CIA International Students

International Student Admission Requirements—Get Started with Your CIA Education!

We’re here to make the admissions process as fast and easy as possible for you. Admission requirements for international students are:

1. Completed Application Form

CIA’s application has several required documents: school transcripts, recommendations, personal statements and in some cases, a résumé. All documentation provided with your application must be in English (or be accompanied by a notarized translation of the documents into English). Read application instructions for the master’s degrees.

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For applicants with foreign (non-U.S.) transcripts: We require academic transcripts to be sent to us in English, and SpanTran is our recommended translation service. If you need to have your transcript translated into English, you can request their service here: SpanTran Translations Application.

Additionally, while Foreign Credential and Transcript Evaluation is not required for your CIA application, SpanTran offers this service as well. If you wish to have your transcript evaluated by an external provider (optional) and sent to the CIA Admissions Office, you can access their application here at a discounted rate: SpanTran Application.

2. Proof of Financial Support

As part of the CIA application, non-U.S. citizen applicants must show Proof of Financial Support, as is required for the F1 student visa process.

This means that you or your sponsor must show a minimum of $26,000 USD (or the equivalents in another currency). These are the estimates of tuition, fees, meals, and housing for one academic year (two semesters) at CIA for each of those programs. Applications cannot be reviewed for admission without it, as we are not permitted to issue the Form I-20 for the F1 visa without verifying financial support; this is a U.S. SEVP requirement.

Proof of Financial Support can be demonstrated with a bank statement, certificate of deposit, money market account, or any other financial account that shows liquid (easily accessible) funds in that minimum amount. You can also download this official bank certification form (PDF) for your (or your sponsor’s) financial institution to fill out. The account holder could be you as a self-sponsor, or anyone else who is willing to be your financial sponsor. More than one sponsor is also allowed, as long as the total amount of funds equals the minimum requirement. The financial documentation must also be in English, list the bank and account holder names, the account type(s), and must be dated within the past 12 months of your application.

3. Declaration of Financial Support

A letter of financial support from you or your sponsor is also required to go along with the Proof of Funding, stating that you or they intend to cover all tuition and living expenses while you study at CIA.

Students must submit this form even if supporting themselves, and the name of the sponsor must match the name on the proof of funding documents.

Download a copy of the declaration form for graduate students. (PDF)

4. Student Visa

International students are required to obtain visas to study in the U.S. Read more below about the types of student visas that you may need and where they fit in the application process.

5. Proof of English Proficiency

If English is not your native language, you will be required to demonstrate proficiency. Read more below about CIA’s English proficiency requirements and about the option of conditional admission.

CIA is committed to making your education as affordable as possible. Generous graduate merit scholarships are available for our programs. And you’ll automatically be considered for CIA’s scholarships as part of the application process.

For Food Business, Sustainable Food Systems, Wine and Beverage Management, and Culinary Therapeutics, CIA offers a Graduate International Merit Scholarship for international students, which can total up to $2,500 for the duration of the master’s degree. The best way to find out what you qualify for is to complete your application for admission.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid.

Applying for Student Visas

As an international student studying at CIA, you may be issued the F-1 Visa.

The F-1 Visa Application Process

F-1 Visa

The F-1 Visa is required for international students enrolled in the master’s degree programs in order to complete the residency requirements.

Note: Wait times for the F-1 student visa may vary depending on the U.S. embassy or consulate you are dealing with. You will be required to pay a non-refundable visa application fee. There is an online visa application available, which allows you to complete and print Form DS-160 to take to your F-1 visa interview.

Check out our preparation tips for the student visa interview (PDF). An F-1 student visa for the United States can be issued up to 120 days in advance of your college start date. You will only be able to enter the U.S. with an F-1 visa 30 days before your start date.

If you have any concerns about CIA’s English proficiency requirements, please reach out to your admissions counselor at graduate.admissions@culinary.edu.

If you have any concerns about CIA’s English proficiency requirements, please reach out to your admissions counselor at graduate.admissions@culinary.edu.