Is there a special application for international students?
You should use the Common Application required for all students. In addition, non-domestic students must complete the International Student Certification of Finances. Applicants interested in financial aid must also submit a completed International Student Financial Aid Form. (Canadian students complete the CSS Profile Form instead.)
What are the application and notification deadlines?
| Regular Decision | January 15 | Notification: March/April |
|---|---|---|
| Early Decision I | November 15 | Notification: December 15 |
| Early Decision II | January 2 | Notification: February 1 |
If admitted under the Early Decision plan, you are making a commitment to enroll. If admitted under the Regular Decision plan, you will need to notify Oberlin of your decision by May 1.
Oberlin selects students who demonstrate a high level of intellectual potential and achievement in the most rigorous courses available at their secondary school. There are no set numerical requirements for admission to Oberlin; decisions are made only after a thorough reading and discussion of your application file (grades, recommendations, test scores, and personal essays). The international applicant pool is very competitive and Oberlin College typically accepts only about 10 percent of international applicants. You may find it useful to know that the middle 50 percent of international applicants admitted typically have scores and high school grade point averages in the following ranges:
| SAT Reasoning | SAT Math | SAT Writing |
TOEFL | GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 640 | 690 | 635 | 647 | 3.62 |
| 720 | 780 | 715 | 670 | 3.90 |
What tests do I need to take for admission
to Oberlin?All applicants to Oberlin's College of Arts and Sciences must submit the results of the SAT I or the ACT Test (with writing). As an international student, you are also required to demonstrate proficiency in English. This is normally accomplished through the submission of a TOEFL or IELTS exam result. Oberlin does not require the results from SAT II Subject Tests but will gladly consider them if you choose to submit scores. If you live in a country where these tests are not available, you may contact International Admissions to inquire about alternatives.
Please make every effort to complete all standard exams at least two weeks prior to the deadline. Later exam dates will cause delays in the review of your application and may hurt your chance of admission. If you must sit a later exam date, be sure to note that on your Common Application and request the fastest score reporting option from the testing agency.
There is no absolute minimum score on any test for admission to Oberlin, however, students scoring lower than 550 on the SAT Reasoning section or less than 100 on the Internet-based TOEFL exam are unlikely to be competitive applicants.
of my test
results?Official score reports are required to document standard test results. Photocopies will be accepted as a preliminary measure, but admissions decisions are not considered final until official score reports are received. If you are concerned that your results will not reach Oberlin before the deadline, please contact the testing agency to see when the reports from your testing date will be available.
Am I exempt from submitting TOEFL results?
You do not have to submit the results of the TOEFL exam if your native or first language is English, or if your primary language of instruction throughout secondary school has been English.
Does Oberlin offer advanced standing?
Students entering Oberlin with outstanding results on well recognized national or international examinations may be eligible for advanced standing. Advanced secondary school courses such as A-level or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses may also earn transfer credit. General guidelines for transfer credit may be found in the college catalog. Transfer credit and prerequisite determinations are made, on request, after enrollment by individual academic departments at Oberlin.
