Join a diverse student population in a beautiful campus setting at Eastern Kentucky University. Students are considered international applicants if they are not citizens of the United States. To learn more about EKU, take our virtual tour.
Select a link below to see admission standards and how to apply:
Future First Time Students
To apply as a freshman, a student may not have attempted or completed any college or university level coursework. Students with college-level coursework must apply as a transfer student.
Steps when applying:
1. Submit an online application.
2. Submit a copy of your valid passport.
3. Submit a fully evaluated complete secondary school records reflecting a cumulative grade of 2.5 GPA equivalent or higher.*
Access an EKU specific form and discounted rate for Josef Silney (PDF, 277 Kb).
To expedite EKU’s receipt of your evaluation, you may opt to utilize SpanTran, a NACES approved transcript evaluator.
4. Provide a declaration of finances showing an account balance of no less than $39,604 USD in the form of a bank statement with a letter of authorization from the account holder. These documents must be no less than six months old from the date classes are set to begin. If a student is sponsored by their home government or another entity, please include a letter indicating the awarding of such scholarship.
Note: The declaration of finances for students seeking an Aviation – Professional Flight degree must reflect $52,604 USD to cover the additional program costs.
5. Demonstrate English language proficiency. For standard admission students may demonstrate proficiency by one of the following means:
- Credit for English 101 and 102 from an accredited U.S. college or university with a grade of “C” or better.
- TOEFL score of 530 (paper based), 195 (computer based), or 71 (internet based) with no band score below a 16.
- IELTS scores of 6.0 overall with 5.0 or above in EVERY subject/skill category.
- Duolingo English Test with a score of 95 or higher.
- Japanese students may submit the EIKEN test with a passing score of Pre-1.
- ACT English 18 and ACT Reading 20
- SAT Evidence Based Reading/Writing 510
- Successful completion of the ELS Level 112 Intensive English program in the United States. (See below for details.)
Countries Exempt From the English Language Requirement:
Ireland – UK – Australia – New Zealand – Canada (Except Quebec)
Commonwealth Caribbean – Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago
ELS Center – English Language Study
International students who would like to study English in the U.S. prior to attending EKU to meet our English Proficiency standard may apply to study English at an ELS center. They can apply to EKU through the ELS program and if they meet all of the admissions standards with the exception of English proficiency, they will be offered a Conditional Letter of Admission (CLA).
*Transcripts that are not in English or in a 4.00 grade scale should have an official evaluation and translation of the secondary school record. Services such as ECE, WES, SpanTran, Josef Silny & Associates, Inc., International Education Consultants are able to complete both an evaluation of the gpa as well as translation if needed.
Future Transfer Students
Students desiring to transfer must have completed 24 semester credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 GPA or higher. Students with less than 24 credit hours must also submit a complete secondary school record.
Steps when applying:
1. Submit an online application.
2. Submit a copy of your passport information page proving a valid passport.
3. Submit official transcripts (and evaluations for credit taken outside of the United States) for all college-level coursework.*
4. Provide a declaration of finances showing an account balance of no less than $39,604 USD in the form of a bank statement with a letter of authorization from the account holder. These documents must be no less than six months old from the date classes are set to begin. If a student is sponsored by their home government or another entity, please include a letter indicating the awarding of such scholarship.
Note: The declaration of finances for students seeking an Aviation – Professional Flight degree must reflect $52,604 USD to cover the additional program costs.
5. Demonstrate English language proficiency. Before being accepted for admission to the university international students must demonstrate their English language proficiency. For standard admission students may demonstrate proficiency by one of the following means:
- Credit for English 101 and 102 from an accredited U.S. college or university with a grade of “C” or better.
- TOEFL score of 530 (paper based), 195 (computer based), or 71 (internet based) with no band score below a 16.
- IELTS scores of 6.0 overall with 5.0 or above in EVERY subject/skill category.
- Duolingo English Test with a score of 95 or higher.
- Japanese students may submit the EIKEN test with a passing score of Pre-1.
- ACT English 18 and ACT Reading 20
- SAT Evidence Based Reading/Writing 510
- Successful completion of the ELS Level 112 Intensive English program in the United States. (See below for details.)
Countries Exempt From the English Language Requirement:
Ireland – UK – Australia – New Zealand – Canada (Except Quebec)
Commonwealth Caribbean – Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Ghana, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago
ELS Center – English Language Study
International students who would like to study English in the U.S. prior to attending EKU to meet our English Proficiency standard may apply to study English at an ELS center. They can apply to EKU through the ELS program and if they meet all of the admissions standards with the exception of English Proficiency, they will be offered a Conditional Letter of Admission (CLA).
*Note: For college-level coursework taken outside of the United States, transcripts must be sent to ECE or Josef Silny & Associates, Inc., International Education Consultants for evaluation. Please choose to have a “course by course” evaluation completed.
Future Graduate Students
Steps when applying:
- Online Application – No application fee!
- Official Entrance Examination Scores – Only official scores sent directly from the testing agency may be used to satisfy admission requirements.
- Official Course by Course Transcript Evaluation – Applicants must have a degree equivalent to the four year baccalaureate degree awarded by U.S. universities. Foreign credential evaluations must be submitted by a NACES member. Click here to find a NACES member for your evaluation. *Credential evaluations must include a record of all degrees earned, detailing all subjects taken, grades obtained and GPA. Uncertified copies are not accepted. To expedite EKU’s receipt of your evaluation, you may opt to utilize SpanTran, a NACES approved transcript evaluator.
- Declaration of Finances – All financial documentation is only good for six months after the received date. It is suggested that you do not turn in declaration of finance documents until three months prior to the term in which you are applying as they may otherwise expire. Applicants should have available the approximate sum of $32,942 for each academic year. *Amounts are subject to change to accommodate cost of attendance. Although an offer of admission can be extended prior to submission of a declaration of finances, EKU cannot issue the I-20 necessary for an F1 visa before receiving a valid declaration of finances.
- Passport – Copy of Passport with full name clearly visible.
- English Language Proficiency Examination.
- TOEFL score of 550 (paper based), 213 (computer based), or 79 (internet based)
- IELTS scores of 6.5 overall with 5 or above in EVERY subject/skill category
- Successful completion of the ELS Level 112 Intensive English program in the United States. (See below for details.)
ELS Center – English Language Study
International students who would like to study English in the U.S. prior to attending EKU to meet our English Proficiency standard may apply to study English at an ELS center. They can apply to EKU through the ELS program and if they meet all of the admissions standards with the exception of English Proficiency, they will be offered a Conditional Letter of Admission (CLA).
**International applicants are only exempt from TOEFL or IELTS if they have a degree from an accredited institution from the states.
Countries Exempt From the English Language Requirement:
Ireland – UK – Australia – New Zealand – Canada (Except Quebec)
Commonwealth Caribbean – Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Ghana, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago
Note: Students seeking an Aviation – Professional Flight degree are required to demonstrate FAA Aviation English Language Standard (AELS) Proficiency Rating Scale at the Operational Level 4. Students are required to attain this standard before acceptance of a student pilot application or issuance of a student solo endorsement. Additional details are available in FAA AC 60-28B.