International Applicants

International applicants must adhere to application deadline dates and submit all required documents as early as possible. The School of Graduate Studies or an individual graduate program may request that you have a credential evaluation done by an outside agency.

In addition to meeting the requirements for all applicants cited above, international applicants must: (1) hold a degree that is equivalent or comparable to a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree and have a cumulative grade point average equivalent to a B or 3.0 grade point average, or the first- or high-second division or comparable class ranking, and (2) provide proof of financial sponsorship for immigration and visa status purposes.

Transcripts, Academic Records, Mark Sheets

International applicants must provide their full post-secondary (college/university) transcripts or academic record(s) translated into English.  You must submit transcripts from each college/university attended, including work in progress at time of application.  Unofficial copies may be provided for the application review process. 

The Graduate Programs in Life Sciences (GPILS) requires international applicants to provide a course-by-course transcript evaluation from a credentials evaluation agency such as WES, ECE or SpanTran (or any NACES member evaluation agency) in addition to official transcripts or academic records. If you choose to use SpanTran, please use the custom application they have created to make sure you get the right kind of evaluation and follow the correct requirements. You can access their application by clicking here.

Admitted students must provide official transcripts from each college/university from which a degree was earned upon notification of admission.  The transcript must be provided to the School of Graduate Studies directly from the prior, degree-granting institution in a sealed envelope in order for that document to be considered official.  Alternatively, it may be provided to the School of Graduate Studies electronically by way of a secure, encrypted platform.  Each transcript should bear the signature of the registrar and the seal of the granting institution.

Send encrypted, electronic transcripts from your issuing institution to: gradapply@umaryland.edu

If provided by mail, send official transcripts in sealed envelopes to:

ATTN: Admissions
University of Maryland, Baltimore
School of Graduate Studies
620 West Lexington Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-1508 

Language Requirements

Applicants whose native language or language of the home is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam or the Duolingo English Test. The minimum acceptable TOEFL score for admission is 80 for the internet-based test (IBT). IELTS test takers must score no less than Band 7 (total). Duolingo English test takers must score no less than 115. Some graduate programs have higher minimum score requirements.

TOEFL information and registration is available at: www.toefl.org

Test of English as a Foreign Language - Educational Testing Service
P.O. Box 899
Princeton, NJ 08540

The UMB School of Graduate Studies’s TOEFL institution code number is 5848; department codes are published by TOEFL

IELTS test center information is available at www.ielts.org

IELTS International
100 E. Corson St., Suite 200
Pasadena, CA 91103

IELTS test-takers must have their scores sent via postal mail to the School of Graduate Studies:

ATTN: Admissions
University of Maryland, Baltimore
School of Graduate Studies
620 West Lexington Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-1508

IELTS test-takers may also send their TRF number to the School of Graduate Studies at gradapply@umaryland.edu so that the School of Graduate Studies may verify the applicant’s scores electronically.  

The School of Graduate Studies accepts official scores from the Duolingo English Test, which can be taken online and on-demand. 

Applicants are encouraged to verify the identification of the correct campus - the University of Maryland, Baltimore - (UMB) upon selection of score routing. 

All applicants to the PhD program in Social Work, whose native language and/or language of the home is not English, are required to submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Our School of Graduate Studies also accepts officialscores from the Duolingo English Test, which can be taken online and on demand. This guideline includes international students/non-native speakers of English who have completed a Master of Social Work or similar degree from a US college or university. 

Exemptions from English Language Proficiency Requirement 

Individuals who have received a degree from an accredited institution in the U.S. or a nationally recognized university in one of the countries on the list below do not need to submit an English proficiency exam. Complete, official transcripts and a copy of the diploma from said college/university are required.

Students who are citizens of any of the countries on the list below and whose total education (primary – tertiary) was conducted in English are not required to take an English proficiency exam:

Antigua

Grenada

South Africa (English-speaking, i.e. not Afrikaans)

Australia

Guyana

St. Lucia

Barbados

Ireland

St. Vincent

Belize

Jamaica

Swaziland

Bermuda

Kenya

Tanzania

Botswana

Lesotho

The Bahamas

Canada (English-speaking, i.e. not Quebec)

Liberia

The British Virgin Islands - St. Kitts & Nevis, Anguilla

Cayman Islands

Montserrat

Trinidad and Tobago

Dominica

Namibia

Uganda

Gambia

New Zealand

United Kingdom

Ghana

Nigeria

Zambia

Grand Turks and Caicos Islands

Sierra Leone

Zimbabwe

 

Singapore

 

Any individual that does not meet the above criteria, but who believes that s/he should be exempt from the English language proficiency requirement for whatever reason(s), must provide a written appeal to the School of Graduate Studies.  The appeal must include a rationale for the request specifically addressing length of stay in the US, prior work and educational experiences here, and any prior English language assessments and/or instruction.  A recent CV or resume is also highly recommended.   

Please send all requests to Gradapply@umaryland.edu.

Immigration Requirements

International students who receive an offer of admission must obtain the immigration form required for the appropriate visa. Accordingly, each international student must certify that he or she has sufficient funds (exclusive of travel expenses) for university tuition, fees, books, supplies, and living expenses. The total amount required for educational and living expenses (based on current tuition and fees) is available from the UMB International Services Office.

International online students enrolled in exclusively online degree programs from overseas are not required to hold a U.S. immigration status; in fact, UMB is not authorized to sponsor F-1 visas for online degree programs

  • If you are going to enroll in an online program from outside the U.S., select “Overseas Online Student” under "Select your citizenship status" 

DACA and Undocumented Student Resources

The University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) recognizes the unique challenges faced by “DACAmented” and undocumented students. This site includes multiple resources to support students and educate the UMB community. If you have any questions or would like to suggest additional resources, please email ile@umaryland.edu