International Undergraduate Admission

Azusa Pacific University is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant students and issue the U.S. immigration document I-20 or the U.S. State Department DS 2019 in order to obtain an F-1 or J-1 student visa. Students who understand and agree to cooperate with the university’s Christian principles and atmosphere are welcome to apply.

Admission Requirements

First-year Undergraduate Students

  1. Completed application for admission, Statement of Agreement with Institutional Policy, and Personal Statement
  2. $45 application fee
  3. Official high school transcripts
  4. SAT or ACT scores (optional for international students)
  5. English proficiency documentation (See English Proficiency Requirements1 below)
  6. Personal reference (optional, but recommended)
  7. A bank statement or other official forms of documentation of financial support must accompany the financial statement and affidavit of financial support2
  8. Copy of passport
  9. Some programs (see School of Nursing and College of the Arts) may require additional items for application

Transfer Undergraduate Students

  1. Completed application for admission, Statement of Agreement with Institutional Policy, and Personal Statement
  2. $45 application fee
  3. Official college transcripts (transfers with less than 28 units earned at the time of application will need to submit an official high school transcript)
  4. English proficiency documentation (See English Proficiency Requirements1 below)
  5. Personal reference
  6. A bank statement or other official forms of documentation of financial support must accompany the financial statement and affidavit of financial support2
  7. Copy of passport
1

The acceptable minimum score is subject to change as the university deems necessary. Some programs may have higher requirements.

2

For some cases, one year’s tuition may be required in advance and placed on the student’s account prior to issuance of the immigration document I-20 or DS 2019.

Grade-Point Average (GPA) Requirements

To be considered for undergraduate admission, the applicant must have a minimum U.S. system 2.75 grade-point average (GPA) in high school or 2.5 in previous college work. If the applicant is transferring from schools where English is the medium of instruction, and with a minimum of 28 transferable non-ESL units, a 2.5 GPA is acceptable. For the School of Business and Management, a 2.7 GPA is required.

Some programs require a higher GPA for admission. Check with the appropriate department for more information.

Admission Deadlines

Semester Early Action Outside U.S. Inside U.S.
Fall (September) Freshman only: November 15 May 1 June 1
Spring (January) N/A September 15 October 15

English Proficiency Requirements

A student whose native language is NOT English must demonstrate or gain English proficiency in order to study at Azusa Pacific University. There are a few ways to demonstrate and fulfill the English proficiency requirement:

1. Prior Studies in English

Students can demonstrate English proficiency by verifying that their prior studies (secondary or postsecondary school) were conducted in English. Students must verify all of the following:

  • Completed at least 48 academic semester units without ESL support/classes.
  • Studies in English ended no more than two years before applying to APU.
  • The language of instruction was English.

To verify these points, students must provide academic transcripts along with an official letter from the institution where they studied stating that the language of instruction was English.

2. English Testing by One of the Following Two Options

A. International standardized English tests (TOEFL and IELTS). Students can demonstrate English proficiency by submitting a TOEFL or IELTS score report that meets or exceeds the requirements listed below. The university considers the component scores for admissions.

IELTS
  Total (Top Score: 9)
Conditional1 5.5
Undergraduate 6.0
TOEFL iBT
Listening (Top Score: 30) Reading (Top Score: 30) Writing (Top Score: 30) Speaking (Top Score: 30)
Conditional1 16 16 18 15
Undergraduate 20 20 22 18
1

Note: Even with a high enough total score, you may be required to take English training courses or TESL 100 depending on subset scores or any other indicators in your applications. (TESL 100 is a university-level course that provides additional support to meet the English proficiency requirement, and this course is counted toward the graduation requirement. In addition, you can take more academic units along with TESL 100.)

Scores IELTS: 5.5
TOEFL Speaking: 15-17 Corresponding English Course: TESL 100
TOEFL Listening: 16-19
Scores IELTS: 5.5
TOEFL Reading: 16-19 Corresponding English Course: TESL 100
TOEFL Writing: 18-21

B. APU English placement test. Students can also demonstrate English proficiency by taking an English Placement Test (EPT) through APU's Academic Success Center. Contact the APU Testing Center at (626) 815-3849 or testingcenter@apu.edu for schedules, fees, and locations for this test.