International Students

Mid-America is proud to have alumni and students across the globe, and we continue to welcome students from nations far and wide. Please be aware that individuals who are not citizens of the United States, and wish to attend Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary must meet additional requirements for admission. Not to worry, our admissions team is here to help you every step of the way.

Immigration Laws

The Seminary is authorized by the laws of the United States to enroll nonimmigrant international students. All requirements of the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the United States must be satisfied before the applicant will be admitted. Admissions will provide international applicants information about the “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student” (Form I-20).  Information on the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System is located here.

Financial Responsibility

International applicants must submit documents demonstrating funds available or guaranteed support adequate for international travel, educational expenses, and living expenses in the United States. The Seminary will provide a Financial Statement for International Applicants form that must be used for this purpose. This statement also requires certain designated affidavits that must be provided. The Seminary, at its discretion, may require the applicant to submit an Affidavit of Support (Form I-134), which is issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the United States Department of Justice. International students are required to meet the financial deposit required by the Seminary. The deposit is refundable to the student upon graduation or withdrawal from the Seminary.

The Seminary will not accept financial responsibility for any part of an international student’s support. Beyond the low cost of tuition, the Seminary is not in a position to provide financial support.

Students must not depart from their home nation before receiving confirmation of admission approval and the Immigration I-20 form from the International Student Affairs office. Additionally, applicants must pay the I-901 SEVIS fee to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

For financial guidelines to help with planning, click on the following links: Associate degrees; Bachelor of Arts degrees; Bachelor of Science degrees; Master’s degrees; Doctoral degrees. Also, access the Financial Declaration and Verification Form, which is mandatory and must be submitted with your application.

Transcript Requirements

International applicants must meet the same academic prerequisites as United States citizens for the program for which they are applying. Official transcripts (translated into English) of all institutions of higher education that the applicant has attended must be submitted. If the applicant has received postsecondary degrees from an institution outside the United States, these degrees MAY be reviewed by the academic council and/or an independent credentials evaluation agency. The applicant must pay for all expenses involved in this process. Mid-America will provide international applicants with information about independent credentials evaluation upon request. Applicants who received postsecondary degrees from a United States institution of higher education must submit official transcripts. 

If you have a current I-20 from another educational institution in the United States, you must include the transfer verification form with your application.

English Language Requirement

All instruction at the Seminary is in English. Applicants whose indigenous language is not English must score at least 550 on the paper-based “Test of English as a Foreign Language” (TOEFL) or 79 on the Internet-based TOEFL for masters and associates work and 600 on the paper-based TOEFL or 100 on the Internet-based TOEFL for doctoral work. This examination must be completed not more than two years before admission to the Seminary.

In the United States, information concerning the TOEFL examination may be received from the Educational Testing Service: P.O. Box 899, Princeton, NJ 08549. Outside the United States, information concerning the TOEFL is available from United States embassies, consulates, or information centers. The MABTS code number, 1712, must be used to report TOEFL scores. 

Exceptions to this requirement are presented to the designated program committee and must be approved by the faculty. Students who have received a postsecondary degree from an English-speaking institution of higher learning; particularly from the United States, Canada, or Great Britain; sometimes are not required to take the TOEFL exam. This is not an automatic exception and is determined on an individual basis.

A more detailed explanation of these requirements is available in the Catalog or by contacting the Admissions Office.