Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes, please check our application deadlines page. Please note that graduate application deadlines vary.
For summer term, only new IEP (including conditional) and Web Only international applications are accepted.
To meet an application deadline, the online application and all required admission documents must be submitted, and the application fee must be paid prior to the deadline.
Please be advised that our application system does not prevent submissions after a deadline. However, late applications are manually withdrawn at the time of review.
SEMO does not provide preliminary evaluations. Students must complete the application process for us to make a determination of their admissibility.
To upload documents, please login to the online application. (Your username is your email address, and password is the one you created when you started your application. Your password can be reset if needed by contacting international@semo.edu.) From the application Dashboard, click on "Documents" on the top left corner of your application page. Please be sure that all documents uploaded are in PDF format and in the correct category.
Please ensure it is in PDF format and uploaded to the correct category. Please be advised documents uploaded in formats other than PDF or to the incorrect category will not be reviewed.
Simply login to the online application. Your username is your email address, and password is the one you created when you started your application. Your password can be reset if needed by contacting international@semo.edu. If you submitted more than one application, please click on the Southeast logo above to review the status of each.
Our admissions team must first review uploaded documents before they are updated in the portal. The documents will show as pending until review is complete. Please allow time for us to review your file. These are our estimated processing times.
We do not evaluate transfer credit prior to admission to the university. Once a transfer student is fully admitted and official transcripts are received, those transcripts will be routed to the Registrar’s office for transfer credit evaluation. Once all transcripts have been evaluated, you will receive an email from the Registrar’s office directing you to view your transfer credits through the student portal/Degree Works.
Master's/ Graduate applicants should always choose "New First Time" as student type. If you are currently enrolled in a graduate program or have a graduate degree, please work directly with the graduate department to determine if you are eligible to transfer any credits towards your program here (after acceptance).
The documents you upload are considered unofficial.
Undergraduate freshman (i.e. post high school education) and graduate files can be reviewed based on uploaded documents. However, undergraduate applicants with any post high school education need to provide official transcripts before their file can be reviewed. Please be advised that you are required to list all schools attended (i.e., you cannot choose not to disclose education completed or you will be expelled, denied admission, or refused transfer credit).
Please be advised that we are unable to accept official external evaluations in lieu of official transcripts for Undergraduate transfer applicants. Southeast requires official transcripts to be received directly from the educational institution before admission decision and transfer credit evaluation can be made.
Yes, you must still apply within the application deadline.
To meet an application deadline, the online application and all required admission documents must be submitted, and the application fee must be paid prior to the deadline.
Please be advised that our application system does not prevent submissions after a deadline. However, late applications are manually withdrawn at the time of review.
We are only able to review IEP (including IEP conditional applications) and Web Only international applications for summer terms.
"New Transfer" student type refers to your education status. "New Transfer" student type does not refer your visa status.
Bachelor's /Undergraduate applicants who have completed any post-secondary education must apply as transfer student.
Master's/ Graduate applicants should always choose "New First Time" as student type.
The test date must be within two years of the intended program start date. Please see the English proficiency requirements page for detailed guidance.
All international applicants must meet at least one of our criteria to prove they have an adequate level of English language proficiency for admission into an academic program. Please see English proficiency requirements for a list of the criteria.
We do waive the English test requirement for applicants who completed a high school/secondary and/or higher education program in a country where English is known to be the official language of instruction. A complete list of the countries Southeast recognizes can be found on our "English Proficiency Requirement" policy page. Please note:
- Undergraduate applicants from schools where English is recognized as the official medium of instruction are required to submit an ACT or SAT result to qualify for our higher-level undergraduate international student scholarships
- Applicants with passing O, A/S, and/or A level results from Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel, or ZIMSEC are not required to provide an English proficiency test for admission, but an ACT or SAT result is required to qualify for our higher-level undergraduate international student scholarships
- Applicants with passing WAEC test scores are not required to provide an English proficiency test for admission, but an ACT or SAT result is required to qualify for our higher-level undergraduate international student scholarships
- Undergraduate nursing applicants are admitted as Pre-Nursing. Admission to the Bachelor of Nursing program occurs after two years of Pre-Nursing and has an additional application and specific test score requirements.
- Master's/ Graduate Applicants: Some graduate programs have higher or specific test requirements. Please be sure to check the requirements for your program of interest.
No, you are required to list your entire education history on your application. Failure can lead to you being expelled, denied admission, or refused transfer credit.
Please be sure to check if your graduate program requires additional documents and/or tests. Our office is unable to grant waivers if a graduate test is required by the department.
We use AACRAO for credential evaluations to verify the equivalency of your native degree to a U.S. Bachelor's degree. In certain cases, your native degree may not be equal to a U.S. Bachelor's degree per AACRAO. If this is the case, we will not deny your application but rather give you an opportunity to provide an external evaluation by any organization endorsed by AICE or a current member of NACES (our preferred partner for credential evaluations is Scholaro) verifying your degree to be equivalent to a U.S. Bachelor's degree. If you are able to provide this, you will be eligible to seek admission to a Master's/Graduate program with us. Without this external evaluation (verifying your degree to be equivalent to a U.S. Bachelor's degree), you would not be eligible to pursue a Master's/Graduate program with us.
As a reminder, this is requested only in circumstances where your native degree may not be equal to U.S. Bachelor's degree per AACRAO. Please also be advised that SEMO does not provide preliminary evaluations of transcripts or verify your degree's equivalency sent to us by email. Students should formally apply for admission and provide all required application materials in order for us to make a determination of their admissibility.
Please login to the online application. (Your username is your email address, and password is the one you created when you started your application. Your password can be reset if needed by contacting international@semo.edu.) From the application Dashboard, click on "Pay Application" on the top left corner of your application page.
At this time, we not offer application fee waivers for international students. The application fee is a requirement for all international applicants. The fee covers the processing costs to help you gain admission to SEMO. This payment is required before your application can be processed.
If online payment is not an option, you can mail a money order or check payable to “Southeast Missouri State University” for USD $60 for the international application fee. However, this process may take time as it will need to be mailed, then processed. If you chose this method, please ensure you add your complete legal name and date of birth to the memo as well as the mailing documents.
Payments can be mailed to:
Student Financial Services, MS 3740
One University Plaza, MS3275
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 USA
The bank statement must be dated within one year of the intended program start date, and must be accompanied by an affidavit of financial support form completed by the account holder listed on the bank statement provided.
Yes, you will still need to complete an Affidavit of Financial Support. Please select "Self" as the "Source of Support" and skip "Sponsor Information" if self-sponsored.
Yes, please ensure each sponsor provides a bank statement dated within one year of the intended program start date and completes the affidavit of financial support form.
Your account must show funds at equal to or in excess of the amount listed on estimated annual expense. Please check our financial proof standards page for guidance on estimated costs.
No, anyone seeking deferral must submit a new application seeking admission for the new term.
New international students at SEMO can only begin academic programs in the Fall (August) or Spring (January) semester. However, Intensive English Program (including conditional admission) applicants can begin in the months of January, March, June, August and October.
No. Students seeking admission for Bachelor's or Master's may only apply to Fall or Spring semesters. Summer semesters are only available to IEP or web only applicants.
Yes, the same application deadlines apply to deferral applicants. Please check our application deadlines page, and note that graduate application deadlines vary.
For summer term, only new IEP (including conditional) and Web Only international applications are accepted.
To meet an application deadline, the online application and all required admission documents must be submitted, and the application fee must be paid prior to the deadline.
Please be advised that our application system does not prevent submissions after a deadline. However, late applications are manually withdrawn at the time of review.
Yes, the same normal application deadlines apply to previously admitted deferral applicants already in the United States. Please check our application deadlines page, and note that graduate application deadlines vary.
For summer term, only new IEP (including conditional) and Web Only international applications are accepted.
To meet an application deadline, the online application and all required admission documents must be submitted, and the application fee must be paid prior to the deadline.
Please be advised that our application system does not prevent submissions after a deadline. However, late applications are manually withdrawn at the time of review.
No. Only IEP applicants (including IEP conditional applications) can apply for a program with a summer term start.
Typically, no. We will transfer any previously submitted and valid documents to the new application. Please be advised that this transfer will occur at the time of review, and the documents will show as pending until your new file is reviewed.
However, English test scores and financial documentation must be valid for the new term. If your English test scores and financial documentation will expire, you must upload updated documentation at the time of submitting the new application.The test date must be within two years of the intended program start date. Please see English proficiency requirements page for detailed guidance.
The bank statement must be dated within one year of the intended program start date, and must be accompanied by an affidavit of financial support form completed by the account holder listed on the bank statement provided.
We strive to stay within the estimates given below, but times can vary throughout the year depending on application volume and holiday schedules.
Estimated times to process completed applications: 4-6 weeks
Once completed application is processed: Additional 2-4 weeks for UG decisions; additional 4-6 weeks for most graduate decisions (could vary based upon graduate department’s review process)
Please allow time for us to review your file. The documents will show as pending until our review is complete.
We are sorry but we need to be fair to all our applicants. We review all files and requests on first-come first-served basis.
Test scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to be official. Once the official test score is submitted, it will take 4 to 6 weeks to update your application record. Please allow time for review.
You can use our online mail tracker to see if our office has received the documents that were physically mailed to us. Once received, it can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to verify the documents and update the status in the application portal.
View our deadlines here. While many students are granted admission on the basis of unofficial documents, the official copies must be received and verified by us before they are allowed to receive scholarship funds and enroll in their second semester.
The test score you upload to the online application is considered unofficial. For a test score to be official, it must be sent directly and electronically from the test provider to Southeast Missouri State University.
ACT-2366
SAT/GRE/TOEFL-6655
Please have the test provider send the official test score to us electronically (directly) to Southeast Missouri State University if a code/test is not listed above.
The documents you upload to the online application is considered unofficial. Please see guidance for official transcripts.
Yes, but we do encourage all new students to submit their official transcripts and official test scores as soon as possible. If you wait to submit officials until after you arrive on campus, it still takes our staff time to verify the documents, and your scholarship will not post to your account until your officials are verified. Also, you will not be allowed to enroll in your second semester courses until we have your officials.
You can use our online mail tracker to see if our office has received the documents that were physically mailed to us. Once received, it can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to verify the documents and update the status in the application portal.
Test scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to be official. Once the official test score is submitted, it will take 4 to 6 weeks for us to update your application record. Please allow time for review.
After we receive an official transcript, it can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to verify the documents and update the status in the application portal.
No, we do not return original copies of transcripts. Please do not send us your only copy.
No, we do not provide copies of original transcripts submitted to us.
No, SEMO does not provide copies of your submitted documents to other schools.
Please send the documents to:
International Education and Services, MS 2000
One University Plaza
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 USA
Scholarships offered through SEMO are merit based, and are awarded at the time of admission to incoming international students who meet the eligibility requirements. No separate application is required. These scholarships are granted prior to your first semester at Southeast and cannot be earned later.
Once you are admitted, eligible scholarships will be listed on your Form I-20 (see requirements). The estimated scholarships are based on current tuition rate, enrollment requirements, subject to terms and pending verification from Student Financial Services. You will be able to view the award once you are enrolled in classes. Official transcripts and official test scores (if applicable) must be submitted for scholarships to be applied to student accounts.
Southeast awards approximately 2,000 endowed scholarships, totaling over $2 million annually. All admitted students are automatically considered for these scholarship opportunities. Creation of endowed scholarships occurs when a donor gifts money to Southeast to create a scholarship fund. These donors may be alumni, businesses, community members, faculty/staff or other individuals who want our students to succeed academically and financially. Beginning freshmen will be considered for these awards as part of the regular financial aid process; awarding for fall 2022 will begin in December 2021 and continue until the fall semester begins. Continuing Southeast students will automatically be considered and notified beginning in May 2022. Although a separate application is not required for Endowed and Sponsored Scholarships, admitted students may receive a notification that they meet the requirements for certain awards that require additional information.
Graduate assistantships (GA) are designed to provide support for a student during full-time graduate study. It is an opportunity for the graduate student to serve in a professional role while establishing a professional relationship with faculty and/or administrators. There are three kinds of assistantships: teaching, research and administrative. Graduate assistantships cover a full tuition and fees waiver for up to 24 hours of graduate coursework annually as well as paying a stipend. International students that receive a GA position will not be eligible for the international scholarship. Click here for more information about Graduate assistantships.
You must be accepted to your graduate program prior to applying for a GA position. Once admitted, you may check the Graduate Assistant Positions webpage to see if there are any openings. You may also contact the academic department of your major or any non-academic department that has GA allocations to check for openings. If a position is available, the individual department will guide you on the procedure to submit an application. Please note that procedures and deadlines vary by department.
Students on an F-1 student visa may only work on campus for a maximum of 20 hours per week. Career Services has many online resources for students to utilize while at Southeast and after graduation. Whether you are looking for an on-campus job, part-time job, or employment after graduation, this is a great place to start. Handshake is where you can find job listings through Career Services.
If you feel the GPA calculation we performed is not accurate, you can submit an external evaluation completed by a current NACES or AICE member organization prior to enrollment. We will honor the new GPA calculation and add it to your file as well as make any necessary scholarship adjustments.
In the financials section of your Form I-20, the column on the left represents the amounts which are estimated to be charged to the student when attending the university. The column on the right represents the amount the student or student’s sponsor has shown they can pay for the student’s education for one academic year plus any scholarships which have been awarded. The total for each column can be found at the bottom of the financial section. The column on the right must be equal to or greater than the column on the left.
Note: the amount of “Family Funds” or “Personal Funds” listed on Southeast I-20s for admitted students is equal to the amount listed for the total “Estimated Average Cost for 9 months,” and not the amount an applicant demonstrated they have. This practice is consistent other U.S. universities, and is done to reduce the possibility of confusion on the part of consular officers during the application process.
Only students may activate their SE Key. Parents, agents, friends, or others may not activate a student’s SE Key as this can cause them to be blocked from their account.
Once you are admitted, you will receive an email with electronic acceptance from our office to the email address you used to fill out the online application. This email will contain your Southeast ID number. Please use this number to activate your Southeast (SE) Key.
Under the login area, click the link for Activate my SE Key. Enter your Southeast ID (SXXXXXXXX) and day and year of birth to begin the activation process. Be sure you write down your new SE Key provided on the screen after you have activated it and memorize the password you just created. You will use this information to access all services within the portal, including your online courses. Your email address will simply be SOUTHEASTKEY@semo.edu. We recommend that you set up the Password Reset Facility immediately, in case you forget this password in the future.
Instructions to activate SE Key: Article - SE Key Activation (semo.edu) (a video is provided at the bottom of the page to follow along through the process)
Need help with your SE account? Contact IT Help Desk 573-651-4357 or helpdesk@semo.edu
Please ensure you send a screenshot of the issue you are experiencing with clear details.
Please visit mail.semo.edu to check your email. NOTE- It can take up to one hour AFTER you activate your SE Key for your email account to be accessible. So please wait to access your email.
All admissions documents are sent to your Southeast Email. To access your Southeast Email you must first activate your SE Key, then log in using SEKEY@semo.edu and the password you created at mail.semo.edu
If you are having trouble accessing your Southeast Email please contact the IT HelpDesk at 573-651-4357 or helpdesk@semo.edu including screenshots of the issues you are experiencing.
Once we have received your officials you will be notified through an email. Kindly note, we DO NOT reissue documents (admit letter or I-20) upon receipt of officials. Holds will be removed from your account upon receiving and reviewing your official documents and you will be notified if any additional action is needed.
The U.S. Department of Education maintains a list of Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes. The academic program listed on your I-20 corresponds with the name of your program’s CIP code, and not necessarily the program’s title at Southeast. For example, Southeast Computer Science majors have “Computer Information Systems” on their I-20 because that is the name of the CIP code associated with the program. Similarly, the name on Technology Management I-20s is "Engineering/Industrial Management."
Prerequisites will be listed in the “Remarks” section of your I-20. Prerequisites are determined by the academic department, not by the International Admissions staff, and can be discussed with your graduate program coordinator, should you have questions.
Bachelor's /Undergraduate Applicants: Yes. If you have not enrolled in courses yet, you may send us an email from your Southeast email or the email used to apply with this request. Please be specific on which program you wish to change to, and please ensure it is offered here.
Master's/ Graduate Applicants: In order to change majors, you must submit a new online application prior to the deadline of the new program so your file can be reviewed and sent to the new department for a decision.
Graduate admissions decisions are made by individual departments. You can reach the department graduate coordinator for additional information on the decision.