J o h n F K e n n e d y U n i v e r s i t y

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS(NON-IMMIGRANTS)The university requires prospective international students tohave an academic background equivalent to the appropriateeducational preparation in the United States, to fulfillthe specific admissions requirements of the degree orcertificate program, and to speak and write English fluently.International students are required to have sufficient financialresources to meet the expenses of studying and living inthe United States as there are strict limitations on workauthorizations and no scholarships are available for nonimmigrantstudents.The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) isrequired of all international students whose native languageis not English. Only applicants scoring 550 and above on thepaper-based test, 213 on the computer test, or 79–80 on theInternet-based test (600 paper-based/250 computer-based/100Internet-based for the Museum Studies program) areconsidered for admission. The TOEFL exam must have beentaken within two years prior to submitting an application.In addition to the TOEFL, applicants and students may berequired to take university-administered writing competencyexaminations.To apply for admission to the university as an internationalstudent, all applicants must submit to the university:• A completed application form,• The appropriate non-refundable application fee in U.S.dollars,• TOEFL score report if English is not the native language,• Certification of finances in U.S. dollars,• Official transcripts of all post-secondary work,• Certified translations of all school transcripts if not inEnglish including any post-secondary work and anydegrees or certificates awarded, and• Transcript evaluation by an approved credential evaluationservice showing course-by-course and lower-/upperdivisiondetailApplicants must also meet any additional requirement(s)established by the specific program within the university.(Please see the admission requirements in the respectiveschool and program sections of this catalog.) Applicants to amaster’s program must possess an educational backgroundequivalent to that of a United States bachelor’s degree froman institution whose accreditation is recognized by theCouncil for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), exceptfor applicants to the Education or Doctor of Psychologyprograms, whose education must be equivalent to that of aUnited States bachelor’s degree from a regionally accreditedinstitution.The deadline for submission of the application and allsupporting documentation is three months prior to thequarter of anticipated enrollment unless the desired programhas an earlier deadline.The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services(USCIS) Certificate of Eligibility form will be issued onlyafter an applicant has been admitted to the university. USCISrequires that the name of the applicant match exactly with thename on the passport. If admitted, proof of health insuranceis required prior to enrollment.Questions concerning international student application oradmission, including questions about other non-immigrantclassifications and evaluation of prior academic work, shouldbe directed to the International Student Advisor in theAdmissions Office.UNDERGRADUATE APPLICANTSApplicants to bachelor’s degree programs must submit officialtranscripts from all colleges and universities previouslyattended. Because John F. Kennedy University offers primarilyupper-division programs, applicants are expected to havecompleted a minimum of 45 quarter units (30 semesterunits) of the lower-division requirements prior to applying.Individuals who have high potential of completing this unitrequirement through CLEP, DSST, or Credit by Assessment arealso encouraged to apply, though formal acceptance will notbe offered until the lower-division unit requirement has beenmet.Undergraduate Transfer CreditA maximum of 105 quarter units (70 semester units) maybe allowed for a combination of work completed througha community or junior college or other two-year institution,the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), AdvancedPlacement, DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) lowerdivision, military service, American Council on Educationcredit recommendations for lower-division credit, and trainingas a registered nurse. Subject credit may be granted beyondthis maximum, but not unit credit. DSST upper-division creditis not included in the 105 quarter-unit maximum.A maximum of 9 quarter units may be accepted in transfer forphysical education courses and a maximum of 6 quarter unitsfor cooperative work experience.Lower- and upper-division courses that are completed witha grade of D or higher and meet the other standards of theuniversity will be accepted for transfer credit. Only applicableupper-division courses completed with a grade of C or higherwill be considered for transfer credit in the major, emphasis,specialization, track, or core requirements.Credit is not allowed for continuing education courses, noncreditworkshops, remedial or vocational courses, or forwork completed at an institution whose accreditation is notrecognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation(CHEA).Effective fall 2006, transfer credit recorded has the computationaleffect of CR on the student’s record (although coursesmay not be itemized and the actual symbol used may bedifferent). The units attempted and completed are computedand shown, but the grade points and base hours are zero.Transferred courses do not compute into the cumulative gpa,nor do new students entering fall 2006 and beyond have aJFKU gpa until after their first graded course in residence.Transfer credit awarded prior to fall 2006 includes gradepoints and base hours in addition to units attempted andcompleted. Transfer work prior to fall 2006 contributes to thestudent’s cumulative gpa.GENERAL INFORMATION 5