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Office of Admissions & Records

International Students

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION

DEADLINE: The completed application and all supporting documents must be received by the following dates:

Fall semester – June 1;
Spring semester – October 1;
Summer semester – March 1.

To submit required forms for applicants who have or request an F1 student visa:
F1 Student Admission Application Forms

To apply for admission (All visa holders must submit this application):
ApplyTexas


Applications and documents received after the deadline date may be used for admission to the following semester. No final approval or I-20 will be issued unless all of the admission procedures and requirements are met. Some degree programs may require additional deadlines that are set by the academic School of Arts and Science, School of Business Administration, School of Education and Human Development, or School of Nursing.

Submission of Texas Common Application for Admission

An application for admission and additional international student forms may be obtained by choosing FUTURE STUDENTS link from the UHV website: www.uhv.edu/future_students.aspx. Then choose INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS link (www.uhv.edu/oar/international.aspx) from the list of resources on the left side of the page. The Apply Texas Application is submitted electronically by the student. It is received in the Office of Admissions 24 hours after submission. Students should include a current email address to enable the UHV staff to contact them for additional information as needed. There is also a question on the Apply Texas Application where students may give the name and contact information for someone else who may be checking on their application process. If this question is blank, only the student applicant may obtain admission information about the student’s admission status.

When the student has successfully submitted the application, an email will be sent that states their application has been completed. This does not mean you have completed the entire application process, but that your electronic application is being sent to the University of Houston-Victoria to download into our applicant records. The process to submit and download your application will take 24 to 48 hours. When your application has been entered into UHV student records system, a second email will be sent to you stating your UHV ID number and a temporary password. You may use this information to check your application status online.

Official Transcripts and Degree Documents

Students must supply the UHV Office of Admissions and Records with official transcripts, marks/grades, and confirmation of degrees or diplomas of any and all academic studies attempted at international secondary schools, colleges, institutes, and universities prior to enrollment. International educational institutions must be recognized and authorized to grant degrees by the Ministry of Education in the country where the institution is located. An official transcript, and degree/diploma certificate, including mark sheets (if available) for each year, from EACH secondary school, college or university attended must be sent directly from each institution to the University of Houston-Victoria, Office of Admissions and Records, 3007 N. Ben Wilson, Victoria, Texas 77901. Copies should be official (attested by the university official), stamped and sealed shut by the university official, and delivered unopened by the student. Loose, opened transcripts submitted by applicants are not considered to be official, and will not be accepted for unconditional admission to the university. Transcripts from international institutions must be accompanied by an English translation when necessary, and must describe all academic studies attempted and completed. Transcripts should plainly indicate the dates of attendance, the subjects, and the marks (grades) earned. They should also reflect any degrees or diplomas awarded.

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 an evaluation performed 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, the student should check with the Office of Admissions to confirm that the evaluation is acceptable for admission to UHV. Once the Office of Admissions determines that the evaluation is acceptable, UHV will need an official copy of the accepted evaluation and a copy of the original documents for admission purposes.

Students may want to obtain a syllabus, catalog, or similar bulletin with course descriptions to support specific course transfer when working with the academic advisor in the desired degree program. Course transfer to specific academic programs is not determined in the Office of Admissions, but is accomplished through each academic school after students are enrolled in the program.

English Proficiency

An official TOEFL score report must be sent directly to the University of Houston-Victoria Office of Admissions and Records from the Educational Testing Service. Exemptions to TOEFL requirements are listed under English requirements in this brochure.

International Enrollment Forms

  1. UHV Statement of Understanding Form must be signed and returned with your application for admission.
  2. UHV Letter of Financial Backing Form must be completed, signed by sponsor/student, and returned with your application for admission. Include bank documents with this form, from the financial institution, translated in English to show currency in US dollars when possible. These documents must verify available funds the student will need for tuition, fees, living expenses, health insurance, transportation, and other costs. The USCIS Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, must be used by American sponsors. You may request this form from Admissions or see the website for Forms: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis.
  3. A completed Emergency Notification Form must be included with your admission documents. This form is to provide UHV contact information for persons in the U.S. and in their home country in the event of an accident or medical emergency.

ADDITIONAL UNDERGRADUATE INFORMATION

To be eligible for undergraduate admission to the University of Houston-Victoria, a student must have earned a minimum of 54 semester hours of academic course credit from an accredited college or university with a 2.0 (A=4.0) grade point average and must have satisfied all sections (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics) of the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) exam. TASP/THEA exam scores (reading, writing, and mathematics) are to be sent directly from the National Evaluation Systems, Inc. to UH-Victoria; or the scores must appear on an official transcript being sent from a college formerly attended.

In computing grade point averages, only the semester hours and grades earned on the last enrollment in a repeated course will be used for computation of the required grade point average for admission. A student will not be considered for admission if not eligible to return immediately to any former institution(s).

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATE ADMISSION

The applicant for a graduate program must have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher in an institution accredited by one of the six recognized regional accrediting associations. The six associations are Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, North Central Association of Colleges and schools, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and Western Association of Schools and colleges. Foreign institutions which may not be formally accredited by United States accrediting agencies must be recognized as maintaining high academic standards, and authorized to grant degrees by the Ministry of Education or appropriate government agency in the country where the institution is located. For graduate admission, applicants with international credentials must have earned a baccalaureate degree comparable to a 4-year baccalaureate degree in the United States. The appropriate graduate school will determine whether or not the applicant is qualified for that graduate program. Admission to the university does not guarantee a student admission to the graduate program.

Admission to a graduate program depends on (1) the applicant’s grade point average on all work attempted, undergraduate and/or graduate, beginning with the semester during which the first of the 60 most recently earned semester hours was taken and (2) the score on the General Aptitude Test (verbal and quantitative sections only) of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Business majors must submit scores from the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT) and follow the requirements for graduate school admission set by the School of Business Administration. Counseling majors may substitute scores from the Miller Analogy Test (MAT) for the GRE score requirement. In general, the higher an applicant’s grade point average, the lower the test score needs to be for graduate admission approval.

To determine an applicant’s eligibility for graduate admission, an Admissions Index is computed which combines the grade point average on the last 60 semester hours with the GRE or other test score. The Admissions Index is obtained by computing the formula: (GPA x 200) + the sum of verbal and quantitative sections only of the GRE or (GMAT x 2) or (MAT x 18).

To be admitted, applicants must meet at least one of the following standards:

  1. A grade point average of 2.5 or above over the last 60 credit hours completed and a GRE score of 800 or above (verbal and quantitative sections). GMAT minimum score of 450 is required for MBA applicants. The MAT score minimum of 50 may be substituted for Counseling applicants.
  2. An admissions index of 1400 or above. For formula, see previous paragraph.
  3. Some programs may require additional documents. In addition to submitting official transcripts and/or scores on the graduate admissions test, applicants may be required to submit one or more of the following documents, as specified by the relevant degree program:
    • A letter of application and/or resume.
    • A recommendation from a practicing professional in the field of study or a related field.
    • A personal essay stating the reason for application to the program and career goals.

Please see the admission information for your degree program in the UHV catalog for an explanation of the specific admission requirements for that program.

Applications and all supporting documents should be sent to the Office of Admissions and Records (OAR) at the university. OAR staff assembles the documents and calculates the admissions index. If the student’s index meets the minimal requirements, the file is sent to the relevant academic school. The School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business Administration, School of Education and Human Development, or School of Nursing will review the index and supporting qualitative documents and approve or disapprove admission. The academic school will notify the Office of Admissions and Records of the decision and the student will be notified immediately.

Summary of Graduate Admission procedures:

  1. Complete the Apply Texas admission application and submit to UHV.
  2.  Submit official transcript(s), mark sheets for each year of attendance, and confirmation of degree or diploma, from EACH secondary school, college, and university attended. Transcripts must be in English and be mailed directly to UHV from each institution. (Mail to: University of Houston-Victoria, Office of Admissions and Records, 3007 N. Ben Wilson, Victoria, Texas 77901. See “Official Transcripts and Degree Documents” above regarding submission of documents.
  3. Appropriate exam scores must be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service to the University of Houston-Victoria. GRE minimum score required is 800 (sum of verbal and quantitative sections only) for all majors, or MAT minimum score of 50 for counseling majors may be substituted. GMAT minimum score of 450 is required for business majors.
  4. An official report of the TOEFL score (minimum score of 79 iBT) sent directly from the Educational Testing Service to UHV. Exceptions to TOEFL are listed under English requirements in this brochure.
  5. Submit UHV Statement of Understanding Form, signed and dated by student.
  6. Submit UHV Letter of Financial Backing Form, signed and returned with your application for admission, along with recently dated bank documents, translated to show currency in U.S. dollars when possible, in English by the banking institution. These documents must verify available funds for the student or sponsor. The Immigration Form I-134, “Affidavit of Support” must be used by American sponsors. Request this from Admissions or see the U.S. Immigration Services website for forms: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis.
  7. A completed Emergency Notification Form must be included with your admission documents. This form is to provide UHV contact information for persons in the U.S. and in their home country in the event of an accident or medical emergency.
  8. Additional required documents (letters of recommendation, essays, resumes, etc.) for admission may be requested for specific degree programs.

DEADLINE: To assure processing, the student’s completed application and all supporting documents should be submitted by the international student deadline which applies to the desired semester. (Fall – June 1; Spring – October 1; Summer – March 1) Any application or documents received after the deadline may be used for the following semester. No final approval or I-20 will be issued unless all of the admission procedures and requirements are met.

ENGLISH REQUIREMENT

English proficiency:    For applicants whose first or native language is not English and/or whose education language of instruction has not been English language only, a valid, official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam score of a minimum 79 iBT exam is required, and must be on file before admission will be approved. Photocopies are not acceptable. You will need to request an official report to be sent directly to the University of Houston-Victoria. Our school code for TOEFL is 6917.

Institutional TOEFL:    The TOEFL exam is administered on selected dates every year at locations around the world. In addition to these international TOEFL exams, individual institutions such as the University of Houston are also authorized to administer the TOEFL exam. This TOEFL is referred to as an institutional or Satellite TOEFL. It is essentially the same in content as the international TOEFL exam but may only be recognized by the institutions that administer them. UHV will recognize institutional TOEFL exams taken at one of the University of Houston System campuses. Interested applicants should contact the UHV Office of Admissions and Records.

Exceptions:    The TOEFL exam minimum score may be waived for students if they:

  1. Have completed nine semester hours of lower division English in an accredited US college or university, three of which must be in composition and three in literature, or
  2. Have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher in an accredited US college or university or
  3. Have completed the equivalent of at least three years full-time study at a recognized secondary school, college or university whose primary language of instruction is English, or
  4. Have completed the highest level of intensive English study, and are recommended for academic study by an English Language Institute recognized by the University of Houston-Victoria.
  5. Have submitted IELTS exam score, minimum of 6.5 or higher total band score.

Under certain conditions, applicants who are required to submit TOEFL scores may be tested again.

Contact Information:

University of Houston-Victoria
Office of Admissions and Records
3007 N Ben Wilson, Victoria, Texas 77901
Telephone: (361) 570-4110    Fax: (361) 580-5500
Admissionsandregistration@uhv.edu

To submit required forms for applicants who have or request an F1 student visa:
F1 Student Admission Application Forms

To apply for admission (All visa holders must submit this application):
ApplyTexas