Frequently Asked Questions
Please complete the English Proficiency Waiver form found on your application portal, and we will review your request. The link may be found on the far right-hand side of your portal page, under “Helpful Links”. Email requests will not be accepted.
In most cases, we do need to have an application and an official high school transcript on file before we can review a waiver request.
We require international applicants to submit the ISFS form via their portal before their application will be reviewed.
There are limited merit scholarship opportunities available for undergraduate international students, up to $25,000 per year. All non-U.S. citizens/permanent residents must be prepared to assume the full cost of attendance for the duration of their studies.
At the time of enrollment, all international applicants must submit documentation reflecting liquid funds to cover the fees, living expenses, and tuition costs for the first year of study. Applicants must also indicate their ability to cover future expenses – four (4) full years of study for freshmen and three (3) full years for transfers. In compliance with U.S. immigration regulations, Rensselaer cannot issue immigration documents until academic admission requirements have been met and the International Student Financial Statement (ISFS) is submitted with all additional financial documentation.
If you are currently in the U.S. on a valid, temporary, nonimmigrant visa and do not intend to apply for an F-1 student visa, you do not have to submit the ISFS. Please email adm_updates@rpi.edu to confirm your intentions and request the ISFS waiver.
If your circumstances or your intentions change, please notify the Office of Admissions immediately. The ISFS is required if you intend to apply for an F-1 student visa.
If you have an Arrival Departure Record (I-94) from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with one of the following designations: “asylum granted” or “refugee”, please send a copy, as an attachment, to adm_updates@rpi.edu.
If you do not have an I-94 with either of those designations, you may submit other documentation that demonstrates that you have applied for asylum. Please send a copy of your documentation, as an attachment, to adm_updates@rpi.edu. We will review your documentation and either waive the ISFS requirement or be in touch to request additional information.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) & DREAMer students should follow the application instructions for an international applicant. Detailed instructions may be found above. At Rensselaer, our definitions of domestic versus international, as far as the application process goes, are aligned with the federal government’s definitions of eligibility for federal financial aid (versus residency, for example). So, without U.S. citizenship or a green card, a student would be considered an international applicant versus a domestic applicant.
For the question, "Select your citizenship status," please choose "DACA, undocumented, Deferred Enforced Departure, or Temporary Protected Status".