Undergraduate Admissions - International Programs Office

Submit your application for admission.

Submit your official academic documents to one of the NACES approved external credential evaluators below. Submit your official documents in both their original language and English. Official documents should be sent directly from your educational institution to the evaluator.  

NACES-approved evaluator 

Non-native speakers of English must prove an adequate level of English language proficiency for admission. English language test scores are valid for two years. Student test scores must be valid at the start date of their university studies. Test scores must be sent directly from the testing company to Northern Michigan University. 

For Undergraduate Admissions

English language proficiency for admission may be demonstrated in one of the following ways:

1. English proficiency tests:
   • TOEFL - minimum score of 61 iBT/173 CBT/500 PBT
   • IELTS – minimum overall band score of 6.0
   • MELAB – minimum score of 69
   • ITEP - minimum score of 3.7 or higher
   • PTE Academic - minimum score of 50
   • Duolingo - minimum score of 95
2. Diploma from a U.S. high school (other proof may be required if courses on transcript are listed as ESL)
3. Diploma from an international school with U.S. regional accreditation (as verified by AdvancED at www.advanc-ed.org)
4. Diploma from IB curriculum school whose medium of instruction is English (as verified by IBO World Schools at www.ibo.org). If applicant went to an IB school with two or more language of instruction, the applicant’s transcript must specify that their program was English language.
5. Diploma from high school/secondary education in a country where English is the official language. Transcript must show four years of high school English (composition and literature-based) with C or better grades. List includes:
   • Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada (except Quebec), Dominica, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati,Liberia, Micronesia, Namibia, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, St. Lucia, St. Vincent Grenadines, St. Kitts & Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
6. SAT test (prior to 2016) Scores of 500 or higher on both Critical Reading AND Writing sections.
7. SAT test (2016 or later) A score of 28 or higher on the SAT Writing and Language section AND a score of 560 or higher on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section.
8. A score of 21 or better on ACT Combined English/Writing
9. Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in 12 or more college-level semester credit hours from a U.S. institution of higher education. Credits must include college-level English composition and/or speech with grades of C or higher.
10. Successful completion of Level 112 in the ELS Language School

*Other proof of English proficiency may be considered on an individual basis.

After you are admitted, international students are required to provide evidence of their ability to finance their total educational costs by completing the Certificate of Finances. An official I-20 document will not be issued until adequate funds are guaranteed for your educational needs.

1. Complete the Certificate of Finances Form
2. Email the completed form and all supporting documents to ipo@nmu.edu or mail the completed form and supporting documents to

Northern Michigan University
International Programs Office
Cohodas 203
1401 Presque Isle Avenue
Marquette, MI  49855

Students who are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and who will require a visa to study in the United States.

Students with dual U.S. citizenship should apply as a U.S. citizen, even if living outside the United States. Students with refugee or asylum status should provide proper documentation of status and follow domestic application instructions. 

NMU accepts applications all year round whenever they are sent. However, we recommend the following deadlines. Please be aware that it can take a long time for some parts of the application to be completed. Make sure that you have time to send all of your application documents, receive your immigration documents (I-20), apply for your visa, and prepare your travel arrangements.

*Students may only start undergraduate level studies during the fall or winter semesters

2023-2024 Cost of Attendance

Withholding Taxes
International students on nonimmigrant status visas ("F", "J", "M", or "Q") are subject to federal withholding tax on the amount of scholarship income they receive above the cost of their qualified tuition and fees.  The current withholding rates are 14% for documented international students and 30% for any student whose citizenship status is unknown or undocumented.

Health Insurance Costs
For information about insurance for dependents, please contact NMU's International Programs Office at ipo@nmu.edu or 906-227-2510.