Follow TripDoc for verified opportunities, application safety reminders, and practical updates.
University of Minnesota Twin Cities Fall 2027 applications are open for international freshmen. Apply through Common App and receive automatic consideration for the competitive Global Excellence Scholarship worth $5,000–$20,000 annually. Check eligibility, deadlines, requirements and how to apply.
Who Can Apply?
International students applying as first-year/freshman undergraduate students.
Someone who enrolled in postsecondary education after graduating from secondary school generally falls into the transfer applicant category instead.
Benefits
Eligibility
Applicants must satisfy the university's freshman admission requirements.
International applicants generally need to report their Grades 9–12 courses and grades exactly as shown on their academic records. Qualifications specifically referenced by UMN include systems such as IB, IGCSE, O/AS/A-level and WAEC.
English Language Requirement
International students on temporary visas generally must demonstrate English proficiency unless an exemption or an approved alternative applies.
For example, the page currently lists IELTS Academic 6.5, Duolingo 120, PTE Academic 59, and Cambridge C1 Advanced 180 among its standard minimum overall scores. Programme-specific rules may also apply.
ACT/SAT
Not required for Fall 2027 admission.
Essay
Not required for standard freshman admission.
Recommendation Letter
Not required for standard freshman admission.
Required Documents / Information
Official final academic documents are required before enrollment from confirmed students, and the university checks them against the self-reported record.
Application Steps
Step 1: Check that you qualify as a freshman applicant.
Step 2: Review the undergraduate programmes/majors available at University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
Step 3: Start the Fall 2027 Common Application.
Step 4: Add University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
Step 5: Enter your secondary-school courses and grades accurately.
Step 6: Add English-language proficiency information if required.
Step 7: Pay the $55 application fee or check whether the application system grants you an automatic fee waiver based on your answers.
Step 8: Submit before your preferred admission deadline.
Step 9: Monitor your University of Minnesota Application Tracker.
Step 10: If admitted as an eligible international F-1 freshman, your completed application will also be reviewed for the Global Excellence Scholarship; no separate GES application is required.
Visa Information
This is not “visa sponsorship” in the employment sense.
After an international applicant is admitted and confirms enrollment, eligible students needing F-1 status are asked to submit the University's Undergraduate New Student I-20 Request form. The I-20 is then used for the F-1 student visa process.
Applicants requiring a visa may also have to complete a Certification of Finances.
Important Warnings
⚠️ NOT FULLY FUNDED
UMN states that it does not offer international students a full tuition waiver/full scholarship.
⚠️ GES IS COMPETITIVE
Automatic consideration does not mean automatic award. The university says only a very limited number of these scholarships are given each year.
⚠️ MAINTAIN F-1 STATUS
GES recipients must maintain F-1 status to retain scholarship eligibility.
⚠️ PROGRAM-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
Certain programmes can require supplemental application materials.
⚠️ DO NOT ALTER YOUR GRADES
UMN tells international applicants not to convert, average, weight or otherwise modify their grades when self-reporting them.
Official Links
International freshman application information:
https://admissions.tc.umn.edu/apply/application-checklist/application-checklist-international-freshman
