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 a résumé/CV. All documentation provided with your application must be in English (or be accompanied by a notarized translation of the documents into English). For additional information on these items, read the application instructions for the master’s degrees.

For applicants with foreign (non-U.S.) transcripts: All non-English documents must be accompanied by certified word-for-word English translations, including secondary and post-secondary transcripts. 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. Or you are free to use another translation company.

2. Proof of English Proficiency

If English is not your native language, you will be required to demonstrate proficiency. Learn more about the proficiency exams we accept with their required scores, conditional admission as an option, and our exam waiver policy in the below section.

That’s it! You’re on your way to enrolling at CIA. Once our admissions staff has reviewed your application and supporting materials, we’ll contact you if anything else is needed.

Student Visa

If you are not a U.S. Citizen, you will need to obtain the F1 student visa to study in the United States during the three (3), required in-person residencies that are a part of this program (unless you are on another visa type that allows for full time study with work authorization.) Accepted international students therefore will also need to submit the following documents before CIA can issue the Form I-20 for your F1 Student Visa process:

• Proof of Financial Support
• Declaration of Financial Support
• Copy of your valid Passport

For more information about these documents, please view the “F1 Student Visa Financial Requirements” below or connect with your admissions counselor via graduate.admissions@culinary.edu with any questions.

F1 Student Visa Financial Requirements

Accepted international students who will be applying for the F1 Student Visa, or who are F1 visa holders transferring from another U.S. institute, must show Proof of Financial Support as a U.S. SEVP requirement.

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 the graduate programs. We are not permitted to issue the Form I-20 for the F1 visa without verifying financial support, and you will be asked to submit the required documents via an online form after acceptance before you can proceed with enrollment next-steps.

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.

Account holder(s) must fill out and sign our Declaration of Financial Support form indicating that they agree to be your sponsor. If you are sponsoring yourself with your own funds, then you will fill out this form as a self-sponsor.

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

A copy of a valid passport with an expiration dated at least six months after your intended CIA start date will also be required with this process.

Paying For Your Education

CIA offers flexible payment options to help you manage expenses. These include:

• Tuition Installment Plan: This interest-free monthly payment option allows you to maximize your savings and income by spreading your college education expenses across equal monthly payments. Enrollment is simple with a small, one-time fee. (A U.S. bank account is required to set this up.)
• Payment in full: This option allows you to pay online using your checking or savings account.

If you have questions as an applicant about tuition, fees, grants, scholarships, or payment options, please contact your admissions counselor via graduate.admissions@culinary.edu.

Paying for Your CIA Education

CIA is committed to helping you keep costs down and providing as much financial assistance as possible. If costs still seem high, always remember that a CIA degree is an investment in yourself and will pay dividends (financially and otherwise) throughout your career.

Tuition and Fees Graduate Programs

• Tuition and fees for all graduate students.

Scholarships for International Students

CIA offers the following scholarship opportunities for international students that you may be eligible for:

• CIA Graduate International Merit Scholarship is for international students and can total as much as $2,500 for the duration of the master’s degree. And you’ll automatically be considered for CIA scholarships as part of the application process. The best way to find out what you qualify for is to complete your application for admission.

Additionally, there are other options to consider when budgeting for your studies:

• External Awards: You can also search for other, external awards. Any funds you receive can be used to pay down the cost. Here are some links to other sites that may be helpful:
  • eduPASS.org
  • SuperCollege.com
  • Scholarships.com
  • internationalstudent.com/scholarships
  • myscholly.com
  • International Student Loans:
  • WeMakeScholars.com

English Language Requirements and Conditional Acceptance

International students are required to demonstrate proof of English proficiency before they can be accepted to CIA. This can be done in the following ways:

1. Through an approved English proficiency exam.
2. By completing a program of study at an approved language school.
3. By meeting the eligibility requirements of our waiver policy.

1. English Proficiency Exams

You may complete and submit your scores from one of the following language exams as proof of English proficiency:

• IELTS Academic: Overall minimum score of 6.0 with a minimum band score of 5.5 in each section.
• TOEFL iBT: For exams taken on or after January 21, 2026: we require a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 4 [with the following minimum section scores: Reading: 3.5, Listening: 3.5, Writing: 3.5, Speaking: 4.0]. For exams taken before January 21, 2026: we require a minimum overall score of 80 [with a minimum of 20 in each section]. We also accept the Home Edition and My Best Scores.
• Duolingo English Test: Overall minimum score of 115 with a minimum of 95 in each subsection.
• iTEP Academic-Plus: Overall minimum score of 3.8.
• MET Digital: Overall minimum score of 55 with a minimum score of 54 in each section. Register using our discount code.
• PTE Academic (Pearson): Overall minimum score of 53.
• C1 Advanced (Cambridge English): Overall score of 180, with minimum score of 175 in each skill.

Exam score results must be dated within two years of the intended start date.

2. Language School: Conditional Admission to CIA

Conditional (or provisional) admission means that there are still terms that need to be met before your CIA acceptance can be finalized, in this case: English skills. If you do not have the skills to successfully complete a language exam, you may select a conditional admission pathway to CIA. CIA works with the following language schools:

• ELS Language Centers: You must complete ELS English for Academic Purposes Program Level 112.
• University of Delaware English Language Institute: You must complete Level AT 2 of their Academic Transitions pre-college program.
• SUNY New Paltz Haggerty English Language Program: You must complete level 4 of their program.
• Empire State English (ESE): You must complete the ESE General English Level Advanced C combined with a score of 100 or above on the ESE exit test.
• International Mid Pacific College (IMPAC): You must complete the IMPAC Level 5-Low Advanced course combined with a 75+ score on the Michigan Test of English Language.

The process to apply for conditional admission is as follows:

1. Apply to CIA using our online application form.
2. Submit all application materials along with an email to graduate.admissions@culinary.edu indicating your intention to study English at one of our approved schools. Please indicate which partner school in your email.
3. If you meet our academic admissions criteria, you will be issued a letter indicating your provisional acceptance.
4. Apply to one of the language schools listed above.
5. Upon completion of your course of study at the language school, send CIA your certificate of completion or transcript.
6. Students who complete language programs are expected to enroll at CIA on the next available entry date.

3. Proof of English Waiver Policy

All international applicants whose education has been primarily outside the United States of America must provide objective evidence of proficiency in the English language as indicated with our above requirements. However, the following exceptions apply:

• Applicants who have received a score of A, B, or C (6–9) on the GCE O-Level, A-Level, GCSE, or IGCSE English Language (First Language) exam within the past two years.
• Applicants who have taken IB English Lang and Lit, SL/HL, within the past two years and with a minimum score of 5.
• Applicants who have studied in U.S. accredited high schools or universities with grades of C or higher in (non-ESL) English courses. Must have studied in the U.S. within two years of the intended start date. Transcripts will be reviewed by the Admissions Office to determine eligibility.
• Applicants whose educational curriculum at a foreign high school or university was taught entirely in the English language. The transcript must indicate English as the language of instruction, or a signed and stamped letter from the school indicating that English was the language of instruction must be sent to the Admissions Office.
• Applicants primarily educated in English in the following countries/territories:
  
  

  Anguilla	Ghana*	Nigeria*
  Antigua and Barbuda	Gibraltar	Sierra Leone
  Australia	Grenada	Singapore*
  Bahamas	Guernsey	South Africa
  Barbados	Guyana	St. Helena
  Belize	Ireland	St. Kitts and Nevis
  Bermuda	Isle of Man	St. Lucia
  Botswana	Jamaica	St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  British Virgin Islands	Jersey	Tanzania
  Canada (except Quebec)	Kenya*	Trinidad and Tobago
  Cayman Islands	Lesotho*	Turks and Caicos Islands
  Dominica	Liberia	Uganda*
  Eswatini (Swaziland)*	Malawi*	United Kingdom
  Falkland Islands	Micronesia	United States Territories
  Fiji	Montserrat	Zambia
  Gambia, The	New Zealand	Zimbabwe

*English language proficiency test only waived for applicants from English language educational systems.

Any questions regarding a waiver of the English language proficiency requirement can be submitted to graduate.admissions@culinary.edu.

The Culinary Institute of American reserves the right to require evidence of English language proficiency for all applicants, the adequacy of which shall be at the sole discretion of the CIA Admissions Office.