Admission Requirements for International First-Year Students

A student is considered a first-year applicant if they are enrolled in or have completed secondary school and have not enrolled in a regular session at any college or university.

International Students at International Taste Event

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Note, academic programs that are no longer accepting new applications are listed on the Closed Program webpage.

How to Apply

Complete Common Application
Pay $100 non-refundable fee
Submit official School transcripts
Submit official test scores
Submit letter of recommendation (optional)

Deadlines

Early Action Deadline

Early Action gives applicants priority consideration to our more competitive programs.

Applications for Fall Semester 2026: November 1
- The Early Action Deadline must be met to be considered for the University Honors Program.

Rolling Deadline

Rolling means that we accept applications on a space-available basis.

Applications for Summer Semester 2024: March 1
Applications for Fall Semester 2024: March 1
Applications for Spring Semester 2025: November 1

Materials

Official School transcripts
Official test scores*
Submit letter of recommendation (optional)

*SAT or ACT are optional. View English test requirements.

School Transcript Requirements

All first-year applicants are expected to complete college preparatory education curriculum, earning a graduation certificate or diploma that would enable you to apply to university in your home country. Examples include your High School Diploma, IB Diploma, General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Levels (A-Levels), General Secondary Education Certificate, Indian Standard XII Higher Secondary School Certificate, or West African Senior School Certificate.

First-year students applying to UC typically complete a curriculum comprised of the following subjects:

Mathematics (4 years)
Science, including Chemistry and/or Physics (3-4 years)
Language/History/Social sciences and other electives (3-4 years)

What to send our office:

Currently enrolled classes and grades (if possible)
Previous 2-3 years of classes and grades (depending on country)
A-Level or IB advanced credit (if enrolled or completed)

Transcripts must be English. If not, each document must include certified English translation.

UC is aware that course curriculums vary by country, and we encourage students to take challenging courses offered in their schools.

Transcript requirements by country and other curriculums. Link

How to Send Transcripts

There are three options for sending school transcripts.

Request a school guidance counselor or school officer to email the documents to international.admissions@uc.edu.
Add your school guidance counselor or school officer's name and email to your Common App. When the application is submitted an email will be sent from Common App to the school guidance counselor or school administrator. The email will have a link for the transcripts to be uploaded to the University of Cincinnati.
Student applicants can email transcripts to international.admissions@uc.edu or a UC International Admissions Counselor email address.
- Transcripts sent by the student applicant are unofficial. If the student is admitted and confirmed to enroll at UC, the student must have a high school guidance counselor send the trancripts, examination results, and proof of graduation. There are two methods to send these documents:
  - Email to international.admissions@uc.edu or a UC International Admissions Counselor email address.
  - Upload via the Common App Counselors and Recommenders website the final school report, official final transcripts, examination results, and proof of graduation.

How to send A-Level and IB transcripts.

English Requirements

English proficiency is a requirement for all international students. This can be demonstrated by submitting a test score or meeting one of the four English exemptions.

SAT or ACT test
English test
There are 4 conditions for being exempt from taking a standardized test to demonstrate your English proficiency.

UC Undergraduate Admissions will only accept English test scores that are valid up to two years before the start of the term for which the student is applying. This policy aligns with industry standards and ensures that our admissions process remains fair and consistent for all applicants.

English Test Score Minimum Requirements

**Test Options**
College	SAT		ELS	IELTS	Cambridge	TOEFL iBT	Duolingo	ACT	PTE
	College of Arts & Sciences (A&S)	480 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	112 Graduation	6.5 Overall 5.5 Sub Score 6.0 Write 6.0 Speak	176 Recommended exam: C1 Advanced	79 Overall 15 Sub-score 20 Writing 20 Speaking	100 Overall 100 Production 100 Conversation	19 English	53
	College of Education, Criminal Justice, & Human Services (CECH)	480 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	112 Graduation	6.5 Overall 5.5 Sub Score 6.0 Write 6.0 Speak	176 Recommended exam: C1 Advanced	79 Overall 15 Sub-score 20 Writing 20 Speaking	100 Overall 100 Production 100 Conversation	19 English	53
	College of Engineering & Applied Science (CEAS)	480 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	112 Graduation	6.5 Overall 5.5 Sub Score 6.0 Write 6.0 Speak	176 Recommended exam: C1 Advanced	79 Overall 15 Sub-score 20 Writing 20 Speaking	100 Overall 100 Production 100 Conversation	19 English	53
	Lindner College of Business (LCB)	480 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	112 Graduation	6.5 Overall 5.5 Sub Score 6.0 Write 6.0 Speak	176 Recommended exam: C1 Advanced	79 Overall 15 Sub-score 20 Writing 20 Speaking	100 Overall 100 Production 100 Conversation	19 English	53
	College of Design, Architecture, Art, & Planning (DAAP)	480 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	112 Graduation	6.5 Overall 5.5 Sub Score 6.0 Write 6.0 Speak	176 Recommended exam: C1 Advanced	79 Overall 15 Sub-score 20 Writing 20 Speaking	100 Overall 100 Production 100 Conversation	19 English	53
	College of Medicine	480 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	-	6.5 Overall 5.5 Sub Score 6.0 Write 6.0 Speak	176 Recommended exam: C1 Advanced	79 Overall 15 Sub-score 20 Writing 20 Speaking	100 Overall 100 Production 100 Conversation	19 English	53
	College of Nursing	480 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	-	-	-	-	-	19 English	-
	College of Allied Health Sciences (CAHS)	480 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	112 Graduation	6.5 Overall 5.5 Sub Score 6.0 Write 6.0 Speak	176 Recommended exam: C1 Advanced	79 Overall 15 Sub-score 20 Writing 20 Speaking	100 Overall 100 Production 100 Conversation	19 English	53
	College-Conservatory of Music (CCM)	480 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	112 Graduation	6.0 Overall 5.0 Sub Score 6.0 Write 6.0 Speak	176 Recommended exam: C1 Advanced	66 Overall 15 Sub-score 20 Writing 20 Speaking	100 Overall 80 Production 80 Conversation	19 English	53
	UC Blue Ash College	480 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	112 Graduation	6.5 Overall 5.5 Sub Score 6.0 Write 6.0 Speak	176 Recommended exam: C1 Advanced	79 Overall 15 Sub-score 20 Writing 20 Speaking	100 Overall 100 Production 100 Conversation	19 English	53
	UC Clermont College	480 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	112 Graduation	6.5 Overall 5.5 Sub Score 6.0 Write 6.0 Speak	176 Recommended exam: C1 Advanced	79 Overall 15 Sub-score 20 Writing 20 Speaking	100 Overall 100 Production 100 Conversation	19 English	53

How to Send Test Scores

ACT: Request score report be sent electronically from the ACT to University of Cincinnati (code 3340)
Cambridge Assessment English: Request score report be sent electronically to University of Cincinnati from Cambridge English and email a copy of your results. In the email, include student's date of birth and UC application number to international.admissions@uc.edu for online verification.
Duolingo: Request score report be sent electronically from Duolingo English Test account to University of Cincinnati.
ELS: Request ELS certificate be sent from ELS Center official to international.admissions@uc.edu
IELTS: Email score report to international.admissions@uc.edu for online verification or request score report be sent electronically from IELTS test center to the University of Cincinnati Undergraduate Admissions
Note: Do not request scores to be sent to the Graduate School or a specific college/department.
PTE: Request score report be sent electronically to University of Cincinnati from Pearson Test of English and email a copy of the results to international.admissions@uc.edu
SAT: Email score report to international.admissions@uc.edu for online verification or request score report be sent electronically from College Board to University of Cincinnati (code 1833)
TOEFL: Email score report to international.admissions@uc.edu for online verification or request score report be sent electronically from ETS to University of Cincinnati (code 1833)

Letter of Recommendation

The letter of recommendation is preferred but not a requirement to complete an undergraduate first-year application. A letter of recommendation is a document that highlights a student's character traits, classroom and academic strengths, and work ethic to aid them in their application process. The person that writes the recommendation should be a school guidance counselor, teacher, coach, or job/volunteer supervisor. Parents and other family members are not permitted to write a student's letter.

How to Send Letter of Recommendation

There are two options for sending a letter of recommendation:

Within the Common App add the person's name and email address. When the application is submitted that person will receive an email request to upload the letter of recommendation. The document will be attached to the student application.
Have the person that wrote the letter of recommendation email the document to international.admissions@uc.edu or the UC International Admissions Counselor email address.

A letter of recommendation sent by the applicant will not be accepted.

Admission Decision Process & Timeline

To learn about the decision process and timeline, visit our information webpage.