Admission Deadlines

All international applications are processed on a rolling basis, however, there are admission deadlines.

Fall Semester:

• • June 15 – applicants outside the U.S. & Canada
  • July 15 –  for applicants inside the U.S. & Canada

Spring Semester:

• • October 15 – applicants outside the U.S & Canada
  • November 15 – applicants inside the U.S. & Canada

We recommend you submit your application at least six months prior to your anticipated start date–to allow us sufficient time to process your application, issue your I-20, and time for you to obtain your visa.

All new international students are required to attend International Student Orientation prior to the start of the term.

Admission Requirements

Review the admission criteria and our instructions below prior to applying for admission.

Along with your completed International Student Application, you must submit all of the information and documents listed below. All supporting documents may be scanned and submitted to our office via email.  Please include your BSU-issued 8-digit student identification number and first and last name–to International@bemidjistate.edu. We reserve the right to request an original copy of documents, should the scanned copy not prove sufficient.

Under “Citizenship” on the application’s first page, be sure to select “International Visa Holder or Seeker.”

The “Social Security” number is optional. Only include a social security number if one has been issued to you by the United States government. If you do not have a Social Security number, leave that blank.

• • International Application Processing Fee.
    • A $50 international application processing fee payment is required to complete your application submission.  This fee must be paid before we process your application.  This fee is non-refundable, does not guarantee admission, and cannot be waived.
    • To pay the fee, access the PayMyTuition Portal, search for Bemidji State University, and follow the directions.  You will receive this prompt after submitting your International Student Application as well.

• • Financial Documents

• • • Financial Affidavit Form

• • • 1. Your Financial Affidavit must show a total of at least $25,859 USD, the estimated cost to attend BSU for two semesters/one academic year.
      2. For help in filling out the Financial Affidavit Form, please refer to the cost breakdown and the financial affidavit instructions.

• • • Bank Documents.  You have 2 options for submitting bank documents:

• • • 1. Line-by-line bank statements dated within the last six months.  See link for a sample bank statement.
      2. Notarized letter from your bank dated with last six months.

• • Secondary School/High School Transcript

• • • Photocopies of official transcripts must be signed and/or stamped by an official from the issuing agency attesting that the photocopy is a true copy of the original.

• • Post-Secondary School/College/University Records

• • • You are required to provide transcripts from all schools previously attended.
    • Photocopies of official transcripts must be signed and/or stamped by an official from the issuing agency attesting that the photocopy is a true copy of the original.
    • Institutions outside of the United States: If you have attended a non-U.S. post-secondary institute, college or university that does not have a current articulation agreement with Bemidji State, you must have a course-by-course evaluation by a professional credit-evaluation agency who is NACES accredited.  SpanTran provides a discount for BSU students.

• • Proof of English Proficiency

• • Essay

• • • In your own words, please write an essay which describes your academic background, the type of program you are seeking, your educational objectives at Bemidji State University and how they tie into your future goals. Note: The purpose of this essay is not to impress us with your knowledge of a particular subject or extensive vocabulary. We want it to be honest and allow us to get to know you.

• • Passport Copy

• • • Copy of the Name/Identification page of your passport.

• • Signed International Student Agreement Form

• • Authorization to Release Student Information Form 

• • • Only if you want to give permission to another person to have access to your application/admission records.

• • Transfer Request Form 

• • • Only for International students currently studying in the United States on an F-1/J-1 visa will need to complete this form.

Your supporting documents can be submitted via email to international@bemidjistate.edu. We reserve the right to request an original or official copy of the documents, should the scanned copy not prove sufficient.

Documents that require a signature must be signed with a “wet” — original pen-and-ink signature. Computer-generated signatures are not acceptable.

IMPORTANT: All application materials, including supporting documents (e.g. bank statements, transcripts) become the property of Bemidji State University and cannot be returned. Any documents submitted that are not specifically requested by Bemidji State will not be considered in the applications process.

Canadian students do not need an F-1 student visa, but do need an I-20 to attend BSU as an international student.

If you have any questions, please contact us by email at international@bemidjistate.edu.

International Student Information Request