Explore the application process as an international first-year applicant.
If you’re a first-year applicant—meaning you are a student currently attending secondary school or high school—this is where you’ll gain more insight into Temple’s application process, such as how to apply, application deadlines, cost, aid and scholarship information, and more. Please take some time to carefully review the application steps and use the table of contents below to jump to a certain topic or section.
How to Apply
Join students from more than 115 countries and discover our 600+ academic programs and the many cultural experiences on Temple’s campus and in the city of Philadelphia.
1. Make an application plan.
As a first-year applicant, you’ll first want to pick a deadline goal for the fall semester and decide if you'd like to apply Early Action (due Nov. 1) or Regular Decision (extended to July 15). You can also apply to start in the spring semester (due Nov. 1).
2. Apply using the Common Application.
Temple exclusively uses the Common Application. When completing your application for Temple, be sure to indicate whether you’re applying Early Action or Regular Decision. Even if you apply before or by the Early Action deadline, you still must indicate Early Action on your application to ensure you will receive an admissions decision early.
There’s a required application fee of $55, which you will submit at the same time as the Common Application unless you qualify for a waiver.
3. Complete your application by sending official documents.
After submitting the Common Application, you’ll also need to provide supporting materials to complete your application to the university.
Application Supporting Materials
The following documents may be necessary to complete your application. Please review the testing options to determine whether you wish to submit academic testing to support your application. If your documents are not in English, please provide them in the original language and with an English translation.
4. Check the status of your application with TUportal and determine if you need a student visa.
All decisions made regarding your application will be available to you via TUportal. It’s the gateway to the rest of the application process, so make sure to keep your accessnet username and password handy. After submitting your application, you can track its status and learn important next steps in TUportal.
If you’re admitted, you may need to obtain a nonimmigrant student visa—including a student (F-1) or an exchange visitor (J-1) visa—as a next step toward your enrollment at Temple. Learn how to obtain your I-20 or DS-2019 from Temple and apply for an F-1 or J-1 visa.
5. Submit proof of secondary school graduation.
If you are admitted to Temple and you have submitted your enrollment deposit, you must have your secondary school send your final transcript or proof of graduation to Temple.
Need help determining what satisfies proof of graduation? Please contact the International Admissions office.
Advanced Credit Policy
Temple’s generous policy accepts advanced credits as determined by the examining body. If you have successfully completed IB, A Level, AP or CLEP courses/subjects, learn more about our policy.
When to Apply
International applications are reviewed on a rolling basis for each semester. The sooner you submit your application, the sooner you will receive a decision.
Application Deadlines
Costs, Aid and Scholarships
Temple offers a range of financial support for our international students, from merit scholarships to other awards recognizing high-achieving students, such as the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship.
Conditional Admission Program
Academically qualified students with low or no language scores may still be accepted to Temple University through our Conditional Admission Program (CAP). This program provides English language classes while orienting students to university life and preparing them for success at Temple University. Students at the highest CAP levels take credit-bearing classes so they can begin working toward their degree even while learning English. Learn more about our Conditional Admission Program for international students.
Learn more about scholarship opportunities for this program.
Study Abroad Entry Year Programs
Another option to consider when applying to Temple is starting your degree at our campuses in either Rome, Italy or Tokyo, Japan. Through the Temple Rome and Temple Japan Entry Year programs, you can spend your first year at Temple University Rome or Japan and then complete your studies at Main Campus in Philadelphia. The Temple Rome and Japan Entry Year programs offer an American university education with a global foundation.
