International Student Resources

Valid Email Address

It is very important that you provide us with an active email address on your application. If your email changes after you submit your application, please contact us. We will continue to keep in touch with you through the application process via email. Email is our primary method of communicating with international applicants.

See official transcript policy.

We require an international transcript evaluation indicating your college degree and date of conferral, course-by-course evaluation, GPA, and major. In most cases we require a regionally accredited 4-year US bachelor's or equivalent. Your international transcript evaluation will suffice as proof of graduation.

You cannot start classes until we receive this evaluation. The College reserves the right to rescind admission if a final transcript is not received or does not meet minimum requirements.

All international applicants must provide proof of English proficiency by providing one of the following score reports, showing minimum scores indicated below. Scores must be official and released directly to RWU from the testing company.

• TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language)
  • ​Original TOEFL score report with results greater than or equal to:
    • 85 iBT (internet-Based Test)
    • 225 CBT (Computer-Based Test)
    • 565 PBT (Paper-Based Test)
       
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
  • ​Original IELTS score report with results greater than or equal to 6.5 bandwidth
     
• Duolingo
  • Original Duolingo score report with results greater than or equal to 110.
     
• ELS (ELS Educational Services)
  Note: This score report must be sent directly from ELS.
  • Successful completion of ELS Level 112 will be acceptable as proof of English proficiency for the Master of Architecture program only. Students applying for other programs must satisfy the English requirement with the TOEFL or IELTS exam.  

Required documents for all accepted international students (both new and transfer students):

1. I-20 Request Form
   Please be sure to complete all sections of this form; it is very important that a complete foreign address is included.  A copy of this form is a valid document.
2. Original Financial Statement
   All accepted international students must complete the Original Financial Statement above, and must also submit original documentation showing financial support for the annual costs of study (tuition, fees, and living expenses). Proof of financial support can be submitted by completing official bank statements/certificates in English and in the student’s name, or if the bank account is in a parent’s name, through a letter from a parent explaining their financial support for all expenses; letters must be in English.  If your home country is providing financial support for your tuition only, the student is responsible for providing proper documentation for living expenses.  Any documents sent must be official and original.  Copies are not acceptable.
3. Copy of valid passport

Submitting Documents

Original documents must be sent to the following address:

Roger Williams University
Office of Graduate Admission
1 Old Ferry Rd.
Bristol, RI 02809
U.S.A.

Any documents in which copies are acceptable (noted above) can also be sent via email to gradadmit@rwu.edu, or sent via fax to 401-254-3557.

Required documents for students transferring from another U.S. institution or ELS program only:

1. F-1 Transfer Student Verification Form
   It is extremely important that all sections of this form all completely filled out.  A copy of this form is a valid document.
2. Copy of current I-20
3. Copy of current Visa

During your initial meeting with your graduate admission counselor, we will cover the financial requirements for your program.  Please consult the Original Financial Statement to determine the funding necessary to cover your total cost of attendance (tuition, fees, cost of living, and health insurance.)  This amount should be reflected in your financial support documentation in the form of original bank statements.

International students are eligible for merit-based scholarship awarded based off a holistic review of application materials.  Merit-based scholarships are awarded at the time of acceptance.

Please note that full-tuition scholarships and assistantships are not available at this time.

International student orientation for Fall 2026 is scheduled on Wednesday, August 19th, 2026.  

Please email Dr. Aradhana Mehta to confirm your attendance.

Graduate student orientation for Fall 2026 is scheduled on Friday, August 21st, 2026 at 2pm.  

Please register here for Fall 2026 Graduate Orientation.

New Student Checklist

Yes, we provide application fee waivers to students that schedule a meeting with a graduate admission counselor or attend one of our virtual events.

Yes, we award merit-based scholarships at the time of acceptance.  Our scholarships range in amount but generally do not exceed 20% of tuition.

We recommend that you schedule a meeting with a graduate admission counselor as early as possible to discuss your program of interest, the application process, and more.

Visit our international student resource page for helpful links and information.

Apply for external scholarships and graduate assistantships and on-campus jobs to help fund your program. 
please note: while scholarship funding can be added to your I-20 document in the "student funding" section, assistantships are not guaranteed funding and cannot be added to your I-20 as student funding.

English Proficiency Exemptions:

• International applicants who have earned a Bachelor's degree in the U.S. and have completed at least 90 credits of English-based undergraduate coursework during that degree are exempt from this requirement.
• International applicants who have earned a Master's degree in the U.S. and have completed at least 30 credits of English-based graduate coursework during that degree are exempt from this requirement.
• Applicants from countries whose official language is English are exempt from this requirement.

Visa eligible programs can be found on our Majors and Programs page 
(select "graduate" checkbox and under "academic areas" select "international student visa eligible.")

STEM designated programs can also be selected on our Majors and Programs page by selecting "STEM designated" under "academic areas"