Below are answers to questions that international students frequently ask before, during and after applying to Temple.
We’re always here to help with the admissions process. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us by calling 215-204-4900 or emailing tuadmint@temple.edu.
Apply as an international student if you are not a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident of the United States.
You can explore Temple from anywhere. Our virtual tour gives you a chance to navigate around Main Campus and learn more about residence halls, dining halls and recreation spaces. We offer various in-person and virtual visit options. Check out our Visit page to learn more and to register.
Part-time student jobs can be found through Temple's Human Resources site. International student workers may work up to 20 hours per week during the academic semester. Explore additional employment opportunities available to international students.
Temple University offers on-campus housing accommodations to newly admitted students. The deadline for submitting your on-campus housing deposit is May 1 for the fall semester. View a full listing and University Housing guide. For students interested in living with peers from other cultures, Temple’s Global Living Learning Community offers options for both first-year and returning students.
Please refer to our apply page for more information.
The minimum test scores for direct admission into Temple University are*
TOEFL iBT: 79;
IELTS: 6.0; and
PTE: 53.
The minimum test scores for conditional admission into Temple University are
TOEFL iBT : 65-78;
IELTS: 5.5; and
PTE: 46-52.
*NOTE: Certain majors, including those in the Fox School of Business, will require a higher level of proficiency.
TOEFL: 84
IELTS: 6.5
PTE: 56
Applicants who submit test scores below the minimums listed above or who submit no test scores at all will receive Provisional Admission if they are academically qualified.
Temple retains all credentials submitted to the university and cannot return original documents. If you prefer to retain your official documents, you may submit notarized copies of your originals.
Admitted first-year students who have deposited can seek to defer their admission for up to one year for reasons that do not include the completion of college-level credits elsewhere. Typically, students may defer admission to complete religious, volunteer or military service or for unplanned medical circumstances. Admitted students will not be approved to defer their enrollment to attend another college or university or apply to another college or university while holding their space at Temple University.
Students interested in deferral must complete our brief deferred enrollment request form via TUportal and provide a final high school or college transcript.
Temple University does accept the Common Application.
Once you have submitted all the materials necessary for your application, please allow anywhere from two to six weeks to receive an admission decision. You can check the status of your application by logging into the Applicant Portal.
Pathway Programs are available for talented students who meet the academic requirements for admission but need to improve their English language skills.
Academically qualified students who submit no language test scores will receive provisional admission to Temple University and will be placed in the Intensive English Language Program.
Temple University offers both merit-based scholarships and two #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarships for international students.
Merit-based scholarships range from $1000 to full tuition for first-year students and do not require a separate application. International transfer students are also automatically considered for scholarships and award amounts vary.
#YouAreWelcomeHere scholarships are annual, renewable scholarships of $20,000 awarded to two first-year international students with a vision for enhancing intercultural understanding. A separate scholarship application is needed in addition to the admissions application. Learn more information about these scholarships.
In most cases, need-based aid is not available to international students. Please refer to Student Financial Services for more information.
Information about Temple University tuition, billing, payments and loan services is available online.
In order to receive an I-20 form, your sponsor will need to verify approximately $35,000. Learn more about financial documentation.
It is not necessary, but it is a good idea to submit financial documents with your application so we can produce your I-20 as quickly as possible. The necessary financial documents can be submitted through TUportal.
After you are admitted you can submit your deposit via your Applicant Portal. The deposit deadline for fall first-year admitted students is May 1, and the deposit deadline for spring admitted students is two weeks after admission.
For updates and more information about student visas, please visit the International Student and Scholar Services website.
Students should disclose all countries where they hold citizenship or residency ties. Citizenship has no impact on the chance of admission. It is, however, important to provide full disclosure because the university tracks this information for records purposes, and citizenship or residency status may impact the type of financial aid a student may be able to receive.
Applications for Forms I-20 are submitted online.
Once you have paid your deposit and submitted the required documents, an I-20 will be mailed to you. Allow up to two weeks for delivery from the time we receive the required documents for mailing.
If you are currently studying in the U.S. with nonimmigrant student status, ask your current school to transfer your SEVIS record to Temple. Note that SEVIS records cannot be transferred to Temple until you have been officially accepted into the university. Learn more about transferring to Temple from another U.S.-based institution.
SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) is a result of the 1996 Immigration Act, which mandated that a fee should be charged to all new F-1 and J-1 visa holders in order to fund the federal student and scholar database.
There are only two mandatory student health requirements for certain groups of students. If you will be living in the residence halls, you are required to have the meningitis vaccine. The vaccine can be declined, but you will have to complete an online certification form. The second mandatory requirement is for students who are citizens of countries with a high rate of tuberculosis, including China. These students are required to be screened for tuberculosis.
Students who are required to have the tuberculosis screening will receive information in early September, and that testing must be done by Student Health Services. We do recommend other immunizations, but they are not required.
For your safety, Temple University requires all international students with nonimmigrant student (F-1 or J-1) status to maintain health insurance that meets the minimum standard as determined by the U.S. Department of State. In addition, the U.S. Department of State requires that all individuals in Exchange Visitor (J-1) status also meet the minimum insurance requirement. Requirements and forms are available online.
The U.S. government allows international students to enter the country as early as 30 days before the program start date indicated on your I-20/DS 2019.
We will provide transportation from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Temple University between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on a designated date each semester.
Temple University’s International Student and Scholars Services (ISSS) is the best place to get help with complicated immigration issues. For additional information about immigration services in the United States, visit the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services website.
The best way to apply for your student visa is to contact a U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country. If you have additional questions, just ask us and we’ll find an answer for you.
Temple University advises you to submit your application for an I-20 at the same time you submit your application for admission into Temple University. Once you submit your deposit and all required documents, an I-20 will be mailed to you. For those transferring an I-20 from another school, I-20s will be issued after your previous school releases your SEVIS record to Temple University.
New Student Orientation is mandatory for all international students and is very beneficial for a successful transition into Temple University. Don’t forget to let us know when you will arrive by reserving your place for Orientation.
Temple University does not require your transcripts to be reviewed by an evaluation institution. You are more than welcome to submit evaluations, but it is still necessary to submit the original transcripts. Temple University performs its own evaluations.
In most cases, Temple University will not require you to submit course descriptions during the application process; however, they are helpful in determining the number of transfer credits that Temple University will accept. In some cases, if the transcript is unclear, an admissions counselor may contact you to request course descriptions and/or syllabi.
Transfer credit evaluations are completed after a student has been accepted; allow two to three weeks from the time you receive your admission decision. If you have a specific question or concern about your credits, tell us and we’ll put you in contact with a transfer counselor.