Gateway for

Admissions for International Students

Undergraduate students will find all the admissions requirements, financial support information, test score & GPA requirements, as well as other required documents by visiting: www.futureowls.rice.edu

Graduate students seeking admission to Rice will find all the admissions requirements, financial support information, test score & GPA requirements, as well as other required documents by visiting the webpage of the specific department you wish to join. For a list of graduate departments at Rice University and general admissions requirements, please visit: http://graduate.rice.edu/Admissions/requirements.cfm

Short-Term International Visiting Research Students are not pursuing a degree at Rice University, but are instead coming for a short visit to conduct research (typically during the summer).  Visiting Research Students work directly with their academic departments on their admission process to Rice.

Class III International Students must verify with our office to ensure that their visa category allows for studies.  Rice University does not issue immigration documents for studies as a Class III student.  The ability for the foreign national to continue with the application process will be determined by the OISS advisor’s evaluation of the visa category in conjunction with a course of study.  All Class III international applicants should fill out the following form with copies of their immigration documents for proper processing: Class III Eligibility Form.

International Student Visa Classifications
Typically degree-seeking international students will come to study on an F-1 student visa and exchange students on a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa. To apply for an F-1 or J-1 visa, the student will need an I-20 or DS-2019 immigration documents, respectively. Occasionally international students may study on other visa classifications, depending on their situation, so please check with an OISS advisor if you plan to stay on your current visa classification.

Obtaining an I-20 or DS-2019 to apply for an F-1/J-1 visa
To issue an I-20 or DS-2019, the student must first have been admitted to a program at Rice and have accepted the offer of admission.  OISS will then receive documentation from the Admissions/Academic Departments regarding newly admitted international students. New international students need to provide the following:

1. Copy of the passport identification page
2. Completed International Financial Declaration Form along with supporting documentation
   - Undergraduate Students
   - Architecture/Music Graduate Students, or Professional Masters Students in Natural Sciences
   - Professional Masters Students in Engineering
   - MBA Students
   - All Other Graduate Students
3. DS-2019 Request Form (J-1 Students only)
4. Foreign Student Transfer Release Form (if transferring from a US institution)
   The Release Form is required for all students coming to Rice University directly from another U.S. institution. Please ask the International Student Advisor at your current school to assist you in completing the form and to set a Transfer Release Date in SEVIS for your record to be transferred to Rice. Please note OISS may only prepare an I-20 after the SEVIS Release Date has passed.