International Students - How to Apply
APPLY TODAY!
We're so excited you're interested in North Central College and everything we have to offer. We know the application process can seem overwhelming, so we want to make it as easy as possible.
Apply for Direct Admission
1. Complete Online Application
Select one of the following:
- North Central Online Application: To start your application, you’ll need to create a North Central account if you don’t already have one. Then, select Start a New Application and select First-Year/Transfer for the application type.
- Common Application
*All applications are free.
2. Submit Official Transcripts
All Applicants:
- Official high school transcripts/records and certification of graduation.
- Transcripts should include all grades earned in the most recent three (3) academic years.
- If you haven't yet graduated, please submit official transcripts for the three most recent years and send your certificate after graduating.
Electronic transcripts must be sent directly to North Central College by the issuing institution through the following sources:
- Credentials eScrip-Safe
- National Student Clearinghouse
- Parchment (formerly Docufide/Avow)
- Common Application Portal
If your school or Ministry of Education does not use any of these sources, you must ask them to send an official transcript in a sealed envelope via postal mail to our office at:
North Central College
Office of Admission
30 North Brainard St.
Naperville, Illinois 60540 USA
Transfer Applicants
- Applicants who have attended university-level classes should also submit official transcripts/mark sheets for all university-level course work.
- Course descriptions are also required for any university-level courses taken at institutions located outside of the U.S.
- Click here for a Transcript Request Form.
- If you attended an institution outside of the United States, please submit a course-by-course evaluation for U.S. equivalency by one of the following companies.
Please note: North Central does not consider emailed transcripts to be official transcripts.
3. Submit Documentation of English Proficiency
Every international applicant is required to demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency. Applicants can meet our English proficiency requirement in a variety of ways. Please see the options listed below.
Option 1: Attend secondary school in one of the primarily Anglophone countries listed below.
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- British Virgin Islands
- Canada (except Quebec)
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- England
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Ireland
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Monserrat
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Northern Ireland
- Palau
- Scotland
- Seychelles
- Shetland Islands
- St. Kitts-Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Singapore
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- U.S. Territories including American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands
Option 2: Submit scores from one of the tests below.
| Test | Score | Institution code |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL (ibt) | Minimum score of 79 | 1555 |
| IELTS | Total score of 6.5 or higher and with sub-scores of 6.0 or higher. | |
| SAT | Minimum score of 490 on the EBRW section | 1555 |
| ACT | Minimum score of 19 on the English section | 1096 |
| EIKEN | Minimum Grade Pre-1 | |
| Pearson's English Test | Minimum score of 58 | |
| Duolingo English Test | Minimum score 120 |
Option 3: Coursework from one of the curriculums listed below.
- U.S. college/university English coursework: Grade of C or higher in two English composition courses
- Successful completion of the intermediate level of the Intensive English Program in North Central College's English Language Institute
- Successful completion of the Excel Program (advanced, credit-bearing English coursework)
- International Baccalaureate (IB): Minimum grade of 4 (or letter grade equivalent) in English A: Language & Literature
- British Curriculum (I)GCSE (O levels): Minimum result of C or 4 in English First Language
- British Curriculum GCE (AS/A levels): Minimum result of C in English Language and/or English Language & Literature
- Attend and complete an American international school abroad earning grades of C or higher in English courses
- Attend and complete a U.S. high school earning grades of C or higher in mainstream English courses
*For questions or concerns about the accepted options listed above, please contact your admission counselor at inadm@noctrl.edu.
Apply for Conditional Admission
Students who meet all academic requirements for admission but do not have the required level of English proficiency may be considered for conditional admission and enroll in North Central's English Language Institute.
- Email: esl@noctrl.edu
- WhatsApp: +1 (331) 231-9161
Optional Documents
It is not mandatory but applicants are encouraged to submit a letter or recommendation and a personal statement to support their application. North Central international admission team will review them if submitted.
- A personal statement (1-2 pages typed) explaining why you want to attend North Central and how North Central can help you achieve your degree and career plans. This can be emailed to International Admissions. (Be sure to include your complete name and the semester for which you are applying.)
- A letter of recommendation from a teacher or instructor.
Timeline for Application Review
Once your application is complete, we can review your file and let you know your admission status and scholarship eligibility within approximately two weeks.
Please Note: All admissions documents, including official transcripts, become a part of a student's official file and cannot be returned to the applicant or forwarded to another institution. Once an applicant submits a document or official transcript, it is the property of North Central College and will not be returned.