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Berea College

All of our Application Deadlines for international students entering in Fall 2025 have passed. We are closely monitoring updates regarding student visas and currently anticipate our Fall 2026 application will be available August 1. If you are interested in applying for Fall 2026, please check back August 1.

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Applicants wishing to be considered  must submit all application components by December 31.

When is the application deadline?

Once a complete application has been processed, a confirmation email will be sent to the applicant. All applicants will receive an update on their admission decision status in February. Final admissions decisions will be released no later than March 31.

When are admissions decisions made?

Accepted international students will be issued an I-20 after they have submitted the required $2,200 deposit and completed all required forms (e.g. passport bio page, medical history form).

When do accepted students receive an I-20?

All admitted international students receive financial aid and scholarships that cover 100% of tuition, housing, food, and fees. As part of their participation in the College&#8217;s Work Program, international students are encouraged to save money to contribute toward their personal expenses. The College does make summer jobs available to international students. Accepted international students are also expected to pay a $2,200 (US) deposit to confirm their enrollment. This deposit can be used by international students for certain expenses during their four years of enrollment. For students who are unable to pay all or a portion of the deposit, additional financial aid is available.

What is the cost per year?

Students who have been offered admission to Berea will receive communication from the Office of Admissions with specific details on the payment deadline and instructions for submitting payment. The College does have some sources of financial aid to help cover this amount, depending upon the student’s family financial circumstances. The I-20 is not issued until the required payment has been received.

When must I pay the $2,200 deposit?

Students who are unable to submit an online application may apply by completing all steps outlined in our international admission packet and mailing their completed application in one envelope to the Office of Admissions no later than the December 31 deadline.

What if I don't have access to submit the online application?

Applicants must meet university entrance requirements in their own country and present outstanding secondary or leaving exam results.  Applicants must also present scores from one of the following approved standardized tests:  TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, ACT or Duolingo. The minimum score required for each test is:
TOEFL:  520 (paper-based); 190 (computer-based); 68 (internet-based)
IELTS: 6 overall, 5 in each area
ACT: 19 Composite
SAT:  980 Combined Score
Duolingo: 95
Berea will almost never consider scores from a test taken more than two years ago.

What are the admissions requirements?

All applicants must submit scores from either the TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, ACT, or Duolingo. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
Berea will almost never consider scores from a test taken more than two years ago.

I already speak English. Do I have to take an English exam?

Unfortunately, we are unable to admit students who have previously earned a bachelor&#8217;s degree and we do not offer any master&#8217;s programs.

I already earned a bachelor's degree, can I apply to Berea?

No. New international students may enroll only in the Fall Term of each year.

Can international students apply for Spring Term admission?

Yes, and many do. While you may only submit one application for each academic year, many students choose to apply for the next academic year if they are not admitted. Sometimes, taking an English proficiency exam again and improving the score gives an applicant a better chance.

Can international students apply more than once?

Each year, we admit about 40 or less new international students. In a typical school year, there are about 120 international students enrolled (nearly 10% of the student body) from over 70 different countries around the world.

How many international students do you have?

Berea College is located in the small town of Berea (population 14,000) which is located in central Kentucky about 40 miles south of the moderately sized city of Lexington (population 300,000). The terrain is hilly. Temperatures range from 60-90 degrees Fahrenheit during spring and summer and from 20-40 degrees Fahrenheit during the fall and winter. However, it can and does get hotter and colder, but usually not for extended periods of time.

Where is Berea and what is it like there?

Yes, many families in the Berea area participate in this program, providing international students a “family away from home” and an opportunity to get to know the American lifestyle better. It is, however, not a home-stay program and not a source of financial aid. All international students are encouraged, but not required, to participate.

Do you have a host family program?

No, international students must have mastered the English language sufficiently to understand and participate in class lectures and discussions, read required texts and other materials, and complete written and other assignments.
However, all enrolled international students will take an exam when they arrive on campus to determine if the student needs to take one ESL course. Even the most fluent speakers of English sometimes have a little difficulty at first getting accustomed to American speech (and particularly American speech in the South).

Do you offer an English as a Second Language (ESL) program?

Because the Berea College Work Program is considered part of our educational and financial aid programs, international students are able to participate even without work permits. Each student is required to work at least ten hours per week. Most international students work 15 – 20 hours per week and earn over $2,000 during the school year. Students may also remain in Berea during holiday periods and the summer months. During these times, students may work a full 40 hours per week.

Can you explain the Work Program?

No, Berea College is not prepared to provide accommodations or financial support for families. Students should also be advised that their earnings in the Berea College Work Program are not sufficient for them to provide for both their own expenses while enrolled and support for their family at home.

Do you have accommodations for families?

No, Berea College offers only undergraduate work leading to a baccalaureate degree. Students who have already earned a baccalaureate degree are not eligible for admission.

Do you have graduate programs?

We suggest that you give very careful attention to your personal essay, which will help the International Admissions Committee get to know you as a person and understand your purpose in applying for admission to Berea College, as well as plans for your career.

How can I improve my changes of being offered admission?

Admission to Berea College is extremely competitive. We receive hundreds of applications each year from very well-qualified applicants from all over the world, and can enroll less than 40 new international students each year.

What are my chances of being offered admission?

Berea is very interested in the cultural diversity which international students bring to our campus and we strive to have students from all parts of the world. It is rare that more than one student from any country be offered admission each year.

How many students do you admit from a given country?

Members of the International Admissions Committee read and review all eligible applications using a holistic approach which considers academic credentials, financial need, ambition and sense of purpose, and recommendations.

How are admissions decisions made?

Berea College is a fully accredited college of the liberal arts and sciences by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission of Colleges. Courses taken at Berea are transferable to any regionally accredited college or university in the United States.

What accreditation is held by Berea College?

International students can participate in most pre-professional programs. However, international students should be aware that after they complete their courses of study at Berea College, they must go through a separate application process with the college, university, or institute that they will wish to attend after Berea College. When transferring to, or beginning graduate studies at a new college or university, an international student will have their I-20 transferred to the new school.  A new visa is only required if the student leaves and needs to re-enter the United States.

Can international students apply to pre-professional programs?

Although Berea College does consider applications for international transfer students, we typically reserve our very limited space for students who have had no opportunity to study higher education whether in their home country or abroad. Also, if you have earned any university credit after completing secondary school, you must follow the international application guidelines and include all transcripts from universities previously attended.

Does Berea College accept international transfer students?

We understand that students may have financial restrictions which prevent them from affording the full deposit.  If admitted, your individual situation will be considered and an adjustment to the amount made as appropriate.

What if I can’t afford the $2,200 deposit?

It is not necessary to submit bank statements when completing the International Financial Questionnaire.

Do I have to provide bank statements?

We are unable to provide coupon codes for the DET. We advise asking your school administration to request the coupon code for you through the Duolingo website.

I can’t afford to take an English proficiency exam. Can you help?

The Nursing program has higher English proficiency requirements (TOEFL iBT 83, with a 26 on the spoken section). If admitted to Berea with lower English proficiency, students will not be admitted to the major until the required scores are achieved. Students will be given the opportunity to retest, however, students failing to meet the TOEFL iBT requirement by the first day of their third term of enrollment at Berea are ineligible to pursue the Nursing major.

I want to major in nursing. What requirements must I meet?

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Applicants who have been offered admission will be notified of the number of credits accepted to Berea after their acceptance letter has been released. Only courses and earned credits completed with a grade of C or higher at a regionally accredited institution within 10 years of initial enrollment at Berea are transferable to Berea College. The amount of credit granted by the original institution will be honored by Berea and transposed into comparable course credits or fractions of course credits. If not accepted to meet a specific requirement, such credit can be accepted as an elective credit. One course credit at Berea represents four semesters hours or six quarter hours elsewhere. No credit is granted for developmental courses or other courses not at the college level, as defined by that institution (typically courses numbered below 100, such as 080 or 36B). Credit for a course in which a P, S, or credit grade has been earned will be granted only upon verification from the institution that work in the course was completed at a C level or above. Credits earned as part of a certificate program are not transferable. It’s also important to remember that only credit is transferred to Berea, not grades or quality points.
Transfer credit is not used in computing the GPA at Berea College and higher grades will not replace lower grades on the Berea transcript.
Students who fail to disclose transfer credit during the application process will not be able to transfer credit upon enrollment.
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How do I know if/how many of my credits will transfer into Berea?

Please note that credit is only transferable from U.S. regionally accredited agencies and we strongly discourage the use of an outside accreditor to evaluate transfer work. Consideration for transfer admission will be given primarily to students who have less than 1.5 years of earned credit. ​​​​​​​The agencies listed below are regionally recognized and a student should feel confident that their credit will transfer to other regionally accredited institutions.
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<li class="x_MsoListParagraph" data-ogsb="white"><a href="http://www.msche.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-ogsc="">Middle States Commission on Higher Education</a></li>
<li class="x_MsoListParagraph" data-ogsb="white"><a href="http://www.neasc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-ogsc="">New England Association of Schools and Colleges</a></li>
<li class="x_MsoNormal" data-ogsb="white"><a href="http://www.ncahlc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-ogsc="">North Central Association of Colleges and Schools</a></li>
<li class="x_MsoNormal" data-ogsb="white"><a href="http://www.nwccu.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-ogsc="">Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities</a></li>
<li class="x_MsoNormal" data-ogsb="white"><a href="http://www.sacscoc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-ogsc="">Southern Association of Colleges and Schools</a></li>
</ul>

How do I know if my college is regionally accredited?

We are unable to grant extensions beyond the deadline. Students who are unable to submit all application components by the deadline should apply for the next academic year.

Apply as an International Student

Frequently Asked Questions