Admission and English Language Requirements

All international students must demonstrate English language proficiency for admission. Students who do not meet the English proficiency requirement may be admitted conditionally. See below for more information on *Conditional Admission.

Students can demonstrate English proficiency through any of the following four ways:

1. English Proficiency Exams

You must submit an official score report from one of these tests. Test scores are considered valid for two years from the testing date.

• TOEFL iBT/Home: 80 or above (20 minimum in all bands)
  • Illinois Tech's TOEFL code is 1318.
  • Illinois Tech does not accept TOEFL MyBest Scores.
• IELTS Academic: 6.5 or above (6.0 minimum in all bands)
  • Request your scores be sent to Illinois Tech electronically. You can also input your IELTS test number in your Illinois Tech application tracker.
  • Illinois Tech does not accept IELTS Online.
• Duolingo English Test: 115 total or above (115 minimum in all subscores)
  • After receiving your certified test results, share your score with Illinois Tech through Duolingo’s website.

If you do not meet the test score criteria above, you may still be eligible for Conditional Admission. See below for more information on *Conditional Admission.

2. Completion of an intensive English program

• Illinois Tech IEP Level 4
• ELS Level 112

3. Completion of 60 semester hours at US institutions within the last 36 months

4. Degree from a country listed below AND have attended that school for at least two years

Applicants who do not hold undergraduate degrees from a country listed above but who have lived, worked, or studied in the United States for a substantial period of time may meet the English proficiency requirement and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Your admission specialist in the Office of Graduate Admission will coordinate this determination with English Language Services.

Note: If you do not meet our minimum English proficiency requirements, or if there is other evidence that suggests you may need additional English training, you may be required to take additional English courses as determined by our professional English Language Services faculty.

*Conditional Admission

International applicants who are interested in attending Illinois Tech, and who meet academic and financial requirements, but do not meet the minimum English proficiency requirements, may be offered conditional admission.

1. Admission with additional English language courses: Applicants are offered admission on the condition that they enroll concurrently in English language courses alongside their other university courses, as determined by our English Language Services department.
2. Admission after intensive English program: Applicants are offered admission on the condition that they first complete an intensive English program as listed above. Students who are offered this admission path are automatically considered for Illinois Tech's Intensive English Program.

You must demonstrate that you or your sponsor have the available finances to meet the educational and living expenses while you are a student at Illinois Tech.

Please note: the minimum dollar amount may vary based on any merit-based scholarships awarded.

To fulfill this requirement, you must complete the Financial Affidavit of Responsibility form and provide acceptable Proof of Funds.

The Proof of Funds may be in the form of a letter bearing the bank's seal and signature or a bank statement of financial transactions stating that funds are readily available. Please visit the Office of Global Services Financial Documents Guidelines webpage for the full policy to learn about acceptable documents.

It is important to remember the following things when submitting your Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form:

• Proof of finances can only be demonstrated by funds in liquid cash accounts. Funds such as salary verification letters, pay stubs, tax return forms, insurance policies and real estate or property holdings are not an acceptable source of funds.
• If you submit Proof of Funds in an account that is not in your own name, you must have your sponsor complete the Sponsor Certification section of the Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form.
• You may submit bank statements from two or more sponsors. However, each sponsor must complete the Sponsor Certification section of the Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form.
• The bank statement you provide must clearly show the currency of the funds in the account.
• The Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form is not needed for admission and will be requested from you after paying the admission deposit fee.
• If you have been awarded an institutional scholarship from Illinois Tech, you may deduct your scholarship amount from the total amount of expenses required for the I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1).

The Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form and Proof of Funds will be uploaded to your Application Status Page.

Please note: this information is required to issue the Immigration and Customs Enforcement form I-20 or DS-2019, which you will use to obtain an F1 or J-1 visa.

Most international students who wish to enter the United States for educational purposes must apply for a student visa. Degree-seeking international students at Illinois Tech will receive a Form I-20 to apply for an F-1 student visa, whereas non-degree-seeking international students (visiting and exchange students) will receive a Form DS-2019 to apply for a J-1 student visa.

Students must complete the following steps to receive their immigration documents and receive a visa to study at Illinois Tech.

Please note: Canadian citizens have a different process outlined below.

1. Submit Required Documentation

All students must submit a copy of their passport, Proof of Funds, and a Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form to receive an I-20 or DS-2019. You may upload a copy of your passport and financial documentation on the Application Status Page. Upon admission and submission of required documents, I-20s and DS-2019s are generally processed within five business days.

Students who are currently studying in the United States will need to request a SEVIS transfer release from their current institution before we can issue an I-20. SEVIS records can only be available to one school at a time, so students must end their studies at their current institution or end their OPT/STEM OPT time before being eligible to transfer their SEVIS record and receive an I-20 from Illinois Tech.

2. Obtain a Form I-20/Form DS-2019

Please ensure that your name, biographical information, and program information are all listed correctly on your I-20 or DS-2019, as this information will be used for the visa stamp in your passport.

3. Pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee

All new students must pay a SEVIS fee before the United States Department of State will issue a visa. We recommend paying this fee as soon as you receive your immigration documents to allow sufficient time for the fee payment to be updated in your SEVIS record. Upon payment, you will be issued a receipt that you must bring to your visa appointment.

4. Schedule a Visa Interview

We recommend applying for your visa as early as possible, as interview appointments and visa processing wait times vary by country. The steps of applying for a visa and scheduling an interview vary based on the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply.

You will need the following information to schedule your interview:

Full university name: Illinois Institute of Technology
University address: 10 West 35th Street, Chicago, IL 60616
School Code (for I-20’s): CHI214F00379000
Program Number (for DS-2019’s): P-1-00266

5. Attend Visa Interview

The documents you are required to bring to your visa interview will depend on your location, so you should confirm with your local embassy or consulate what documentation is required. In general, you should prepare to bring the following documents:

• Passport valid for at least six months into the future
• Original Illinois Tech I-20 or DS-2019
• Official Illinois Tech admission letter (included in your I-20 or DS-2019 package)
• Completed and signed visa application forms
• Photograph(s) in the required format
• Receipt of SEVIS I-901 fee payment
• Proof of funding sufficient to cover your tuition and living expenses during the first year of your program. You may demonstrate this by providing the original versions of the financial documentation you submitted to receive your immigration documents.

For more visa tips, please visit NAFSA for points to remember when applying for a student visa.

6. Arrive in the United States

You are allowed to enter the U.S. up to 30 days prior to the start date listed on your I-20 or DS-2019. Make sure to carry your immigration documents (passport with visa, I-20 or DS-2019, financial documents) with you in your carry-on luggage. You are required to complete the new International Student Check-In process with Illinois Tech’s Office of Global Services within two days of arriving in Chicago. If you have an F-1 visa, you will have a “grace period” of 60 days following your program end date to leave the U.S. If you are a J-1 student, you will be required to leave the U.S. within 30 days of your program completion date.

CANADIAN CITIZENS

Canadian citizens do not need student visas to study in the U.S.; however, you do need to obtain an I-20 or DS-2019 from Illinois Tech. As soon as you receive your immigration documents you should pay the SEVIS I-901 fee.

When you cross the border to study in the U.S. you will need to provide the officer at the port of entry:

• Valid passport
• Original Illinois Tech I-20 or DS-2019
• Receipt of SEVIS I-901 fee payment
• Proof of funding sufficient to cover your tuition and living expenses during the first year of your program; you may demonstrate this by providing the original versions of the financial documentation you submitted to receive your immigration documents.
• Proof of your ties to Canada

For additional information, please contact the Illinois Tech's Office of Global Services at global@iit.edu.