International Students

Unique requirements for all international students

If you live outside the U.S. or aren’t a U.S. citizen, you may be an international student.* To be categorized as an international student, and to meet the requirements for admission to Capella University, you must meet the following criteria:

*Note: U.S. citizens may be subject to the International Admissions requirements if their most recent academic credential came from a non-US institution.

1. Attended an internationally recognized institution

2. Proof of English proficiency: If your international post-secondary transcript states that your language of instruction was English, you will be exempt from having to provide additional proof of language proficiency. If not, you must demonstrate English proficiency at the academic level by achieving a minimum acceptable score on one of the tests listed below. Test scores must be submitted to Capella directly from the testing agency, and you must have taken the test within the past two years.

• Test of English as a Foreign Language: Paper-based: 550 / Internet-based: 79
• Michigan English Language Assessment Battery: 77
• International English Language Testing System: 6.5
• Pearson Test of English: 59

3. International Evaluations: Capella accepts international transcript evaluations from all organizations that are approved members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (Please see the NACES for a full list of approved members)*. The following are examples of approved NACES Evaluators:

• Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
• SpanTran The Evaluation Company
• World Education Services

*All transcript evaluations must include a course-by-course breakdown and come directly from the evaluation service to Capella. Each evaluation service charges their own service fee; please check with the approved members of the NACES for additional information.

Additional requirements

Some international students have additional requirements to meet based on their degree program or residency status. These requirements may include the following:

Licensure requirements

• Licensure requirements vary by location. Each student is responsible for understanding the requirements for his or her country, state, or region and ensuring that the selected program meets those requirements.

Attendance requirements

• Some programs require participation in clinical practicums or internships. If you enroll in one of these programs, you must be eligible to work and complete the practicum or internship in the United States. Allowances may also be made for Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Obtaining necessary authorization to participate at these sites is your responsibility.
• Some programs may require physical attendance at residency sites in the U.S. Refer to your program for detailed requirements.

Student visas

• Capella is an online university and does not issue I-20 Forms (U.S. Department of Homeland Security Certificates of Eligibility for student visas), therefore cannot fulfill requests for student visas.

Financial aid

• Capella participates in the Title IV (federal financial aid) program. Federal financial aid is available to U.S. citizens and eligible non-U.S. citizens. Additionally, Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is not available for FlexPath. Learn more about financing your degree.
• Canadian students are responsible for determining their eligibility for Canadian loans and tax credits. Capella courses may not meet certain requirements for Canadian loans and tax credits, including, but not limited to, the minimum week and continuous enrollment requirements. The Canada Revenue Agency has an extensive library of relevant documents and information pertaining to Canadian loans, scholarships, grants, and tax credits. You can also obtain educational information by subject from Canada’s library and archives, the Ontario Student Assistance Program, or scholarships for international study at International Scholarships.