Information for Foreign Students

JD Certificate Program | LLM Program | SJD Program

Visa Requirements

International degree candidates are responsible for ensuring that they meet the requisite student visa requirements and regulations to effect their entry into the United States. The requirements vary depending upon the country of residence and citizenship. It will include proof of financial capacity for the candidate and/or dependents. This also includes, to meet IPLP admissions policy, a TOEFL score of 600 or above (or the computer based equivalent). While the immigration process is initiated by the issuance of an I-20 form by UA, it is the international candidate’s responsibility to secure proper documents to perfect their immigration status. Once you have received your I-20, please direct your questions relating to your immigration requirements to Melissa Tatum, IPLP Program Associate Director, in conjunction with Joanne Lagasse-Long, Director, Office of International Student Programs and Services.

Mandatory Student Health Insurance

International degree candidates are required to enroll in the UA Campus Health Care plan. A variety of options are available and international candidates must consult with the available services. The UA Health Care website contains important student health care plan information and health care premiums/rates.

Social Security

The rules regarding a Social Security Number (SSN) have changed. You are only eligible to obtain an SSN if you are holding an F-1 visa and you have actual employment. Employment will need to be verified by the employer as well as the Designated School Official (DSO) at the International Student Programs and Services (ISPS) Office, located at 915 N. Tyndall. If you are an F-1 student and plan to be employed, you wil need the following documents to apply for an SSN:

1. a completed application for a social security card. The application is available online or can be picked up at the Social Security Administration Office at 3500 N. Campbell Ave.
2. a valid passport.
3. your valid SEVIS I-20,
4. your I-94 card,
5. a letter from the DSO stating that you are authorized to engage in on-campus employment, the nature of the employment to be engaged in, and identifying the on-campus employer for whom you will be working, and
6. a statement from your on-campus employer to prove that you are engaging in, or have secured, specific employment.

You may download any of the required forms to be included with your SSN application at the ISPS home page.

If you are an F-1 student receiving a scholarship, stipend, fellowship or any other type of monetary award that is over and beyond the cost of tuition and/or registration fees, you are not eligible for an SSN. This does not constitute employment. It is considered a cash award. If this is the case, you will need to apply for an Individual Tax Payer's Identification Number (ITIN) from the IRS. This number can be obtained by completing a Form W-7, "Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number" and submitting it, in person, along with the documents listed on the instructions. The ITIN is only for tax filing purposes. More information regarding an ITIN can be found at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1915.pdf.

The rules for obtaining an SSN are different if you hold a J-1 student visa. Please contact the ISPS at 520 621-4627 or email at isps@email.arizona.edu for more information.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) & The Center for English as a Second Language (CESL)

Proficiency in English

International students must demonstrate proficiency in English as one of the conditions for admission to the IPLP LLM or the SJD Program. Submission of a minimum score of 600 (or an equivalent computer-based score) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required for all applicants whose native language is not English.

International students must arrange for their testing and test reporting through TOEFL Services.

Contact information:
TOEFL Services, Educational Testing Service
P.O. Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 08541-6151
1-609-771-7100
E-mail Address: toefl@ets.org
www.toefl.org

Pursuant to the Graduate College admissions policy at the University of Arizona, applicants who have completed two years of full-time, upper division, academic study in the U.S., or who have received a bachelor's or graduate degree from institutions in the United States, English-speaking Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, or New Zealand are exempt from submitting TOEFL scores.

However, if the student has been residing outside these countries since completing study or earning a degree, he or she may be required to submit current TOEFL scores as part of the admissions process.

The Center for English as a Second Language (CESL)

Prospective students who lack college-level English proficiency or who would like to increase their English ability can attend full-time English language training on campus at the Center for English as a Second Language (CESL). Full semester or summer term sessions carry no college credit. However, students can meet the Graduate College's English proficiency requirement for admission by completing a full-time day program at CESL and obtaining written verification from the Director of CESL that they have attained satisfactory proficiency in the English language.

Further information can be requested from:
The Center for English as a Second Language
1100 E. James E. Rogers Way
The University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210024
Tucson, Arizona 85721-0024, U.S.A.
Phone: 520.621.1362
Web Link: www.cesl.arizona.edu

JD Certificate Program | LLM Program | SJD Program