Additional Admission Requirements for International Doctoral Students
Pursuant to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regulations, international students who are granted full admission to the Ph.D. program will require an I-20 in order to obtain a student (F-1) visa for study in the U.S. for the length of their programs. Students traveling to the U.S. only to attend cluster meetings should contact the university’s Office of International Students and Scholars. For more information, visit the university’s Office of International Students web site at www.nova.edu/internationalstudents.
For international applicant’s applying to the doctoral program, please be aware of the following:
- An I-20 cannot be issued to provisional-admission student.
- If the degree was completed outside of the United States, it is required to submit a course-by-course transcript evaluation with a GPA calculation by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). For current information on evaluation agencies visit www.naces.org/members.htm.
- Applicants whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate English proficiency. The following standardized tests satisfy the university’s English requirement for nonnative English speakers: (1) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (www.ets.org/toefl): 213 on the computer-based test or 80 on the Internet-based test; (2) International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (www.ielts.org): 6.0 on the test module; and (3) GMAT: score of 450; GRE: score of 1,000. Test results must be sent directly from the testing agency to the Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences. Proof of English language competency can also be in the form of successful completion of a degree at an approved U.S. institution of higher education.
For more information, visit the university’s Office of International Students web site at www.nova.edu/internationalstudents.
The Admission Requirements for all Doctoral Applicants
1. An earned master's degree with a GPA of at least 3.25 from a regionally accredited institution and with an appropriate major.
2. Online application form, application fee, and essay.
3. Official transcripts of all graduate and undergraduate education.
4. Evaluation forms from three people who are familiar with your academic and/or professional capabilities and able to assess your intellectual abilities, maturity, and motivation. Forms from your professors are preferred. Forms are unacceptable if they are from family members, friends, those without experience in the research-based doctorate, or from those unable to evaluate your academic potential to succeed in the program to which you are applying.
5. A curriculum vitae (CV) that provides a short account of your academic background and professional experience.
6. Proficiency in the English language. Doctoral students are expected to write numerous papers and a dissertation. Grammatical errors, spelling errors, and writing that does not express ideas clearly will affect a student's grades and the completion of his or her degree. The faculty will not provide remedial help concerning grammatical errors or other writing problems. Applicants who are unable to write correctly and clearly are urged to seek remedial help before enrolling in any of the school's programs.
The school may request additional documentation to support the application.
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