First-Year Admissions Information for International Applicants

All undergraduate application requirements are the same for international and domestic students. Some things to keep in mind:

• If your academic credentials are not written in English, they must be translated into English by an approved translator prior to submission.
• SAT or ACT results are not required for admission. You may still send us your results.
• All applicants who speak English as a second language, including US citizens, must submit results from any one of these three options: TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or Duolingo (an online English test).

View all application requirements

English language proficiency tests

All applicants who speak English as a second language, including US citizens, must submit results from any one of these three options:

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
• Duolingo (an online English test).

Since English proficiency is a prerequisite for acceptance, applicants are required to meet a minimum score of at least 5 (previously 93) on the TOEFL, a 7 on the IELTS or a 120 on Duolingo.

Plan to take the TOEFL or IELTS well in advance of the application deadline since it may take three weeks for your scores to be sent to RISD by the test agency. It may take up to four days for us to receive Duolingo test results.

Although the SAT and ACT are not required for admission, applicants may submit scores to satisfy the English proficiency requirement. The minimum qualifying scores are:

• SAT: 600 on the Reading and Writing section
• ACT: 25 on both the English and Reading sections

The language test requirement may be waived for applicants who have completed their secondary education in an institution where English is the language of instruction. In addition, applicants must have three consecutive, full-time years of instruction without ESL, ELL or ENL courses. A waiver form can be found in the applicant portal and you can email the Admissions Office at admissions@risd.edu with any questions.
 

Admitted international students who plan to enroll at RISD will be asked to complete and submit an I-20 application via the RISD applicant status portal. Once submitted and the application reviewed, an I-20 will be created and sent to the student.

After receiving the I-20 form, students pay a SEVIS I-901 fee and schedule a visa interview at their nearest US embassy or consulate. You may contact International Student and Scholar Affairs (ISSA) for more information on this process.

International students should not send I-20 application materials until they are admitted to RISD.