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St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University

Graduate Bulletin Table of Contents

Essential Information for Admitted International Graduate Students

Table of Contents:

Post-Admissions English Requirement

As per university regulations, the English placement exam is a condition of each international student's enrollment, unless one of the following nine exemption criteria are met (effective Spring Semester, 2001):

  1. You submitted an official TOEFL score for admission of at least 600 (paper and pencil) or 250 (computer), or 100 (internet Based Test – iBT) with subscores of no less than 25 in reading, writing, and listening.
  2. An official IELTS score for admission of at least 7.5;
  3. An official Michigan score of 96.
  4. Graduation from the Intensive English Center at SCSU; (Level 4 for undergraduates, Level 5 for graduate students)
  5. Successful completion of English 191 (Introduction to Rhetorical and Analytical Writing) or an equivalent course with a grade of C or better;
  6. Graduation from an Associate Arts degree program at an accredited US college or university;
  7. Graduation from a Bachelor's degree program at an accredited US college or university;
  8. Graduation from a Master's degree program at an accredited US university; or
  9. Exchange students from an institution which has an official exchange agreement with SCSU.

If your answer was "Yes" to any of the above nine questions, then you are not required to take the English placement exam (and you are not required to take any of the ESL courses associated with the exam either). If your answer was "No" to all of the above nine questions, then you are required to take the English placement exam prior to your first semester at SCSU (during the week before classes begin).

International Students not meeting one of the exemption criteria who wish to avoid taking the English Language Placement test upon arrival, are encouraged to retest in their home country and submit a score meeting one of the exemption requirements above.

 

ESL 151 Enrollment Requirement


All new international graduate students (including Canadians) are required to take ESL 151, which is a one-credit course that focuses on regulations for the United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), employment concerns, racism, racial and sexual harassment, orientation to SCSU’s computer network and the library, and other issues that are important to international students at SCSU.

 

Maintaining Student Status


The Bureau Of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) regulations require that you remain a full-time student during your stay; that is, taking and passing a minimum of eight graduate credits per semester, two out of three academic terms per year. Most universities and colleges, including SCSU, require payment of tuition and fees (and room and board if you stay in residence halls) at the beginning of each semester.

Students, once here, pre-register for courses for the following term in order to ensure that they get into the courses they need. Care must be taken to make arrangements in the home country to ensure that funds are available before the bills are due.

Although most American students attend classes two semesters, fall through spring, most international students attend classes three terms per year in order to graduate in as short a time as possible.

 

Employment Opportunities

Graduate Assistantships
A limited number of graduate assistantships (on-campus graduate employment) are available. Students who are formally admitted to the graduate program may apply. For details on the stipend that is paid and a tuition benefit, please see www.stcloudstate.edu/graduatestudies/current.

Seeking a graduate assistantship is comparable to a job search. The positions are competitive and should be viewed as such. Graduate assistantships are not guaranteed.

To apply for an assistantship, a graduate assistantship application must be completed. This application can be obtained in the School of Graduate Studies office in AS 121, or online at www.stcloudstate.edu/graduatestudies/forms/prospective.asp. Upon completion of the application, the student distributes the application form to his or her desired department. It is strongly recommended the student provide a résumé and cover letter with the completed assistantship application. If the student wishes to apply to more than one department, the student may make copies of the application form for distribution. It is the student’s responsibility to distribute copies of the assistantship application to the departments in which they would like to work. 

On-Campus Employment
On-campus employment requires a permit from the Center for International Studies. Graduate students may accept on-campus employment. Positions will range from assisting in an office or working in the library to helping with food service or grounds maintenance. An hourly rate of pay is offered at approximately $8. Students may work up to 20 hour per week.

Off-Campus Employment
Students will be granted an off-campus work permit by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) only for emergencies which arise after the completion of their first year here. Work permits are only granted if there is an emergency over which the students had no control and which they could not reasonably anticipate. Working off-campus without permission from the U.S. Immigration Service is an offense which can lead to deportation.

Transfer students from other U.S. graduate programs need to re-establish financial qualification for the costs and tuition at SCSU. Once a student has been admitted and has established financial qualifications, we will send a new I-20. This will enable a student to remain in F-1 status for the duration of the master's degree program.

 

International Academic & Cultural Sharing Scholarship

SCSU offers a unique opportunity for international students, through providing qualified international students with the Academic and Cultural Sharing Scholarship. This scholarship entitles the international student to pay resident tuition, which saves over $3,280 per academic year (based on 12 credits fall and spring). Few public universities offer such a financial and cultural bonus to international students who might otherwise not be able to afford a U.S. education.

Who is eligible?
Any F-1 or J-1 student visa holder admitted to SCSU is eligible to receive the scholarship by meeting all of the requirements listed below.

Note: The Cultural Sharing Scholarship opportunity is not available to MBA and Regulatory Affairs and Services (RAS) students since all MBA and RAS students, resident, nonresident, and international, pay the same market tuition rate.

What are the requirements?
Attendance at the International Student Orientation program your first semester of enrollment at SCSU.

    • Maintenance of a 3.0 GPA as a graduate student
    • Registration and maintenance of at least eight new graduate credits each semester
    • Completion of 30 hours of qualified service in the areas of student organizations, on-campus cultural sharing and community outreach each semester of enrollment after your first semester
    • Timely reporting of your service hours to the Center for International Studies
    • Following all Immigration and Naturalization Service requirements, the University Code of Conduct, and the federal, state and local laws
    • The aim of the approximately $3,280 annual scholarship is for international students to be involved in activities for which they are not paid and that inform U.S. residents about a student's culture.

What are the exemptions?
Cultural sharing service is not required for the summer sessions, but a student who maintains his/her eligibility, receives the scholarship for the summer session.

How do you apply?
New F-1 and J-1 students must attend the International Student Orientation and complete the appropriate forms at that time. Once a student has applied and continues to fulfill the requirements of the scholarship, it is automatically awarded for each successive term. Failure to fulfill any of the requirements will result in loss of the scholarships for a semester or more. The student must reapply when they again meet the requirements. This scholarship should not be included on financial certification forms. A student must demonstrate that sufficient funding is available exclusive of the International Academic and Cultural Sharing Scholarship. For information, E-mail intstudy@stcloudstate.edu.

Maintaining Student Status
The U.S. BCIS regulations require that you remain a full-time student during your stay here; that is, taking and passing a minimum of eight graduate credits per semester, two out of three academic terms per year. Most universities and colleges, including SCSU, require payment of tuition and fees (and room and board if you stay in residence halls) at the beginning of each semester.

Students, once here, pre-register for courses for the following term in order to assure getting into the course they need. Care must be taken to make arrangements in the home country to ensure that funds are available before the bills are due.

Although most American students attend classes two semesters, fall through spring, most international students attend classes three terms per year in order to graduate in as short a time as possible.

Employment/Practical Training after Graduation

Curricular practical training, otherwise know as an internship, is authorized by the CIS under certain circumstances. This training is often unpaid and is done in conjunction with requirements for a particular graduate program. Graduate students pursuing this option for 12 months eliminate the option for practical training after graduation. 

International students may be eligible for on- and off-campus practical training with permission from the Center for International Studies and the appropriate government agency.

Three months before graduation, graduate students can apply for up to 14 months of practical training related to their field of study. This employment must be approved by CIS and conditions apply. For more information, contact the Center for International Studies at 320.308.4287 or www.stcloudstate.edu/internationalstudies.

General Financial Information

The cost of living in the United States is among the highest in the world. International students in the United States frequently remark that it is difficult for those abroad to understand how large an amount of money is necessary for housing and food.

The estimate of expenses given by a university or college, except for residence hall room and board, and/or tuition and fees, is just that, an estimate. Some students can get by with less money by sharing off-campus housing, utilities and food costs; others will spend more. All universities provide an estimate of average costs.

The federal regulations governing international students in the United States require that students have sufficient financial backing to enable them to be self-supporting throughout their period of study. International students need to provide proof with financial certification forms that $18,000 is annually set aside for the duration of a graduate program. If you have dependents that will by accompany you, SCSU will ask that you show an additional $5,000 available for the first dependent and $3,000 for each additional dependent.

SCSU does not have emergency funding to offer international students. International students must have sufficient liquid funds in order to attend the University. Weekly access to these funds to pay for tuition, rent, and food costs is necessary. A student must also plan adequate resources to cover the costs for transportation to and from the home country and educational or vacation travel.

Personal miscellaneous items include such things as doctor and dental bills not covered by insurance, local transportation, recreation, clothing, laundry, etc. Clothing can be expensive at first. You will need warm clothing, a warm coat, hat, gloves, and boots for cold weather.

 

Bringing Your Family to the United States

Because of the high cost of living in the United States, a student should think carefully about bringing his or her family when considering study in the United States. If the spouse also is a student, the educational expenses (tuition, fees and books) must be doubled, and a 75 percent increase in living costs should be added. If you bring your children, expenses should be added per child for each year. If your spouse is a student, additional expenses in child care should also be added for each child. If your spouse is not a student, the additional cost will be limited to the 75 percent increase in living costs, plus whatever is necessary for your children.

Spouses who are not students are not permitted to work by the U.S. government under any conditions, unless the student enters under a J-1 visa. Under a J-1 visa, the spouse may be permitted to work to support himself or herself and any children, but may not work to support the student. If you have any questions about the different visas and the regulations surrounding them, you are urged to discuss your questions with the nearest U.S. consular office.

Housing

There are about 15,000 students at St. Cloud State University and only 3,000 places to live in the University residence halls. Many students live at home and commute to the campus, or live in nearby off-campus housing. If you are interested in residence hall living, apply as soon as you receive the on-campus housing information. A $100 deposit is required. Shoemaker Hall permits students to buy and prepare their own food. A kitchen is available on each floor for cooking; small refrigerators can be rented from the housing office. Many international students prefer to live in Lawrence Hall, Benton Hall, or the Stateview Apartments.

On-Campus Housing
If you are interested in residence hall living, apply as soon as you receive the on-campus housing information. A $100 deposit is required. Shoemaker Hall permits students to buy and prepare their own food. A kitchen is available on each floor for cooking small refrigerators can be rented from the housing office. Many international students prefer to live in Lawrence Hall, Benton Hall, or the Stateview Apartments. If you do not apply early enough to secure a room in the residence halls, more experienced international students will be able to help you look for housing on your arrival here. St. Cloud State University does not have married/partnered student housing. However, ample rental housing is available in the city of St. Cloud.

Off–Campus Housing
Student housing in the community ranges from modern furnished apartments to multiple-occupancy rooms in older homes. Prices and quality can vary, so please plan on spending a day in town to tour your top choices.

  • Studio apartments may range from $300 to $400 per month
  • One-bedroom apartments may range from $450 to $550 per month.
  • Two bedroom apartments may range from $600 to $700 per month
  • Quads (four bedrooms with four persons) may range from $250 to $300 per person, per month.
  • Homes with six to eight bedrooms may range per person from $250 to $300 per month.

Most apartment complexes design their leases to accommodate SCSU students. Students will find leases generally available for either nine, 10, or 12 months. A few facilities will offer a six month lease.

A student's best bet for quickly finding an apartment is to use one of the free apartment locator services. These companies will match a student's living requirements to the available apartments in the St. Cloud area. A student can arrange a day to visit the open apartments that most closely match housing requirements through these services. Apartment Finders can be reached at 320.259.4040 or 1.800.659.9233. Another free search service is www.apartmentsoup.com. SCSU does not promote these services or assume liability for a student's transactions with them. These references are provided in an attempt to serve students. Listings are also available in the St. Cloud Daily Times, found online at www.sctimes.com and in the SCSU student newspaper, The Chronicle, online at www.universitychronicle.com. As a student visits potential apartments, he or she should be sure to check out the safety features such as secured outside doors, intercom systems, deadbolts on doors, and secured windows.

Health Care in the United States

In the United States each adult is responsible for her/his own health care. All bills from hospitals, doctors, dentists, etc., are the responsibility of the student involved. Therefore, it is required that all students coming to St. Cloud State University must purchase the University health insurance plan when they arrive on campus (exemption granted only to government-fully-funded students who obtain a qualifying letter from their home embassy).

Payment for the University health plan is due before registering for classes your first semester. Health insurance is due before August 1 for continuing international students. The University health plan does not cover a spouse or children unless family coverage is purchased; it will not cover pregnancy unless the student has coverage at the time of conception; and it will not cover any medical conditions which exist prior to the beginning of the term in which the insurance is taken out by the student. The coverage for the University health plan is very good. SCSU student health insurance premiums are very reasonable as compared to other domestic health insurance service providers. Coverage for a 12-month period is $889. For a student attending just spring semester and summer sessions the rate is $551 and a student attending summer only is $224. Contact SCSU Student Health Services at 320.308.3193 or visit www.stcloudstate.edu/healthservices for further information.

Health Services
A health service clinic on campus is supported by student fees. It has two doctors, nurses, and a pharmacist available for most health needs. Some of these services are free to students, but you are required to carry health insurance for comprehensive health care. Prescriptions also can be filled here at much lower cost than in a regular drug store. If you need medication when you come, please be sure to bring a prescription with you and register it with the health service. A serious illness requiring hospitalization or work done by a specialist physician or a dentist will be billed to the student. We will ask you to complete and bring with you the health questionnaire which we will send at the time of acceptance. It is helpful to the health service to have your records on file in case of illness.

Transportation

The city of St. Cloud offers free bus service within the metropolitan area with a St. Cloud State University student ID. SCSU students can use a campus ID card to travel wherever the city bus system travels. Most apartments are located on a city bus service route. Visit www.ridemetrobus.com. Regional bus service connects St. Cloud with the Twin Cities and other regions of the Midwest. Many local and national car rental companies are also in the area.

American Universities

Because of the difference in educational systems between the United States and countries abroad, international students come to the United States for graduate studies after completing their undergraduate work in their country. American universities welcome these students, who add diversity of cultures and perspectives to the classroom. Graduate classes typically are smaller than undergraduate classes, the course work is more rigorous, and the level of written and laboratory work is much higher. Graduate level admission is competitive, often highly competitive.

For graduate students, a full command of speaking, reading, and writing in English is necessary to successfully complete a St. Cloud State University graduate program. The command of English is more important than most international students anticipate, for the amount of reading that is required on the graduate level can be formidable.

Students are expected to participate in classroom discussion, and to bring to the discussion their considered opinions. In scientific and technical courses many hours will be spent outside the classroom in laboratories. There are different "plans" one can choose in the manner in which graduate work will be conducted -- that is, in addition to the required course work the student will choose to write a thesis, starred paper(s), or pass a departmental written comprehensive examination. The choice of the culminating project will depend on the program and the degree for which the student is studying. No matter the choice, a degree of excellence is required in both written and spoken English.

The American Classroom
Individual professors have control over the conduct of their classes and the way a student is evaluated. Each class stands separately. The number, type and composition of tests are determined by the professor. The professor may feel that class participation is important in the discipline and will weigh that participation in the student's final grade. Research papers, laboratory work, field work, and problem solving may be counted in the final evaluation. It is important to know at the beginning of each semester just how the professor will evaluate your academic performance.

Learning at St. Cloud State University is not confined to the classroom and laboratory. Students participate in off-campus field experiences, visiting businesses, industries, institutions, government agencies, and examining natural resources. Field studies have been conducted as far away as Nova Scotia, Florida, and Mexico.

 

The St. Cloud Area

The University is located 70 miles northwest of the large Minneapolis and St. Paul urban area, popularly called the Twin Cities, where, in addition to an international airport, numerous cultural and educational opportunities are available. The Twin Cities are often ranked one of the top metropolitan areas in the U.S.  St. Cloud has a population of roughly 50,000, and the city lies along the scenic Mississippi River. Several parks are within walking distance, with a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities open to all in the community.

Located in central Minnesota, St. Cloud has varying temperatures and climates. The summer is frequently hot with temperatures between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The winter is cold with temperatures ranging from 20 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 20 degrees. Many Minnesotans are outdoor-loving people; they are active in sports year-round, from swimming in the summer to cross-country skiing in the winter.

 

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