-20 documentation later than the recommended date may result in processing delays, especially for students who are overseas and need to apply for an F-1 visa, and will only be considered on a case-by-case basis after consulting with the ISS office (undergraduate students) or the Graduate College (graduate students).

Undergraduate Deferrals: If you would like to defer your admission to the next semester, send an email to  admissions@fau.edu  with your Z#, name, and request to defer your admission, or submit a Change of Entry UG Admissions online request form:  http://www.fau.edu/admissions/ChangeEntry.php 

Graduate Deferrals: If you would like to defer your admission to the next semester, send an email to gcadmissions@fau.edu with your Z#, name, and request to defer your admission. 

Other International Admissions Options 

Intensive English Institute (IEI) is a bridge program for students who would like to learn English for the first time, or are academically eligible to become FAU students but need additional preparation in English prior to full admission to a degree program. The IEI program provides three study tracks: Intensive English Full Time Track, Part Time Track and Conditional Admissions Track.

Program Exchange Students

Exchange Students who plan to attend the university through an existing exchange program agreement must contact the  Education Abroad  to learn about special admission requirements and processes.

Education Abroad Team Contact: 
Boca Raton Campus - General Classroom South, Room 212Q
Office Hours: Monday - Friday from 8 am - 5 pm
Telephone: (561) 297-1208
Email: goabroad@fau.edu 
Website: www.fau.edu/goabroad 

Exchange Students will attend FAU as  J-1 Students  and will need the Form DS-2019 in order to obtain the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa.

Foreign Student Credential Evaluation Services

The Office of International Student Services under the Center for Global Engagement provides foreign credential evaluation services for Florida Atlantic University applicants who hold post-secondary transcripts from a foreign higher education institution. At time of application, we will complete a general or course by course evaluation to determine the foreign institution status and the foreign credential equivalency. The evaluation will also determine the U.S. equivalent of the foreign credits and foreign grades posted on the transcript and include the U.S. equivalent GPA. Once we complete the evaluation, we will submit it directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions or the Graduate College for review.

Information on the Process:

Internal Foreign Credential Evaluation (FCE) vs NACES Member Evaluation Company Evaluation:

All FAU applicants have the option of submitting a FCE from a NACES Member evaluation company or requesting an internal evaluation completed by our office.

If you request an internal evaluation, please note that the internal FCE may only be used for your application to FAU and cannot be submitted with an application to another higher education institution.

If you would like to submit a FCE from a NACES Member evaluation company, you can find a current list of NACES Members HERE. (link to: https://naces.org/members)

Once you have completed an application to FAU, your application will be reviewed by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions or the Graduate College, depending on what program you are applying to. If you did not submit a FCE from a NACES Member evaluation company and have submitted official foreign transcripts, we will automatically receive a request to complete an internal FCE of your foreign transcripts. Again, this process will happen automatically if you do not submit a FCE from a NACES Member evaluation company along with your foreign transcripts in your completed application. You do not need to request an internal evaluation separately.

Required Documentation for an Internal FCE:

Please submit the below-listed documentation along with your application. All documentation should be mailed directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions or the Graduate College or sent digitally directly to FAU from the issuing institution. Do NOT mail any documentation to International Student Services or the Center for Global Engagement.

1. Official transcripts – original or certified copies of all post-secondary academic records (stamped and signed by an administrator of the awarding institution) must be submitted.
2. Degree certificates – if a degree is earned/awarded and the graduation date is not posted on the official transcript, an official diploma or graduation certificate must be submitted.
3. Official English translations – if official transcripts and degree certificates are issued in a language other than English, an official English translation (word for word) must be submitted. The translation must be completed by a certified English translation company.

Note: Once the documentation is submitted to FAU for the purposes of admission, it becomes the property of FAU and will not be returned. If you did not submit sufficient documentation for an internal FCE to be completed, we will send you an email requesting further documentation. Please respond to that email in a timely manner as not to slow down the FCE process. The standard processing time will not begin until all necessary documentation is received by our office.

Office of Undergraduate Admissions Mailing Address:
Florida Atlantic University
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
777 Glades Road – SU 80
P.O. Box 3091
Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991

Graduate College Mailing Address:
Florida Atlantic University
Graduate College
777 Glades Road – SU 80, Room 101
Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991

Degree Equivalency Review Request

The Office of International Student Services offers a Degree Equivalency Review as an additional resource to support prospective students and academic departments. This review helps to determine whether a foreign degree may be considered comparable to a U.S. bachelor’s degree or higher, based on Florida Atlantic University’s admission standards.

We recognize that each student’s academic background is unique, and educational systems vary across countries. This service provides a valuable reference point for departments conducting preliminary eligibility checks or for applicants seeking early guidance on how their previous educational credentials align with the admission requirements of Florida Atlantic’s graduate programs.

Degree Equivalency Review Request

(Please note: This service applies to international bachelor's and higher degrees and is for informational purposes only. It does not replace the official internal Foreign Credential Evaluation (FCE) required for admission.) 

Completed Foreign Credential Evaluations and Admission Decisions

Once the internal FCE is complete, we will submit it to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions or the Graduate College, depending on which program you are applied to.

Please know that the Office of International Student Services is not part of the admissions team and does not make any admissions decisions. While we can answer questions regarding your internal FCE, we cannot answer questions about your specific application to Florida Atlantic University.

If you are an undergraduate applicant and have questions about your application status, please contact:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Email: admissions@fau.edu 
Phone: +1 561-297-3040

If you are a graduate applicant and have questions about your application status, please contact:
Graduate College
Email: graduatecollege@fau.edu
Phone: +1 561-297-3624

FAU Foreign Credentials Evaluation Services Contact:

If you have questions, please contact Nhi Truong, Foreign Credentials Evaluator at foreigncredentials@fau.edu