International Students

Be Part of a Brilliant Tradition.

Loras College is situated high atop the bluffs of the iconic Mississippi River, overlooking downtown Dubuque, Iowa – a safe, vibrant city of 67,000 people and only three hours from metropolitan cities such as Chicago, Milwaukee, and Des Moines.

The Application Process

University Degree-Seeking (4-year bachelor's degree)

A limited number of students are accepted to Loras College each semester. To apply for undergraduate admission to Loras College, you will need to read and complete the following PDF forms below.

Ways to Apply:

  • Application for Admission
  • Declaration of Finances
    • High School transcripts in English, including a description of the grading scale
    • TOEFL or IELTS scores
    • Copy of valid passport
    • Personal statement essay of academic challenges and successes
  • CommonApp

Documents Required:

Students often ask about Tuition and Fees, as well as our Academic Calendar, which details semester dates.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING DETAILS:

  • Official Transcripts:
    • Must be sent from your school and may be sent via email or through the CommonApp.
    • Transcripts must be translated into English with all course grades listed.
    • An explanation of the grading system should accompany academic records.
    • Transcripts must reveal all coursework and grades for all years attended at your school. The course work/grades help guide the Loras College student’s advisor on which classes to register for.
  • High school students need a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for admittance.
  • Transfer students must submit academic credentials from high school and official transcripts from each university attended. A cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required for admittance.
  • Applicants should apply as a first-year student if completed junior year or graduated from high school and have less than 12 hours of college credit. Applicants should apply as a transfer student if they have completed 12 or more hours of university credit.
  • Official test scores may be sent to internationaladmission@loras.edu or directly to your designated Loras Admission Representative. Loras College School Code: 6370.
  • Those whose native language is not English must present scores from the following:
    • English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
      • PBT (paper-based score) 550 or higher
      • IBT (internet-based score) 79 or higher
      • CBT (computer-based score) 213 or higher
    • IELTS 6.5 or higher
    • Composite SAT test score of 980 or higher
  • Financial support documentation is to indicate sufficient funds to cover the costs of attending Loras College. For a single academic year, reflect on what you may be paying, taking into consideration all financial concerns related to your Loras College experience, which may include: books, personal needs, travel, I-20 fees, tuition and housing deposit ($200), etc.  It may also be helpful to consider that prices may increase yearly from 2% to 5%. We do accept electronic documentation from the student for the Declaration of Finance. HOUSING NOTE: Full-time, single students who are 21 years old and younger prior to the beginning of the academic year are required to live in college residence halls and participate in the meal plan. We do not provide family housing.
    • You will need to submit:
      • Letter(s) of support from those who will be assisting your financial needs while at Loras College. We do accept electronic documentation from the student for the letter of support.
      • A recent notarized bank statement (Dated within the past 30 days) verifying the amount of funds available in English.  May be sent via postal mail or electronically from the financial institution.
      • Personal Statement on your academic challenges and successes.
      • Copy of Passport.
  • Students currently residing in the U.S. must submit the documentation listed above and a copy of their passport, visa, I-20, and any additional required documentation.

All information must be completed in order to be considered for acceptance to Loras College.

*For questions about this process, please contact us at internationaladmission@loras.edu

Apply Now

Graduate Degree-Seeking (Master's degree)

You may only start and submit one application at a time (either one undergraduate application for a university degree, or one graduate application for a post-graduate degree).

Please DO NOT start both an undergraduate and post-graduate application at the same time – it will not increase or affect your chances of being able to come to the United States.

If you start or submit two applications, the post-graduate application will automatically be deleted, and we will leave only your university application open for consideration.

*Please note that you are only eligible to start or submit a graduate application for a master’s degree if you have already completed a bachelor’s degree.

International students applying for a master’s degree:

  • Before applying, please make sure you have viewed the “Admission Criteria & Application Checklist” section on your respective program’s webpage so that you understand what materials will be required for your application.
  • If you apply and are admitted into one of our online post-graduate degrees (MS in Applied Analytics, MA in Applied Psychology, or MA in Coaching Leadership), it is important for you to know that Loras College will not be able to issue an I-20 for you to physically come to the United States. If admitted, you can certainly still choose to enroll in the program, but you would need to complete the online courses from your home country.
  • All international students applying for a post-graduate degree will be required to submit an official foreign credit evaluation report. No exceptions will be given. If you do not have (or are not able to obtain) an official foreign credit evaluation report, please do not start an application until you can.
  • Financial aid/grants/scholarships/assistantships are not available to post-graduate international students.

Apply Now

Frequently Asked Questions (for 4-year bachelor's degree)

For Undergraduate International Students:

Thank you for your interest in Loras College. Please be sure to read ALL the bullet points below for responses to your questions.

Take a Virtual Tour of campus. Please note: If you would like to attend a campus visit in-person and/or an informational session, you must register online at loras.edu/visit.

See the list of undergraduate majors and minors: Majors and Programs

Where do I go to submit the documents required for my application?
Please submit your documents on your personal Student portal page that was created when you started your application. Click here if you would like to start your application.

I received an email about missing something from my application. What should I do?
Please log into your Loras Student Portal Page and review your checklist. If the item we are missing from your application is a final transcript, please contact your high school or university directly and request to submit an official transcript through one of our approved electronic services or by mail. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, please arrange for us to receive it as soon as possible.

When and how will I be notified of my admission/financial aid decision?
Your admission decision letter and financial aid notification (if applicable) will be posted to your Loras application portal (Also referred to as the “applicant status page”). We post decisions no later than April 1 for regular decision applicants. All applicants will be able to see their decision letters and financial aid offers, if applicable, in the application portal exclusively; they will not receive letters via postal mail.

Does Loras offer full scholarships?
No, Loras does NOT provide full scholarships for any student, foreign or domestic. On average, undergraduate (bachelor’s degree) international students enrolled at Loras College will receive between $18,000-$20,500 to put toward their bills annually. Loras does not offer scholarships or financial aid to graduate (master’s degree) students. 

Do I need to submit any additional requirements?
Other requirements: Students from a country that has a national leaving certificate after secondary school should have a minimum passing score in all subject areas and an overall average above passing. 

Students from Africa, for example, are required to submit their National Exam Scores. The name of the exam changes depending on each country:

The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone: West African Examination Council (WAEC). These countries are Anglophone so the Proof of English Proficiency can be waived.

Ethiopia: Ethiopian Higher Education Entrance Certificate Examination (EHEECE).

Kenya: Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).

Students from Bangladesh and Nepal, submit their Secondary School Certificate Examination.

For applicants looking to have their English proficiency test waived must show a certified letter from their high school stating that the classes were taken in English, as well as, a translated transcript. If not, an examination might be required.

What do I do when I am ready to attend Loras?
You will need to click here to submit your safe and secure deposit fee. 

How does financial aid work?
We will need your declaration of finances with a bank statement.

What scholarships am I eligible to apply for?
Upon acceptance, you can log into your Loras Student Portal Page and see the available scholarships that you are eligible for. You can apply directly through your student portal page.

Do I need to submit all my application documents at the same time?
No. You may submit your documents in any order when they become available. Each document must contain your full name and your date of birth so that it can be correctly assigned to your application file.

How will I know when my application to Loras is complete?
You will be granted access to an online application portal (i.e., applicant status page) where you are able to view the checklist of documents that you are required to submit. It will show you which documents have been processed into your file and which ones are still outstanding. You are highly encouraged to monitor the status of your checklist requirements regularly to ensure that all your documents arrive at our office as planned and by the application deadline. Your application file will be considered complete when there are no red “x’s” appearing next to any of the required fields.

If your questions do not fall into the above categories, we will respond to your message soon. Again, thank you for your interest in Loras College!

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Straight Talk from a Duhawk

Nathalia Bernal
“This community will challenge you every day to make a change, and to stand for what you believe in.”

– NATHALIA BERNAL LUGO (’21)

Straight Talk from a Duhawk

"No matter what background you come from, Loras will receive you with open arms - challenging you every day to make a change, and stand for what you believe in."

- NATHALIA BERNAL LUGO ('21)