International Students

General Admission Requirements

Walden requires the following for admission into any of its programs:

• Official transcript(s) of highest degree or coursework completed to date
• English proficiency test scores
• Goal statement
• A completed application
• Current resume
• Access to a computer and the Internet
• $50 non-refundable application fee

Admission requirements for each degree level are listed below. For GPA requirements and program-specific requirements, please speak with your enrollment advisor.

Doctoral Admission Requirements

• A master’s degree in a discipline or field related to the program/specialization for which application is made, from a U.S. school accredited by a regional, professional/specialized, or national accrediting organization recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or from an appropriately accredited non-U.S. institution.
• Three years of professional/academic experience related to the program for which application is made (preferred).
• Names of and contact information for two persons qualified to comment knowledgeably on the applicant’s skills and professional and/or academic qualifications for study in the intended field.

Master’s Admission Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in a discipline or field related to the program/specialization for which application is made, from a U.S. school accredited by a regional, professional/specialized, or national accrediting organization recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or from an appropriately accredited non-U.S. institution.
• Names of and contact information for two persons qualified to comment knowledgeably on the applicant’s skills and professional and/or academic qualifications for study in the intended field.

Bachelor’s Admission Requirements

• High school diploma (official high school transcript or official document for the highest degree earned prior to a bachelor’s degree).

Certificate Admission Requirements

• Please speak with your enrollment advisor about specific admission requirements for our certificate programs.

Transcript Evaluation

Applicants who have completed coursework at, or hold an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s (equivalent) degree from, an institution of higher learning outside the United States that is accredited or recognized by the country’s higher education authority are encouraged to apply to Walden University’s programs.

Applicants may have their transcript(s) evaluated free of charge by Walden University. This evaluation will only be valid for application to Walden University. This evaluation will not be valid for those requesting transfer of credit. Applicants are required to have documents translated, preferably by a member of the University Language Service, Inc.

Applicants requesting transfer of credit must have their transcript(s) from outside the United States certified for equivalency to U.S. degrees or coursework by a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Applicants who have completed coursework at, or hold degrees from, a postsecondary institution in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), New Zealand, or the United Kingdom will normally not need to have their academic transcripts evaluated and certified by an NACES organization. Any applicant seeking transfer of credits from an institution outside the United States into a Walden University degree program must have a course-by-course evaluation of relevant transcripts completed by Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). Applicants for the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) also need to have their licensure/certification status evaluated by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) to determine equivalency to a United States Registered Nurse.

In any circumstance where the Office of Admissions is unable to determine the academic level or course credit awarded in relation to U.S. educational standards, applicants will be asked to submit their transcripts to a member of NACES (or their nursing licensure/certification to CGFNS) for evaluation. Applicants must pay the evaluation fee directly to the NACES member or to CGFNS.

Official Transcript Submission

To order official transcript(s), contact the institution from which you received your last degree. We recommend that you request official transcripts immediately, as it can often take up to two months for these items to reach the university. Official transcripts should be sent from the institution directly to:

Walden University
Office of Admissions
650 S. Exeter Street
Baltimore, MD 21202

English Proficiency

The language of instruction at Walden is English; therefore, academic success depends upon a student’s ability to converse in, write, and understand English.

International applicantsmust submit official scores from one of the tests listed below. Please speak with your enrollment advisor about the minimum score requirements.

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB)
• Academic Modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

Scores may not be more than 2 years old. Graduates from universities where course instruction and evaluation were conducted in English, and for which university verification is available (through the International Handbook of Universities, published and edited by IAU/UNESCO, 2003), may request that this requirement be waived. Additional information may be requested from the university’s registrar’s office to verify that the instruction was truly conducted in English.

*Unless the applicant possesses an associate’s degree or higher from an institution in one of the following countries: Australia, Belize, The British Caribbean and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, The Philippines, Scotland, The United States, and Wales.

Transfer of Credit

Credits to be evaluated for transfer from other educational institutions must meet the following criteria:

• Earned and recorded on an official transcript at a school that was accredited by a regional, professional/specialized, or national accrediting organization recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) at the time the course was completed, or from an appropriately accredited non-U.S. institution.
• Earned within 10 years prior to or after matriculation, but within the time limit for earning the degree, unless noted differently. Please ask your enrollment advisor about specific time limits for the various schools and programs.
• Earned in courses posting a B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher. Credits accepted for transfer to bachelor’s degree programs must have been earned in courses posting a C (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher.
• Earned in a course with content equivalent to the corresponding Walden course or with content considered to enhance the student’s Walden education.
• Approved prior to registering for the course or preparing the Learning Agreement for the Knowledge Area Module demonstration for which transfer-of-credit evaluation has been requested.

The university also considers credits for transfer from educational accomplishments attained in extra-institutional settings that are recognized by the American Council on Education’s (ACE) Center for Adult Learning and Educational Credentials, and in institutions accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). ACE’s Military Evaluations Program (DANTES) and College Credit Recommendation Service (CREDIT), as well as other credit-by-examination programs, offer credit evaluations or recommendations for programs offered by the military and by civilian organizations such as businesses, corporations, government agencies, training providers, institutes, and labor unions. Evaluation services are also available for examination programs, for occupations with validated job-proficiency evaluation systems, and for correspondence courses offered by schools accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council.

Credits considered for transfer, which have been recommended or evaluated by ACE or accrediting bodies recognized by CHEA, must meet the following conditions:

• The educational quality of the learning experience to be transferred meets the standards of the university.
• The nature, content, and level of the learning experience is comparable to that offered by the university.
• The learning experience is appropriate and applicable to the university’s programs, in light of the student’s educational goals.

Goal Statement

Your program goal statement should include the following six sections:

Personal/Professional Goals
Why are you interested in graduate school, and what are your plans after you receive your degree? What influenced you to choose the field? Why are you interested in the program and specialization to which you are applying? Please note that your personal/professional goals must be in line with the specialization to which you are applying.

Academic Experience
Describe your previous undergraduate and graduate academic experience; if you do not have the specialization background, you may want to explain how you plan to apply your prior academic skills to your chosen specialization. You may include any experiences (e.g., study abroad, unique work, or research experience) that influenced your choice of graduate program/specialization. Explain any inconsistencies in your academic record or work experience. If your GPA is not what you would have liked, explain special personal, physical, or family circumstances that may have adversely affected your GPA.

Research Experience
Address prior research experience, significant research papers/projects, or other research accomplishments in your field. If you do not have any prior research experience, you must indicate that under this section.

Work/Other Experience
What is your prior work experience? Include any volunteer work and/or extracurricular activities that complement your career decision. If you do not have any relevant experience, you should indicate this. You can also address any cultural knowledge or experiences you may have acquired that may better prepare you for the field.

Personal Qualities
Include in this section personal qualities (e.g., interpersonal skills, teamwork skills) you possess that you believe will contribute to your success in your field and graduate study.

Why Walden?
Indicate why Walden would be a good match for you and your future goals. What interested you about Walden? Why are you interested in an online program?