International students
Welcome international students! Thank you for your interest in M State.
Applicants
According to M State admissions, an international student is someone who is not a U.S. citizen or immigrant and is seeking admission to the college. Permanent residents, refugees and political asylees must complete only the general admissions process, not the international student admissions process.
Canadian students do not need a visa to study; however, they do need to obtain an I-20 Certificate of Eligibility.
*Important: Recent Department of Homeland Security changes replacing "Duration of Status" (D/S) with fixed admission periods may affect transfers, changes of status, program changes, and extensions of stay for F-1 students. Applicants should consult with M State's international admissions staff regarding current immigration requirements.
Deadlines:
International students must apply to M State by:
- Aug. 1 to start fall semester
- Dec. 1 to start spring semester
International students must submit ALL documents by:
- Aug. 15th to start fall semester
- Dec. 15th start spring semester
*All documents must be received before application will be processed.
*International students are not admitted to summer semester.
Application and admission
- Complete the M State general application.
- Complete the International Student Requirements Packet (sent via email after application has been reviewed) and submit all required documents by the deadline.
Important:
- Form I-20s are issued after all admission requirements have been met. Students transferring from another U.S. institution must coordinate the release of their SEVIS record with their current school. Once M State receives the SEVIS record, a new Form I-20 will be issued.
- All international students are required to maintain health insurance while enrolled at M State. The college will arrange coverage on the student's behalf, and the cost will be included on the student's bill. The estimated annual cost is approximately $2,956.
- International students may enter the United States no earlier than 30 days before the program start date listed on their Form I-20.
- Students should complete any required course placement assessments and register for classes as soon as possible.
- International students are NOT eligible for federal financial aid.
- Review M State FERPA information.
Questions?
Contact Julianna Rudlang (DSO) at 218.736.1532 or julianna.rudlang@minnesota.edu or contact a member of our admissions team.
Tax information for international students
All non-immigrant international students who were in the U.S. during a calendar year (any time between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31) are required to file tax documents with the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by April 15 of the following year. (For example, students in the country for all or a portion of 2022 must file taxes in 2023.) You must file a tax report whether or not you worked in the U.S., earned income in the U.S., or received a scholarship.
If you have general questions about filing taxes, contact the Designated School Official (DSO) on your campus. We cannot provide tax or legal advice, so you may need to seek professional help from a tax preparer for assistance with specific tax issues or questions. You may find answers to some of your questions on the IRS website.
If you were in the U.S. for a day or more during the calendar year but earned no income, you need to complete Form 8843 and mail it to the IRS (the address is listed below) on or before April 15.
Form 8843 and Form 8843 instructions
If you were in the U.S. during the prior year and earned any income, you must complete Forms 8843 and 1040NR EZ and mail both forms together to the IRS.
Form 1040NR EZ and Form 1040NR EZ instructions
If this is your sixth year in the U.S. and you have lived in the U.S. for five consecutive years without a break, you are considered a U.S. Nonresident (also known as resident alien) for tax purposes and can complete the standard federal and state tax forms.
Make copies of your tax documents and then mail documents to:
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Austin, TX 73301-0215
USA
Information and instructions for filing nonresident Minnesota state tax forms are available at Minnesota State Tax Information.
