ADMISSIONS PROCESS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
International students applying for admission must abide by all national and international rules for VISA requirements, as well as Notre Dame Academy’s admission requirements.
Notre Dame does not offer English as a Second Language (ESL) program. All students coming from non-English speaking countries are required to submit a passing TOEFL score in order to be considered for admission. Students attending a one year cultural experience do have the option of taking classes for no credit. Please visit www.TOEFL.org for test information.
The proficiency requirement can be satisfied by a TOEFL score of at least 500 (paper score), 173 (computer score) or 61 (iBT/Internet-based) administered by an official US agency or institution in the US or the student’s home country. Exceptions to this TOEFL score requirement must be approved by the Director of Admissions and Principal.
Notre Dame is not responsible for finding host families for the student. Many agencies will assist students in finding host families. Students must have a permanent host family confirmed prior to the student’s arrival date in the United States. Prior to admission, the host family must complete the “Host Family Agreement Form” accepting guardianship of the student, and must be willing to communicate with Notre Dame on matters that require parental contact.
Students are accepted for a term no less than one semester and no greater than four years. Mid-year enrollment is not available. A certificate of attendance will be given to those who do not qualify for a diploma for their coursework. A certificate of attendance is not a diploma and does not qualify a student for college admission. International students wishing to attend only for their senior year will receive a diploma if their previous coursework qualifies them for admission as a senior.
In order to satisfy the requirements for issuance of the I-20, Notre Dame requires international students to submit the following documentation to the Admissions Office:
1. Copy of the student’s passport.
2. An English-translated copy of the student’s completed transcript beginning with the 8th grade through the most current grading period. (If an international student is applying for admission and does not have the current school year completed, Notre Dame must receive final transcripts at the completion of the current school year in order to register for classes.)
3. The student must complete the “Graduation Intention Form” declaring his/her intention to take classes for credit or only for cultural experience.
4. The student’s parents must complete the “Parent Agreement Form” acknowledging that the student’s host family will serve as the guardian of their student while attending Notre Dame.
5. The host family must complete the “Host Family Agreement Form” accepting guardianship of the international student. This includes serving as a host home and a contact for all school matters that require parental contact.
6. A TOEFL score of at least 500 (paper score), 173 (computer score) or 61 (iBT/Internet-based) administered by an official US agency or institution in the US or the student’s home country.
7. Tuition Grants are not available to international students. In order to register as a student and schedule classes for the first semester, Notre Dame must receive (at minimum) payment of half of the total tuition and all fees. The remainder of the tuition must be paid in order to attend second semester classes. Students do have the option of paying the total tuition and fees upfront at the beginning of the school year. The student must provide exact billing and contact information for the person(s) responsible for all financial matters prior to arrival.
The paperwork listed above must be submitted to the Admissions Office before the review process will begin. If accepted, the parents are required to complete appropriate registration materials. Once all registration materials are submitted, reviewed, and acceptance is made, the I-20 form will be completed and mailed to the student’s home address. Students can expect this process of review, acceptance and I-20 issuance to take approximately four weeks. As with all students, admission is subject to the capacity of the applicant’s intended grade level even when an applicant is otherwise well-qualified. The application deadline for the 2011 - 2012 school year is August 1, 2011. No applications will be accepted after this date.
Please note that effective with the 2010-11 school year that the Board of Control has approved the WIAA Medical Advisory Committee recommendation requiring that all foreign students must have a physical conducted in the United States prior to participating in practice or competition at a member school.
An updated copy of this Application reflecting this change can be obtained from the WIAA website.