Kenyan Applicant Frequently Asked Questions
How many Kenyan students are there at St. Lawrence?
During the 2008-2009 academic year, St. Lawrence is home to 7 Kenyan students.
More than 125 other international students from the following 48 countries are also
enrolled at St. Lawrence (one student from each country unless indicated otherwise in
parenthesis): Afghanistan (2), Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia
& Herzegovina (4), Botswana (2), Brazil, Bulgaria (6), Canada (54), China (2),
Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, France, Ghana,
India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malawi, Maldives,
Nepal (4), Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Romania, Rwanda, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa
(3), South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, Timor Leste, Turkey (3), Uganda (2),
Ukraine, Vietnam (3), Zambia, and Zimbabwe (4).
What is St. Lawrence’s connection with Kenya?
St. Lawrence students first began studying in Kenya in 1969. In 1974, we established
what is now one of the oldest U.S. college or university study abroad program in Kenya.
Several generations of St. Lawrence students have spent a semester or summer in Kenya,
learning about the history, politics, environment, and cultures of the Kenyan people. St.
Lawrence has established the Kenya Scholarship Program as an expression of gratitude to
the people of Kenya for their support of our students and faculty over the years.
How “international” is St. Lawrence?
International students find a welcoming global community at St. Lawrence. Almost 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 kind of support is provided for international students?
St. Lawrence provides support for international students in a variety of ways. Ms.
Deborah Harrison, Coordinator of International Student Services, is the primary support
person for international students. She provides visa (I-20, F-1, J-1) advice and assistance,
a comprehensive international student orientation that takes place before other new
students arrive, income tax support, and is available to assist international students with
their challenges and to applaud them for their successes. Her office is located in the heart
of campus in the Student Center.
Is St. Lawrence a religious school?
No. St. Lawrence is named in honor of the St. Lawrence River Valley. The St. Lawrence
River flows about 1,207 km (750 miles) from Lake Ontario, along the Ontario-New York
border and through southern Québec, to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The river was first
sighted by Jacques Cartier, a French explorer, on the Feast Day of St. Lawrence in 1534.
The St. Lawrence River today is a major shipping route and a destination for boating,
fishing, and vacationing on both side of the river.
Famous alumni?
While we like to think that all of our alumni are accomplished, a number have achieved a
high degree of recognition. Among St. Lawrence's distinguished alumni are industrialist
and diplomat Owen D. Young (1894), for whom the Young Plan for European war
reparations was named; Olympia Brown (1863), the first woman in U.S. history to be
ordained a minister; author Lorrie Moore (’78); United States Senator from the state of
Maine, Susan Collins (’75); actors Kirk Douglas (’39) and Viggo Mortensen (’80);
members of parliament, Kenya, Joseph Lekuton, (’91, M’94) and Chachu Ganya (’96);
and Kenneth O. Okoth (’91), Upper School history teacher at the Potomac School, a K-12
independent school in McLean, Virginia and University trustee.
What is a liberal arts and sciences education?
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 learn, 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. For example, 97.4% of the Class of 2007 either had a job within six months of graduation or enrolled in graduate school. 19.9% enrolled in graduate programs and 77.5% were employed. Typically, more than 40% of our alumni enroll in graduate programs within five years of graduation. The Office of Career Services and Leadership Education 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.
Can I study Engineering at St. Lawrence?
St. Lawrence does offer 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, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Rochester, and 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. Please note that international students who require and/or receive financial assistance to attend St. Lawrence may not find this the best option. Because financial aid to international students is limited, and institutional policies vary, it is not possible to predict the level of financial assistance a student will receive from the engineering school. It would be necessary for students to apply for scholarships and other financial assistance directly from the engineering school.
Can I study Business at St. Lawrence?
Pre-management Program. Many St. Lawrence students choose to pursue graduate programs in management or careers in business. More than 30% of the graduates of the class of 2007 were employed in banking, finance, sales, or marketing within six months of graduation. 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.
What are the admissions criteria?
Kenyan applicants should be completing or have completed the 12 years of education (primary and secondary) and planning to take or taken the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (KCSE). Applicants must have an earned or predicted KCSE mean average of B- or better in order to be eligible for consideration for the Kenya Scholarship. Applicants completing other university preparatory programs should present comparable records of achievement in order to be competitive for Kenya Scholarship consideration.
Kenyan applicants applying from outside of Kenya should be completing or have completed 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 (August) admission.
Due to our limited international student financial aid, first year and transfer applicants who are also applying for financial aid may only apply for admission to the fall (August) semester. Applications for spring (January) admission from students in this category will be converted to fall (August) applications.
Kenyan applicants not applying for or requiring need-based financial aid may apply for fall (August) or spring (January) admission.
What is the application deadline?
The Regular Decision application deadline is February 1 and applicants are notified of their decisions by late March or early April. Applicants applying from outside the U.S. are strongly encouraged to submit their application and supporting materials well in advance of the application deadlines.
Can I apply Early Decision?
Please note that, due to our limited international student financial aid, applicants applying for international student financial aid may NOT apply for Early Decision admission.
Please note that, due to our limited international student financial aid, Kenyan applicants applying for international student financial aid may NOT apply for Early Decision admission.
Kenyan applicants not applying for financial 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 I application deadline is November 15, with notification on December 15. The Early Decision II application deadline is January 15, with notification on February 15.
Should I apply for first-year or transfer admission?
Students who have enrolled as a degree candidates at tertiary-level, post-secondary (high school) institutions of higher education must apply as transfer applicants and will not be considered for first-year admission. For more information about transfer admission, please visit the transfer admission web page. Please note that transfer applicants are NOT eligible for the Kenya Scholarship. They may, however, apply for international transfer financial aid. We normally offer transfer admission and financial aid to 3 to 5 students each year.
Where do I send my completed application and other required application materials?
Kenyan applicants living in Kenya who are completing the paper version of the application should submit their application and all supporting documentation BY FEBRUARY 1 to the St Lawrence University Kenya Semester Program Office:
St. Lawrence University Kenya Semester Programme
PO Box 1128
#91 Miotoni Road
00502 – Karen
Nairobi
Telephone: 254-20-88-27-94
Email: sluadmin@africaonline.co.ke
Kenyan applicants living in Kenya who are completing the on line version of the application should submit their supporting documentation BY FEBRUARY 1 to the St Lawrence University Kenya Semester Program Office.
Kenyan citizens living outside Kenya should submit their application and supporting documentation BY FEBRUARY 1 to the St Lawrence University Admissions Office in Canton, NY.
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 admissions 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 or the St. Lawrence University Kenya Semester Programme Office in Nairobi . They may also submit the St. Lawrence Common Application Supplement online or by downloading and mailing it to the Office of Admissions or the St. Lawrence University Kenya Semester Programme Office in Nairobi .
Application Fee. The US$60.00 application fee is waived for all Kenyan applicants.
Transcripts. We require that applicants submit a 3-year secondary school transcript (a record of courses taken and marks received in their classes from the 2005-2006, 2006-2007, and 2007-2008 academic years) as well as a record of the courses they are taking during their final year of secondary school (2008-2009). Applicants who have completed secondary school should provide a transcript of their secondary school courses and grades as well as the results of their KCSE results. PHOTOCOPIES, FAXED COPIES, PDF FILES, AND EMAILS OF TRANSCRIPTS ARE NOT OFFICIAL AND WILL NOT BE MADE PART OF AN APPLICANT’S ADMISSION FILE.
Applicants must submit official secondary education credentials for all years of secondary education, including their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education results, if available. 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 notarized translation of these credentials.
Standardized Testing. Although we are a Test Optional institution, international applicants and particularly those applying for international student financial aid are encouraged to submit SAT Reasoning scores if English is their first language and SAT Reasoning and TOEFL scores if English is not their first language. All standardized testing should be completed by the end of December 2008, but must be completed no later than January, 2009. Candidates for the SAT Reasoning Test can obtain information from either their guidance office or the College Board, Box 592, Princeton, NJ 08540, www.collegeboard.com. Candidates for the TOEFL (paper-based, inter-active) can obtain information at www.ets.org.
It is the applicants’ responsibility to make arrangements for official exam scores to be sent to the St. Lawrence Admissions Office. PHOTOCOPIES, FAXED COPIES, PDF FILES, AND EMAILS OF TEST SCORES ARE NOT OFFICIAL AND WILL NOT BE MADE PART OF AN APPLICANT’S ADMISSION FILE.
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 2009-2010 International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA; available on line in August). Please note that, due to our limited funding for international student need-based financial aid, applicants applying for this aid may NOT apply for Early Decision admission.
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.
What is the English proficiency requirement?
St. Lawrence strongly recommends that applicants whose first language is other than English take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Applicants whose first language is other than English who do not provide official results of the TOEFL may be at a competitive disadvantage for admissions and financial aid consideration.
The following are the recommended minimum scores for each version of the TOEFL:
- Paper-based TOEFL: 600, with no subscore below 50
- iBT/Interactive TOEFL: 82 with no subscore below 20 (19 for speaking)
Please note that these are not required minimum scores but recommended scores.
St. Lawrence waives the TOEFL requirement for applicants who have completed or are expected to complete International Baccalaureate Higher Level English A1 (mother tongue) or A2 (bilingual) exams with scores of 5, 6, or 7. Students taking International Baccalaureate Standard Level English may request a waiver on a case-by-case basis by contacting the Director of International Admissions.
St. Lawrence also waives the TOEFL requirement for applicants who have earned a score of 600 or higher on the Critical Reading section of the SAT Reasoning Test.
How do I send the results of my SAT Reasoning, SAT II, and 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 I, SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject Test, and TOEFL scores. The institutional code for ACT scores is 2896.
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.
PHOTOCOPIES, FAXED COPIES, PDF FILES, AND EMAILS WITH TEST SCORES ARE NOT OFFICIAL AND WILL NOT BE MADE PART OF AN APPLICANT’S ADMISSION FILE.
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.
Are the SAT’s the most important criteria the Admissions Committee
uses to make its decisions?
No. We do not require SAT’s. And if applicants do submit SAT scores, our decisions are based on many factors. We use a holistic approach when reviewing applications and consider all the information – secondary school courses, level of difficulty of the academic program, trend in achievement, recommendations, personal statements, and extracurricular activities.
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 the Advanced Placement Examination. 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.
How much does it cost to attend St. Lawrence?
| 2008-2009 (August - May) Costs: |
|
|
| Tuition: |
$ |
37,675 |
| Fees: |
$ |
240 |
| Room: |
$ |
5,185* |
| Board: |
$ |
4,460** |
| Insurance: |
$ |
1,650 |
| Books: |
$ |
650*** |
| Personal Expenses: |
$ |
800*** |
| TOTAL: |
$ |
50,660 |
| * double room; single room is $6,285 |
| ** full flex plan (selected by most students); full 21-meal plan is $4,610 |
| *** estimated |
| **** unbilled expenses: these are estimated out-of-pocket costs that
do not appear on the semester bills but which students must have available
to them |
The annual student budget increase is approximately 4-6% each year. The expected annual student budget for the 2009-2010 academic year will be approximately $53,200. The actual cost will be determined in February 2009.
This figure also does not include transportation costs to and from St. Lawrence. |
| Summer (2007) Costs: |
|
|
| Tuition: |
$ |
2,795 / course |
| Fees: |
$ |
35 |
| Room & Meals - Session I |
$ |
1,050 |
| Room & Meals - Session II |
$ |
1,295 |
Do you offer financial aid for Kenyan students?
St. Lawrence awards two Kenya Scholarships, typically one to a male and one to a female, each year. The Kenya Scholarship is a full scholarship and pays for tuition, fees, room and meals, insurance, books, and miscellaneous expenses. For the 2008-2009 academic year, Kenya Scholarship recipients received a US$50,660 scholarship. A Kenya Scholarship is typically awarded in "package" form, which includes some combination of grants, merit scholarships, and campus employment.
Competition for the Kenya Scholarships is very keen. There were more than 53 applicants for the two Kenya Scholarships awarded to new first-year students enrolling at St. Lawrence for the 2008-2009 academic year.
Students applying for the Kenya Scholarship should complete and a copy of the International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA; available on line in August). The ISFAA should be submitted at the same time as your complete application for admission.
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