Graduate Application and Costs
Degree Application
Welcome! We are very excited that you are considering applying to Shepherd University to continue your education. Shepherd has been repeatedly recognized as one of the best colleges and universities in the southeastern United States. We are confident that you will experience an excellent education as well as a vibrant campus and community life. With its proximity to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, Shepherd welcomes students from around the world for degree study and for study while on exchange from a home university. To apply, please see the general degree program requirements and follow the instructions below:
1. Complete the Graduate Studies online application for admission.
2. Submit $40 nonrefundable application fee.
3. Submit one of the following in order to satisfy the academic record requirement:
a). Education outside the United States
- Official course-by-course academic credential evaluation from one of the approved services of all post-secondary schools (college or university) previously attended. If you wish to transfer credit for any graduate-level college or university studies you have completed, it would also be very helpful to include brief course descriptions to help us award appropriate transfer credit (see item c below).
b). Education inside the United States
- Official transcripts from each post-secondary school (college or university) previously attended. If you wish to transfer credit for any graduate-level college or university studies you have completed, it would also be very helpful to include brief course descriptions to help us award appropriate transfer credit (see item c below).
c). General policy governing the award of transfer credit:
- Graduate courses from other institutions or other Shepherd University graduate programs will be evaluated, at the time of admission, by the dean and/or the coordinator of the program to which the applicant is applying, or the department chair in which the course is offered.
- Up to nine credit hours may be transferred to a Shepherd graduate program from another institution or program, either prior to starting the program or during the program, at the discretion of the program coordinator in consultation with the department chair and the dean. Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis by the dean if it would inappropriately prolong the graduation of a student.
- Courses transferred to a Shepherd graduate program must have a minimum grade of “B,” and must have been taken within seven years based on the date of admission to the degree program (see sunset clause).
4. Submit one of the following in order to satisfy the English proficiency requirement:
- A minimum score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – TOEFL iBT score 79 (internet based), TOEFL PBT 550 (paper based), or TOEFL score 213 (computer based);
- A minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS);
- A minimum score of 77 on the MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery);
- A minimum score of Grade Pre-1on the EIKEN tests;
- A degree or a diploma from an accredited secondary school, college or university in which the primary language of instruction for the entire institution or major degree program is English;
- Successful completion of an ESL program approved by Shepherd University.
- Successful completion of Level 6 of A.C.E.’s Language Institute’s Intensive English Program.
*Note: The English language requirement may be waived if:
A.) The applicant is a national of one of Shepherd University’s approved English speaking nations. Currently, our approved nations are Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. OR
B.) Within the past three years, the applicant has studied full-time, for at least one academic year with English as the language of instruction.
5. Provide proof of financial support to cover the tuition and living expenses for one academic year (9 months). We estimate this amount to be $25,636 USD. Proof of financial support may be demonstrated in several ways:
- An affidavit of financial support from a personal sponsor (parent, relative, friend, etc.) that has been certified by a bank or financial institution;
- Formal notification from a scholarship agency (government, corporation, etc.) stating the availability of funds and the intention to support educational and living expenses for the duration of study at Shepherd University;
- Bank statement or other certification from a financial institution of personal funds or approved loan stated in U.S. dollars (USD); or
- A statement on letterhead from your employer certifying that the applicant has been granted study leave with salary support.
6. Provide a copy of your Passport Information Page.
7. Provide a copy of your current immigration status (relevant documents, approval notices, form I-94, etc.), if you are residing in the United States.
Applications for admission must be submitted online. All additional documents should be sent to:
| Mailing Address | Shepherd University Graduate Studies P.O. Box 5000 Shepherdstown, WV 25443-5000 |
Costs
Estimated International Graduate Degree-Seeking Student Budget for 2017-2018 (*actual costs may vary slightly)
As a public university, Shepherd University requires non-residents of West Virginia to pay out-of-state tuition and fees. Limited financial aid is available and an application for graduate financial aid should be submitted with the application for admission.
Tuition $11,448
Books and Supplies $1,250
Room and Board $11,088
Medical Insurance $600
Personal $1,250
Total $25,636 USD
Health Insurance: All international students are required to have medical health insurance coverage.
Matriculation: When a student has been accepted for admission as a degree-seeking student, a $100 USD matriculation fee is to be paid before immigration documents will be issued. This nonrefundable fee reserves a space in the entering class.