Frequently Asked Questions
- Application Requirements
1. Lawrence University Supplement
2. Common Application
3. International Student Financial Aid Forms (Certification of Finances form and Foreign Student Financial Aid form)
- In addition to these forms, the following are needed to complete the application:
1. Application Fee ($40)
2. School Report from secondary school counselor or other school official.
3. Official Secondary School Transcript and any College/University Transcripts they may have.
4. Teacher Evaluation unless they have been out of school for a substantial amount of time, then another letter of recommendation will suffice.
5. English language proficiency test results: TOEFL, SAT, IELTS or ACT (or demonstration that English is their native language).
7. Financial Documents supporting the Certification of Finances
The application deadline for Fall 2010 is January 15, 2010. International applications are available here.
International Financial Aid
Lawrence is very committed to assisting international students financially, but funding is limited. Students are most competitive for admission if they can demonstrate the ability to afford at least $18,000 US$ per year for their educational costs. Scholarships vary in amounts from 7,000 to 25,000 US$.
Last year, the average scholarship for international students was approximately $18,000 US$. The average financial aid award (which includes scholarships and employment), was approximately 21,000 US$. Our total costs (including room/board and expected personal expenses), are approximately $44,000 US$ per year.
Scholarships are awarded based on a combination of academic merit, country of origin, and financial need. They are renewable for later years of attendance based upon acceptable academic performance.
Other commonly asked questions:
I. Undocumented Students
- Can undocumented students receive financial aid or how do they apply?
- Undocumented students are treated as international students for financial aid purposes. They should submit a paper copy of the FAFSA (directly to us) and supporting tax forms as well as the LU financial aid forms. This allows us to calculate their need much like that of a domestic student.
- If the FAFSA will not work for them they should submit the ISFAF (international student financial aid forms) and supporting bank documents.
- Undocumented students are treated as international students for financial aid purposes. They should submit a paper copy of the FAFSA (directly to us) and supporting tax forms as well as the LU financial aid forms. This allows us to calculate their need much like that of a domestic student.
- Test scores – are they required to send them?
- If they have been in the US and in an academic program in which the medium for instruction is entirely English for more than 8 years they are not required to submit a test score.
- If it has been less than eight years they must submit one of the following: TOEFL, ACT, SAT, IELTS or A level scores.
- Minimum Score requirements for International Admission:
- SAT Critical Reading and Writing 550
- TOEFL
- Paper Test 577
- Computer Based Test 233
- Internet Based Test (IB) 90
- Paper Test 577
- IELTS 6.5 total band score
II. International Student Population
- Carry an International Profile (or two) with you.
- 192 International students on campus, 135 degree seeking foreign nationals.
- Almost 50 countries and nations.
III. Application Deadlines/Requirements
- International students may only apply Regular Decision unless they are not applying for need based financial aid.
- If they are in the US as an exchange student or moved to the US while they were in high school:
- They do not need to get recommendations from their school outside of the US.
- They can have the high school they are currently at send official copies of their transcripts from their previous high school (outside US).
- They can have the high school they are currently at send official copies of their bank documents supporting their ISFAF.
