General Notes

• 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.

International Admissions Process

The following documents must be received before an application will be considered:

1. Application completed with application fee of US $45 (check, money order, or foreign draft).
2. Official Transcripts of all colleges, universities, or seminaries attended. The transcript(s) must be sent directly from the school to Biola's Office of Graduate Admissions to be official. These records should include the grading system, grades earned, courses, and/or examination marks, and verification of graduation.
3. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 250/5.0 or higher. Additional information about TOEFL
4. Five References: three academic, one pastoral, and one character reference
5. Affidavit of Support for each individual source of funding. You will need to find a sponsor (or sponsors) who will pay for your educational expenses, or you must have the funds yourself (note: Copies of the Affidavit of Support may be made if more than one person will serve as sponsor for your expenses). The forms should be notarized and sent with supporting bank statements or copies of income tax return forms.

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.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

• 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.

International Student Aid Grant

1. Immigration status must be F-1 (student visa)
2. Minimum academic standing of 70% / "C"
3. Demonstrate funds for approximately 90% of the educational costs by a sponsor.
4. Must complete application to the University by January 15.
5. Must be a full-time student during the academic year at Biola (9 or more units per semester)

Church Matching Scholarship

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.