Admission
- Prerequisites
- Admission Requirements – Domestic Applicants
- Admission Requirements—International Applicants
- Frequently Asked Questions
Prerequisites
- Formal approval from a sending agency or a contract with an educational institution overseas acknowledging the applicant’s participation in the program. (Applicants who are not sent through a sending agency will be asked to interview with the director.)
- Within 10 years prior to enrollment or before graduation, native speakers of English must complete a minimum of six semester units (approximately 150 hours) of college-level foreign language with a grade of B or better, or its equivalent. Equivalency options may include: foreign language tutorials, formal classroom instruction, or language learning while residing abroad, and successful completion of a rated oral interview in the target language. For nonnative speakers of English, a score of 600 or above on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is needed.
Admission Requirements – Domestic Applicants
The university graduate and program admission requirements below must be met before an application is considered complete.
International students have a separate application procedure that precedes the standard admission process. View international requirements below or contact the International Center at +1-626-812-3055 or by email.
Applicants must possess:
- A bachelor’s degree
A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university is required. (Applicants for the TESOL programs are not required to have undergraduate majors in fields such as English, linguistics, or education; however a strong background in one of these is recommended.) - A minimum 3.0 GPA
A 3.0 baccalaureate or master’s grade-point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale is required. [Applicants with a GPA between 2.5-2.99 may be considered for provisional admission.] - A TOEFL score of 600 or above (nonnative speakers only)
Nonnative speakers of English must score 600 or above on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), at least 250 on the computer-based TOEFL or 100 on the IBT, and must pass a test of written English. Applicants who score between 550 and 600 (213-249 on the computer-based TOEFL; 79-99 on the IBT) may be granted conditional admission, but will be required to complete TESL 500 English for Internationals (3 units) during their first semester of graduate work.
Applicants must submit:
- A Graduate Application (Apply Online | Download PDF)
Please use the following program code when applying to this program: TESL02 - $45 nonrefundable application fee
- Official transcripts (Download PDF)
Request that official transcripts be sent to APU’s Graduate Center for all degrees, certificates, and credentials earned prior to application to APU. Learn more about APU’s domestic applicant transcript policy. - A statement of purpose
Submit a written statement describing educational and professional goals, including reasons for studying TESOL at APU. - A résumé or statement of experience (Download PDF)
- Three letters of recommendation (Download PDF)
At least one recommendation should be from a professor or teacher acquainted with the applicant’s academic work. - TOEFL scores (nonnative speakers only)
For nonnative speakers of English: Request official TOEFL scores to be sent directly to Azusa Pacific University
All materials should be sent to:
Graduate Center: Admissions
Azusa Pacific University
PO Box 7000
Azusa, CA 91702-7000
Fax: (626) 815-4545
graduatecenter@apu.edu
What to Expect
Once all admission materials have been received by the appropriate office, the Graduate Admissions and TESOL faculty review the applicant’s file. The applicant is then notified of the committee’s decision.
Admission Requirements—International Applicants
Azusa Pacific University is authorized under federal law by the U.S. CIS and the U.S. Department of State to enroll nonimmigrant, alien undergraduate and graduate students. APU issues and administers both the I-20 and DS 2019 (F-1 and J-1 status documents respectively).
To apply for a graduate program at APU, the following requirements must be fulfilled in addition to meeting the domestic applicant and program-specific admission requirements specified by the program.
International applicants must:
- Meet all standard admission requirements above
International applicants must fulfill the domestic applicant and program-specific admission requirements specified above in addition to meeting the following criteria. - Demonstrate proficiency in English
Applicants should refer to APU's English Proficiency Requirements to learn more. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may seek conditional admission to the university by enrolling in the APU American Language and Cultural Institute [ALCI] to gain English proficiency. (Some programs allow for other ways to demonstrate proficiency while others do not accept conditional admission through ALCI; please check with an international enrollment advisor for further details.)
International applicants must also submit:
- An International Graduate Application
(Apply Online | Download PDF)
Note: This application should be used instead of the domestic graduate application. - A $65 (U.S.) nonrefundable application fee
Note: This fee is submitted in place of the $45 nonrefundable application fee for domestic applicants. - Official transcripts
Request that official transcripts be sent to APU's International Center for all degrees, certificates, and credentials earned prior to application to APU. Read more about APU's international applicant transcript policy. - Proof of English Proficiency
Request that official TOEFL/IELTS test scores be sent directly to APU. Any other forms of proof indicated in the university's English Proficiency Requirements must be submitted directly to the International Center. Applicants applying for conditional admission through ALCI must submit an ALCI application (PDF). For more information, read our English Proficiency Requirements for Graduate and Doctoral Programs. - An affidavit of financial support and a bank statement
International applicants must provide an affidavit of support and a bank statement proving financial ability to pay for educational costs through personal, family, or sponsor resources. - A copy of a valid passport.
- A résumé showing work experience
International applicants must submit a current résumé or curriculum vitae (CV) that demonstrates recent work experience. - Three recommendations
Two from academic and/or professional sources, and one from a personal source (no family members). All recommendations must use the APU Graduate Recommendation Form (PDF).
Submit all materials to:
International Center
Azusa Pacific University
901 E. Alosta Ave.
PO Box 7000
Azusa, CA 91702-7000
USA
+1-626-815-3055
Fax: +1-626-815-3801
Email IC
What to Expect
After the International Center receives all admission materials, a committee of department faculty review the applicant's file. The applicant is then notified of the committee's decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the deadlines for admission to APU?
APU has rolling admissions, but at least one month is needed to process the
information. It is best to start the application process as soon as possible
to guarantee a place. Graduate applications can be mailed, faxed, or downloaded above.
What if teachers have not completed the foreign language prerequisite?
Teachers who have not met the foreign language prerequisite can complete a
corequisite through an equivalency option in which they engage in foreign
language tutorials, formal classroom instruction, or some kind of intentional,
community-based language learning while residing abroad. Teachers demonstrate
equivalency by passing an oral proficiency interview usually given the last
summer at APU or by documenting the equivalent of 6 semester units, which
would be 240 hours of instruction, including out-of-class work.
Does APU help place teachers in universities overseas and assist them
in obtaining visas?
No. APU handles only the academic program. It is suggested that teachers who
have not taught abroad before consider going through a sending agency.
Are there any other requirements?
Yes. Teachers must have applied and been accepted to a sending agency such
as, but not limited to, English Language Institute/China
(ELIC) or Educational Services
International (ESI) or have secured a teaching contract in an educational
institution abroad.
How do teachers find out more about sending agencies?
You can contact ELIC at www.elic.org/degree/earn.asp,
and ESI at www.teachoverseas.org
or (800) 895-7955.
