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McNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY

International

Office of International Programs

Documents

Int. Admission Forms

App Deadlines

Fall applications - due June 1
Spring applications - due October 1
*For information on applications submitted after the deadline, contact intinfo@mcneese.edu.
Learn About Funding Sources

Admissions For International Students

We're thrilled you've decided to become a Cowboy and join the thousands of others who have made McNeese their first choice. Start your application by choosing which student type best fits you below:

Note: Before you start the application process, make sure meet admission requirements.

Admission Requirements

It's important to note that, as a visiting student, your enrollment is limited to the term your application is approved for, and you are not eligible for financial aid since you are not considered degree-pursuing student at McNeese. If you want to transfer to McNeese, you will have to meet the admission requirements and apply as a transfer student.

International Freshman Students

McNeese is happy to welcome over 400 international students representing 40 countries every year. If you are a citizen of another country seeking enrollment at McNeese, follow the checklist below to apply. If you are a DACA immigrant, pending/granted asylum seeker or permanent resident you will apply as a domestic student. If you are an international student that graduated from a U.S. high school, you will still apply as an international student, but will meet domestic requirements. Head over to the Domestic Admission Requirements for your admission requirements.

Applications that are received after the deadline may not be processed in time for admission or scholarship consideration. Be sure to allow at least two months before the application deadline for visa request, issuance and travel.

Other credits

If you have completed Advanced-Level coursework through the Cambridge International Examination System or International Baccalaureate coursework, your credit could be used at McNeese. All transfer credit is evaluated on an individual basis. See this table to find out your transfer equivalencies.

Start Application Process

Application Steps

Pay a nonrefundable $30 application fee
Proof of Immunization Compliance
Have your transcripts and diplomas from all secondary schools attended sent directly to McNeese. The Office of International Programs will calculate your GPA.
If you have SAT scores, please have CollegeBoard send them directly to McNeese (school code 6403). SAT/ACT scores are not required for international students, but you may need to take course placement exams upon arrival.
Submit your TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic score report. If you have a Duolingo English score, please log into your Duolingo account and have the report sent to internationaloffice@mcneese.edu. If you can't provide one of these score reports, you can demonstrate English proficiency in one of the ways outlined in our admission requirements.
Submit a copy of your passport.

After You Apply:

(Optional) Apply for on-campus housing
(Optional) Purchase a commuter or residence campus dining meal plan

A final admissions decision cannot be made until the McNeese Office of International Programs has received all required official transcripts, forms, documents and exam scores. After you're approved for admission to McNeese and issued an I-20 form, you will need to file a student visa application.

Mail application materials to:
McNeese State University
International Programs
PO BOX 90180
Lake Charles, LA 70609 USA

Transfer Students

We're so happy you've decided to become a Cowboy! If you have received credit for any university or college classes attended within the US or in another country, you are considered to be a transfer student. Like most other universities, McNeese accepts credits earned elsewhere, though these credits are subject to review and approval.
If you have credits from a US university or college, they will be processed and evaluated once you are accepted to McNeese and the final transcript from the institution is received by McNeese's Office of International Programs. If you have credits from an overseas college or university, these will be evaluated by your intended degree program's department.

Start Application Process

Application Steps

Pay a nonrefundable application fee of $30
Proof of Immunization Compliance
Submit a copy of your passport.
Regardless of credit hours earned, if you have attended an institution outside of the U.S., you must submit a course-by-course Evaluation of Foreign Credentials directly from the evaluation service to McNeese. McNeese recommends The Evaluation Company (TEC; formerly SpanTran) for evaluation services. We will also accept evaluations from: International Education Evaluation, World Education Services Inc.and Global Credential Evaluators.

Students transferring with 18+ credit hours:

Students who show successful completion of college-level English and Mathematics and have earned 18+ semester credit hours are not required to submit High School Transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, or proof of English Proficiency.

  • If you have attended only U.S. institutions for undergraduate study, have your official transcripts sent directly to McNeese from all universities or colleges previously attended.

Students transferring with fewer than 18 credit hours:

Students who have taken fewer than 18 credit hours must submit an official High School transcripts and diploma in addition to college/university transcripts. Students must submit SAT, ACT, or Accuplacer scores unless they can show successful completion of college-level English and Mathematics. Students who have successfully completed college-level English will not be required to show proof of English proficiency.

  • Have your transcripts and diplomas from all secondary schools attended sent directly to McNeese. The Office of International Programs will calculate your GPA
  • If you have attended only U.S. institutions for undergraduate study, have your official transcripts sent directly to McNeese from all universities or colleges previously attended.
  • If you have SAT scores, please have CollegeBoard send them directly to McNeese (school code 6403). SAT scores are not required for admission, but if you have not taken college-level math, you may need to take a course placement test upon arrival at McNeese. See this chart for more information.
  • Submit your TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic score report. If you have a Duolingo English score, please log into your Duolingo account and have the report sent to internationaloffice@mcneese.edu. If you can't provide one of these score reports, you can demonstrate English proficiency in one of the ways outlined in our admission requirements.
* Please note: Students who utilize The Evaluation Company (TEC; formerly SpanTran), IEE or WES for evaluation services are not required to separately submit official transcripts and diplomas to McNeese. Students who utilize other companies will be required to separately submit official transcripts and diplomas. Please see our academic catalog for more details.
After You Apply:

Submit a signed affidavit and bank letter from your sponsor.
(Optional) Apply for on-campus housing
(Optional) Purchase a commuter or residence campus dining meal plan

A final admissions decision cannot be made until the McNeese Office of International Programs has received all required official transcripts, forms, documents and exam scores. After you're approved for admission to McNeese and issued an I-20 form, you will need to file a student visa application.

Mail application materials to:

McNeese State University
International Programs
PO BOX 90180
Lake Charles, LA 70609 USA

International Graduate Students

Find your home away from home at McNeese, where we welcome over 400 international students representing 40 countries every year. Before you start the application process, view our Graduate School requirements and the minimum requirements for specific graduate schools.

Note: Admission to Graduate School does not imply admission to a specific graduate degree program. Different programs may have different GPA, GRE, GMAT, letter of recommendation, or other prerequisite requirements for acceptance. Make sure to check your desired program's page for additional admission criteria.

Start Application Process

Application Steps

Pay a nonrefundable $30
Proof of Immunization Compliance
If you have attended only U.S. institutions for undergraduate study, have your official transcripts sent directly to McNeese from all universities or colleges previously attended.
If you have attended an institution outside of the U.S., submit an Evaluation of Foreign Credentials directly from the evaluation service to McNeese. McNeese recommends The Evaluation Company (TEC; formerly SpanTran) for evaluation services. We will also accept evaluations from: International Education Evaluation, World Education Services Inc. and Global Credential Evaluators.
Submit your TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic score report. If you have a Duolingo English score, please log into your Duolingo account and have the report sent to internationaloffice@mcneese.edu. If you can't provide one of these score reports, you can demonstrate English proficiency in one of the ways outlined in our admission requirements.
Submit your official GRE scores (Code 6403).
Submit a copy of your passport.

* Please note: Students who utilize The Evaluation Company (TEC; formerly SpanTran), IEE or WES for evaluation services arenot required to separately submit official transcripts and diplomas to McNeese. Students who utilize other companies will be required to separately submit official transcripts and diplomas. Please see our academic catalog for more details.
After You Apply:

Submit a signed affidavit and bank letter from your sponsor.
(Optional) Apply for on-campus housing
(Optional) Purchase a commuter or residence campus dining meal plan

Mail application materials to:

McNeese State University
International Programs
PO BOX 90180
Lake Charles, LA 70609

McNeese State University reserves the exclusive right to determine whether the documentation provided meets the minimum criteria necessary for the admission of international students to the Graduate School.
Once all required documents are received by the Office of International Programs, the records will be carefully evaluated, and an admission decision will be made by the Office of International Programs and the appropriate department head or graduate faculty advisor. If you are accepted, a letter of acceptance and a SEVIS Form I-20 will be issued. (The SEVIS Form I-20 is only issued to those applicants seeking to enroll while in F-1 visa status.) If you are not accepted, a notification will be sent.

International Graduate Transfers

If you're looking to continue your graduate studies, you've come to the right place – we're happy you want to join the Cowboy graduate student community. If you have received graduate credit for university classes attended within the US or in another country, you are considered to be a graduate transfer student. Like most other universities, McNeese accepts credits earned elsewhere, though these credits are subject to review and approval by your intended degree program’s department.

Note: Admission to Graduate School does not imply admission to a specific graduate degree program. Different programs may have different GPA, GRE, GMAT, letter of recommendation, or other prerequisite requirements for acceptance. See the minimum requirements for specific graduate schools and make sure to check your desired program's page for any additional admission criteria.

Start Application Process

Application Steps

Pay a nonrefundable $30 application fee
Proof of Immunization Compliance
If you have attended only U.S. institutions for undergraduate / graduate study, have your official transcripts sent directly to McNeese from all universities or colleges previously attended.
If you have attended an institution outside of the U.S., submit an Evaluation of Foreign Credentials directly from the evaluation service to McNeese. McNeese recommends The Evaluation Company (TEC; formerly SpanTran) for evaluation services. We will also accept evaluations from: International Education Evaluation, World Education Services Inc. and Global Credential Evaluators.
Submit your TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic score report. If you have a Duolingo English score, please log into your Duolingo account and have the report sent to internationaloffice@mcneese.edu. If you can't provide one of these score reports, you can demonstrate English proficiency in one of the ways outlined in our admission requirements.
Submit your official GRE scores (Code 6403).
Submit a copy of your passport.

* Please note: Students who utilize The Evaluation Company (TEC; formerly SpanTran), IEE or WES for evaluation services are not required to separately submit official transcripts and diplomas to McNeese. Students who utilize other companies will be required to separately submit official transcripts and diplomas. Please see our academic catalog for more details.
After You Apply:

Submit a signed affidavit and bank letter from your sponsor.
(Optional) Apply for on-campus housing
(Optional) Purchase a commuter or residence campus dining meal plan

Mail application materials to:

McNeese State University
International Programs
PO BOX 90180
Lake Charles, LA 70609 USA

McNeese State University reserves the exclusive right to determine whether the documentation provided meets the minimum criteria necessary for the admission of international students to the Graduate School.
Once all required documents are received by the Office of International Programs, the records will be carefully evaluated, and an admission decision will be made by the Office of International Programs and the appropriate department head or graduate faculty advisor. If you are accepted, a letter of acceptance and a SEVIS Form I-20 will be issued. (The SEVIS Form I-20 is only issued to those applicants seeking to enroll while in F-1 visa status.) If you are not accepted, a notification will be sent.