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Guidelines for International First-year Applicants

What are the minimum academic requirements to apply to TCNJ as an international first-year student?

There are no minimum academic requirements for application consideration. Unlike many universities across Europe and Asia that utilize threshold admission (focus on metrics and minimums), TCNJ reviews your application and candidacy in a holistic fashion. That is, we review not only your exam results but also the rigor of your curriculum, your in-class grades for 9-12 grade, recommendation letters from teachers, your essay, your community service, and activities. For these reasons, we do not have minimum scores for consideration of any applicant, domestic or international.

How do I apply to TCNJ as an international first-year student?

In order for an admission decision to be made, all international first-year applicants must submit a complete first-year application using the Common Application or the Coalition Application

A complete international first-year application includes:

  • Common Application OR Coalition Applicationwww.commonapp.org OR Coalition Application
  • Essay – The Common Application essay is the official essay used in the evaluation process.
  • $75.00 Application Fee – Check or money order payable to The College of New Jersey issued by a U.S. bank or electronically submitted through the Common Application system: www.commonapp.org.
  • All Official Transcripts from Grades 9-12 of High School – Transcripts must be submitted through The Common Application. Transcripts must be translated in English. Additionally, and in most cases, transcripts must be submitted to a United States agency that provides foreign credential evaluations before being sent to TCNJ. TCNJ will accept foreign credential evaluations from any National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Click here for a list of current NACES members approved by TCNJ. (Students enrolled in an International Baccalaureate program, in the U.S. or overseas, do not have to submit their transcript to an evaluation agency.)
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation – One recommendation letter must be from a high school teacher. The other letter can come from a different teacher, the head of school, a guidance counselor, coach or advisor. We strongly encourage that applicants use The Common Application Teacher Evaluation form when possible. If the Common Application Teacher Evaluation Form is not available, we will accept a letter directly by email (international@tcnj.edu) from any school official.
  • SAT or ACT Scores – SAT or ACT test scores are optional through fall 2023.  However, any scores submitted must be sent from the official testing agency or printed on an official school transcript.
  • ****TOEFL or IELTS Scores – For applicants whose first language is not English, or who attend a high school in which English is not the language of instruction, TCNJ requires results from the TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency exam. Scores must be sent from the official testing agency or printed on an official school transcript.

Beyond the elements of a complete admission application, are there any additional department-specific requirements I must meet to apply to TCNJ?

Yes. There are additional requirements for the following programs:

Art, Education, Music, Seven-year Medical Programs, Seven-year Optometry Program

How do I pay the application fee?

There are two methods of making your non-refundable payment.

  • Submit payment through the Common Application.
  • Mail check/money order by selecting “Fee Waiver” on the Common Application and mailing payment to:

The College of New Jersey
Attention: International Admissions – Green Hall 212
2000 Pennington Rd
Ewing, NJ 08628
USA

Can the application fee be waived?

Yes. TCNJ will waive a student’s application fee if they submit one of the following:

  • TCNJ International Applicant Fee Waiver
  • College Board Fee Waiver
  • NACAC Fee Waiver
  • Common Application Fee Waiver Request Form (signed by school official)
  • A formal letter from a school official at the applicant’s school (must contain specific reasons why the counselor believes a waiver is necessary for this student)

Do my transcripts have to be in English?

Yes. Transcripts must be submitted through The Common Application and they must be translated in English. Additionally, and in most cases, transcripts must be submitted to a United States agency that provides foreign credential evaluations before being sent to TCNJ. TCNJ will accept foreign credential evaluations from any National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Click here for a list of current NACES members approved by TCNJ. Students enrolled in an International Baccalaureate program, in the U.S. or overseas, do not have to submit their transcript to an evaluation agency.

Can I email my transcript or recommendation letters to TCNJ?

TCNJ cannot accept official transcripts or letters of recommendation via email. All official transcripts and recommendation letters must be sent by a school official online through the Common Application or mailed to:

The College of New Jersey
Attention: International Admissions – Trenton Hall, 228
2000 Pennington Rd
Ewing, NJ 08628
USA

* We will accept unofficial documents via email international@tcnj.edu to expedite the review process but until all official documents are received, international applicants cannot enroll at the university.

Which test results should I submit with my application?

SAT or ACT test scores are optional. However, any score reports must come directly from a test center or listed on an official academic transcript from your school.

Do I need to take the SAT or ACT?

SAT or ACT test scores are optional. TCNJ will continue to require standardized test scores for our Accelerated Seven-Year Medical School opportunities.

What are the minimum SAT or ACT scores?

There are no minimum SAT or ACT scores for application consideration.

What are the average SAT or ACT scores?

1265 on the Math and Reading sections of the SAT and 28 Composite Score on the ACT.

Does TCNJ superscore the SAT or ACT?

TCNJ superscores the SAT. However, we will not combine scores between the new SAT and the old SAT. For the ACT, we will use your best composite score.

Does TCNJ use the writing sections of the SAT or ACT?

No.

Does TCNJ accept the old SAT and new SAT?

For high school students graduating in the summers of 2016 and 2017, TCNJ will accept either the new SAT or the old SAT. Starting with the Class of 2018, TCNJ will only accept new SAT scores.

Does TCNJ require any SAT Subject Tests (SAT2)?

No. In addition, SAT and ACT test scores are optional.

What are TCNJ’s codes for the SAT and ACT?

  • TCNJ SAT CEEB: 002519
  • TCNJ ACT Code: 002614

Do I need to take the TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency exams?

If your first language is not English, or if the language of instruction in your high school or university is not English, TCNJ requires you to submit results from either the TOEFL or IELTS exams.

If I don’t speak English that well, can I still apply to TCNJ?

Yes! However, if English is not your native language, we require that you submit your TOEFL or IELTS score to be considered for general admission at TCNJ.

Does TCNJ have a minimum TOEFL or IELTS score for international application consideration?

We recommend a minimum score of 90 for the TOEFL or a minimum score of 7.0 for the IELTS.

If I completed an intensive English program do I still need to take the TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency exams?

Yes. The quality of English programs varies from country to country and we want to confirm that you are prepared to succeed in TCNJ’s academically rigorous environment.

If any of my test results are not available until after your deadline, can I still submit them for review?

Yes.

What if I have additional questions?

Please contact us at international@tcnj.edu.

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