The Office of International Admissions and Programs welcomes prospective and current students, alumni, faculty and staff. Our services include international admissions and international advising for F-1 students, alumni and F-2 dependents.
General Information and Definitions
General Information
For general information, please refer to relevant sections of the New Student Admissions chapter in this catalog, including but not limited to English Proficiency Requirements for Students Educated Outside of the United States, Examinations for Graduate Candidacies, Examination Exemptions, Readmission or Status Change Process and Graduate Transfer Credit Information.
Definitions
International Applicant- Individuals who apply to the university and either (a) hold a U.S. visa or (b) anticipate entering the U.S. with a visa. Individuals who are legal permanent residents, on Temporary Protective Status (TPS), U.S. citizens (naturalized or by birth), refugee/asylee, or undocumented are not considered international applicants.
International Student- Students who are in the U.S. or will be in the U.S. in F-1 status.
Conditional Admissions- A process in which the university reviews the application and submitted documentation to determine if the applicant meets the admission requirements outside of English language proficiency and graduate examinations. This determination may be limited to UHCL-recognized English language programs (such as ELS) and government-sponsored students.
Conditionally Admitted- Application status that signifies the student hasn’t met English language proficiency requirements or standardized test score requirement such as GRE/GMAT, but meets other academic requirements such as a minimum GPA, proof of degree and academic background.
Application Fees
International applicants: $75
International doctoral applicants: $135
The application fee is non-refundable and can be paid by credit card (VISA, Discover, or Mastercard). The application fee can be paid online through E-Services, UHCL Graduate Application Portal, or in person at the Office of Student Business Services.
Application Deadlines
Some programs may have earlier deadlines. Please refer to the catalog for deadlines specific to your program.
Fall Enrollment
Final Deadline: Apply by April 1
Document Deadline: April 15
Spring Enrollment
Final Deadline: Apply by October 1
Document Deadline: October 15
Summer Enrollment
Final Deadline: Apply by March 1
Document Deadline: March 15
* Students interested in qualifying for scholarships and/or applying for visas outside the U.S. should apply and submit the application documents/test scores by the priority deadline.
Deferral Process
Graduate applicants who do not enroll are eligible to defer their application within three semesters of submitting their original application. To defer to a new semester, students should submit an Application Update Request form, which can be found on the Office of International Admissions and Programs’ website. This form can also be used to request a change in academic programs during the admission process. Students who are ineligible to defer their application can re-apply and pay the application fee.
Notification of Admission
Upon receipt of appropriate documentation, the Office of International Admissions and Programs will determine the applicant’s eligibility, and will notify them of the program’s admissions decision. If accepted, the applicant will receive important information regarding registration dates and procedures. This information is also available on the university’s website through E-Services.
Admissions Requirements
After submitting an international graduate application through GoApplyTexas.org along with the appropriate application fee, international applicants must meet the university’s admission standards (as explained in the New Student Admissions chapter of this catalog), in addition to the English proficiency requirement.
International graduate applicants must submit official documents from each higher education institution attended (inside and outside of the U.S.). Documents must meet requirements for U.S. documents and international documents (see Documents for Acceptance). Upon acceptance, the student will be required to submit additional documents (see Additional Document Requirements).
Applicants with Pending Bachelor’s Degrees
Graduate program applicants may be admitted while they are pending receipt of a bachelor’s degree. To qualify, students must meet current admission requirements and provide proof that they will earn at least a bachelor’s degree prior to their first day of classes at UHCL.
Current UHCL Undergraduate Students
Current UHCL undergraduate students who apply to graduate programs prior to the conferral of a bachelor’s degree must have a Pending Graduation Application form on file in the Office of Academic Records. The Office of International Admissions and Programs will verify that the application for graduation has not been denied prior to admission. Admitted students must earn their bachelor’s degree prior to the first day of class. Those needing additional time to complete requirements for pending undergraduate degrees will be returned to undergraduate status to complete those requirements before being allowed to enroll in graduate studies.
International Conditional Admission
International applicants who meet the university’s admission requirements for their chosen degree programs, but who have not yet met the English proficiency requirement, can be conditionally admitted to some graduate programs. Please note that conditional admission is not available for all programs and it does not allow registration or enrollment at UHCL.
Once an applicant completes ELS Level 112 or otherwise demonstrates proficiency in English*, the applicant will be required to submit graduate exam scores as described in the New Student Admissions chapter.
*See English Proficiency Requirements for Students Educated Outside of the United States.
Non-Degree-Seeking Status
International students who hold F-1 visas are not eligible for admission as non-degree-seeking students. They must enroll as degree-seeking in specific degree plans or programs. Although their primary programs must be degree-seeking, these students can simultaneously enroll in secondary, non-degree certificate or certification programs. International students, who hold J-1 or other visas, may be admitted to non-degree-seeking status or certificate programs. Students can refer to the certificate programs section of New Student Admissions for more information.
Graduate Transient Status
Graduate students in good standing at another institution may be admitted to University of Houston-Clear Lake as transients for one semester. These students generally plan to transfer coursework back to their home institution.
Transient students must submit official transcripts showing proof that a bachelor’s degree or higher has been conferred. Due to prerequisite requirements, some programs may also require a Letter of Standing from the transfer institution indicating the coursework being requested at UHCL.
All required documentation for admission must be provided, prior to registration. Students in F-1 or J-1 status must also provide a letter from the immigration adviser at their respective institution allowing them to enroll as a transient student at UHCL. See Transient Admission Requirements in New Student Admissions.
Transients who wish to enroll in a second semester must obtain permission from the associate dean of their academic program. They must then reapply by submitting a new application and application fee to the Office of International Admissions and Programs. Students enrolling under this option, who subsequently decide to become degree-seeking, must reapply, pay the appropriate application fee, (see Application Fees), and meet the university’s and academic program’s current admission requirements.
Documents for Acceptance and Enrollment
Applicants must indicate on their admission application all previous schools attended. Degree-seeking students must submit official transcripts from each college or university attended. Transient students must provide documents from each institution attended to be eligible to register, and must be eligible to return immediately to the last school attended.
The Office of International Admissions and Programs must receive all documents by the appropriate deadline (see Application Deadlines). An official transcript of any coursework in progress and proof of diploma/degree, prior to or during enrollment at University of Houston-Clear Lake should be sent to the Office of International Admissions and Programs immediately after grades are posted.
To expedite processing, applicants should request that domestic (U.S.) transcripts be sent electronically. UHCL’s preferred method of transcript delivery is via EDI or SPEEDE download for transfer work and Trex electronic downloads for high school work. Hand-delivered transcripts must be no more than 60 days old and enclosed in a sealed envelope from the issuing institution.
If students knowingly withhold information or submit fraudulent information regarding enrollment at another accredited institution, their application to UHCL will be considered invalid and they may be administratively withdrawn from classes without a refund of fees paid.
International Transcript and Document Requirements
School Accreditation Status
Applicants submitting international college or university transcripts/documents must have attended an international institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (UNESCO) or Ministry of Education.
Transcripts from International Institutions
Students must provide the Office of International Admissions and Programs with official transcripts, mark (grade) sheets and confirmation of degrees or diplomas for all academic studies attempted and completed at those colleges/universities. Transcripts and/or mark (grade) sheets must be in the original language and accompanied by official English translations (if applicable). These documents should clearly indicate dates of attendance, subjects taken and marks (grades) earned, and reflect any degrees or diplomas awarded.
Official transcripts must be sent to UHCL by the registrar of each institution attended. When this is not possible, documents certified by an embassy or consulate, Education USA official, university authority (such as principal, registrar, controller of examinations, vice rector or rector), Ministry of Education or Ministry of Foreign Affairs official as “true copies” may be accepted. Copies of documents that are not certified will not be accepted.
English Proficiency Requirements for Students Educated Outside of the United States
Applicants educated in countries where English is not the official language must demonstrate English proficiency. This requirement must be met during the admissions process. The intent of this policy is to ensure applicants have reasonable chances to succeed academically, based on their ability to comprehend, speak and write in English. The English proficiency requirement may be met by meeting one of the following criteria:*
- Earning a U.S. high school diploma or conferral of a U.S. associate degree or higher from regionally accredited institutions of higher education (applied science degrees cannot be used to waive the English proficiency requirement).
- Earning qualifying test scores from the SAT, ACT, TAKS, STAAR or Stanford exams. (see TSI Assessment Exemptions through Test Scores).
- Achievement Tests (for deaf students only). Specific exemption information can be obtained by contacting the Office of Admissions.
- Earning 12 or more transferable hours in the following subjects (English, Speech, and heavy reading-related subjects such as Government, Political Science, History, etc.) from regionally accredited institutions of higher education. Grades earned must be C or higher; and, six (6) of the 12 hours must be in English Composition. English as Second Language courses (ESL or ESOL) do not count toward English proficiency exemptions.
To satisfy English proficiency by test results, one of the following is required:
- Official Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 53 or higher, or
- Official International English Language System (IELTS) score of 6.0 or higher, or
- Successful completion of ELS Level 112 - Intensive English Program, or
- iBT TOEFL Test total of 79 or higher, or
- GRE Verbal score 11% or higher
- 115 Duolingo or higher
The University of Houston-Clear Lake is accepting the Duolingo English Test for English as a proficiency exam. Duolingo English Tests are valid for two years from the date the test was taken. The exam costs $49 (USD) and may be taken from any computer that has a camera, audio, and reliable internet. The exam portion of the Duolingo English Test contains a series of speaking, reading, writing, and listening exercises. Following the exam, there will be an interview portion that will ask you to respond to various prompts in 30 to 90 seconds. The exam will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. The score results are generally received within a few days of exam completion.
Duolingo English Test access information:
Information on preparing for the exam | Take the exam or practice exam
A few days after completing the exam, a verification email will be sent to you which contains a link to send your score to UHCL. A minimum score of 115 is required, although some programs may require a higher score.
Additional Document Requirements
Prior to being allowed to enroll, accepted students who are in the U.S. or plan on entering the U.S. in F or J visa status are required to submit:
The following documents are required for students entering the U.S. in another visa status:
- Copy of photo page of the passport.
- Copy of current I-94.
University of Houston-Clear Lake recommends submitting these documents immediately after the student applies, to avoid a delay in the enrollment process.
Other Policies Applicable for International Students
Transfer-In Policy
Students who hold F-1 visas and are currently studying at another SEVIS-approved institution of higher education in the United States must do the following:
- Be accepted by University of Houston-Clear Lake
- Request the “transfer-out” school to transfer their SEVIS record to UHCL
- Request that the “transfer-out” school set up the SEVIS transfer to UHCL, prior to the student receiving eligibility to enroll.
Health Insurance
All international students holding F or J visas are required to have health insurance, including medical evacuation and repatriation coverage. The university provides such insurance and automatically adds the premium to applicable tuition/fee statements. International students with private health insurance comparable to the university’s coverage may request a waiver of the university’s health insurance.
To be considered for a waiver, students must submit a waiver request online by the dates posted. University of Houston-Clear Lake will not accept waiver requests by U.S. mail, e-mail, fax, or documents brought to the university. Incomplete requests, late requests or insurance policies not meeting the minimum requirements will not be approved. Each F or J visa holder is responsible for any late fees associated with the waiver process.
Check-In
All international students holding F and J visas are required to check in with the Office of International Admissions and Programs upon arrival to campus. Students must complete this check-in process through the International Student Document Portal. Also, students must submit all official transcripts, other academic documents showing degree completion and final semester coursework. Failure to complete the check-in process and/or submit the final transcript or degree will cause a hold to be put on the student’s account. This hold will prevent the student from registering for a future semester.
International Student Orientation
New international student orientation is offered prior to each fall, spring and summer semester and is mandatory for all new international students. A comprehensive program is offered to all new international students to the university. The orientation provides information regarding health insurance, visa regulations, cross-cultural adjustment, transition to college, negotiating campus setting, academic and peer advising.
Co-Enrollment (International Students)
International students may obtain an international student adviser’s permission to co-enroll at another institution. Permission for concurrent enrollment must be obtained from a UHCL international student adviser through the International Student Document Portal prior to attempting to register and enroll concurrently at a different institution. At the beginning of the semester, a registration printout or transcript from the concurrent school must be provided to the UHCL international student adviser as proof of student’s enrollment status. International students must provide official transcripts after completing the semester from the other institution.
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