A pre-application must be completed no later than February 1 for preferred consideration. The pre-application must be approved by the Office of Graduate Admissions before you begin your application. You will be notified by theOffice of Graduate Admissions of approval within 2-3 weeks after submitting the completed pre-application.
International students must follow the requirements listed below. In addition, you must submit TOEFL scores as well as an Affidavit of Support. All documents must be received before your application will be considered.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 100IBT / 250CBT / 600 paper-based or higher.
Affidavit of Support for each individual source of funding. Before we can consider your application you must be able to demonstrate a substantial amount of financial support from your own resources. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will not allow us to issue I-20 forms (used to obtain student visas) without documented proof that the student has sufficient funds to study in this country. The affidavit of support form assures us that you will receive support from a sponsor or your parent(s) for the necessary funds to support your education at Biola. We require that an official or notary public notarize the form. We also require that corresponding bank statements be attached.
Download the Affidavit of Financial Support (PDF).
You must have the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from an accredited or recognized institution.
All required admissions items must be received by January 15th prior to the semester for which application is made.
I-20 Form — To obtain the I-20 form (which is used to apply for a student visa), you must complete the above process, be accepted to the university, and pay a deposit of US $2,000 toward your tuition. This deposit will also cover the $300 deposit required for enrollment and housing.
Although there is financial aid available to international students, funds are limited and normally do not exceed 10% of a student's yearly tuition costs. Therefore, applicants must be able to meet the majority of the cost of their education. Scholarship funding is normally not available for first year students.
The source of the remaining 90% or more of yearly tuition must be from the applicant's funds and/or a sponsor(s). Biola University cannot assist applicants in finding sponsors.
Before requests for financial aid can be considered, the applicant must complete and return the application form with the required transcripts, references, Affidavit of Support, etc. and be accepted for admittance by January 15th.
It is essential that the University be able to clearly understand the applicant's qualifications and sponsor's financial resources before evaluating potential eligibility for scholarship assistance. Incomplete or unnotarized affidavits will be returned to the applicant.
Applicants who wish to be considered for financial assistance should specify this request with their completed application forms.
Biola will match up to $500 from one church (not multiple churches) every year. Students will receive the scholarship in the Fall. To apply, students must submit a completed Church Matching Application (PDF) with a check from the church by the given deadline. There will be no exceptions to the deadline of the application.
Amount: Up to $500
Renewable: Yearly
Deadline: October 1 (Full-year students)