The University of Minnesota is closely monitoring the emerging global public health concern involving COVID-19.
As this issue continues to evolve, our goal in the Office of Admissions is to support applicants and admitted students who may need additional support in their college search or next steps for admission.
For more information and updates related to the virus and our University's COVID-19 response, please see the University of Minnesota's Safe Campus Site.
The Office of Admissions is pleased to now offer Virtual Visits and Admissions Counselor Virtual Appointments. Please visit the link below to learn more.
Postal Mail: As of March 26, we have checked and processed all mail. After this date, we will no longer be able to access our mail until we can return to campus. If you have mailed us something that will arrive after March 26, we encourage you to contact us to discuss other options.
Deliveries: All deliveries will be received at a central university location, but we will be unable to attend to them after March 26 until it is safe to return to our offices.
Email: Please submit questions or concerns to z.umn.edu/contactadmissions
Transcripts: After March 26, we are not able to access and scan mailed transcripts. If your school is unable to send a transcript electronically, please contact us to let us know so we can make arrangements with you individually. Contact us at: z.umn.edu/contactadmissions
As of March 16, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Office of Admissions has cancelled all visits and events, both on and off campus, and throughout the U.S. as a precautionary measure to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 exposure to our University community and prospective students. Our schedule will be updated in our visit calendar once we are able to re-open these events.
Students have been notified via email regarding changes to events or visits, and we will post updates here on our website (admissions.tc.umn.edu).
NEW! We are now offering alternate ways for students to learn about our world-class academics and get a feel for our vibrant student life. View virtual visits at z.umn.edu/campusvisits
We sincerely appreciate your interest in visiting our University, as well as your patience and understanding as this situation evolves. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at z.umn.edu/contactadmissions.
Yes, we will review situations on a case-by-case basis. Contact the Office of Admissions at z.umn.edu/contactadmissions
TOEFL (ETS) offers At-Home Testing in some countries. The University of Minnesota waives the English proficiency test if you meet our minimum English proficiency requirements. To learn how to meet the University of Minnesota's English proficiency requirements, please visit English Proficiency Information for International Students.
As long as you meet high school graduation requirements, there is no concern from the university.
Yes, the University of Minnesota will accept AP and IB credits if exams are taken from home due to the impact of COVID-19. The University of Minnesota respects the expertise of testing boards, schools and educational institutions to make alternative assessment plans, due to COVID-19, for students finishing their schooling in 2020. View IB updates related to COVID-19.
While May 1 is the confirmation date, we understand that there are many uncertainties in everyone’s life right now. Some students may need more time to decide which university to attend. We welcome discussing options with you to help ease the situation as much as possible! Please contact us prior to May 1 to request an extended deadline at z.umn.edu/contactadmissions!
While May 1 is the confirmation date, we understand that there are many uncertainties in everyone’s life right now. Some students may need more time to decide which university to attend. We welcome discussing options with you to help ease the situation as much as possible! Please contact us prior to May 1 to request an extended deadline at z.umn.edu/contactadmissions!
The University of Minnesota respects the expertise of testing boards, schools and educational institutions to make alternative assessment plans, due to COVID-19, for students finishing their schooling in 2020.
Therefore, we will honor the plans set forth by International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement (AP), GCE A-level examination boards and other institutions for final documentation of a student's examinations and work. We will continue to honor our current transfer credit rules for International Baccalaureate (IB) and GCE A-levels.
We won't penalize students for the unprecedented end to 2020. Students should complete the courses as planned for by the school districts. Rest assured that the university academic advisors will be expecting some different grading patterns for this final term and will work with you for the right level of coursework this fall.
All Fall 2020 orientation programming will be held online this summer. Once you have confirmed your enrollment, you will receive information about scheduling a time for your orientation. Orientation is required for all incoming students. To learn more, visit the Orientation & Transition Experiences website.
In-person instruction is suspended and classes will continue through alternative instruction until the end of Spring 2020 semester. At this time, there is no change to Fall 2020 instruction.
If you are considering taking courses outside the U.S. or in your home country this summer, make sure that courses and credits are transferable to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus, and discuss with your academic advisor how you may use these courses toward your degree at the U of M. If you are uncertain whether or not they are transferable, contact the Office of Admissions.
Note: Summer programs at Chinese universities are generally not transferable to the UMTC. For more information, visit International Transfer Credits "Non-Affiliated Study Abroad Program."
At this time there is no change to I-20 issuance for Fall 2020 admitted students. The International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on F-1 international students, and will reach out if we anticipate any impact on students who are planning to attend for Fall 2020.
The United States Department of State has announced that all US Embassies are closed until further notice. The Department's message states:
"In response to worldwide challenges related to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Department of State is suspending routine visa services in most countries worldwide. Embassies and consulates in these countries will cancel all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments as of March 18, 2020. These embassies and consulates will resume routine visa services as soon as possible, but we are unable to provide a specific date at this time."
The difficulty international students may face obtaining a visa is still unknown at this time. We encourage students to check their embassy's website for updates on when services will resume. It is not known at this time when services will resume. For the most up-to-date information about visa appointment availability, please refer to the website of the U.S. embassy/consulate.
The University of Minnesota respects the expertise of testing boards, schools and educational institutions to make alternative assessment plans, due to COVID-19, for students finishing their schooling in 2020.
Therefore, we will honor the plans set forth by GCE A-level examination boards and other institutions for final documentation of a student's examinations and work. We will continue to honor our current transfer credit rules for GCE A-levels.
The International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is dedicated to serving the University of Minnesota's international community. ISSS continues to support international students, scholars, staff, and faculty impacted by COVID-19 and offer services while off-site. The ISSS COVID-19 updates and FAQs page is available at https://isss.umn.edu/office/announcements/covid19.html
For more information and updates related to COVID-19 and our University's response, please see University of Minnesota's Safe Campus site.
