How to Apply

International Students

Princeton welcomes applications from students around the world. We review all applications in the same manner, regardless of citizenship or country of residence.

Similar to applicants from the United States, we evaluate applicants outside the U.S. with their immediate context and opportunities in mind, including the education systems of different national and international systems. Please note that there is no preference or advantage to a particular system or country.

Please see COVID-19 Update for changes to the 2021-22 cycle.

We also are familiar with the education systems of most countries, although you are, of course, welcome to provide additional information about the schools you have attended.

Before you begin preparing your application, we encourage you to review our application checklist, standardized testing requirements and financial aid program. 

Financial Aid 
The full need of all admitted international students is met the same as it is for students from the United States. Princeton admission is need-blind — there is no disadvantage in the admission process for financial aid applicants. Students who qualify for financial aid will receive a grant, rather than a loan that has to be repaid.

Our financial aid program is entirely based on need. Princeton does not offer academic or athletic merit scholarships. Financial aid awards cover the difference between Princeton’s costs and the amount your family is expected to contribute to your education. The parental contribution is based on our evaluation of your financial aid application.

Transcript (Academic Record)
Your transcript (or your academic record) is evaluated within the context of your educational system and school curriculum. Your academic record should include any available internal grades from classes, achieved marks from external exams (for example: (I)GCSE, British A-Level, International Baccalaureate, national leaving exams such as Std X/Std XII in India), or a combination of both. If leaving exams are a part of the graduation requirements, please ask your school official to submit predicted or achieved results as they become available. If your school or national education system does not provide internal grades, you are not required to report them. We also do not expect you or your school to provide a conversion or Grade Point Average (GPA) if this is not a standard practice provided by your school or education system.

Graded Written Paper
The graded written paper must be submitted in English and can come from O- or A-level coursework, so long as this student-written essay meets all of the other requirements listed. The graded written paper and teacher comments should not be translated from another language into English, they must be written in English. If you are also submitting a rubric, that must also be in English. Please refer to general requirements for the graded written paper. 

English Proficiency
If English is not your native language and you are attending a school where English is not the language of instruction, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System Academic (IELTS Academic) or the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic). You are not required to take the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic if English is your native language or if you have spent at least three years at a secondary school where English is the primary language of instruction.

Standardized Tests  

Please see COVID-19 Update for changes to the 2021-22 cycle.

For the 2021-22 application cycle, due to the lack of access to testing sites, Princeton will not require submission of standardized testing (SAT or ACT). Those who still wish to sit for standardized testing should do so by the December test date, if possible. In our experience, scores from the December test date for test takers outside the United States will reach us in time. 

As with previous years, we do not require the submission of SAT Subject Tests. If you chose to sit for a Subject Test (prior to January/June 2021) and wish to submit the score, you may do so. Please note: the College Board eliminated SAT Subject Tests in January 2021 for domestic students and in June 2021 for international students.

Please know that standardized testing is but one element of our comprehensive and holistic application review process. We employ no minimum test scores for admission; rather, the entirety of a student’s background is considered in context. Additionally we do not require applicants to submit the optional writing section of the SAT or ACT (the SAT Essay or ACT Writing Test).

For those who choose to submit testing, we allow applicants to use the score choice feature of the SAT and accept only the highest composite score of the ACT, but we encourage the submission of all test scores.

Note on additional testing:

  • If you sat for an AP or IB test, we recommend that you self-report all of your AP or IB scores on your application. For those who do submit standardized test scores, you must submit your SAT and/or ACT scores to Princeton directly from the testing firms.

School Reports and Recommendations

  • School Report. If your school does not have a counselor for students applying to university, please ask a school official — such as a principal, vice principal or dean — to complete your School Report available on the Coalition Application or Common Application.
  • Mid-Year Report. This includes new internal or predicted grades after the first semester or trimester of your final year. If your school does not provide mid-year grades or predictions, or if you have already graduated, your counselor or school official does not need to submit a Mid-Year Report.
  • Final Report. We require all students who are admitted and intending to enroll to have their school submit the Final Report, which includes internal grades (if available) and external marks from your final year. We understand that results from external exams may come in after our Final Report deadline. As such, we ask your school to submit them as they become available.

If the person you ask to complete a teacher recommendation or School Report is not comfortable writing in English, he or she may complete the forms in another language. However, you will need to have the forms officially translated before they are submitted to the Admission Office. Translations can be provided by an official in your school, or a third party, but paid translations are not required.