International Students
Marlboro College Graduate School offers enrollment to international students in two engaging programs:
- the MA in Teaching for Social Justice (MATS) program
- the MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATL) program
Below, you will find helpful information for international students interested in enrolling on one of these two programs. If you have further questions about enrollment and admissions, please contact Joe Heslin, director of graduate admissions, at +011-1-802-258-9209 or by email at jheslin@gradschool.marlboro.edu.
Any international student interested in the MATS or MATL program will need to apply for admission to Marlboro College Graduate School as a full-time, degree-seeking graduate student, a requirement of the United States Department of Homeland Security. Our other programs have more limited face-to-face meetings, and therefore do not meet this student visa requirement.
Application Instructions
For your application to be processed, we need to receive the following:
- Completed Online Application
- Official Transcripts and/ or WES Evaluation (see note below)
- 2 letters of recommendation
- Statement of intent
- TOEFL Score (required - see note below)
- Completed International Students Certification of Finances (Please download and fill out the form)
- For students transferring from a U.S. institution, a completed Transfer Certification Form
Please note: Documents submitted to Marlboro College Graduate School will not be returned to the student.
Transcript requirements
- International students who have been awarded a bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution of higher education may apply for direct admission into graduate degree programs by providing official transcripts of their undergraduate education.
- International students awarded a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education in a foreign country may apply for direct admission into graduate degree programs with an official transcript and a certified translation of that transcript. A transcript evaluation (see below) is highly encouraged.
- All international students must follow admissions requirements for the specific graduate program they choose.
Transcript Evaluation
A transript evaluation is highly encouraged of all international students who have studied outside of the United States. Transcipt evaluation can be performed by any accredited transcript evaluation service, such as WES (World Education Services). Please check here for a full list of acceptable service providers.
You should apply for the course-by-course evaluation if you have completed any university-level coursework. It is critical that you read and follow the "Required Documents" information specific to your country of study to ensure that your evaluation is completed as quickly as possible.
If your transcripts and diplomas are in languages other than English, you must provide a translation. Please make sure that Marlboro College Graduate School is listed as one of the recipients of the evaluation.
In certain instances, Marlboro's International Applicant Review Committee may be able to do the evaluation of transcripts from foreign schools. Please ask about this early in your admissions process as transcript evaluation can take up to a month.
Language Requirements
As an international student applying to Marlboro, you need to have a level of English-speaking and writing skills that will allow you to be fully engaged in classrooms and the community.
For students whose first language is not English, submit official TOEFL scores directly sent from the testing centers to Marlboro College Graduate School, (the Graduate School’s code is 3509-01). TOEFL information is available from US embassies worldwide, as well as through the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08540 USA and at www.ets.org.
Students with academic degrees from native English speaking countries (Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand and United Kingdom) do not have to submit TOEFL scores. The requirement for students who have attended a U.S. institution for a period of one or more years may be waived on an individual basis. To be considered for official TOEFL or IELTS waiver, students must submit official transcripts of academic study, showing proof of attendance at a U.S. institution and satisfactory academic progress during their period of study. If you are transferring from a school within the United States, we must also receive a completed transfer form from your current school.
Academic qualifications include a minimum TOEFL score of 80 (internet-based), 213 (computer-based) or 550 (paper-based).
Completed Statement of Finances
Provide, by sending through mail, the information requested in our International Students Certification of Finances.
Note: Those applying for distance education programs only, who will not enter the United States need not provide this information. Applicants with permanent resident status do not have to send financial documentation but will need to send a copy of their permanent resident card.
Transferring Students
International students who are currently studying in the United States, and wish to transfer to Marlboro College Graduate School from a U.S. institution, must submit a copy of the current valid immigration document, visa, I 94, and passport as well as the Transfer of Certification Form.
Evaluation and Acceptance Process
- After we receive the required documents for admissions, we will evaluate your transcripts and notify you of your acceptance into the program.
- You will be asked to go online and download our Certification of Finances for International Students and will be required to mail this to us.
- Once we receive this completed and signed document by post and verify it, we will send an I-20 which the student will bring to their visa interview at the US Embassy.
For specific questions concerning your graduate program application, please contact Joe Heslin, Admissions Director.
For specific questions concerning your VISA process please contact Susie Belleci, Associate Director of World Studies.
Please note: Official documents submitted to Marlboro College Graduate School will not be returned to the student.
Important notes on Maintaining Your Student Status
Once you enter the US as a non-immigrant student, you are required to meet the following obligations in order to maintain your lawful student status. You must:
- Be enrolled as a full-time student each semester during on-campus phases of Marlboro College Graduate School (7 credit hours is required for full-time graduate status).
- Not participate in any Off-Campus Employment without proper authorization from the Department of Homeland Security.
- Complete your educational program by the date specified on your I-20 or DS2019. If you cannot complete your program in time, you must meet with the Associate Director of World Studies and apply for program extension at least 15 days before your I-20 or DS2019 expires.
- Notify the Associate Director of World Studies if you plan to transfer from Marlboro College Graduate School to another school or language institution.
- Keep the registrar and Associate Director of World Studies informed of your current address, telephone number, and email address.
- Notify the Department of Homeland Security of a change of address with in 10 days of the change.
- Keep your passport valid at all times.
- Maintain insurance coverage for yourself and all dependants in the US.
Failure to Maintain Status
If you fail to maintain your lawful F-1 or J-1 status, you are considered to be unlawfully present in the US. The student may request to be reinstated by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and only the Department of Homeland Security is authorized to decide whether or not to reinstate the student. Violations of status and being unlawfully present in the US carry serious consequences, so make sure that you carefully follow the regulations and properly maintain your status at all times.
Refer to the USCIS Fact Sheet for more information on maintaining your student status.
