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Foster School of Business


International and Permanent Resident Applicants

International students (non-U.S. citizens currently living outside the U.S.) must have a visa status that allows academic study at the University of Washington. International applicants include individuals who hold U.S. visas, such as F-1, H-1, any dependent visas or any other non-immigrant classifications.  (You are not an international applicant if you hold a U.S. “Green Card or Immigrant” status.) NOTE: Not all visa types are eligible to enroll in the  MS Entrepreneurship Program.

International applicants are required to provide additional application materials and information when they apply to the University of Washington Graduate School.  When you have submitted an on-line Graduate School Application and paid the application fee, you will see a detailed check list of requirements.

For questions, or more detailed information about visas, laws, and travel, please visit the International Student Services (ISS) web site and contact them for advising and questions.

Financial Ability Requirement
Admitted international applicants are required to show proof of adequate financial support. Details about this financial ability requirement can be found on the Graduate School’s website.

Other Estimated Expenses1 for 2019–2020 12 Month Estimate
Room and Board $21,250
Books and Supplies $1,652
Local Transportation $1,728
Personal Expenses $3,020
Health Insurance2 $1,550
International Student Fees $180

1Average living expenses are calculated from the 2018-19 Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) Student Budgets.
2All matriculated international students in F-1 or J-1 status are required to purchase. See details on the ISHIP website.

English language proficiency

Proficiency in English is required for graduate study at the University of Washington. Therefore, every applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency. Please review the five ways in which you can meet the English language proficiency requirement on the UW Graduate School web site. Please note that permanent resident applicants may still be subject to the English proficiency requirement.

TOEFL Information:
Official TOEFL scores must be submitted with your MS in Entrepreneurship application. The MS in Entrepreneurship program prefers a minimum TOEFL score of 100 iBT / 600 PBT. However, we will accept TOEFL scores of 92 iBT / 580 PBT or higher. TOEFL scores are valid for two years and must be sent directly to the University of Washington (school code 4854). For testing information including test centers, contact TOEFL/ETS Services at toefl@ets.org or call 877.863.3546. For registration information and testing locations, call 800.468.6335 or visit www.toefl.org.

Residency

International applicants residing in the U.S. follow the same application procedures as those residing outside the United States. Upon final approval for Permanent Resident immigrant status, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status, some students may be eligible to apply for Washington State residency. Visit the Office of the University Registrar for details on eligible non-citizen criteria.

Starting a Company in the United States

If after the completion of this program an international student wants to try and start a company in the United States, the following information is what we know at this point in time. But please know that laws are changing and we cannot guarantee what these rules will be by the time you graduate.
We see there are 3 options for international students who want to start a company after graduating from the MS in Entrepreneurship:

  1. You graduate and return home to start your company.
  2. You graduate and apply for OPT to get a job, internship, or be self-employed, in a field directly related to your degree. If immigration grants you OPT, you’ll have a 12 month visa extension. At some point during that year, you’ll need to incorporate your startup,raise a minimum of $75,000 – $100,000, and hire yourself all within a short period of time. Prior to the end of your OPT period, you will need to hire an immigration attorney to help with your H-1B application. The transition from OPT to H-1B visa is by lottery, and there are a limited number of H-1B visas issued each year in the United States. Having graduated with a master’s degree, you would be in an initial pool of applicants from which 20,000 will be granted H-1B visas. If you don’t receive a visa from this pool of applicants, you are then included in a larger pool of students with undergraduate degrees, from which 65,000 will be granted H-1B visas. Again, this is a lottery. All applications are treated equally, and the 20,000 or the 65,000 are drawn at random. In 2016, 350,000+ people applied for H-1B visas.
  3. You, at some point during the MS in Entrepreneurship program, hire an immigration attorney to help with your H-1B application. An investor, or many times your family, makes a $75,000 – $100,000 investment in your company so you can incorporate the firm and hire yourself. You graduate. The transition from an F-1 to H-1B visa is by lottery and there are a limited amount of H-1B visas issued each year in the United States. Having graduated with a master’s degree, you would be in an initial pool of applicants from which 20,000 will be granted H-1B visas. If you don’t receive a visa from this pool of applicants, you are then included in a larger pool of students with undergraduate degrees, from which 65,000 will be granted H-1B visas. Again, this is a lottery. All applications are treated equally, and the 20,000 or the 65,000 are drawn at random. In 2016, 350,000+ people applied for H-1B visas.

This information is the best of our knowledge at this time. We highly recommend you speak with an advisor at the University of Washington’s International Student Services office. Please see the Telephone Inquiries section. You may also choose to consult with a Seattle immigration attorney once you decide to accept our offer or at any time during the program.