International Student Requirements

Additional Required Application Materials for International Students

International students who hold, or who hope to obtain, F-1 or J-1 visas need to submit the three materials listed below as part of the application process, in addition to Proof of English Proficiency Scores. These materials are required for immigration and visa purposes.

A Note About Required Documentation

Uploading your documentation to the online application is recommended and will expedite the processing of your I-20, if you are admitted. However, these documents are not required in order to submit your application. If you prefer to provide this documentation after an admission decision is made, or if you do not have sufficient funds to cover your educational expenses and will rely on funding from the graduate program, you may submit this documentation later.

The graduate admissions committee does not have access to your financial documents and holistically makes admission and funding decisions based on merit alone. Graduate Assistantships are awarded competitively to the most academically qualified students. No additional materials are required to be considered for assistantships, unless outlined by your academic program. Should you have questions regarding departmental funding, please reach out to your academic program directly.

Additional information about cost & funding opportunities can be found here. 

Requirement #1: Passport

You will be asked to upload the page of your passport that includes your name, citizenship and date of birth. Including this page of your passport at the time of application will expedite the issuing of the I-20, if you are offered admission. 

Requirement #2: International Student Financial Statement (ISFS) Form

Download the  International Student Financial Statement (ISFS) form and follow the instructions carefully. This form will ask you to attest that you have enough funds for all tuition, fees and personal expenses for at least one year of graduate study at Binghamton University. See the ISFS form for complete instructions and required amounts for your program of study. If you are receiving University funding, you are still required to submit the ISFS form.

Requirement #3: Supporting Financial Documentation

In addition to the ISFS form, you must provide financial documentation that supports what you have indicated as your source of funding on the ISFS form. Most often, this means providing official bank statements or official scholarship/sponsorship letters from agencies or governments. See the ISFS form for complete instructions. If you are receiving University funding, your funding offer letter will be uploaded on your behalf. However, additional documentation will be required if the amount of funding offered by the University is less than the amount that you are required to certify.

Requirement #4: Proof of English Proficiency Requirement

What You Need to Know:

• International applicants may demonstrate English Language Proficiency using TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS, Pearson PTE Academic and the Duolingo English Test. Additional details regarding test score guidelines may be found below.
• All Proof of English Proficiency test scores should be delivered to the Office of Graduate Admissions electronically from the official examiner. Scores should not be sent directly to the academic department.
• Some academic departments require higher minimum scores than listed below. View program-specific admission requirements pages for details. Be sure to schedule your test with consideration for your academic program's application deadline. Please note that it can take up to 2 full weeks for the testing agency to process your order and deliver your scores to Binghamton University.
• English Language Proficiency waivers may be available to applicants who meet one or more criteria, which can be found below.

Test Score Guidelines:

TOEFL iBT: Binghamton University requires a minimum TOEFL score of 80 on the internet-Based Test (iBT).

• TOEFL iBT MyBest scores are accepted.
• The following TOEFL iBT tests are accepted:
  • TOEFL iBT test (taken at a test center),
  • TOEFL iBT Home Edition,
  • and TOEFL iBT Paper Edition**

** NOTE: The TOEFL iBT Paper Edition is no longer offered, however will continue to be accepted.

To learn more or to register for the test, visit the TOEFL website. To submit a score report, use Binghamton University's code: 2535.

TOEFL Essentials: Binghamton University requires a minimum TOEFL Essentials score of 9.

• TOEFL Essentials MyBest scores are accepted.

To learn more or to register for the test, visit the TOEFL Essentials website. To submit a score report, use Binghamton University's code: 2535.

IELTS: Binghamton University requires a minimum IELTS score of 6.5, with no band below 5.0.

• The IELTS Online option and IELTS Skill Retake are also accepted

To learn more or to register for the test, visit the IELTS website. Requests for IELTS score delivery to Binghamton University's Graduate Admissions Office must be submitted directly to the test center where you took the IELTS test.

Pearson PTE Academic: Binghamton University requires a minimum Pearson PTE Academic score of 53.

• The PTE Academic Online option is also accepted

To learn more or to register for the test, visit the Pearson PTE Academic website. To submit a score report, select "Binghamton University - State University of New York" from the score delivery menu.

Duolingo English Test: Binghamton University requires a minimum Duolingo score of 105.

To learn more or to register for the test, visit the Duolingo English Test website. To submit a score report, select "Binghamton University (SUNY)" from the list of institutions.

Waiver Eligibility

A waiver for the proof of English proficiency requirement is available to applicants who meet one or more of the following eligibility criteria at the time of enrollment into a graduate degree program at Binghamton University:

• The applicant is a citizen or permanent resident, from a country in the waiver list, where English is the official language and where English is the language of instruction. Waiver eligible countries are restricted to the following: United States, United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Gambia, Tanzania and some Canadian provinces.
• The applicant is expected to receive (or has received) a bachelor’s degree or higher from an institution located in a country on the waiver list. Waiver eligible countries are restricted to the following: United States, United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Gambia, Tanzania and some Canadian provinces.
• The applicant has completed at least two years of full-time study at an accredited higher education institution, from a country in the waiver list, where English is an official language and where English is the language of instruction. Waiver eligible countries are restricted to the following: United States, United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Gambia, Tanzania and some Canadian provinces. For applicants in this category please contact the Graduate Admissions Office to receive a waiver, as you may be required to certify that high school education was completed from an institution wherein the medium of instruction was English.
• The applicant is a current Binghamton University student.

Applicants who have not met one of these criteria, but will become eligible for a waiver of the English Language Proficiency requirement at the time of enrollment into a graduate degree program at Binghamton University, have two options:

1. Certify their English proficiency by submitting official scores from one of the tests listed above, or
2. Apply without certifying their English Language Proficiency. If an applicant is admitted without certifying their English proficiency, their offer of admission will be provisional until they submit qualifying scores or they have confirmed with the Office of Graduate Admissions that they are eligible for a waiver. Once eligibility is verified, the admission will be switched from provisional to regular status. Please note that applicants in provisional admission status are not eligible to receive an I-20/DS-2019 immigration document.

If you are unsure whether or not you meet the eligibility requirements for a waiver for the proof of English Language Proficiency requirement, please email the Office of Graduate Admissions.