The college is authorized to enroll nonimmigrant alien students. In keeping with guidelines set by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program, the college requires international students to complete the same admissions process as any other student. A pre-application, including documentation of English proficiency and financial ability to pay, must be completed prior to the full application being made available to an international student. For any applicant whose secondary preparation has been in a country where English is not the principal language and/or who’s spoken English is not proficient, a TOEFL score (Test of English as a Foreign Language) must be submitted as documentation of English proficiency. The college code for this test is 4264. The minimum score accepted for the B.A. degree is 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based). In those countries where English is the primary language, the applicant must submit a SAT or ACT score instead of the TOEFL as documentation of English proficiency.
International applicants who are in the United States on an R–1 visa are required to submit documentation from the organization in which the applicant is serving. This documentation indicates the organization is aware that the applicant will be attending college while in the U.S. Those applicants who have been granted refugee status should submit proper documentation to Life Pacific University.
Upon receipt of the pre-application and documentation of English proficiency, an application will be sent. When submitting this application the international student must also submit:
- Secondary school records verifying an education equivalent to that of a U.S. high school diploma. If the original documents are not in English, an official notarized English translation must be furnished by the applicant. If U.S. high school diploma equivalency cannot be determined from documents provided, the records will need to be evaluated by an official credentialing agency.
- All transcripts reflecting prior college or university coursework must be submitted. Transcripts must be evaluated, not just translated, by an official credentialing agency. Life Pacific University recommends using AERC (American Education Research Corporation, Inc.). The evaluation needs to be a detailed report including a subject-by-subject breakdown, semester unit equivalency, grading system equivalency and grade point average.
- The Confidential Financial Statement certifying his/her personal funds, and
- The Financial Certification Forms – one for each financial sponsor (if applicable).
According to U.S. law, international students may not accept off-campus employment or receive payment for services rendered. Therefore, international students must come prepared to pay full tuition, fees, and living costs. The first semester’s tuition and dorm fees must be paid in advance before a SEVIS I–20 form will be issued.
If you have attended a foreign college or university, your transcripts will need to be evaluated to determine how the courses you have taken compare to the courses offered at Life Pacific University. Any additional cost incurred by this process is the responsibility of the applicant. Although you can choose which company you would like to evaluate your transcripts, below are several companies that we recommend:
International students should allow a minimum of four months for the completion of files and subsequent review by the Admissions Committee. When the entire file is complete, it will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Upon approval for acceptance into the college, and upon receipt of the first semester’s tuition and dorm fees, a letter of acceptance and the SEVIS I–20 form will be sent to the applicant. The applicant must then present these documents to the U.S. Embassy / Consulate to apply for the F–1 visa. International students must arrive at the college on the move-in date for the semester they have been accepted to attend the college. To remain in approved status, international students must carry a minimum of 12 units each semester and a satisfactory GPA.
Once an applicant is accepted, final items will be required in order to become eligible to enroll in courses. If you have been accepted, your admissions counselor will help you with these items and notify you when they are needed. Requited enrollment items are:
