How many international students are there at St. Lawrence?

• During the 2012-2013 academic year, St. Lawrence is home to more than 184 international students from 42 countries!

• 50% of our students study abroad or complete international research each year.
• Over 50% of the faculty have significant international training and expertise.
• St. Lawrence is unique among US colleges and universities as being the liberal arts college closest to another nation’s capital (Ottawa, Canada), and we take advantage of our proximity to Canada through formal courses and co- and extra-curricular programs. 
• In addition to academic programs like global studies and modern languages, faculty across the campus routinely incorporate global perspectives in their courses. 
• Outside the class room, clubs and organizations such as International House, Amnesty International, Global Awareness Club, and the SLU Model United Nations Club allow students to explore their global interests in other venues.

What is a liberal arts and sciences education?

• St. Lawrence University is firmly committed to undergraduate liberal arts and sciences education for women and men, an education that requires breadth, depth and integration in learning.
  
  
• Breadth: St. Lawrence students must complete a set of distribution requirements that expose them to a number of disciplines beyond their intended major(s).
  
  
  • Distribution requirements should be seen not as a checklist of courses to complete but rather as an invitation to explore, indeed, to cultivate wisdom. 
  • Students often find that they discover or develop life-long interests through carefully selected courses that satisfy their distribution requirements. 
  • All students must complete one course in arts/expression; humanities; social science; mathematics or foreign language; two courses in natural science and science studies, one of which must be a laboratory course; two courses from two different departments that engage participants in the critical study of sameness and difference; and the First Year Program (First Year Course and First Year Seminar.)
    
    
• Depth: Students are also required to complete a concentrated field of study, or major. Students may choose a major or majors from a number of traditional, combined or interdisciplinary majors and programs.
  
  
• Integration: Through a liberal arts education students not only learn and develop specific information and skills, but also learn how to aquire, adapt, and integrate diverse material; communicate appropriately; and utilize effectively what has been learned.  
  • This is accomplished at St. Lawrence through the First Year Program, numerous opportunities for interdisciplinary studies, minors, research opportunities, and the Senior Year Experience, required by some majors.

How will a liberal arts and sciences education help in my career search?

• A liberal arts and sciences education provides for a large number of options in the choice of a career.
• 93.5% of the Class of 2009 either had a job within six months of graduation or enrolled in graduate school.
• 20.2% enrolled in graduate programs
• 73.3% were employed.
• Typically, more than 40% of our alumni enroll in graduate programs within five years of graduation.
• The Office of Career Services is committed to empowering students and graduates to discover their passion, explore their career options, develop their personal career plan, and attain their goals as part of their lifelong educational philosophy.
• Over 450 St. Lawrence alumni are presidents or chief executive officers of their organizations.

Can I study Engineering at St. Lawrence?

• St. Lawrence offers a 3+2 Engineering program in which students spend three years at St. Lawrence and two years at a cooperating engineering school (Clarkson University, Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Rochester, University of Southern California) and graduate with a bachelor's degree from each institution.
• This option allows students to receive three years of a broad-based, well-rounded liberal arts education before specializing in an engineering field. It also allows students the freedom to change their major plans from engineering to another field without changing schools.

Can I study Business at St. Lawrence?

• Majors from any discipline may complete the pre-management program at St. Lawrence, which combines an individually tailored course of study with career building programs and leadership skills development.
• A certificate is awarded to students successfully completing the Pre-Management Program. Participants should work closely with the Pre-Management Program coordinator and with career services and leadership education.
• 4+1 MBA Program. St. Lawrence University has 4+1 MBA agreements with the graduate schools at Clarkson University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Union College that allow students to plan their undergraduate program to include courses that serve as foundation courses for graduate study.
  • Students must complete a regular undergraduate major and meet prescribed admission standards in addition to the foundation courses. Those who are admitted can expect to complete the requirements for the MBA degree in one year rather than the usual two or more.
  • In addition, applicants with outstanding academic records will receive a prompt decision concerning admission and financial aid. Preliminary inquiries concerning these programs may be made by consulting with the pre-management coordinator.

Can I study medicine at St. Lawrence?

• Medical education in the U.S. takes place after earning a bachelor’s degree. Students at St Lawrence who want to go to medical school are participate in our pre-medical program and are advised by the faculty members of the Health Careers Committee.

What are the admissions criteria?

• St. Lawrence seeks to enroll students who are intellectually curious, self-motivated and who have a clear sense of purpose.
• St. Lawrence students should be poised to embrace the mission of a residential, community-based liberal arts university and appreciate the value of learning in, and about, a diverse community and world.
• Because the University maintains a focus on personal as well as academic development, our students should also be prepared to assume leadership positions and have the ability to balance a variety of academic and extracurricular commitments.
• We also seek students who will increase the racial, ethnic and socioeconomic diversity of our student body.
• Applications for admission are evaluated with a holistic approach, weighting heavily the rigor of secondary school curriculum, trend of achievement, final or predicted final examination results if available, and what we learn about students from letters of recommendation as well as the information they provide in their applications and personal statements. Competitive candidates should be completing or have completed the equivalent of 12 years of education (primary and secondary) or the program of study that leaves them eligible for admission to university-level study in the educational system in which they are enrolled.

When can I apply?

• International applicants may apply for fall or spring admission.

What is the application deadline?

• The Regular Decision application deadline is February 1 and applicants are notified of their decisions in mid-March. Applicants applying from outside the US are strongly encouraged to submit their application and supporting materials well in advance of the application deadlines.

Can I apply Early Decision?

• International applicants not requiring full aid and who have selected St. Lawrence as their first choice may apply under the Early Decision Program.
• Applicants accepted under this program are obligated to attend St. Lawrence and must withdraw any applications submitted to other institutions.
• The Early Decision priority application deadline begins on November 1st, with notification about two weeks after the application is complete.
• We will review Early Decision applicants on a continual basis until February 1st. Notification of the decision is mailed approximately two weeks after the application is complete.

• Canadian citizens may apply for Early Decision admission regardless of their financial aid status.

What are the application requirements?

• Application. Applicants for admission may start their application by completing Part I of our application online or by downloading it and mailing it to the Office of Admissions.
• All applicants for admission must submit the Common Application with the required St. Lawrence Supplement.
• They may submit the Common Application online or by downloading and mailing it to the Office of Admissions.
• They may also submit the St. Lawrence Common Application Supplement online or by downloading and mailing it to the Office of Admissions.
• Application Fee.  The $60 application fee is waived for all international (non-US citizen) applicants.
• Transcripts. We require that applicants submit a 3-year secondary school transcript, as well as a record of the courses they are taking during their final year of secondary school.
• Applicants who have completed secondary school should provide a transcript of their secondary school courses and grades as well as the results of any qualifying or terminal examinations.
• We recommend that you ask your school counselor to complete and submit the International Supplement in addition to the Common Application School Report Form.
• Applicants must submit official secondary education credentials for all years of secondary education, including any qualifying and terminal examinations. An official, notarized translation of any credentials not in English is required.
• It is important to note that we require both the official secondary education credentials not in English as well as the official translation of these credentials.
• Standardized Testing. Although we are a Test Optional institution, international applicants must submit SAT1s in order to be considered for admission. If SATs are not offered in the student's home country, than TOEFL may be submitted instead.
• Recommendations. Applicants are required to submit a recommendation from a university or guidance counselor. If there is no guidance counselor at their school, applicants should have the principal, headmaster, head tutor or other school official who has been closely supervising or monitoring their secondary school studies write a recommendation.
• Two letters of recommendation from teachers with whom the applicants have studied in an academic subject in their final two years of secondary school are also required.
• If the guidance counselor or teacher recommendations are not written in English, a certified translation must be provided.
• Financial Aid. Applicants for international student need-based financial aid must submit a copy of the 2013-14 International Student Financial Aid Application and the International Student Certification of Finances. The International Student Certification of Finances will be sent to you with your acceptance letter.
• Miscellaneous materials. The Admissions Committee does not require and does not review in their decision making art works; portfolios; photographs; or music, dance, theatre, or athletic CD’s or tapes.  Applicants are encouraged, however, to submit the Common Application Arts Supplement or Common Application Athletic Supplement.
• Applicants are also encouraged to provide a listing of certificates or other honors they have earned rather than sending photocopies of these certificates. 

How do I send the results of my SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject Test, or TOEFL exams to St. Lawrence?

• There are several ways to submit test scores.
• Applicants should indicate St. Lawrence as a recipient institution for their scores when they register for the exams.  Our institutional code number is 2805 for SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject Test, and TOEFL scores. 
• University or guidance counselors may include the exam results on the Common Application Secondary School Report Form. 
• University or guidance counselors may send us attested or certified copies of the test results.
• Applicants should also be consistent with the spelling and sequence of their family/surname and given names when registering for standardized exams and completing the application.  We recommend that on all application and testing materials applicants provide their name as printed on their passport.  Differences in the spelling or sequence of names may delay the receipt of test scores and the review of applications.

Can I receive advanced placement or credit for coursework I complete while in secondary school?

• St. Lawrence University awards advanced placement and credit toward graduation for entering first-year students through the College Board Advanced Placement program.
• Generally, advanced placement and credit toward graduation are granted to students who achieve a rating of 4 or 5 on Advanced Placement Examinations.
• Advanced placement and credit may also be earned by completion of International Baccalaureate Higher Level examinations with scores of 5, 6, or 7.
• The effect of advanced credit upon the department major requirements is at the discretion of each department chair. Each department chair will review the requested credit and make a recommendation to the registrar.

• St. Lawrence University provides a range of financial aid to international students.

Does St. Lawrence provide athletic scholarships?

• St. Lawrence is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). NCAA regulations do not allow us to provide athletic scholarships for student participating in our 30 Division III sports programs.
• We are, however, allowed to provide athletic scholarships for members of our Division I men’s ice hockey and women’s ice hockey teams. Prospective applicants interested in the ice hockey programs should contact the appropriate coach as early as possible.
  

For any questions regarding international recruitment, please contact Musa Khalidi, Director of International Admissions/Associate Director via email at mkhalidi@stlawu.edu.