Admissions Checklist – Graduate

Our office, the International Program Center, works in conjunction with the BSU School of Graduate Studies for all international applicants who apply for admission to study in an on-campus graduate program. Our office deals specifically with the application documents needed for visa issuance.  All other aspects of the application are handled by The School of Graduate Studies.
Graduate Student at a table
Mirabel came from Cameroon, West Africa to study hydrogeology in Bemidji State University’s Environmental Studies graduate program.

Apply Online

Under “Citizenship” on the application’s first page, be sure to select “International Visa Holder or Seeker.”

BSU Graduate Application

Application Documents needed for Visa Issuance

All supporting documents may be scanned and submitted to our office via email. We reserve the right to request an original copy of documents, should the scanned copy not prove sufficient.

Along with your completed BSU Graduate Application, you must submit:

  1. Proof of English Proficiency
  2. Financial Affidavit & 2023-24 Cost Information
    • The form must show that the student has enough funding to cover the cost of the first year of study. This form must include the required signatures and supporting line-by-line bank statements dated within the last three months.
  3. International students currently studying in the United States on an F-1 visa will need to complete an International Transfer Request Form
  4. International Agreement Form
  5. Copy of the name/identification page of your passport
  6. Please see The School of Graduate Studies pages for additional information and requirements specific to your intended program.

IMPORTANT: All application materials, including supporting documents (e.g. bank statements, transcripts) become the property of Bemidji State University and cannot be returned.

Nigerian Students: Submit proof of registration with EducationUSA.

Applications from Nigerian students WILL NOT be reviewed and status emails will not be answered until the EducationUSA registration confirmation is submitted. This requirement has been put in place to provide the best possible chance of success with the visa process.

    • In past years, fewer than 10% of applicants from Nigeria to BSU have been approved for F-1 visas. For this reason, we now require that all Nigerian applicants register and set up an appointment with an EducationUSA center in Nigeria.
    • EducationUSA is an organization of non-profit advising centers that are supported and/or endorsed by the U.S. Department of State. Their purpose is to provide assistance to students who would like to study in the United States. Students who work with EducationUSA are more informed about the visa process and therefore more likely to be successful in obtaining a student visa.