International Students

Application and Admission

Hartford International is authorized under federal law to enroll full-time nonimmigrant alien students. It is the policy of Hartford International that all international students enter the U.S. with an F-1 visa. There are no exceptions to this policy.

English Language Proficiency

Students who do not have English as a first language, or as a primary language in previous academic studies, are required, prior to application, to take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination and achieve a minimum score of 550 (written version), 213 (computer version) or 80 (internet version), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and achieve a minimum score of 6.5. Applications for admission will not be processed without official TOEFL/IELTS scores. Language proficiency tests must be taken within 18 months of application submission. Online “test preparation” scores will not be accepted. Please see English language proficiency exemptions.

Additionally, students pursuing graduate level studies at Hartford International for whom English is a second language are required within the first month of their enrollment to undergo assessment of their English language ability. Based on this assessment, students will either be free from any further formal English language training, or be required to successfully complete the appropriate level of English language preparatory course at the English Language Institute of the University of Hartford. The appropriate level of preparatory course will be determined by the staff of the English Language Institute (in consultation with the Dean of the Hartford International or her/his designee) based on an assessment of the student’s abilities in listening comprehension, reading comprehension and writing skills. The course must be taken either immediately prior to or during the first two terms of enrollment at Hartford International.

The cost of the course must be considered part of the requisite costs for the student’s program of study and included in the amount of financial obligation for which the student seeks and receives financial guarantee/sponsorship. (See International Student Costs Table below.)

This requirement may be waived by the Admissions Committee based on factors that have come to its attention during the admission process, such as previous degrees earned in which English was the language of study or previous long term residence in the U.S. or other country where English is the primary language.

Transcripts

For applications started before April 1^st (for a fall semester start)
For applications started before November 1^st (for a spring semester start)

Applicants are required to present transcripts in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. Admitted students with non-U.S. transcripts will be required to submit evaluated transcripts completed by a credential evaluation service. You do not need to have your transcript evaluated unless you have been admitted. Your admission will be provisional until an evaluated transcript is received and reviewed. We must receive your evaluated transcripts within three weeks of the date on your admission letter. We recommend Spantran as the most economical option for transcript evaluation.

For applications started on or after April 1^st (for a fall semester start)
For applications started on or after November 1^st (for a spring semester start)

Applicants are required to present transcripts in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. Applicants with non-U.S. transcripts are required to submit evaluated transcripts completed by a credential evaluation service. We recommend SpanTran as the most economical option for transcript evaluation. Because of the late date and the need to move forward with visa documentation, applicants are required to complete the evaluation process before they are considered for admission. You will find the links to our evaluation service partners in our application.

International Student Merit Scholarships

(Academic Year 2024-2025)

Committed to creating access for qualified international students, HIU offers a tuition scholarship (of 30% off of tuition) to international students that do not have full tuition external funding. Students must intend to matriculate as full-time, degree-seeking students for our Master of Arts for Interreligious Studies or our Master of Arts in Chaplaincy or Dual Masters program and meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Must have the U.S. equivalent of a 3.0 GPA from previous collegiate work
• Must take classes in-person at HIU
• Must maintain F-1 or J-1 visa status
• Must be registered for 9 or more credits each fall and spring semester
• Must maintain a 3.0 GPA at HIU

HIU will review student eligibility for the International Student Scholarship when a student submits the HIU Scholarship and Grant Supplemental Form. The International Student Scholarship is renewable annually, with the completion of the Supplemental form each academic year.

Note that reporting external funding is a requirement of all students receiving aid at HIU.

Please email any questions to admissions@hartfordinternational.edu

Financial Sponsorship

Although applications for admission from international students are not reviewed on the basis of the student’s financial status, Hartford International must receive a letter of financial guarantee from a scholarship agency or a private individual (in the latter case documentation of personal or family funds on bank letterhead or in the form of a legally binding affidavit must be included) before the I-20 “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status” can be issued. This form is required for international students seeking a student visa. The letter of financial guarantee must show sufficient funds to meet the costs outlined in the Estimated International Student Costs Table.

All policies in the Hartford International 2021-2022 Catalogue and the Hartford International Student Handbook apply; however, international students (and research scholars) should make special note of the policies and procedures listed below.

Course Registration

To maintain their F-1 visa status, international students must be enrolled in a full-time course of study which is defined as 9 credits per semester (registration during summer session is not required). International students who have completed all of their coursework must register for their final requirement in the following semesters.

In order to maintain full-time status during the final phase of their degree program, students must follow these guidelines:

• 3-credit final paper or project: If the student has registered for the 3-credit final requirement, and is not enrolled in any other courses during that semester, the final requirement must be completed and examined within that semester. If the student has registered for the 3-credit final requirement and is still enrolled in one or more courses during that semester that are required for the completion of the degree, the final requirement must be completed and examined by the end of the following semester.

Any exception to this policy must be approved by the Academic Policy Committee and the Designated School Official.

Note: This policy allows students opting for the three-credit final requirement (M.A.) a maximum of two regular semesters before being examined on it.

Health Insurance

All international students and research scholars are required to carry adequate major medical insurance (accident, illness, hospitalization), medical evacuation, and repatriation insurance for the duration of their enrollment (and occupancy of Hartford International apartments, when applicable) at Hartford International.

Housing

Normally, international students are required to live on campus for the first year of their study at Hartford International, subject to housing availability. For more detailed information, contact the Director of Administration and Facilities. Several rental options for student housing are also available in the surrounding area.

Any student living on-campus must receive the meningococcal vaccination (meningitis) and provide documentation to the Registrar’s Office. Students who do not comply with this requirement within one month of moving on-campus will be asked to leave student housing.

EducationUSA centers are the U.S. State Department‘s network of over 400 advising centers in 170 countries designed to assist local students find the appropriate college or university in the United States. Click on the link to find your center!