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International Students

Every summer, dozens of students from all across the world participate in our programs. We love the cultural diversity and opportunities for international exchange that these students bring to our programs.

We consider international students to be any student:

  • without a U.S. passport who lives outside the United States.
  • or a student who is attending school in the United States on a visa.

International students are welcome to apply to any of our programs. We have the same application and deadlines for both domestic and international applicants. International applicants should submit transcripts, in English, for all secondary school course work. Teacher recommendations should also be completed in English.

English Language Proficiency

International applicants for whom English is a second language should provide documentation of their ability to complete coursework in English by providing an official test score report as part of the program application process. Scores must be no more than two years old. For the 2025 application cycle, test dates must be dated from April 1, 2023 or later. The accepted tests and minimum scores are:

Submitting Scores

Once an applicant submits their program application, they will be redirected to their personalized applicant portal. This portal will include a field to upload your score reports. Please note, it can take up to an hour for the portal to update with all required checklist items after application submission.

Exemption Requests

English language proficiency test requirement may be waived for applicants who have citizenship from or completed two plus years of study at an English-medium institution in one of the following countries: Australia, Cameroon, Canada, Commonwealth Caribbean nations, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Kenya, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, the United Kingdom, Zambia or Zimbabwe. It may also be waived for applicants currently studying in the United States. In some cases, we may accept other English language proficiency testing for enrollment in noncredit course work.

Undocumented or DACA-eligible applicants are not required to submit results of English language proficiency testing.

If you have questions about whether you may qualify for an exemption, please contact our office at precollege@wustl.edu. Requests for exemptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must be received by the application deadline.

    Important Information

    Student Visas

    High School Summer Scholars Program

    If you are an international student coming to the United States to attend the High School Summer Scholars Program, you must obtain a Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility from WashU and apply for an F-1 student visa. The F-1 student visa requires enrollment in full-time, for-credit study. In the summer, full-time, for-credit study is enrollment in two courses, totaling 6 units of credit. A Form I-20 will NOT be issued for students not enrolled for 6 units of credit.

    If you are in the United States on a visa that permits academic enrollment, please follow the guidelines of the US Department of State regarding the permitted enrollment load and confirm your eligibility with your current sponsoring institution.

    United States permanent residents (or green card holders) are not required to obtain a visa to enroll in coursework. 

    Please note, neither the ESTA visa waiver nor the B-1 or B-2 visa allows for credit study. Attempting to enter the United States in ESTA, B-1, or B-2 visa status to earn credit is a violation of United States visa policy and you risk being denied entry to the United States.

    We do offer an early application deadline and decision release for the High School Summer Scholars Program. International students are encouraged to take advantage of this earlier deadline to allow for time needed to process visa documentation. Details about the earlier deadline are available here.

    High School Summer Institutes or High School Summer Launch

    Though are High School Summer Institutes and High School Summer Launch programs are taught at the college level by WashU affiliated instructors, they are noncredit and therefore do not qualify for F-1 student visas. If you are an international student coming to the United States to attend any of these programs, you should contact the United States embassy or consulate in your home country to determine if you need a visa, and what type of visa needs to be issued to participate in these programs. A B-2 tourist visa allows for brief stays that may include participation in short recreational course of study not for credit towards a degree. We can provide you with a formal invitation letter if needed.  

    Scholarship Assistance

    We do offer scholarship assistance for international students. If you are applying for a scholarship, you will need to provide official documentation, in English, of your family's total yearly income. This can include a letter from your parents' employers or other official government documentation. Scholarships do not cover travel to and from the program, personal expenses, or textbooks. 

    Health Insurance

    All international students are required to have health insurance written by a company in the United States. Check any health insurance very carefully to be sure that it meets the criteria. One online option we recommend is StudyUSA-Healthcare from Travel Insure. Be sure to purchase short-term medical insurance, not to be confused with “travel insurance.” Please note, whichever company students use it must have a U.S. mailing address and phone number.

    Cell Phones

    We require that all residential students have a cell phone with a United States phone number. This includes international students. Students must provide this number at check-in for the program.

    Immunizations

    All pre-college students must provide proof of immunization for the following:

    • Two vaccines each for measles, mumps and rubella after the age of one year old. A blood test to check for immunity (titers) may be provided in lieu of the immunizations. 
    • Meningococcal vaccine (Menactra, Menveo, MenQuadfi, MCV4, MenACWY, MPSV4).
    • One tuberculosis test (PPD skin test or blood test such as T-spot or Quantiferon gold) in the past six months for students at high risk of tuberculosis. High risk for tuberculosis includes: born in a high-prevalence country; travel for more than two months to a high-prevalence country; contact with active tuberculosis; HIV positive; suppressed immune system from illness or medication (e.g., organ transplant, prednisone treatment); medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer or kidney failure; body weight 10% or more below ideal body weight; work in prison, nursing home, homeless shelter or hospital; work in lab with mycobacteria; history of abnormal chest X-ray.
    • As of July 1, 2023, COVID-19 vaccination is no longer required, though it is strongly recommended along with an annual flu vaccine for all students.