Frequently Asked Questions

We do not offer need-based financial aid to international students. However, all admitted undergraduate students pursuing their first undergraduate degree are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. There is no additional application required for merit scholarship consideration; you are automatically considered once you submit a completed application.

No. While our merit scholarships are generous, we do not offer scholarships that will cover all of an international student’s educational costs.

Students who have completed any coursework after high school must apply as a transfer student and must disclose their previous college/university studies on their application. While this may not be true in other countries, this is a basic “rule” in U.S. higher education. The choice to start over will still be available to you. Even though you apply as a transfer student, you do not have to pursue transfer credit for the coursework you have already completed.

Applicants from some countries will have English proficiency waived. But for students from many countries where English is an official language/one of the official languages, we do not automatically waive English proficiency, even if their secondary school’s language of instruction was English. The standards of English instruction can vary too widely from one school/one system/one country to another, and we cannot be assured that individual students’ abilities will allow them to be successful at Seattle University. For that reason, we rely on internationally recognized   and benchmarked exams (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) and curricula (AP, IB, Cambridge, etc.) for the evaluation of applicants’ English proficiency.

Yes, Seattle University has more than 1,400 student jobs on campus. Be sure and check in with the International Student Center (ISC) to check on your qualification by emailing isc@seattleu.edu. International students are allowed to work (on campus only) for a maximum of 20 hours per week during school terms. Generally, students who want part-time on-campus work are able to find it without too much difficulty.

Yes, to ensure that you will be able to get the medical care you need, you will be required to purchase the health insurance offered at Seattle University, unless you provide proof of insurance under a comparable plan. The insurance premium will be charged to your account on your tuition statement for each term. You can find more information about our plan at Gallagher Student Health & Special Risk.

After confirming your enrollment within your Redhawk Admissions Portal, you will be invited to schedule an appointment with an academic advisor who will register you for your first quarter classes. After your first quarter you will be able to use our online registration system to complete your own class registration.

You will receive your I-20 after receiving an offer of admission from the university and submitting the required I-20 documents (refer to the international checklist in your portal). Please allow at least two weeks for processing your I-20 after an admission offer has been made and all required documents have been received.

Students currently enrolled in a US school must request for their SEVIS record/I-20 to be transferred to Seattle University. Please request this record transfer from your advisor at the school you currently attend. You may also give this optional International Student School Transfer Eligibility Form to your current advisor.

The U.S. government no longer requires that I-20s be sent by postal mail. All I-20s now are sent electronically through email. Your I-20 will be sent to the email address that was given to us on your application.

Please let us know your specific situation and concerns. Usually the SEVIS transfer process is quite straightforward for students on OPT. Once your SEVIS record is transferred to Seattle University, your OPT will officially end. So be sure to coordinate the SEVIS transfer with your current school and with International Admissions at Seattle University.

If your F-1 visa will expire before the date you plan to return to the U.S., you’ll need to renew your visa. Many embassies now allow students who have been in previous F-1 status to renew their visas without the need for a visa appointment. Please contact the U.S. embassy/consulate nearest you for more information.

If your visa is still valid (has not yet expired), and if you have remained in-status at your previous school, you do not need to get a new visa. You would only need to get a new visa if you have been/will be outside the U.S. for more than 5 months before you start at Seattle U.

First, be certain you have paid the SEVIS I-901 fee and then book the first available appointment. If that appointment is too late for your intended quarter, you may be able to request an emergency/expedited appointment as you get closer to the start of the quarter. (The process and timeline varies, but many embassies will consider this request if your start date is within the next 30 days.) If you end up needing to defer a term, we can certainly move most admitted students to winter or spring quarter.

If you are transferring your SEVIS record from another school and are traveling out of the U.S. before starting school at Seattle U, be sure to check your student visa end date. You may not need a new visa if the visa in your passport has time remaining. Please contact the International Admissions staff (international@seattleu.edu) for more information.