International students who have completed secondary school and transfer students are encouraged to apply to Dakota Wesleyan University. Application deadline for fall admission is May 30. Deadline for spring admission is September 30.

International Students
To apply for admission to Dakota Wesleyan University, you must:

1. Complete the application for admission.
     
2. Submit a nonrefundable application fee of $25 U.S. dollars.
     
3. Submit official academic records from all secondary schools and postsecondary education to Dakota Wesleyan University. Official transcripts from all secondary and postsecondary institutions must be evaluated by AACRAO or ECE before your official acceptance for admission. It is your responsibility to pay for and have this evaluation completed.
     
4. Verify English proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination, the ACT or the SAT. Submit the official TOEFL examination to Dakota Wesleyan University (School Code 6155). You must score at least 500 (paper-based), 200 (computer-based) or 71 (internet-based). An 860 SAT (critical reading plus math) or 18 composite ACT will also be accepted. This is required for students coming from other countries where English is not the native language. If you have questions regarding the TOEFL examination, visit www.toefl.org.
     
5. Prove financial responsibility. Send a bank statement in English from a current checking or savings account. Your family’s bank or your financial sponsor’s bank must provide this bank statement.
     
6. Submit a completed Dakota Wesleyan University Student Physical Form and copy of immunization records showing proof of two MMR vaccines (measles, mumps and rubella). The Dakota Wesleyan University Student Physical Form can be found at www.dwu.edu/campuslife/health/student_physical_form.pdf.

Your $25 (USD) application fee may be mailed to:

Dakota Wesleyan University
Admissions
1200 W. University Ave.
Mitchell, SD 57301
USA

We require official transcripts from all secondary and postsecondary institutions that you have previously attended. Transcripts must be official and translated into English. We also require that these records be evaluated by AACRAO or ECE before your official acceptance for admission.

Please follow these instructions for transcript evaluation:

International high school graduates can have general evaluations from either AACRAO or ECE.

International college students looking to transfer must have the course-by-course evaluation from either AACRAO or ECE.

Download an application and evaluation details here

Helpful Resources

USCIS (formerly INS)

Currency exchange rates
http://finance.yahoo.com/m3?u

Visa and Passport Information

Your Passport
Check the expiration date of your passport. If it is due to expire within one year of your arrival in the United States, you should apply for a new passport before departure. In addition, the U.S. government requires that international students hold passports that are valid for at least six months beyond their period of stay.

Visa
Please make sure that you have the appropriate F-1 visa. A B-2 visa is only for people visiting the U.S., it is not for students. You could be denied a student visa if you come into the U.S. on a B-2 and intend to change status while in the U.S.

Living in Mitchell

Housing
International students are required to live on campus. All students need to fill out a Housing Intent Form once they are accepted to the University.

Mitchell, South Dakota
Mitchell, S.D. has four seasons spring, summer, fall and winter. The average high temperature is 89 degrees Fahrenheit (31 degrees Celsius) in the summer months (June-August) and the average low in the winter (October-March) is six degrees Fahrenheit (-14 degrees Celsius). Spring and fall have temperatures ranging between the summer and winter extremes.

Mitchell Community Information

Orientation at DWU

When you plan your flight to the United States, tell your travel agent that you need to arrive in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Sioux Falls is 75 miles from Mitchell. A ride from the airport to Mitchell can be arranged with advanced notice. Please e-mail or fax your travel arrangement information to your admissions counselor, Megan Mentzel mementze@dwu.edu as soon as you have it. If you are planning to arrive by bus, you can arrive in Mitchell, South Dakota.

If you will need a ride from the airport, please contact Megan at least two weeks before your arrival. If your information is received less than two weeks before your arrival we may not be able to arrange a ride from the airport. We will need to know your arrival date, airline and airport, flight number and time of arrival in order to meet you.

Plan to arrive at the university one week prior to the first day of classes. This will allow for some time to settle into your new home, tour the campus, explore the community, make new friends, visit with professors and complete your registration for classes. We will also assist you with some of our support programs.

All International Students must check in with Megan Mentzel in the Admissions Office upon arrival to campus.

Financial Issues

Dakota Wesleyan University is focused on delivering a quality education at an affordable price. While we represent real value in private liberal arts education in the world today, we realize that what we charge still represents a large investment for Dakota Wesleyan University students and families. However, an investment in higher education is guaranteed to last a lifetime.

This financial information is specific to non-citizen or international students applying for our undergraduate BA and AA programs.

Tuition and fees
Before issuing your I-20, the USCIS requires that we obtain "proof of financial responsibility" from you. We require two recent bank statements. Please review the educational costs for International Students for the upcoming academic year and provide bank statements that reflect that you are able to cover the expenses. The sooner we have this documentation, the sooner we can begin to process your I-20.

Payment for your tuition, fees and housing needs to be paid within the first two weeks of classes. Please have your finances in order before you arrive. Please contact our accounts receivable accountant, Carol Weiss at (605) 995-2693, or by fax at (605) 995-2122 or e-mail at caweiss@dwu.edu to make all financial arrangements.

Financial Assistance
Please be aware that Federal Financial Aid is only available to US citizens and Eligible noncitizens. If you're in the US on an F-1 student visa, you're not eligible for federal financial aid. For details regarding eligible noncitizens see the Student Guide for Financial Aid from the US department of Education.

Financial Sponsors
A financial sponsor is someone who guarantees the financial support (covering tuition and living expenses) for the student during his studies at Dakota Wesleyan University. As mentioned above, if you have a financial sponsor, they are required to provide two bank statements and the Dakota Wesleyan Affidavit of Financial Support. Arrangements for payments must be made with Carol Weiss prior to arrival.

International Student Scholarships (does not apply to graduate students)
F-1 status international students who apply and are accepted to an undergraduate, B.A. or A.A. program, at the university may be considered for a DWU Global Grant. The grant is renewable for a maximum of eight semesters with continuous full-time enrollment, satisfactory academic progress, and active participation in our DWU Multicultural Committee. Students who receive an athletic scholarship or talent scholarship are not eligible for the Global Grant.

Talent and Athletic Scholarships (does not apply to graduate students)
If you are considering participation in intercollegiate athletics, please note that consideration for eligibility to play requires additional evaluation and assessment.

Athletic scholarships may be available based on talent. If interested in an athletic scholarship, please contact the appropriate coach.

Talent Scholarships
The department chairperson determines talent scholarships. Scholarships may be available in music, theater/drama and art. Please note that an audition or portfolio may be required. If you are interested in a talent scholarship please contact the appropriate department chairperson.

Once you are accepted to Dakota Wesleyan University, you will be told if you have been selected for a scholarship and the amount.

Work Program Awards (does not apply to graduate students)
International students may be eligible for on-campus employment. These monies are earned as work is performed. The student will receive monthly paychecks, which may be used to pay for personal expenses.

Exchange Rates
See the following link for currency exchange rates http://finance.yahoo.com/m3?u