International Students

As a Catholic international, coeducational institution with a rich history of academic excellence in the Dominican tradition, Barry has long welcomed qualified international students. Our student body represents 80 countries, and for the 7th year in a row, U.S. News and World Report has rated Barry as number one for diversity among Southern master's colleges and universities.

We realize the application process can be more involved for international students; we encourage you to contact our admission office at msw@mail.barry.edu or 305-899-3672, or ask a question online if you need any additional information.

Are You an International Student?

For the purpose of admission to Barry University, you are an international student if you have received university-level education outside of the United States and/or you require a student visa. For immigration purposes, you are an international student if your country of birth, citizenship, and permanent residency is not the United States.

U.S. Immigration Law requires that you obtain a nonimmigrant visa from the United States Embassy or Consular Office in your country in order to come to the United States to study. You should obtain information on visas from a U.S. Consular Office. Most international students are admitted on an F-1 Student Visa. The F-1 visa requires that you:

• Pursue a course of study as a full-time, degree-seeking student at the school that you are authorized to attend.
• Have a passport that is valid at all times.
• Have permission from INS to work off campus or to transfer schools.

Eligibility for Admission

• International credentials from an educational system other than the United States must be evaluated by a foreign credential evaluating agency such as Josef Silny, or other company which is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.  For a list of member companies, go to:  http://www.naces.org/members.htm.  The evaluation must be “course-by-course with GPA,” and should be sent directly from the evaluating agency to Barry University.
• Your academic record must demonstrate the capacity for successful work at the graduate level, preferably a minimum of a "B" average for your last 60 college/university credits earned.
• You must have a broad liberal arts background resulting in (1) an understanding of your cultural heritage and that of others, (2) knowledge of methods of inquiry and problem solving, and (3) written and oral communication skills. (Life and work experience may be evaluated as contributing to your liberal arts background.)
• Your background must include 30 credits of study in the social, behavioral, and biological sciences.

Admissions Procedures

You will need to submit the following:

• A completed School of Social Work application. (You can submit the MSW online application or request a paper application.)
• A three-page, type-written personal statement.
• Three letters of reference.
• Official copies of all college/university transcripts,  verified by a foreign educational credential service (see above).
• A $30U.S. nonrefundable application fee.

Application materials can be submitted to:

TOEFL

You must submit a TOEFL examination score if your university/college degree is from an institution in which English is not the language of instruction.

There are three versions of the TOEFL:

• The paper-based test score ranges from 310 to 677. Barry University requires 550 at the graduate level.
• The computer-based test score ranges from 0 to 300. Barry University requires require 213 at the graduate level.
• The Internet-based test (iBT) score ranges from 0 to 120. Barry University requires require 79 at the graduate level.

Please note: The minimum acceptable score is higher for the Physician Assistant Program. For more information, see the “Application Procedures for International Students” section of the graduate catalog.

For a TOEFL application please write to: The TOEFL Program, Box 899, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA (www.toefl.org).

Certification of Eligibility

Once you have been accepted by the School, you must submit a financial statement in order to obtain the U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status (Form I-20A). There are two types of financial statements:

• You can submit a bank letter addressed to Barry University stating that you or your sponsor have the funds available to pay the total cost associated with attending Barry University School of Social Work for one year. The University will determine the required amount. 

• If you are sponsored by a government or institution, you must submit a government/institutional sponsorship letter of support guaranteeing payment of tuition, fees, books, room and board, medical insurance, and personal expenses.

You must attach documentary evidence of means of support to the Certificate of Eligibility (I-20A) when applying for the student visa at the United States Embassy or Consular Office.

Financial Aid

The School of Social Work awards merit-based scholarships to all eligible students. These awards range from $7,000 - $9,000 annually. The University does not award other types of financial aid to international students. Payment of tuition and fees is required at the beginning of each semester. You may arrange for a payment plan once you have made your initial deposit to the University.

Contact: For more information, please ask a question online, e-mail the Social Work Office of Admissions at msw@mail.barry.edu, or call 305-899-3672.