Undergraduate
GraduateInternational Graduate Applicant Instructions
Every year, Wheelock enthusiastically welcomes international students to our learning community. We are committed to working closely with international applicants who, by virtue of being educated outside of the United States, will need to fulfill certain admissions requirements. These include:
- Applying to and being accepted into a graduate degree program,
- Obtaining an F1 visa to study in the U.S.
These activity areas are covered below. We encourage you 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 you have the best chance of being considered for your desired start date.
Applying to Wheelock
- Wheelock Graduate Application and Fee
To apply online, go to this link. - Essay- You must submit a 3-5 page essay describing why you would like to attend Wheelock College as a graduate student. The essay should include information on which degree program you would like to pursue, how you became interested in this field of work as well as why you feel that Wheelock College, with its mission to improve the lives of children and families, would be the ideal place to continue your education. We also encourage you to describe the strengths that you bring to your chosen field and the challenges that you 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 a graduate admissions 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 your academic work (e.g., a former professor or instructor of the applicant). The second reference should be from an individual who can discuss your work or relevant experience. The third letter may be either academic or professional at your 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 Admissions 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 along with your signature accompany 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 at 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. Please also provide transcripts for any graduate work you have completed.
You should contact the Registrar of each school you have attended, requesting that an official transcript be sent either to you or to the Office of Graduate Admissions at Wheelock directly. If you choose 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 Admissions 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. Please submit your resume in a professional format and include contact information, educational background, work experience, and skills.
- Financial Verification -- You must submit a Financial Verification Form as part of you application process. This official documentation from your bank (or the bank of your sponsor) will be used by the Admissions office to certify as you have sufficient funding for the first year of study. Information regarding this dollar amount can be found on the Financial Verification Form.
- Interview-- Not all degree programs require an interview. However, application interviews are required for the following programs: Child Life Program, Integrated Elementary and Special Education for Initial Licensure Program and the Organizational Leadership Program. Also, while interviews for the Social Work program are not required, they may be requested by the Director of the program. 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 speak informally with members of the admission staff and faculty by phone or online. In each case, unless you are initiating the request for an interview, the Admissions Committee will contact you directly.
- MTEL information for Professional Licensure candidates only-- Students applying for a masters degree program that will enable 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 complete and submit to Graduate Admisisons a form documenting 100 hours of volunteer work completed under the supervision of a Child Life specialist. You must have completed at least 50 of these hours at the time of application.
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)- -To be admitted to Wheelock, all international graduate students will have to demonstrate proficiency in English. If your native language is not English or if you have not received a degree from a college or university in the United States, you will need to submit a recent score (not more than two years old) from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Wheelock College's TOEFL code is 3964. (If you have completed a degree from an English-speaking institution, the Director of Graduate Admissions may elect to waive the TOEFL requirement upon completion of a telephone internview with you.) Students who wish to be exempt from this requirement may speak with the Director of Graduate Admissions. The minimum TOEFL score generally accepted is 550 paper based, 213 computer based or 80 IBT.
Obtaining a Visa to Study in the U.S.
An I-20 form is required for you to be able to obtain an F1 visa to study in the United States. Wheelock College will issue an I-20 after all admission requirements have been fulfilled and applicants have shown evidence of adequate financial support.
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.
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