International Students Country Guide for Academic Credentials

The following is a credentials guide for countries from which the majority of Rutgers' international applicants come. Some "helpful hints" are also provided. These guidelines will not apply to every applicant from a particular country, but will provide accurate guidelines for most applicants.

India
Pakistan
Hong Kong
United Kingdom
West Africa, East Africa, Commonwealth Caribbean
Special Notes on Credentials for All International Applicants

INDIA

First-Year (India)

Secondary School Certificate (awarded after standard examinations at the conclusion of the equivalent of U.S. tenth grade) and Higher Secondary Certificate (awarded after examinations at the conclusion of school-year equivalent to U.S. twelfth grade) are required. These documents must show marks achieved in each subject. Documents must be original official certificates or certified true copies. Statements of these exam results issued by a student's school are not acceptable. We do not make decisions until these official exam results are provided.
We realize the timing is not always advantageous for admission to colleges in the U.S.; we will be flexible and wait as long as possible for these results (which are usually available around May/June depending on which area of India the student is from).
SAT or American College Testing Program (ACT) required.
TOEFL required. The Rutgers TOEFL code is 2765.

Transfer (India)

In addition to the certificates noted above for freshman applicants, transfer applicants must provide official university marks sheets (these are usually issued annually for a year's academic work) showing subjects studied and marks received for each year. A three-year Indian bachelor's degree is NOT equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree. Up to three years of transfer credit may be awarded depending on the applicant's program/courses/grades. This determination will be made by the dean of the college after the student has been admitted and has accepted our offer of admission.
TOEFL required. The Rutgers TOEFL code is 2765. All international transfer applicants are required to submit the TOEFL except those who have obtained a grade of at least a B in a regular English composition course (not English as a Second Language, not English for Foreign Students, etc.) at a U.S. college.
SAT or American College Testing Program (ACT) official score reports are required for first-term transfer applicants and for applicants who have been out of high school for less than two years. These scores must be sent directly to us from the testing agency.
Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) strongly recommended but not required for transfer applicants to the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy.

PAKISTAN

First-Year (Pakistan)

Secondary School Certificate (also known as Matriculation Certificate) and Higher Secondary Certificate (also known as Intermediate Certificate). Must show subjects in which student was examined and marks received. Must provide original official certificates or certified true copies. Statements of these exam results issued by an applicant's school are not acceptable. We do not make decisions until these examination results are provided. We will be as flexible as possible about the timing.
SAT or American College Testing Program (ACT) required.
TOEFL required. The Rutgers TOEFL code is 2765.

Transfer (Pakistan)

In addition to the high-school level certificates noted for freshman applicants, transfer applicants must provide official university marks sheets (these are usually issued for a year's academic work) showing subjects studied and marks received.
TOEFL required. All international transfer applicants are required to submit the TOEFL except those who have obtained a grade of at least a B in a regular English composition course (not English as a Second Language, not English for Foreign Students, etc.) at a U.S. college.
SAT or American College Testing Program (ACT) official score reports are required for first-term transfer applicants and for applicants who have been out of high school for less than two years. These scores must be sent directly to us from the testing agency.
Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) strongly recommended but not required for transfer applicants to the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy.

HONG KONG

First-Year (Hong Kong)

Must provide the Hong Kong Certificate of Education (a.k.a. 'O' Levels) showing subjects in which student was examined and grades received.
Students who sat for examinations for the Hong Kong Advanced Level certificate should provide this document. Students may be eligible for advanced standing for this work depending on the subject and grade.
Instead of or in addition to the Hong Kong certificates mentioned above, students sometimes sit for the British GCE 'O' and or 'A' Level examinations. If this is the case, applicants must provide the official certificate showing exams/grades on these exams.
SAT or American College Testing Program (ACT) required.
TOEFL required.The Rutgers TOEFL code is 2765.

Transfer (Hong Kong)

In addition to the above credentials for freshman applicants, transfer applicants must provide official college or university transcripts or certified true copies (listing courses/grades for each semester).
TOEFL required. The Rutgers TOEFL code is 2765. All international transfer applicants are required to submit the TOEFL except those who have obtained a grade of at least a B in a regular English composition course (not English as a Second Language, not English for Foreign Students, etc.) at a U.S. college.
SAT or American College Testing Program (ACT) official score reports are required for first-term transfer applicants and for applicants who have been out of high school for less than two years. These scores must be sent directly to us from the testing agency.
Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) strongly recommended but not required for transfer applicants to the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy.

UNITED KINGDOM

First-Year (United Kingdom)

Must submit GCSE, IGCSE, and/or GCE 'O' Level certificate(s) and 'A' Levels. If 'A' Level exams were taken,
you may be eligible for 'A' Level advanced standing.
SAT or American College Testing Program (ACT) required.

Transfer (United Kingdom)

Students should provide their official record issued by their institution, preferably showing subjects studied and grade or performance level achieved. There are a wide variety of post-secondary studies and an equally wide array of educational records/transcripts /certificates/diplomas.
'O' and/or 'A' Level certificates are required.
SAT or American College Testing Program (ACT) official score reports are required for first-term transfer applicants and for applicants who have been out of high school for less than two years. These scores must be sent directly to us from the testing agency.
Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) strongly recommended but not required for transfer applicants to the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy.

WEST AFRICA, EAST AFRICA, COMMONWEALTH CARIBBEAN

First-Year (West Africa, East Africa, Commonwealth Caribbean)

Must submit school marks records through Forms III-V (minimally), plus these local equivalents of the GCE 'O' Level certificates (and 'A' Level certificates, if 'A' Level exams were taken) and/or the British GCE 'O' or 'A' Level certificates: West African School Certificate, East African School Certificate, or "CXC" (Caribbean Examinations Council Certificate). Statements of these exam results issued by secondary schools are not acceptable (must be original certificates, certified true copies, or official results/certificates issued by the examination boards).
SAT I or American College Testing Program (ACT) required.
TOEFL required of all applicants except those from Commonwealth Caribbean countries/territories and anglophone African nations. The Rutgers TOEFL code is 2765.

Transfer (West Africa, East Africa, Commonwealth Caribbean)

In addition to the above certificates, official transcripts of all university-level work (these usually list courses/grades by semester, sometimes by the year only) must be submitted.
TOEFL required of all except applicants from Commonwealth Caribbean countries/territories and anglophone African nations. The Rutgers TOEFL code is 2765
SAT or American College Testing Program (ACT) official score reports are required for first-term transfer applicants and for applicants who have been out of high school for less than two years. These scores must be sent directly to us from the testing agency.
Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) strongly recommended but not required for transfer applicants to the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy.

SPECIAL NOTES ON CREDENTIALS FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

We do not return credentials, so we strongly suggest applicants send certified true copies of documents that are not replaceable. A certified true copy is a photocopy of the original official document to which an educational or consular official has affixed his/her signature and/or official seal indicating that this is an attested or certified true copy of the original document. Certification by a notary public is not acceptable.
Documents not in English must be accompanied by a translation verified by a language professor or professional translator.
If you bring your original credentials to the Rutgers Office of University Undergraduate Admissions and would like to keep them, make sure to bring copies of the original documents with you, as we are unable to make copies for you. We will note on the copies that we have seen your originals.