International Students

A distinctly American liberal arts educational model.

We are a close-knit and supportive community with small class sizes and an emphasis on hands-on learning. We revere the power of creativity and critical thinking.

World wide open.

Purchase College emphasizes the importance of an education and a mindset that’s not merely local, or national, but global. We encourage students to think of themselves as actors on a worldwide stage.

We’re diverse.

We’re home to students who hail from 30 foreign countries. Our tagline, Think Wide Open, is more than a motto, it’s how we live, love, and interact. We’re incredibly inclusive, equitable, and respectful of each other.

Best of all worlds.

Our 500-acre suburban campus offers plenty of green space to relax and roam, yet the heart of New York City is just 30 miles south. And the nearby small cities of Port Chester and White Plains have plenty of opportunities to work, shop, and relax outside of NYC.

Purchase was recently ranked as the following:

• Top 130 US School Best Value for Students from Outside the USA
• Top 20 US School Best Value for Students from Australia
• Top 20 US School Best Value for Students from Singapore

We require all foreign transcripts be evaluated by an educational credential evaluator. Applicants may use this Spantran- Purchase College Evaluation Application for a discounted rate.

Transfer applicants only must submit a Spantran Divisional Course Analysis in order to receive college credit for prior college coursework. All other applicants must submit a course-by-course analysis.

We also accept evaluations from World Education Services , Educational Credential Evaluators and any agency that is a member of National Association of Credential Evaluating Service (NACES).

Evaluations must be course-by-course evaluations showing all coursework and grades received. Applicants must pay all expenses incurred for this service.

American and Canadian transcripts must be sent directly from the Registrar’s Office of the school. The submission of falsified documents will be considered grounds for rejection or reversal of an admission decision.

Official documents can be emailed to admissions@purchase.edu or mailed to:

International Admissions
Purchase College, SUNY
735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577

Non-native English speaking students and any applicant whose undergraduate degrees is from a country where English is not the language of instruction are required to demonstrate English Language Proficiency.

English proficiency is demonstrated by providing evidence of meeting minimum test scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) , International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Duolingo. Applicants must submit the completed English Proficiency Report or by meeting the requirements for TOEFL/IELTS Exemption outlined below.

• Submit your official TOEFL Test Score Report (Purchase College’s ETS code is 2878) and/or official IELTS or Duolingo score report. The testing service must submit an official report directly to Purchase College. Score reports submitted by the students are considered unofficial, and cannot be used to render a decision.
• Submit your completed English Proficiency Report. The English Proficiency Report may be waived for students eligible for a TOEFL/IELTS Exemption. Please have your school counselor fill out the TOEFL Waiver Request Form. However, Admissions still reserves the right to require the completed English Proficiency Report if it is deemed necessary to demonstrate proficiency.

  TOEFL Score Requirements

  • Internet-Based Test (IBT): 80 and above for unconditional admission
  • Paper-Based Test (PBT): 550 and above for unconditional admission
  • Computer-Based Test (CBT): 213 and above for unconditional admission

  IELTS Score Requirements

  • 6.5 Band Score

  Duolingo

  • 105 or better

Students who do not meet minimum TOEFL/IELTS score requirement are not eligible for admission.