Admission Requirements for International Students

Additional Information About Applying

• Funding Your Cost to Attend

  Individuals who require a student visa to study in the U.S. are required to submit proof of financial support. Applicants must submit a certified statement from a bank or other financial institution clearly showing the liquid assets that will be available to support study in the U.S. The bank statement should show the funds that will be available for at least the first year. Alternatively, students may submit a Financial Certification Document (FCD) showing the amount of support that will be available the first year, along with anticipated support for the following three years. Either a bank statement or FCD is required for an application to be reviewed.

  View a sample bank statement

  The CSS PROFILE is not required for international students. International students who wish to be considered for financial aid must submit the International Student Application for Financial Assistance (ISAFA).

  All forms and bank statements should be received by the application deadlines of Nov. 15 for Early Decision I or Jan. 15 for Early Decision II or Regular Decision.

   

• Entrance Examination Requirements

  SAT / ACT Scores

  For the 2024-25 and 2025-26 application cycle, applicants may choose to be test-optional. This policy change will be reevaluated at the end of the 2025-26 application cycle.

  • SAT code: 2050
  • ACT code: 3528

  Important notes:

  • Please instruct the testing agency to report your scores to Bucknell.
  • Score reports may also be submitted directly by school officials. However, emailed, faxed and other self-reported scores will be considered unofficial. If admitted, students will need to submit official test results before enrolling.

  TOEFL / IELTS / PTE / DET Test Scores

  Applicants for whom English is not the first language or whose primary language of instruction for at least three years of secondary school was not English are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson English Test (PTE) or Duolingo English Test (DET) scores.

  This requirement can be waived by permission; please ask your school counselor or school official to send a written waiver request to admissions@bucknell.edu for consideration.

  Minimum Scores

  Minimum TOEFL score of 100 on the internet-based exam and 600 on the paper-based exam; minimum IELTS score of 7; minimum PTE score of 68; minimum DET score of 130. Entrance exam results should be submitted by our application deadlines.

  Please note that it takes two to four weeks for Bucknell to receive official test scores from the testing agency.

  Submitting IELTS Scores Electronically

  Below is the exact information applicants should provide to their test centers when requesting scores to be sent to Bucknell University:

  Account name: Bucknell University Undergraduate Admissions
  Address: 1 Dent Drive
  City: Lewisburg
  State: PA
  ZIP code: 17837

   

• Optional Interviews From Vendors

  Though interviews are not offered at Bucknell, we accept independent interviews from vendors, such as Initialview or Vericant, from our international applicants. These interviews will provide you with an opportunity to display your communication and reasoning abilities, as well as your enthusiasm for becoming a successful student in college. Following this conversation, a report and video of your interview will be sent directly to Bucknell from the vendor.

  Please note that any interview for Bucknell is optional and not a required component of the application.

  If you would like to submit an optional interview, please use the following links:

  • Initialview
  • Vericant

  If you decide you would like to submit an optional interview, we recommend registering early and as soon as possible for these opportunities to ensure that your materials arrive in our office by our application deadlines (Nov. 15 for Early Decision I or Jan. 15 for Early Decision II or Regular Decision).

   

• General Admission Requirements

  Foreign Language

  • All applicants to all of Bucknell's degree programs are required to have completed a minimum of two years of a foreign language (in the same language) in secondary school.

  Note: Coursework taken prior to the ninth grade does not count toward the two-year requirement.

  Mathematics

  • All applicants to all of Bucknell's degree programs are required to have completed a minimum of two-and-a-half years of college-preparatory mathematics.
  • Engineering applicants and applicants to sciences or mathematics majors are expected to have completed a minimum of three years of college-preparatory mathematics, but their secondary school programs should include as much work in mathematics as possible.

  Science

  • Engineering applicants are required to have one year of either chemistry or physics; however, Bucknell strongly recommends a minimum of three years of science, including chemistry and physics.

   

• Address Information

  Please ensure that your mailing address is current and verified for prompt delivery of documents.

  Log on to your private web page to review and update your address.

  You should have received an email with a custom link, username and PIN to create a password for this page.

  Can't find your username or password? Visit bucknell.edu/AppCheck for instructions.

   

• International Transfer Students

  Special guidelines apply to international students wanting to transfer to Bucknell from another college or university.

  International transfer students

   

• Graduate Students

  The information on this page is for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) students only. If you are interested in applying to a graduate program, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies at gradstds@bucknell.edu.

  Graduate studies