International Student Admission

The University of Houston-Victoria is authorized by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to accept international students who enter the United States with an F-1 student visa. The Office of Admissions is required by law to enter student information and update the student information each semester in the USCIS Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) regarding student enrollment and related personal information. The Office of Admissions and Records will issue an I-20 to students who are fully approved to study at UHV after the following steps for admission to the university are completed by the student.

 

1.  A completed international application for admission.  See the international student information on the Office of Admissions and Records web page.  www.uhv.edu/oar




2. An official transcript or mark sheets from EACH college or university attended, sent directly from each institution to UH-Victoria. See section on Official Transcripts for more detailed information. If a student has previously obtained a comprehensive evaluation from an outside agency, UHV may accept an official copy of the evaluation and a copy of the original documents for admission purposes. The Office of Admissions staff will review a copy of the evaluation and determine whether the student should request the agency to send the evaluation copy, as well as a copy of the documents evaluated, directly to the Office of Admissions and Records. See additional transcript information above.



3. Test Score Requirements:
1. Undergraduate applicants must submit THEA (formerly TASP) scores according to provisions of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), sent directly from National Evaluation Systems, Inc. to UH-Victoria; or, the scores/TSI completion must appear on an official transcript being sent from a college formerly attended.
2. Graduate Applicants must submit scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) scores, letters, and essays that are required by their desired degree program. See appropriate school section of this catalog for more information. Minimum scores for the GRE are a total of 800 on the verbal and quantitative sections. GMAT is required for all MBA applicants and the minimum score is 450. MAT scores may be substituted for the GRE by counseling education applicants. The scores will be used with your grade point average to calculate a graduate admission index. See additional information on the test score requirements in the following paragraphs under Graduate Admission.


4. TOEFL exam score report must be requested by the student to be sent to UHV directly from the testing center, or the applicant must meet one of the exemption requirements. See the following information on English Proficiency for additional information regarding minimum scores and exemptions.



5. The UHV Letter of Financial Backing Form with applicant or sponsor’s supporting bank documents verifying funds available in English with dollar amounts in US dollars must be submitted before an I-20 can be issued to the applicant. The minimum amounts needed for study at UHV during the Academic Year is posted on the International Students page of the university website www.uhv.edu. It is located in the F-1 international student forms. These amounts are subject to change due to Texas legislative action and UHV policy changes.



6. A UHV Statement of Understanding Form must be completed and sent with the application forms.



7. Photocopies of all previous and current U.S. immigration documents should be submitted by students who are already in the United States. For students outside the U.S., submit photocopy of passport pages with legal name of student applicant and dependents, if they will travel to the U.S. to live with applicant. For students who will transfer to UHV from an institution in the United States, the admissions officer will facilitate the transfer through SEVIS after the student is approved for admission to UHV.

All other admission requirements that apply to the level of admission the student is seeking will be required for admission to the undergraduate or graduate program of choice. Undergraduate students seeking admission to UHV will not be issued an I-20 for transfer purposes unless all lower-level course requirements within their degree program have been met.

Graduate applicants will submit to the Office of Admissions and Records all essays, letters of recommendation, personal statements and other information required for approval to the graduate program they are seeking. The admissions analyst will assemble the necessary documents and submit them to the appropriate school for the Dean’s decision regarding acceptance to the program.

International students who hold an F-1 visa must be in compliance with the regulations set forth by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Enrollment in online courses during the fall and spring terms is limited to one online class within the full-course load. It is the F-1 student’s responsibility to monitor their schedule to comply with this requirement in order to maintain legal visa status while in the United States. Failure to comply with this requirement may lead to termination of the student’s F-1 visa status and possibly deportation. No tuition or fees will be refunded to the student in this instance, and degree completion may be delayed or indefinitely interrupted.

Official Transcripts

All official transcripts must be sent from the sending institution directly to UH-Victoria and must be received in the Office of Admissions and Records by the deadline dates for admission to the regular term desired. Students must supply the UHV Office of Admissions and Records with official transcripts, mark(grade) sheets, and confirmation of degrees or diplomas of any and all academic studies attempted at international colleges/universities prior to enrollment. Two sets of official transcripts, one in the original language and one English translation (if necessary), describing all academic studies attempted and completed must be on file before the final evaluation can proceed. Transcripts should plainly indicate the dates of attendance, the subjects, and the marks (grades) earned. They should also reflect any degrees or diplomas awarded. They should be submitted in an envelope that has been sealed by the university official.

Official transcripts should be issued directly to UHV by the registrar, principal or responsible head of each institution attended. When this is not possible, documents certified by an embassy or consular official as true copies may be accepted. Uncertified copies are not acceptable. The university will make a reasonable determination of those courses completed outside the United States. However, international students may be required to have a catalog match evaluation performed by an outside agency in order to determine course equivalencies. This may take longer to complete, and it is imperative that students submit international documents as early as possible to ensure adequate time for application approval.

If a student has previously obtained a comprehensive evaluation from an outside agency, UHV may accept an official copy of the evaluation and a copy of the original documents for admission purposes. The student should notify the Office of Admissions and Records prior to requesting the agency to send the evaluation copy in order to determine if the agency evaluation is acceptable for admission purposes.

Deadlines

There are no specific deadlines for admission applications from citizens or permanent residents of the United States. However, applicants should submit credentials as early as possible to ensure adequate time for processing before registration. International students must submit applications for admission and all supporting admission documentation, regardless of your degree objective, by the following dates to ensure time for processing:

Fall – June 1

Spring – October 1

Summer – March 1

For Additional Information contact the Office of Admissions and Records:

3007 N Ben Wilson, Victoria TX 77901-5731
Email: admissionsandregistration@uhv.edu
For Questions, Telephone Student Solutions: (361)573-0000 or toll-free 1-800-687-3738
Fax: (361) 580-5500