First-Year International Applicants

Apply online using the Common Application or Coalition Application. Your file will not be reviewed until all of the materials below have been received by the Office of Admissions:

• Completed application, including essay and CV/Resume
• Application fee of U.S. $75; no fee waivers are available.
  • Only first-year students applying for the AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship and/or referred directly by EducationUSA or other non-government organizations may be eligible to receive an application fee waiver on a case-by-case basis. All other applicants must submit the U.S. $75 application fee.
  • Note: Students cannot submit their own secondary-school transcripts or recommendation letters. These must be uploaded to the Common or Coalition Application directly by the school's counselor/teacher or mailed per courier instructions below.

  The following item is only required from students who need a student visa (F or J):

  • NEW: The AU Declaration of Finances Form (AU DFF) must be submitted by the application deadline and must reflect at least US$81,620 for first year of study and living expenses. Be prepared to pay at least this amount for each additional year at AU.
    • Once you submit your admissions application and create your portal, the completed and signed two-page AU DFF form can be uploaded via your AU applicant portal.

    Important Information - Proof of Finances for International Students
    

    1. Undergraduate admission to American University is need aware for all international students. This means that AU considers the student's ability to cover ALL costs when making admissions' decisions.
    2. AU does not provide need-based financial aid, need-based grants, or federal financial aid to international students. Need-based aid is only available for U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents.
    3. Qualified international students are eligible to receive AU's merit-based partial scholarships.
    4. All international students who will need an F-1 student visa /J-1 exchange visa must complete and submit the AU Declaration of Finances Form (AU DFF) confirming a minimum of US$81,620 by the appropriate deadline, even if they hope to receive a partial merit-based scholarship.
    5. Applications missing the AU Declaration of Finances Form (AU DFF) or whose AU DFF form confirms less than US$81,620 will not be considered for admission.
    6. The AU DFF form must be signed and dated within the past three months to be considered valid.
    7. AU does not accept the CSS profile, FAFSA form, or the College Board ISFAA forms for international students.
    8. Note: students applying for the AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship must submit the AU Declaration of Finances Form (AU DFF) and a bank letter confirming a minimum of US$4,000. Please review the EGL scholarship application instructions and deadlines.
    9. Students receiving or applying for an outside scholarship from a government, parent's employer, or other organization may be contacted by an admissions representative for more information regarding the scholarship application timeline and scholarship disbursement date.

    Additional Documents to be Submitted by Admitted International F/J students who Enroll at AU

    
    Admitted international F/J visa-status students who deposit and enroll at AU will need to submit additional documents. The list of required documents can be found on our International Student & Scholar Services Office (ISSS) website. Visit the site and read the required steps carefully, as mistakes will delay your I-20 preparation. An admissions representative will connect with you and collect a copy of your passport Information page, AU CFIS form, and supporting financial documents.

    Application Deadlines

    Your application and all supporting documents must be received by the respective application deadline.

    If you plan to begin your studies in August (fall semester):

    Early Action (New): November 1
    Early Decision I (ED I): November 1
    Early Decision II (ED II): January 15
    Regular Decision (RD): January 15

    If you plan to begin your studies in January (spring semester):

    All spring applicants October 1

    For students living outside the United States, we strongly recommend September 1

    Submitting Your Application's Supporting Documents

    1. Important: Upload the completed and signedAU Declaration of Finances form (AU DFF) as a PDF document to your AU applicant portal.
    2. Students cannot self-report results of their English proficiency exams (Duolingo, TOEFL, or IELTS). Please ask the testing agency to send your official score report to American University, Undergraduate Admissions, Washington, District of Columbia.
    3. Note: Students cannot submit their own secondary-school transcripts or recommendation letters. These must be uploaded to the Common or Coalition Application directly by the school’s counselor/teacher or mailed per courier instructions below.

    If your secondary school prefers to use a courier service, keep your tracking number and have them send your transcripts and recommendation letters to:

    Undergraduate Admissions
    Office of Enrollment
    4801 Massachusetts Ave., NW STE-218
    Washington, DC 20016-8001
    USA
    Tel: +1-202-885-6000

    The Application Form

    Complete the application carefully. Please make sure to include your full name exactly as it appears in the machine-readable section of your passport (check the bottom of your passport page). The first three letters stand for your country of citizenship. Omit those three letters when completing the admission application form. Also include date of birth, complete educational history, country of birth, citizenship, current mailing address and a permanent address outside of the United States, even if you currently live or study in the United States.

    Your Academic Records

    Please have your official academic records from each secondary school you attended for the U.S. equivalent of 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades sent directly from those schools to American University, Washington, DC via the Common or Coalition Application or mailed by courier service to American University in sealed envelopes. Students who study in 3-year secondary school systems only need to provide transcripts for those three years.

    These records should be submitted in their original language and accompanied by notarized English translations if applicable. Ask your secondar school to include any predicated or final examination results from exams such as IB, GCSE, GCE, Bagrut, French Baccalaureate, CAPE Units One and Two, Abitur, Attestat, or Secondary School Leaving Certificates, if available.

    Certain exam results such as, but not limited to, IB, WAEC, GCE, GCSE, and CAPE must come directly to our office from the examination board or authority.

    Letters of Recommendation

    Although only one letter of recommendation from a teacher is required with your application, we strongly encourage you also ask your school's university counselor, principal, or headmaster to submit a second letter of recommendation. These letters are confidential. Each letter must be in English. Recommenders can upload recommendation letters directly onto the Common or Coalition Application. If sent by courier mail, please have your reference sign or place a school stamp across the sealed flap of the envelope.

    English Proficiency

    AU requires strong English language skills. All first-year applicants (including U.S. citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents) can prove English proficiency by either curriculum or testing.

    Via curriculum for Spring 2025, Fall 2025 and Beyond:

    • Four years of study (grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 or equivalent) in U.S. regionally-accredited or IB, CXC or UK curricula (inside or outside the U.S.), where English is the only medium of instruction AND no ESL courses have been taken;

    Or Via Testing:

    
    IMPORTANT: Students cannot self-report English proficiency exam results. Ask the testing agency to send your official results directly to American University, Undergraduate Admissions, Washington, District of Columbia (DC).