International Student Admissions


International Admissions

UNE Online welcomes applications from qualified students around the world.

Who Is Considered an International Student?

For online admissions purposes, an international student is defined as an applicant who received their degree from a university outside of the United States that is not accredited by a U.S. Regional accrediting body.

International applicants must follow the same admissions process as U.S. applicants and are held to the same academic criteria required of all other applicants, in addition to the requirements outlined below.

What are the Admissions Requirements for International Students?

General University and program-specific admissions requirements are published in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs and on individual program pages.

In addition to those requirements, international applicants must satisfy the following criteria.

English Language Proficiency

International applicants must be able to understand and communicate in English to gain admission to the University of New England. If English is not your native language, you will need to submit documentation that indicates your level of English proficiency.

UNE graduate programs only accept the TOEFL and IELTS English proficiency exams.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
The minimum TOEFL score required for graduate admissions is 79 for the internet-based test.

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) will report scores no more than 2 years after the test date.

Arrangements for taking the TOEFL may be made through the nearest United States Embassy or the ETS. Consult the TOEFL website for further information.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
The minimum IELTS exam score required for graduate admissions is an Overall Band Score of 6 or higher.

Arrangements for taking the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Training exam may be made through the IELTS website.

Program-Specific Requirements
Refer to the admissions requirements of your graduate program of interest for specific information and additional details.

Are There English Proficiency Waivers?

English proficiency requirements are waived for applicants who:

  • If you have attended a regionally accredited U.S. high school or U.S. Department of Defense school overseas for at least three years, or have received an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, or
  • Earned an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an institution whose primary language of instruction is English.
  • Passing scores on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and ECFMG certification, with documentation submitted to UNE College of Professional Studies.

UNE also waives the English proficiency requirement if you graduated from a regionally accredited school in other English-speaking countries: Anguilla, Antigua/Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Guyana, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica/other West Indies, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, South Africa, St. Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caico Isle, United Kingdom, the Virgin Islands, and others.

 

Does UNE Online Require International Transcript Evaluations? 

Transcript Translation Requirements

All academic records submitted in support of an application must:

  • Be issued in English or include English translations
  • English translations should be literal (word-for-word, not interpretive) translations.

Transcript Evaluation

UNE requires all international applicants and all U.S. students with international degrees or coursework to have international transcripts evaluated for degree and grade equivalency to that of a regionally accredited institution within the U.S. Any exceptions to this policy will be noted in specific program admissions requirements.

UNE accepts evaluations from credentialing agencies that are members of:

Applicants should notify their Enrollment Counselor of the evaluation service they plan to use.

Electronic evaluations are strongly encouraged, as they are processed more quickly than mailed documents.

Preferred Credential Evaluation Agencies

UNE recommends the following organizations, all of which offer electronic delivery options:

Documents accepted in place of Official Transcript evaluation

  • International medical school graduates only: If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. you must have the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) submit review and verification of the equivalency of your medical degree to that of one earned at a regionally accredited U.S. medical school. The ECFMG review and verification of the student’s International Medical Degree will be accepted as an official evaluation of the degree.
  • Official transcripts from Canadian Medical Schools that are approved by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) do not require external evaluation. There is joint accreditation between LCME and Canada adding 17 more schools to the LCME list. Any school on this LCME list can be considered as offering a valid Doctor of Medicine (MD).

Are There Any Additional Requirements?

Additional documentation may be required depending on the program of study, including but not limited to:

  • Verification of financial support
  • Additional English proficiency documentation
  • Program-specific requirements

Refer to the International Student Admissions Policies and individual program pages for full details.

What if I Have Questions?

Questions regarding international admissions, transcript submission, or credential evaluations should be directed to your Enrollment Counselor.

For assistance obtaining official academic documents from outside the United States, applicants may also consult:

  • A local U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate
  • An overseas educational advising center
  • Resources provided by the U.S. Department of State

Contact the admissions office at onlineadmissions@une.edu or (855) 325-0896. We will be in touch with you promptly between 8:30am to 5:00pm EST Monday through Friday.