International Graduate Applications
All applicants educated outside the United States, or students who need to obtain a student visa, are considered international students and may be required to meet additional requirements. To be admitted all international students will have to meet the academic requirements and demonstrate proficiency in English. Those whose official native language is not English will be required to submit a recent score (not more than two years old) from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
The I-20 form used to apply for an F1 visa will be issued only after all admission requirements have been fulfilled and applicants have shown evidence of adequate financial support. Financial Certification does not need to be submitted before a student has been admitted to a program of study.
International students are encouraged to apply at least one month prior to the priority deadlines. It is common for the processing and gathering of materials to take longer for international students and we want to ensure that any and all applicants have the best chance of being considered for their desired term.
International Degree Seeking Applicants
- Wheelock Graduate Application and Fee
To apply online, go to this link.
For those students applying via the paper application, a $40 application fee, payable to Wheelock College by check or money order, is required and must be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions. This fee is not refundable. According to current college policy, any check returned to the college as non-negotiable will subject the applicant to an additional fee. Submission of the online application will waive the application fee.
- Essay – Applicants must submit a 3-5 page
essay describing why they would like to attend Wheelock College as
a graduate student. The essay should include information on which
degree program the student would like to pursue, how he or she became
interested in this field of work as well as why the applicant feels
that Wheelock College, with its mission to improve the lives of children
and families, would be the ideal place to continue his or her education.
Applicants are also encouraged to describe the strengths that they
bring to their chosen field and the challenges that they will face.
Applicants are welcome to submit additional materials that they feel may give the Admissions Committee a broader view of their achievements. Supplemental essays regarding poor performance in undergraduate coursework may also be appropriate. Please contact an admission counselor if you have questions.
- Letters of Reference – Three (3) letters
of reference are required. One should be of an academic nature from
a faculty member who is familiar with the applicant’s academic
work (e.g., a former professor or instructor of the applicant). The
second reference should be from an inidivual who can discuss the applicant’s
work or relevant experience. The third letter may be either academic
or professional at the applicant’s discretion. References from
family members and/or friends are not acceptable. Please note that
additional letters of reference may be requested at the discretion
of the Admission Committee.
All references must arrive in unopened envelopes with the evaluator’s signature across the flap. While a student’s recommender may draft a letter on his or her own letterhead we do require that the Reference Form be submitted as well with the student’s signature as well as the recommender’s information. Please make sure that information regarding the confidentiality of the letter is appropriately marked on this form.
Download the Reference Form.
- Academic Records (transcripts) – Students
applying for admission to a graduate program ay Wheelock College must
hold a Baccalaureate Degree from an accredited institution. Degree-seeking
applicants must present official transcripts from each junior college,
college, and university (including Wheelock College, if applicable)
at which the applicant was granted a degree.
Applicants should contact the Registrar of each school attended, requesting that an official transcript be sent either to the student or to the Office of Graduate Admissions directly. If the student chooses to submit the transcripts, they must be sent in their original sealed envelopes. Any applicant still taking courses or completing a program at the time of application may be eligible for conditional acceptance and must submit a follow-up transcript showing final grades and degree subsequently obtained. Additional transcripts regarding transferred course work may be requested at the discretion of the Admission Committee.
- Transcript Evaluation –Applicants
are required to provide a course-by-course evaluation of their undergraduate
and graduate course of study, if completed outside of the U.S. Acceptable evaluations
can be obtained by sending all international transcripts to:
Education Credentials Evaluators
Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
PO Box 514070 Milwaukee WI 53203-3470
www.ece.org
World Education Services
Bowling Green Station
P.O. Box 5087
New York, NY 10274-5087
www.wes.org
- Resume - Work experience and career progression
are important and will be considered by the Admissions Committee.
Resumes should be submitted in a professional format and include:
contact information, educational background, work experience, and
skills.
- Interview – Not all degree programs require
an interview. However, application interviews are required for
the Child Life and Family Centered Care, Elementary Education, Leadership
and Administration, and Special Education degree programs. The Admissions
Committee also may request an evaluative phone or personal interview
with an applicant to further discuss the applicant’s academic
and professional goals. Students applying to other programs may request
an evaluative interview. All students are welcome to meet informally
with members of the admission staff and faculty. In each case, unless
the student is initiating the request for an interview, the Admissions
Committee will contact the applicant directly.
- MTEL information for Professional Licensure candidates
only – Students applying for a master degree program
which will allow them to be eligible for professional licensure must
submit copies of their initial licensure documentation. For more
information please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions.
- Child Life and Family Centered Care applicants – Students
applying to this program must submit documentation of 100 hours of
volunteer work completed under the supervision of a Child Life specialist.
This form will be sent to students upon receipt of their application
or students may email graduate@wheelock.edu to
request one be emailed to them. Students must have completed at least
50 of these hours at the time of application.
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) – Applicants
with a native language other than English and those who have not received
a degree from a college or university in the United States are required
to submit TOEFL scores as evidence of proficiency in English. Wheelock
College’s TOEFL code is 3964. Students who wish to be exempt
from this requirement may speak with the Associate Director of Graduate
Admissions. The minimum TOEFL score generally accepted is 550 paper
based or 213 computer based.
- Financial Verification Form – To obtain an I-20 which is necessary to apply for a student visa, international students must submit a Financial Verification Form. This form serves as official documentation from your bank (or the bank of your sponsor) demonstrating sufficient funding for the first year of study. Information regarding this dollar amount can be found on the Financial Verification Form.
Jobs for international students after graduation
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is available to international students who have completed their course of study at Wheelock College. The employment must be directly related to the student's major area of study. Temporary employment for practical training must be completed within a 14 month period following the completion of study. Students interested in this option should speak with the Designated School Official at least 6 months prior to the student’s anticipated graduation.
All applications materials once submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions become the property of Wheelock College. Incomplete applications as well as applications for students who have been admitted and do not register or who have been denied will be kept on file for one year from the time of application or admission decision. After this period they will be destroyed.
