Instructions for International MBA Applicants

Admission Requirements

Simon students and faculty are remarkably representative of the varied personalities working within the global business marketplace. The unique blend of ideas, perspectives, talents, backgrounds and cultures provides a rich environment in which members of the Simon community flourish and grow. We are especially excited to be able to welcome a significant number of international students to the Simon campus each year. Approximately 40 percent of our enrollment is comprised of students representing more than 35 different countries, including Brazil, Germany, Thailand, India, Japan, Taiwan, Colombia, and Russia.

An international candidate is a non-US citizen or resident. To ensure a seamless admissions process please pay special attention to these important details:

• Notarized English translations are required for all official documents and transcripts.
• In most cases, international students are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL will be waived only for candidates who have completed a degree at an English-speaking instruction. Please note that the TOEFL is the only test that the Simon School will accept for the application. The IELTS can not be substituted for the TOEFL.
• Please note that the Admissions Committee will consider candidates with either a three-year or four-year bachelor's degree, so both are eligible to apply

Funding Graduate Study

We strongly recommend that each student secure financing prior to submitting the application for admission. While the Simon School offers partial tuition, merit-based scholarship assistance to some of our incoming MBA and MS students each year, competition for these awards is intense. International applicants should not count on receiving any financial assistance unless it is awarded at the time of admission. We recommend that international candidates identify personal or external funding options while simultaneously pursuing admission to the program, as the process to secure loans may sometimes take longer than expected.

In 2009, the Simon School introduced the International Student Loan Program (ISLP) to offer access to U.S. based education loans to our international students. Students seeking access to this loan need not have US credit history or a US citizen as a co-signer. Please visit here to learn more, and all necessary information is provided at the point of an offer of admission to the Simon School.

Student Visa Requirements

Students must provide official bank documents or a company letter of financial sponsorship that shows support for at least the first full year of tuition and living expenses. Foreign students who are in the process of relocating to the Rochester area must fulfill certain requirements and paperwork in order to begin classes at the Simon School. For individual questions regarding the submission and processing of your I-20 document, once you have confirmed your intention to enroll, you may contact Ms. Krista Darling, Information Analyst, at krista.darling@simon.rochester.edu or (585) 275-3533.

Our primary support for incoming and enrolled international students is the International Services Office (ISO). For information on visas, employment, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations, as well as general information on traveling and health care, please refer to the University of Rochester International Services Office.