International Student

Principia College has two programs for international students:

• A four-year degree program leading to a BA or BS degree
• A one-year gap or enrichment program for non-degree-seeking students

International Student Admissions Counselor

Nathan Smith

Learn how to get admitted to Principia College.
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Principia is a liberal arts college, not a specialized or technical school. The curriculum emphasizes writing, quantitative reasoning, information literacy, and critical thinking. These skills are applicable to all professions and prepare students to contribute to society in a variety of ways.

Course instruction often involves discussion, and students participate actively in exchanges with classmates and professors. Christian Science-based character education is an integral part of all academic and co-curricular programs.

• Four-Year Degree Program
• One-Year Enrichment Program
• Admissions Requirements
• Apply for Admission
• Finances

Four-Year Degree Program

Principia offers bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degree programs. Choose from more than 25 majors and minors (areas of study), or consider designing your own.

Course selection is based on general degree requirements and your area of interest. More information can be found in the College Catalog.

Note: Principia does not offer master's or other graduate degrees, nor does our curriculum include remedial academic courses.

One-Year Gap or Enrichment Program

Many international students graduate from Principia College’s four-year program with a bachelor’s degree. But others interested in taking a gap year between completing secondary school and enrolling in a university choose the one-year enrichment program. This allows them to experience Principia’s learning environment without pursuing a degree.

Enrichment students take classes with degree-seeking students and are held to the same academic standards. They are not eligible to play a varsity sport but are welcome to participate in all other student activities. If you already have a degree and plan to apply for financial aid, the one-year program is the only option available to you.

Students who have completed the enrichment program often report that they gained a stronger foundation in Christian Science by living and practicing it within a community of Christian Scientists. Others have shared how much employers in their home countries value the skills and breadth of experience they gained by studying and living in the United States.

Admissions Requirements

Community Expectations

Principia's primary purpose is to serve the Cause of Christian Science. Fulfilling this purpose includes participating in a community of practice where all are working to grow in their understanding and practice of Christian Science. We welcome students from around the world who are earnest students of Christian Science and participate in a Christian Science church or Sunday School.

Principia expects community members, including students, to adhere to community standards beginning six months prior to enrollment at the College. These community standards and expectations include freedom from any use of illegal substances and freedom from the use of alcohol and tobacco. Principia community standards also include a commitment to abstain from engaging in premarital and extra-marital sexual activities.

Academic Preparation

Students must have completed secondary school and have earned a diploma or certificate of completion which makes them eligible for admission to a university in their home country. 

To ensure that all incoming students are prepared for college-level academic work, we look for the following minimum requirements:

• A C+ average in high school
• A 1010 cumulative score on the 2016 redesigned SAT
• A score of 80 on the TOEFL*

International students must be 18 years or older prior to enrolling at Principia and are expected to be sufficiently mature to study abroad. They must be willing to adjust to a new environment and new people and to share the traditions, ideals, and perspectives of their native country.

*Applicants from the UK, non-French-speaking Canada, New Zealand, and Australia are exempt.

SAT

We require the SAT Reasoning Test. These tests are given throughout the year, but you must take the test in October, November, December, or January. Unless you are exempted from the test by Principia's international student admissions counselor, or have taken the SAT within the past two years, you must take it on one of these four dates. When registering, please use Principia's testing code, 1630. Typically, test fees are under $100. Registration procedures and deadlines vary by country. Please check with your counselor.

TOEFL Test

All applicants must be able to read English with ease and to understand conversational and formal English as spoken in lectures and group discussions. The quantity and quality of academic work expected at Principia cannot be accomplished without sufficient mastery of the English language. We are not able to offer ESL or intensive English for those not yet ready for the classroom.

Some applicants do not need to take the TOEFL test, so check with the international admissions counselor, Nathan Smith, before registering. For more information about the TOEFL test and to register, please visit www.ets.org/toefl. Once you have registered for the test(s), you can complete the other admission requirements in any order, as long as Principia receives everything by the application deadline.

Apply for Admission

Before beginning your application, please complete the Getting Started Form. From the time you make your first inquiry to the Admissions Office to the time you are granted a visa requires the better part of a year. 

Application Process

In order to be eligible to apply, you must have been an active Christian Scientist for at least one year before we can review your application.

We must receive the following information before you are considered for admission:

• SAT score*
• TOEFL exam score**
• Completed admission application—apply with The Common Application.
• Official copy of your high school transcript(s)/national exam results. Note: Applicants from African countries should contact the international student admissions counselor about how to submit senior secondary school national exam results.
• Guidance counselor reference, if you are currently attending high school in the United States
• Official university transcripts, if applicable
• One academic reference from a teacher in a core academic subject. Submit a work reference in place of the academic reference if you have been out of school for more than one year.
• Two Christian Science references from Christian Scientists who know you well enough to tell us about your understanding and practice. One reference should be from your Sunday School teacher, if applicable.

*Students with a bachelor's degree from an accredited university may not be required to submit SAT scores.

**Applicants from the UK, non-French-speaking Canada, New Zealand, and Australia are exempt.

Finances

Financial Aid

Financial aid awards are based on demonstrated financial need, which is determined from information about the student and his/her family's income, assets, and expenses.

Financial aid is available to both one-year enrichment and four-year degree candidates. The international admissions counselor will email a financial aid application to you when Principia receives your admissions application. 

Additional Expenses

There are some additional expenses you must be prepared to assume—expenses you incur when you choose to attend a college in another country:

• Passport application fee for your country
• Visa interview fee of $160
• SEVIS fee of $200 (degree students) or $180 (enrichment students)
• Roundtrip airfare to St. Louis, Missouri

Certification of Finances

The certification of finances form is your opportunity to indicate the amount of money you and your family can contribute toward the cost of your education here. Although it has Principia's name at the top, it is actually a standard government form and will become an important part of your visa documentation. If you reference money in a bank account, you need to take the form to the bank and have an official either stamp it or write a two-sentence letter on bank letterhead saying that you (or your family) maintain an account at the bank and that the indicated funds are available.