International Applicants

Sharing different perspectives and experiences makes all of us stronger. Cultural curiosity enriches us. Making global friends connects us. That’s what we believe at Clayton State University, and that’s why our international student program is so important to our campus community.

Only a few miles from the diverse, bustling city of Atlanta, Georgia, Clayton State offers numerous opportunities for cultural and hands-on learning experiences. Consistently recognized by US News & World Report as having the most diverse student body among colleges and universities in the South, students from all over the world have made Clayton State their home away from home. We invite you to make it yours, too.

Clayton State University requires that all international academic documents (transcripts, mark sheets, certificates, leaving examination results, etc.) be formally evaluated by an independent evaluation service, which can be found below:

JS&A - Home (jsilny.org)
World Education Services
Other evaluation services accredited by NACES

Not sure if you’re considered an international student? Read the international student classification.

International Applications

Clayton State University welcomes international applicants for enrollment into our graduate programs. Each of our graduate programs have different application requirements, which are listed on the Materials Checklist page:

Start Graduate Admissions Application

View Graduate Program Materials Checklist

Please note that in addition the application requirements listed on the Materials Checklist page, international students with foreign transcripts and credentials must have their documents evaluated as follows in the section below. Graduate admissions cannot use your Non-US transcripts. You must send them to an evaluation company.

Foreign Credential Evaluation

If an applicant has completed any coursework, degree, or degrees from institutions outside of the United States, he or she must request an U.S. equivalent official course-by-course evaluation with GPA from Josef Silney and Associates or World Education Services to be electronically sent from the evaluation service to graduate@clayton.edu or forward to the following address for review:

Graduate Admissions
2000 Clayton State Boulevard
Morrow, Georgia
30260-0285

Applicants will need to allow ample time and arrange individually with these organizations to have the transcript evaluations sent to Graduate Admissions by the appropriate application deadline. The School of Graduate Studies will not be held responsible for delays that may occur at these organizations or that might occur in mailing.

English Proficiency Requirement

In order to ensure that language barriers do not potentially hinder international students from taking advantage of all available opportunities and in an effort to foster academic success, only those applicants whose native language is not English or whose language of college instruction was not English are required to submit English Language proficiency scores.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): 78 total on the internet-based TOEFL (ibT) or 550+ on the paper-based TOEFL
International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Minimum scores of 6 total

Applicants whose language of instruction was English should have the Registrar of their home institution submit a letter to Graduate Admissions attesting/certifying that the language of instruction for the baccalaureate degree was English. If this documentation is unavailable, applicants must submit the official acceptable scores on the TOEFL or IELTS.

Financial Responsibility

Once an international applicant is accepted and prior to matriculation in a graduate program, a Financial Verification Form must be completed, signed, and submitted to Graduate Admissions with original supporting documentation before an I-20 immigration document can be issued. Please also submit a copy of your passport photo page along with your forms..

For students transferring I-20 from another institution:

Complete the Financial Verification Form (2024) along with a copy of your passport photo page.
Complete the I-20 Transfer Request Form (2024).
Have your current international advisor return the completed form to ISSO, by mail, fax or email as indicated on the form.
If you have been outside the US more than 5 months, this step is not necessary; in that case, you will receive a new initial I-20 and pay a new SEVIS fee.
Once financial documents have been approved by the International Student Services, an I-20 will be processed and sent to you electronically through email. Original documents are not required to apply for an F-1 Visa.
If you will be transferring to Clayton State University from another institution in the US on your F1 visa, your current I-20 will follow you here.

Maintaining Eligibility for F-1 Visa

In order to maintain eligibility for F-1 Visa, the international student must:

Maintain full-time study.
Maintain satisfactory academic progress.
Per U.S. federal regulations, F1 student visa holders are required to enroll full-time each term unless approved for an authorized reduced course load. Full-time enrollment at Clayton State University is considered 12 credit hours for Undergraduate students and 9 credit hours for Graduate students. No more than 3 credit hours of distance learning coursework counts toward the full-time requirement each semester.