Introduction

American University, established in 1893, is a private research university and is situated in Washington, D.C. The campus is spread over 90 acres of land and has over 13,000 students from all 50 U.S. states and over 141 countries. The university offers over 160 programs out of which 71 are bachelor’s, 87 are master’s, and 10 are doctoral degrees. American University was ranked 1st for the most politically active students by ‘The Princeton Review’ in 2018. The university takes pride in being one of the top 5 schools which has the greatest number of students in the U.S. Foreign Service, Congressional staff, and various government agencies. 

English Proficiency Test Requirements

American University requires international students to submit English Proficiency Test scores for admission. You would have to submit any one of the test scores below to be considered for admission to American University.

• 90 and above on the TOEFL iBT with no less than 20 in each section
• 6.5 and above on the IELTS with no less than 6.0 bands in each section
• 53 and above on the PTE

To facilitate students (due to COVID-19) who were unable to sit for an in-person test, American University will now be accepting scores of the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition, the IELTS Indicator, and the TOEFL ITP Plus for China valid only for Spring 2021 and Fall 2021.

ACT/SAT Requirements

American University currently does not require international students (and students from the U.S.) to submit any ACT or SAT scores, making it a test-optional school. If you’re applying to other colleges in the U.S. in addition to American University, it’s best to take the SAT or ACT test as the other universities may require these scores.

Tuition Fee and Cost of Living

The tuition fee mentioned below is an average and you should verify the same on the university’s official website. The cost of living is an estimate and will differ from student to student based on lifestyle and the location you’d be staying in.

The conversion from USD to INR has been made with $1 = ₹70. The cost may vary with the varying exchange rate.

Application Portal

You can submit your application to American University through the Common Application or the Coalition Application portal. For applying through the Common Application portal, follow this link https://www.commonapp.org/explore/american-university and for applying through the Coalition Application portal, follow this link https://www.mycoalition.org/public/info/american. You can find a comprehensive guide to applying to American University here https://www.american.edu/admissions/international/instructions.cfm#instructions.

Essay Prompts

American University requires students to submit a supplemental essay on the American University’s Future Eagle Portal apart from the essays you would normally submit on the Common or the Coalition Application portals. Here is the essay prompt:

“Why are you interested in American University?”

Word Limit – 150 words

*If you’re applying to American University’s special programs which are here, you would need to submit additional essays.

College Application Deadlines

Mentioned below are the deadlines for international students applying for the Fall Semester:

*If you’re applying for the Spring Semester, the university recommends international students to submit their application before September 1st.

Conclusion

American University is one of the few colleges in the U.S. that doesn’t require ACT or SAT scores. The university remains ranked under 100 top colleges in the U.S. which is one more reason you should consider studying here.

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