Graduate Studies International Applicants

Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States are considered international applicants. International applicants cannot be considered for conditional admission, meaning they must meet all admission requirements and receive full admission to a degree program. Permanent residents must submit a copy of their green card to [email protected], once the application is submitted.

The deadlines are as follows:

With Durham as an international entry to the south, the multicultural campus of NC Central simplifies transitional periods, providing a rewarding academic, social and professional environment for its students. 

• All international applicants must submit an online graduate admission application.
• Pay a $50 non-refundable application fee
• Have a bachelor's degree or a degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's
• Statement of purpose
• At least two recommendations (some degree programs may require 3)
• Official Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score, if required by degree program (cannot be more than five years old)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores (if English is not your country's first language)
  • TOEFL minimum score of 70 on the computer-based test and 550 on the paper-based test
  • IELTS minimum score of 6.0
• Official copy of a course-by-course transcript evaluation (we accept evaluations from the below-accredited agencies)​
  • Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) Course-by-Course
  • Global Credential Evaluators, Inc. (GCE) Course-By-Course Report 
  • International Academic Credential Evaluators, Inc. (IACE) Detailed Evaluations
  • International Education Evaluations, Inc. (IEE) Education Course Report
  • World Education Services (WES) Course-by-Course Evaluation
  • SpanTran has created a custom application to help NCCU international students get their transcripts evaluated.
• Financial Statement Certificate of Eligibility (FSCOE)
  • FSCOE Form - Graduate Studies (ALL OTHER PROGRAMS)
  • FSCOE Form - Information Science (M.I.S.) or Library Science (M.L.S.)
  • FSCOE Form - Business Administration (M.B.A.)
  • FSCOE Form - Public Administration (M.P.A.)
  • FSCOE Form - Ph.D. in Integrated Biosciences
• Bank statement (must be notarized and show the last six months of activity)
• Copy of passport
• Check for additional program admission requirements

International applicants must provide an FSCOE with an official notarized bank statement attached. Bank statements not on official bank letterhead and notarized will not be accepted and may cause a delay in the processing of the admission. The bank statement must prove that a student has access to pay tuition for the first two semesters at NC Central if the funds are from an account that is not the applicant’s note on the FSCOE, the required documentation.

All international applicants are required to prove their English proficiency by presenting either TOEFL or IELTS scores if English is not their country’s first language.

Are you attending another university or college within the United States and wish to transfer to NCCU? You cannot transfer into an NC Central graduate program and must apply for admission. You can, however, transfer your F-1 status to NC Central.

• You must submit an F-1 Student Visa Transfer Clearance Form. The form must be signed by your current international student advisor.
• If you are presently in F-1 status at another U.S. institution and plan to transfer to NCCU and stay in the U.S., you will need to process your transfer through the Office of International Affairs. If you do not check in to complete the transfer process, you will be considered "out of status."
• If you are in F-1 status and plan to leave the U.S. and re-enter from abroad before you begin your program at NCCU, please contact the Office of International Affairs at 919-530-7912.

• Applications to change immigration status in the U.S. are granted or denied by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Non-immigrants in C, D, K or M status or WT and WB visitors who were admitted to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program cannot change to F-1 status in the U.S.
• Non-immigrants in J status who are subject to the two-year home-country physical presence requirement or J-1 physicians admitted to receiving graduate medical education or training may not change to F-1 status in the U.S.
• There are two ways to apply for change of status: You may leave the U.S. and apply for a new F-1 visa at the U.S. embassy in your home county and re-enter the U.S. with the proper documentation, or you may apply for change of non-immigrant status with USCIS. Prospective students wishing to apply for change of status in the U.S. should contact the Office of International Affairs at 919-530-7912.
• Non-immigrants with a B1, B2, visitor or tourist status cannot enter the U.S. to pursue a course of study.
• Having B1 or B2 status may make it difficult for you to change to F-1 visa status unless you have informed your consulate or embassy of your plans to pursue a course of study and “prospective student” is on the B1 or B2 visa.

For additional information regarding U.S. student visas, please visit the U.S. Department of State website.

For additional student visa resources, please visit VisaGuide's information page on the F-1 visa.

Immunizations

• Immunizations are required for general admission to the U.S. and are required by law in the state of North Carolina; they cannot be waived.
• Submit your immunization records immediately to Student Health Services when you arrive. If the required immunizations are not completed within 30 days of enrollment, your registration will be canceled by Student Health Services, an action that may affect your visa status.
• Immunization appointments can be made in Student Health Services. Call 919-530-6317 to schedule an appointment. A medical history form must be completed.

Health Insurance

The North Carolina Central University Student Medical Insurance Plan is required of all international students. NCCU requires international students to enroll in the university health insurance plan through Student Health Services. Contact Student Health Services at 919-530-6317 for more information.