Students Served by the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

The International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) processes students with non-immigrant visas (except U visas), students in Pending Asylum or Pending Permanent Residency status, and students with Temporary Protected Status (TPS). All other students can find domestic admissions policies on the Application for Admission catalog page. 

Application for Academic Admission

All international students must submit an application to be considered for admission. The UMKC general application can be found on UMKC's Application Management website.

All new applicants are required to:

• Pay the non-refundable $75.00 application fee
• Submit exact line-by-line English translations of all academic records issued in other languages
• Provide proof of English language proficiency. (Please refer to section below entitled English Proficiency Requirement for more information.)
• Provide documentation of all previous academic work as is outlined below INCLUDING any English language study completed in the United States.
• See below for specific requirements by application type.

First Time College/Freshman Application

Students who plan to attend UMKC after graduating high school should submit the following along with their application:

1. Academic transcripts and proof of graduation from secondary school
2. Statement of Purpose
3. Any other documentation required by the academic program

Transfer Students

Students who plan to transfer from another recognized higher education institution in order to complete a degree at UMKC should submit the following along with their application:

1. Academic transcript from all previous higher education institutions.
2. Academic transcripts and proof of graduation from secondary school (required for transfer students who have completed fewer than 24 credit hours)
3. Statement of Purpose
4. Any other documentation required by the academic program.

Exceptions to Admissions Policies for International Students

Exceptions to admission policies must be approved by the appropriate authority in the college or school to which the applicant is applying. International Student and Scholar Services should be contacted regarding all forms and procedures.

Visa Services and Document Requirements

New Initial F-1/J-1

Students who plan to apply for an initial F-1 or J-1 visa to study at UMKC must submit the following once they have been academically accepted to the university.

• Copy of valid passport
• Financial statement- This must contain proof of the ability to afford at least one academic year of study.

SEVIS Transfer F-1/J-1

Current F-1 or J-1 students who plan to transfer their SEVIS records to study at UMKC must submit the following once they have been academically accepted to the university.

• Copy of valid passport
• Financial statement- This must contain proof of the ability to afford at least one academic year of study.
• Copy of current visa
• Copy of most recent I-94
• Copy of pages 1 & 2 of current/most recent I-20 or DS-2019
• Transfer-In Form (to be completed with assistance from a DSO at the previous institution.)

Other Visa Types

Students currently in the United States holding any other visa status determined to be reviewed by the International Student and Scholar Services must submit the following prior to receiving an admissions:

• Proof of current status in the US. This may include:
  • Copy of passport
  • Copy of current visa
  • Copy of most recent I-94
  • Other documentation as necessary

Financial Statement Guidelines

Per regulations outlined by the US Federal government, F-1 and J-1 international student applicants must prove the ability to afford at least one year of study in order to be issued a Form I-20 or Form DS-2019.

Financial statements in the name of a family member, friend, or non-governmental sponsor must be accompanied by a completed Financial Statement and Affidavit of Support form signed by the account holder. Any family members accompanying F-1/J-1 students as dependents must be disclosed on this form and proof of additional funds for each dependent must be provided.

UMKC ISSS reserves the right to verify financial documentation with the issuing bank or financial institution.

Application Deadlines

Applicants should refer to the deadlines set by the academic program they are applying to. If no deadline exists, applications are accepted on a rolling basis. ISSS processing staff will inform the applicant if his or her application should be deferred to a later semester. ISSS recommends students applying from outside of the United States to apply at least 3 to 4 months before the beginning of the semester they plan to attend. 

UMKC reserves the right to consider applicants for the most appropriate semester.

Requirements for Submission of Academic Records

Required Academic Records Policy for Applicants

Unless otherwise specified by an academic department, international students may submit PDF copies of their transcripts for admission review. If admitted before final, official/original transcripts and degree certificates/diplomas are received, the student is considered to be provisionally admitted.

Transcripts from U.S. institutions may be submitted in accordance with the policy for domestic schools.

Transcripts from international institutions must be submitted in accordance with the policy for Official International Documents. In general, UMKC does not accept physical documents for international transcripts and requires international transcripts to be verified by an approved third-party service.

Enrolled students are required to submit official academic records to ISSS before enrolling in their second semester of coursework. Students will be informed at the point of admission which records they must arrange to provide. Students are responsible for arranging to provide UMKC ISSS with the requested documents.

UMKC reserves the right to verify submitted academic records with the issuing institution for authenticity and accuracy.

English Proficiency Requirements

Conditional Admission

Students with no proof of English proficiency or low English proficiency test scores may be considered for admission to certain academic programs. Contact International Student and Scholar Services for more information.

Other Policies

Residency

International applicants on H, L, or A visa records will be considered for the residency using the same guidelines imposed on domestic applicants. International students on F, J, or M visa records are not eligible for reduced tuition rates based on residency status. Students holding any visa type not listed above are eligible to submit a residency petition to be considered by the Residency Committee.

See here for more information.

Credit by Examination/Transfer Credit

ISSS reviews all new undergraduate students with previous university coursework completed for possible transfer credit upon receipt of official, final transcripts. Students with previous university work completed at an international university are strongly encouraged to submit course descriptions for each successfully completed course as well as direct English translations of the descriptions if necessary.

Students who have completed more than 12 years of study by the end of their secondary education may be eligible for college credit upon review and approval by appropriate UMKC staff and faculty.

Admission Deferral

An offer of admission, granted on a regular basis for a given term, may be deferred for up to one calendar year from the term first granted. However, if the applicant attends another college or university after the original offer of admission, a new application must be submitted and official transcripts of the additional work must be furnished.

Applicants must request a deferral for a specific term by contacting International Student and Scholar Services. This request can be submitted through ISSS's website. Individual financial support documentation must be renewed annually.

Arrival in the US

International students should plan to arrive no earlier than one month before the program start date indicated on their Form I-20. They should plan to arrive no later than 7 days prior to the program start date indicated on their Form I-20.

Registration with International Student Advisor

Admitted F-1 and J-1 students must report to ISSS for a Check-In Session after arrival in the U.S. in order to be registered as Active in SEVIS. International students must adhere to all regulations of their given visa, including any requirements regarding full-time enrollment and work authorization. Students may work directly with an international student advisor to understand their regulatory obligations and opportunities available through their given visa.

Health Insurance

International students on F or J visas are required to purchase exclusive, mandatory UMKC health insurance. Insurance is automatically billed each semester for all F and J students on a UMKC I-20. See the ISSS website for more information

International Orientation

All degree-seeking international students new to UMKC are required to attend International Orientation and will be assessed a $50 fee. International Orientation is held the Thursday before the start of classes for the Fall and Spring semesters. Students who begin their studies in the Summer will be required to attend Fall Orientation.

A make-up Orientation will be held mid-semester in the Fall and Spring. If a student misses both the Orientation for their starting term and the make-up Orientation that term, they will be assessed another $50 fee and will be required to attend the next possible Orientation. Students will continue to be charged $50 each semester until they have successfully completed this requirement.

More Information

International applicants to undergraduate programs who want more information and forms to apply for admission can go to the website of the ISSS or email ISSS at internationaladmissions@umkc.edu.