COVID Advisory: COVID-19 Advisory Alert System and Dashboard - Current: Level 1 (Yellow) Learn More

FAQ: Applying for Admission

Admission Questions for International Students

This is determined by country of citizenship, not where you live.

You are an international student if you are a:
- foreign national living outside of the U.S., – or –
- a foreign national living in the U.S. who is neither a U.S. Citizen nor a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR with a green-card)
If you are an LPR or Citizen of the U.S. living overseas, you are considered an American Abroad and will apply through the International Admission office for admission and Hiram College scholarships and grants. You are allowed to apply for federal financial aid via FAFSA.
International students and Americans Abroad will apply using the new International Student Application. Detailed instructions are available online for:
- International Student Application
- First-year candidates may apply for fall (August) semester and spring (January) semesters.
- Transfer candidates may apply for fall and spring (January) semesters.
No. A candidate who has been enrolled in any post-secondary studies must apply as a transfer student. Hiram must receive credentials reflecting all secondary and post-secondary courses undertaken through a credit evaluation by any NACES agency, as they will be reviewed in the transfer admission process.
Candidates must submit evidence of successful progress toward or completion of secondary school. This can be documented with diplomas, certificates, and/or results of external or school leaving examinations appropriate to your secondary educational program. These may include, but are not limited to SSC/HSC, CXC, Advanced Subsidiary, A Level, WAEC, and other comparable measures. All credentials need to be sent to the credit evaluation agency approved by NACES, for a Document-by-Document evaluation which MUST include a GPA. If you have questions regarding credentials, feel free to contact us for clarification and assistance.

Am I required to submit the TOEFL?

Hiram requires an English Proficiency Exam such as the TOEFL or IELTS to all international students unless you can document English proficiency through one of the following (with Admission Office approval)

GCE A-level English = Grade B or above.
IB Higher Level (HL) English = Score 5 or above.
AP English = Score 4 or higher.
Successful completion of ELS Level 112 English for Academic Purposes certificate.
Applicants who have attended high school in the U.S. for more than two years and have earned passing grades in English courses may also be exempt from submitting a qualifying score.
Students who are currently enrolled at a college or university in the United States with 26 semester hours or more of transferable credit hours and who have completed the college-writing requirement with a grade of C or better may also be exempt from submitting a qualifying score.
Native English speakers from the following countries who attend schools where English is the primary language of instruction are exempt from submitting a qualifying score:

Antigua & Barbuda

Australia

Bahamas

Barbados

Bermuda

Canada (except Quebec)

Cayman Islands

Fiji

Grenada

Guyana

Ireland

Jamaica

Marshall Islands

New Zealand

St. Kitts & Nevis

St. Lucia

St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Solomon Islands

Trinidad & Tobago

United Kingdom

Minimum English proficiency scores can be documented through any one of the following (or comparable credential with the approval of the Office of Admission):
- TOEFL (code: 1297) = iBT = 79, paper-based = 550 or above
- IELTS band score = 6.0 or above
- SAT (code: 1297) = EBRW = 520 or above
- ACT (Code: 3280) = English score = 22 or above
- PTE Academic score = 58 or above
- SAKAE (SEPT) = 10 or above
- DUOLINGO = 105 or above
If you cannot afford to have the testing agency send results directly to Hiram, we will accept a photocopy. The photocopy must be attested with an original school stamp/seal and signature of the appropriate school official certifying that the results are true. You may also have your official score reports attested through an EducationUSA Center.
The fall semester (August) priority application deadline is May 15. The spring (January) priority application deadline is October 15. Applications received or completed after the priority dates are processed on a space-available basis.
You may submit them all together or in stages as they are ready but your application will not be revised until all document have been submitted. If you choose to send them in batches, be certain that your complete name appears on the documents so that we can match them to your file and process them when they arrive. You can track your application status and requirements in your Hiram Portal.
All academic record must be sent for a credit evaluation approved by NACES directly from the school. If not already in English, please send the credit evaluation agency a transcript in the original language and a copy that has been translated into English. One of these must have an original school stamp/seal and signature on it certifying that it is a true copy. Your local EducationUSA Center may offer assistance in translating your documents into English.
No. Hiram doesn’t accept secondary school record copies or originals. All secondary school records must be sent for a credit evaluation agency approved by NACES directly from the secondary institution.

We are now accepting evaluations from the following companies. The evaluation you choose must include a GPA:
- SPANTRAN
- WES (available to order directly from BusinessCAS application)
- Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), Inc.
- Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
- International Education Research Foundation, Inc.
- Educational Perspectives
You may submit your documents directly to your Hiram Application Portal or send documents through email for an initial review. The following address can be used for international first-class post or courier of official items:

Office of International Admission
Hiram College
6832 Hinsdale Street-PO Box 96
Hiram, OH 44234
U.S.A.

Email: interal@hiram.edu
Phone: +1 (330) 569.5175
Fax: +1 (330) 569.5169
Hiram’s approach to admission is holistic. We are a residential school where good students enjoy an opportunity to broaden their horizons, enhance their varied skills and talents, and prepare for successful careers after graduation. As a result, several factors play a role in the admission decision. Strong academic preparation and performance, scores on external examinations, teacher evaluations, and special talents and skills are all considered in the decision-making process.
A candidate may expect to receive notification regarding admission within two to three weeks of having submitted all required application materials. Students can check the status of their application in their Hiram Application Portal so please check it regularly.
No. Family financial circumstances do not play a role in the admission decision at Hiram College. However, financial documentation is required before Hiram can issue the Form I-20 required for the F-1 student visa. Financial documentation and supplemental documents are a required for admission.
Yes. Hiram College awards Global Scholarships to international first-year and transfer students. The awards are competitive and there is no separate scholarship application. All international candidates automatically receive scholarship consideration based on the application and supporting documents submitted for admission. Hiram College Global Scholarships are awarded to campus residents in varying amounts up to a maximum of $10,000 per year. Scholarships are renewed annually at the same level for students who maintain satisfactory academic progress.