International Students

Admission to Baldwin Wallace is selective, and determined by a thorough review of all items submitted. Completed applications are reviewed on a daily basis with decisions determined within 2-4 weeks.

Required items are submitted through the applicant portal and include:

• Application
• Secondary School Transcripts
• Secondary School Report Form
• Teacher Recommendation
• International Student Certification of Financial Support Form
  • Prospective F-1 students must have the financial resources to live and study in the United States. This includes being able to cover the cost of tuition, books, living expenses and travel while enrolled. BW must collect evidence of the student's financial ability to attend BW for at least one year (or the program length, whichever is shorter) before issuing a Form I-20. Please review the Instructions for Completing the International Student Certification of Financial Support Form for additional information.
• Financial Sponsor Letter
  • A financial sponsor letter is required documentation if a sponsor is helping the student financially.
    • Sample financial sponsor letter
• One of the following exams*:
  • TOEFL (recommended scores of IBT 79, CBT 213, PBT 550)
  • IELTS (recommended composite of 6.5)
  • Duolingo (recommended score of 105)
  • SAT (recommended evidence-based reading/writing score of 520)
  • ACT (recommended English score of 21)

As noted, the score levels above are recommended but not required. As noted, the score levels above are recommended but not required. Students whose English language skills need development are encouraged to complete an ESL program through the LADO International Institute.

* Students who have taken an English language curriculum are highly encouraged to take the SAT or ACT exam. If these exams are not available, students should submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores.

Every admission file is reviewed by admission counselors, who holistically review every facet of the student's file, including the application, transcripts, recommendation letters, and student report form. While reviewing all of the documents, admission counselors look for consistency with personal identifiable information such as name, address, date of birth, transcript dates, etc. If inconsistencies are identified, authorized university personnel may request additional information as needed to confirm the validity of a student's credentials.

Students interested in pursuing a music major must submit the documents required for first-year undergraduate admission or transfer admission. Additional items required for Conservatory of Music applicants are as follows:

• Audition
• Music Teacher Evaluation

Students transferring to BW with college-level courses taken at another accredited college or university will need to submit the following items through the applicant portal:

• Application
• Official college or university transcripts
  • Students transferring with credits from outside of the United States must provide English translated documents as well as an evaluation of courses from World Educational Services (WES).
• Secondary school transcripts
  • Required for students who graduated secondary school less than five years from application or have less than 25 transferable credits.
• Letter of recommendation
• International Student Certification of Financial Support Form
  
  • Prospective F-1 students must have the financial resources to live and study in the United States. This includes being able to cover the cost of tuition, books, living expenses and travel while enrolled. BW must collect evidence of the student's financial ability to attend BW for at least one year (or the program length, whichever is shorter) before issuing a Form I-20. Please review the Instructions for Completing the International Student Certification of Financial Support Form for additional information.
• Financial Sponsor Letter
  • A financial sponsor letter is required documentation if a sponsor is helping the student financially.
    • Sample financial sponsor letter
• Current F-1 students transferring from another U.S. college or university must submit the transfer application and the F-1 Transfer Undergraduate Student Verification Form.
  
• One of the following exams are required if college-level English composition is not complete:

As noted, the score levels above are recommended but not required. As noted, the score levels above are recommended but not required. Students whose English language skills need development are encouraged to complete an ESL program through the LADO International Institute.

* Students who have taken an English language curriculum are highly encouraged to take the SAT or ACT exam. If these exams are not available, students should submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores.

Every admission file is reviewed by admission counselors, who holistically review every facet of the student's file, including the application, transcripts, recommendation letters, and student report form. While reviewing all of the documents, admission counselors look for consistency with personal identifiable information such as name, address, date of birth, transcript dates, etc. If inconsistencies are identified, authorized university personnel may request additional information as needed to confirm the validity of a student's credentials.

Baldwin Wallace University offers a variety of master's degrees and post-bachelor's degree programs, but not all of the programs are able to accept non-US citizens. The links below will provide additional information on the programs able to accept non-US citizens:

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Leadership in Higher Education (MAEd)
• Master of Arts in Education (MAEd)
• Physician Assistant (MMS)
• Speech-Language Pathology (MS)
• Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)

A WELCOMING, SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY ... IT'S IN BW'S DNA

In 1845, Baldwin Wallace was founded as one of the first colleges in the nation to admit students without regard to race or gender. Today, you'll find that spirit of inclusiveness has flourished and evolved into a personalized approach to education: one that fosters your individual growth as you learn to learn, experience new ideas and prepare for the certainty of change. Consistent with BW's commitment to inclusivity, undocumented and DACA students are valuable members of the BW community.

Undocumented/DACA candidates who wish to apply to Baldwin Wallace University should be familiar with U.S. government laws and changes regarding DACA.

At BW, undocumented/DACA students are classified as international student applicants, though they are NOT required to submit an International Student Certification of Financial Support Form, with an admission made independent of their financial situation. Although they are not eligible for federal funding, undocumented and DACA students are eligible for any scholarships open to international students.

Additional Funding Resources

• Scholarships that do not request immigration status: Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
• Scholarships for undocumented students

Frequently Asked Questions

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Questions?

• For additional questions, please contact Joyce Cendroski, Director of Undergraduate Admission at intladms@bw.edu or (440) 826-2222.

LADO International Institute provides ESL programs for international students who need to meet the English language proficiency requirements required for admission to BW. LADO's programs are available online and at its Arlington, Virginia, campus.

LADO students will:

• Improve English skills quickly
• Transition seamlessly from LADO to BW
• Receive a renewable $2,000 LADO Scholarship if they enroll in an undergraduate program at BW immediately after completing the LADO program.

For more information about LADO, please contact the BW admission office at (440) 826-2222 or intladms@bw.edu.

Swagata Banik (India)
Public Health

Karen Barahona (Honduras)
Foreign Languages and Literature

Xudong Chen (China)
Economics

Navneet Grant (India)
Computer Science

Chungsim Han (South Korea)
Mathematics and Computer Science

Raed Ba Helah (Yemen)
Public Health

Sungjin Im (South Korea)
Religion

X. Gloria Liu (China)
Business

Narasimha Mohan (India)
Business

Sungeun Kim (South Korea)
Conservatory of Music

Helen Muga (Papua New Guinea)
Engineering

Christian Nsiah (Ghana)
Business

Ven Ochaya (Uganda)
Business

Herman Sahni (India)
Economics

Chisomo Selemani (Zambia)
Communication Sciences & Disorders

Param Srikantia (India)
Business

Liya Wang (China)
Sociology

Yueming Yang (China)
Computer Science

The scholarships and special awards outlined below are for foreign nationals and DACA students.

Students will be notified of scholarships for which they are eligible at the time of admission to the University.

U.S. citizens, dual U.S. citizens, green card holders, eligible non-citizens who qualify to file a FAFSA, and residents of most U.S. territories should review the financial aid information for first-year students and transfer students.

The International Student Resource Center
International Education Finance Corporation
EduPASS - Smart Student Guide to Studying in the USA
Education USA

Full-Time Students

12-18 credit hours per semester

¹ Listed cost is the combined total for a standard double room and the prime meal plan.

² An annual $400 Student Activity Fee ($100 for part-time students) is applied to all student accounts who first enrolled at BW as first-year students in fall 2021 or later. This fee is applied to the student balance, $200 each semester ($50 for part-time students), and is eligible for financial aid support. This fee is not refundable. The fee is used to enhance the quality of activities that directly benefit students, including programs, services, student facility improvements, and events. These activities enrich the student experience, build community, and help students stay on track toward graduation.

³ A one-time $200 Onboarding Fee for first-year and transfer students provides access to online, virtual and in-person orientation and onboarding programs that ensure a successful start at BW. This fee is applied to the student balance and is not eligible for financial aid support. This fee is not refundable.

Part-Time Students

1-11 credit hours per semester

Full-Time Students

12-18 credit hours per semester

¹ Listed cost is the combined total for a standard double room and the prime meal plan.

² An annual $400 Student Activity Fee ($100 for part-time students) is applied to all student accounts who first enrolled at BW as first-year students in fall 2021 or later. This fee is applied to the student balance, $200 each semester ($50 for part-time students), and is eligible for financial aid support. This fee is not refundable. The fee is used to enhance the quality of activities that directly benefit students, including programs, services, student facility improvements, and events. These activities enrich the student experience, build community, and help students stay on track toward graduation.

³ A one-time $200 Onboarding Fee for first-year and transfer students provides access to online, virtual and in-person orientation and onboarding programs that ensure a successful start at BW. This fee is applied to the student balance and is not eligible for financial aid support. This fee is not refundable.

Part-Time Students

1-11 credit hours per semester

As soon as you have been admitted to BW, your BW username and email account are created. Your username grants you access to new and continuing updates regarding any financial information that is sent exclusively to your BW email. Once you are ready to commit to BW, your username/password also allows you to submit your new student deposit (step #2). Please retrieve your username at your earliest convenience by visiting myaccount.bw.edu and start monitoring your BW email for important information.

To retrieve your BW Network Account, go to myaccount.bw.edu and confirm your identity using your BW student ID, which is printed on the enrollment confirmation card enclosed with your letter of admission. If you don't know your BW student ID or have questions, please contact the admission office at admission@bw.edu or (440) 826-2222.

Your BW username and email address will be displayed after completing this form.

Accessing BW Email Once You Have Retrieved Your BW Username

Access your BW email account: email.bw.edu

Submit payment with your enrollment agreement card or pay online now.

To pay online, log into the BW Payment Portal using your BW username (the username that you created above in step #1). If you have questions, please contact the admission office at admission@bw.edu or (440) 826-2222.

In the BW Payment Portal, follow these steps to make your payment:

• Select DEPOSITS in the top menu
• Select your TERM
• From the SELECT A DEPOSIT dropdown, choose your DEPOSIT PAYMENT
• Complete the steps in Payment Portal using your preferred method of payment

Deposit Refunds

Please note that the new student deposit is refundable until November 15 for spring 2024 enrollment and May 1 for fall 2024 enrollment. To receive a refund, students must deposit and withdraw from BW prior to the above dates and request in writing for their deposit to be refunded prior to the start of the semester.

The International Student Services (ISS) Office will be sending your form I-20 Packet in the mail (sent via FedEx or DHL). Please make sure that ISS has your most current address and confirm with ISS that you have received your form I-20.

You will need to pay your SEVIS fee before a F visa will be issued. View information on how to pay your 1-901 SEVIS fee.

Students Entering Fall 2024

Onboarding forms will be posted in early 2024.

Regardless of whether you applied test-optional to BW, all new first-year students must provide some type of test score before a class schedule is created. Indicate whether you intend to submit ACT/SAT test scores for course placement or if you intend to take the Accuplacer placement test. A class schedule will not be created for you until we receive your placement test information (ACT, SAT, or Accuplacer).

Now, you need to purchase your airline ticket. After you have confirmed your flight to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, please email Kristen Catrina at kcatrina@bw.edu with all of your flight information.

Airport pickup from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport may be available for first-year students. BW's International Student Services representative will assist students in checking in to the residence hall and provide an updated schedule for the international student orientation. Pack your luggage and get ready for a new and exciting experience!

Before you travel, be sure to review the U.S. Department of State international travel guidelines.

Social media

Tell family and friends you're a Yellow Jacket for Life (YJ4L) and connect with other future and current Yellow Jackets.

@BWadmission @BWadmission

Virtual Visits

• Schedule a one-on-one virtual counselor appointment with an admission counselor.
• Take a virtual tour of BW.

We are here to assist you with your questions. Please contact our admission office at (440) 826-2222 or intladms@bw.edu.

International first-year students should contact:

Ricki Janis at (440) 826-8008 or rjanis@bw.edu

International transfer students should contact:

Janna Whitaker at (440) 826-8010 or jwhitake@bw.edu

International graduate and professional program students should contact:

Kate Glaser at (440) 826-8016 or kglaser@bw.edu