International Students

International Applicants

"International applicant" status refers to any potential student applicant who is not a US citizen, has studied outside the United States and intends to transfer coursework or a degree from a country other than the United States."

Potential international applicants interested in attending Loma Linda University must be independent, self-sufficient and meet the following admissions criteria for International Applicants. They must also meet all requirements from their program of choice.

Where to begin

You will need to have your college transcripts evaluated by an LLU approved transcript evaluation service.  

Transcripts from Evaluation services not LLU approved will not be accepted.  The applicants will be required to resubmit them to an approved evaluation service and may decrease your chances of acceptance.  If you are applying to Nutrition and Dietetics Programs, please use designated evaluation services listed below.  

We recommend using the WES service.  LLU does not require the applicant to send a second set of transcripts to the school if a WES evaluation is sent.

• Nutrition and Dietetics-WES recommended.

• As of May 1, 2018, the Post Professional Physical Therapy Department will only accept International Evaluations prepared by Word Education Services.  A “course-by-course” report will be required for this program.  Please note that with World Educations Services, you will not be required to submit a set of transcripts directly from your university.

  FOREIGN EVALUATION CENTER

  World Education Services
  Bowling Green Station
  P.O. Box 5087
  New York, NY 10274-5087
  Phone: 212-966-6311
  Fax: 212-739-6100
   http://www.wes.org/

You will also want to complete the English Proficiency requirement by taking the TOEFL exam or IELTS exam. The Post Professional Physical Therapy Department only accepts TOEFL. 

Certification and Licensure

Some Programs may require applicants to have and provide proof of National Registry/National Board Certification within the United States in order to be considered. Check with the program or department directly to inquire.

Apply Online

All students are required  to apply online at Loma Linda University.  If you are having problems with the online application, please contact us so we may assist you. There is a non-refundable application fee of $60.00 (US Currency) at the time of submitting your application.

If you are applying to the following programs, please apply using the external application services listed on our admissions page.

• Doctor of Physical Therapy
• Master of Occupational Therapy
• Master of Orthotics or Prosthetics
• Physician Assistant program 

Application periods

You may apply online during open enrollment periods as designated by the program.

• Program Enrollment Periods

Acceptances

Acceptances to the school are not granted immediately once you submit an online application. Please allow time for us to receive, review, process, and verify your application and transcripts. The process can take several weeks or months normally and can vary from student to student. We recommend that you apply as early as possible to ensure you meet program deadlines.  Some programs fill their class rosters as completed applications are reviewed and processed.  It is imperative to make sure you have met and submitted all required elements.  Some programs are quite popular and receive more qualified applications than there is space for.

All requirements, transcripts, and test scores must be submitted, received, and reviewed before any admissions decision can be made. This includes the evaluation, transcripts, program requirements, and completed online application.

Once your confirmation deposit is processed you will receive your LLU Login and PIN in the mail. 

You will need to fulfill all admissions and program requirements including course prerequisites and requirements.

What to submit when applying:

• Submit your online application including the required $60 application fee
• Transcript evaluation from an LLU approved evaluation center- sent to LLU by the evaluation center.
• Arrange for all official transcripts from all previous institutions you have attended, to be sent  direct by your former institutions
• Three personal recommendations (part of the online application)
• Arrange for English proficiency test results to be sent from the testing service direct to LLU.

Please DO NOT send...

• Your own transcripts.  They must be sent directly from your previous institutions
• Past course syllabi
• Personal resumes
• Other unrelated admissions documents
• Proof of admission requirements sent through email. (This includes test scores, scans of transcript evaluations, test etc. These must be sent directly from governing bodies to be deemed official.)
• Large email attachments(including any of the above)
• Personal Financial Information such as bank statements or loan paperwork

Your application is incomplete until we receive all the required elements.

Once accepted at Loma Linda University, the student will need to send the following to the University before the first quarter registration is cleared...

• Student confirmation to hold spot in the class
• Deposit designated within your acceptance letter usually $100-$500 depending on program. 
• International student deposit of $8,000 in US currency to be applied to your last quarter of study.
• You will need to provide health records to LLU Student Health Services, including immunization records before attending class. Immunizations that are required include the MMR, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, TB skin test, and varicella (chicken pox).
  Go to your new student portal for completion.
• Background check - Go to your new student portal for completion.

Checking application status

Admission decisions are made by the department admissions committee and notifications are sent by the admissions office. The program director or department will have the most up to date status or can check on the status of a student.  You will be notified once a decision has been made.

Admission decisions are sent officially in letter form from the Allied Health Admissions Office.  Some programs may opt to contact students earlier either by phone or email.  Please make sure your contact information is current.

Please allow additional time for International Student Acceptances.  International applications typically take longer to receive, verify and review. 

Sending admission requirements

• Some items sent to LLU (i.e., test scores, evaluations, recommendations, payments) may not show up as being received right away even though the tracking is confirmed as received. The delay maybe from mail being manually opened, reviewed, and entered, or the info is in transit to the records office from the school. Please allow extra time for items to be posted once they have been received on campus.
• Express Mail (DHL, Fed Ex and UPS) Documents are delivered and signed for in our University Receiving department. It takes extra time for documents to be delivered and documented in our Admissions and Records Departments once they have been initially signed for with the express service.
• Automated email notifications and updates are sent out periodically by our admissions system. Contact us if you have questions regarding your submitted info. There are instances when we have received information and it's in the process of being entered into the system.

Points of Contact

If you have further questions after reviewing our online information, please contact the following persons by email. They can provide further detailed information for international students.

When contacting us it is helpful if you can let us know if you have applied or plan to apply. Please provide your program of interest.  Due to time differences, please allow ample time for responses via email.

• International Student Services- Contact the office for general International student questions pertaining to student visas, transfer questions, and finance issues.
• SAHP Admissions Office- for questions pertaining to admissions to the School of Allied Health Professions
• askalliedhealth@llu.edu - for information on any School of Allied Health Professions program
• Dana G McCree - MS, SHRM-CP, Assistant Dean, Admissions and Records
• Everett Lohman - Post-professional Physical Therapy Programs
• Leilani Landin - Occupational Therapy Program
• Michael Moor- Orthotics & Prosthetics Program
• Cathy Oms - Physician Assistant Program

We request that you do not email multiple contacts regarding the same issue or questions at the University. The above contacts can help you directly.

Time

• Loma Linda University is located in the Pacific Time Zone. 
• Some external application deadlines are in the Eastern Time Zone.
• We are available Monday through Friday during normal business hours except on Friday when we close at 12:00 pm noon.
• Our school offices are closed from Friday noon, 12:00 p.m., through Monday morning at 9:00 a.m.
• School offices or personnel do not answer questions, calls or review or respond to email over the weekend or on official holidays.
• Loma Linda University runs on a quarter system. Fall, (autumn) Winter, Spring and Summer. We are open year around with the exceptions of observed US Holidays and weekends.

Transcripts/Mark Sheets

Official transcripts or mark sheets must be attested by the affiliated university and sent directly from that institution to admissions processing at Loma Linda University. Do not send sealed transcripts on behalf of yourself, they will not be accepted as official.

Request Transcripts

Request official transcripts to be sent from each college or higher educational institution you have attended. High school transcripts are also needed for students who do not have a previous Associate's or Bachelor's degree or if your program requires proof of high school math or secondary school courses.

• Official college transcripts must be sent to us directly from ALL colleges you have attended. If you have difficulty in having your institution send your transcript directly to us please contact us, and we will provide you with an official letter.
• Official transcripts MAY NOT be hand-delivered or sent in by the student but must be sent directly from previous educational institutions. Hand-carried or sealed transcripts that are sent along with other application materials or from the student are not considered official copies even if the seal is unbroken.
• All official transcripts must be submitted before admission acceptances can be offered. Applicants will be given a one-quarter grace period in which to have their final transcripts forwarded to us. Second quarter registration will not be permitted without receipt of the final transcripts. If you are enrolled in back-to-back semesters/quarters with LLU, make sure you request final transcripts to be sent from your previous school to LLU as soon as possible. Students who have not cleared registration nor have holds on their accounts will not be allowed to attend class.
• High School transcripts are not required from students who have obtained an Associates or Bachelors degree or higher. The exception is if your program of choice requires proof of specific high school courses such as math, chemistry or physics. High school transcripts must also be sent directly from your high school in order to be official.

If you have questions regarding international transcripts, please contact Dana McCree, our Director of Admissions and Records.

School Codes

The LLU school code for the CLEP TOEFL and GRE is 4062   The PT department code is 48. Financial aid code for LLU is 117636.

Have your transcripts and evaluation results sent to the following address:

Admissions Processing
11139 Anderson St.
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda CA 92350-0001

Immigration Documents

Please submit your LLU application and supporting documents early! LLU must have time to process all necessary immigration documents and send them to you for your visa application. Governmental papers take time. Please be sure to apply early and have your transcripts and evaluation sent early. This gives us time to offer an acceptance. Then, follow the standard immigration procedures to get you here before your classes begin.

English Proficiency

Regardless of nationality or citizenship, an applicant whose native language is not English or whose secondary education has been given outside the U.S. is required to pass a test of English proficiency. Test results/scores are to be sent directly to LLU from the testing service. University minimum scores: (programs may be stricter) TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the test date. If it has been more than two years since the test taker last took TOEFL, the test must be taken again. The institution code for Loma Linda University is 4062. TOEFL minimum scores:  80 - Internet-based 550 - paper-based, including a minimum final score of 5.0 on the TWE part (Test of Written English) IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. LLU minimum score is 6.5 PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English-Academic) LLU minimum score is 60 iTEP Academic-Plus (International Test of English Proficiency, Academic-Plus) LLU minimum score is 3.5

Courses at Loma Linda University are taught in English and proficiency of the language is a requirement. Lectures are often delivered at a rapid rate and note taking is expected. Term papers, theses, and exams are expected to be written in clear and correct English. Therefore, it is necessary for the prospective student to possess a high proficiency in the English language.

Regardless of nationality or citizenship, an applicant whose native language is not English or whose secondary education has been given outside the U.S. is required to pass one of the following:

• The TOEFL
• The IELTS
• Or their equivalents

Requests to waive the requirement for an approved test of English proficiency must be submitted to the University Academic Affairs Committee. The request must include adequate justification for the waiver. An applicant may be not offered acceptance before the waiver request is approved.  Please contact School of Allied Health Admissions office or apply online to begin the process.

NOTE: As a reminder, all visa applicants are required to have a personal verbal interview with a visa officer. If the interviewing officer feels that the level of English communications is inadequate for the level of study, they will deny the visa. Therefore, this waiver has consequences when not taken seriously.

International Deposit

Once you have been accepted and "confirmed your admission by paying your 'Class Holding Fee'. You will automatically be contacted by the International Student Services office for instructions on how to procure an I-20 visa application form.

Also, you will need to pay an advance refundable deposit of $8,000.00 which will be held for your final quarter of study."

International Student Services
Loma Linda University
11139 Anderson St.  SSC 1201
Loma Linda, CA 92350-0001
United States of America

Tuition

Earning an advanced degree in the United States can be very expensive. Prospective students must provide evidence of financial support for their educational and living expenses for the entire period of their stay. An estimate of tuition, fees, and living expenses will be provided by the International Student Services office after the acceptance letter has been issued and received by the office. All tuition rates are figured in US Currency.

Loma Linda University does not offer financial assistance in the form of financial aid, scholarships, or loans to International applicants.  However, some programs have a few assistantships (i.e. part time employment) and there are some US Financial Institutions that can provide co-signed educational loans to qualified International Students.

Current tuition rates are for tuition only and does not include university enrollment fees, personal living nor transportation costs. All living, room and board, transportation, and books are extra and are the students' personal responsibility.

Flying to LLU

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the best International airport for our area.  LAX is about a 1.5- 2 hours drive to LLU, depending on traffic.    San Diego (SAN) is another International flight alternative but is about 2 1/2 hours drive from LLU, depending on traffic.

Ontario, California (ONT) is the closest airport for domestic flights and is about 20-30 minutes away from LLU. Palm Springs (PSP) is an alternate domestic airport which is smaller than ONT about an hour away.  PSP has car rentals but no shuttle service.  

The University does not offer shuttle service for students to and from the local airports. Students are responsible for making their own individual arrangements.

Transportation around the campus

Loma Linda University is located in a city environment with periods of congested traffic to and around the campus and Loma Linda community.  Students are responsible for their own time management planning and transportation both on and off campus. Students must be licensed and insured to be able to operate automobiles in the State of California. Parking is free but automobiles must be registered with the LLU Parking and Traffic Service, through the student registration portal. On a limited daily schedule, there are free shuttles between Loma Linda University Medical Center and outlying  buildings LLUH and parking lots.

San Bernardino County has public bus services, for a fee from different points in Loma Linda and on our campus to neighboring cities of San Bernardino, Redlands and other outlying cities (some of which have their own bus service).

See Omnitrans bus information.

Students may also opt to purchase bicycles or scooters to get around but special parking is required and these modes of transportation still require registration with LLU Parking and Traffic Services.

Jobs

International students are not allowed, by student visa regulations, to work full time, however, regulations allow part time (up to 20 hours per week) of on-campus employment.  An International student must be officially accepted to LLU and be on campus to be eligible to work. While a few part-time jobs are available on campus, the competition for them is high. Often, the hours and the wages may be minimal. International students should not expect to fund their education this way.

Many Allied Health Professions have licensure regulations for working within the US., so check with the department for further information.