International Applicants

The School of Graduate Studies welcomes international applicants to join our dynamic learning community. Below are a listing of requirements that international students must submit to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Academic Transcripts/ International Credential Evaluation

  • In lieu of foreign transcripts, a course-by-course international credential evaluation with GPA is required for applicants educated in a country outside of the United States, regardless of the language of instruction. The credential evaluation will translate the student’s academic credentials into English and convert their grades and GPA into the traditional United States grading scale. If your institution is accredited through a U.S. regional accrediting body, an international credential evaluation is not required. In order to be eligible for admission, your foreign degree must be the equivalent of a 4-year U.S. bachelor’s degree from a college or university of recognized standing.
  • International credential evaluation reports must be submitted to Graduate Admissions directly from the agency by the appropriate deadline in order to complete their application. The evaluation process may take several months to complete, and it is recommended to begin this process no later than 6-8 weeks before the deadline. Failure to do so may result in a late review of the application or denial of admission due to insufficient academic records.

Below are the agencies most utilized by our applicants:

Applicants are welcome to have their credentials evaluated by a different service, however, they must be a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). A detailed list of the required documents for each country can be found on each service's website. Please review the terms and conditions of each vendor carefully, as directions and regulations vary. FIT is not responsible for the services offered by these vendors and cannot be held liable for any dispute regarding services rendered.

  • It is the applicant’s responsibility to follow their home university’s policies for transcript requests and provide postsecondary academic records to the evaluation agency for a course-by-course credential evaluation. Please check the credential evaluation agency's website to see which documents are needed for the country in which you completed your education, as you are responsible for submitting the appropriate documents to receive an evaluation report. These may include course transcripts or mark sheets for each semester or year completed during the degree program, and the degree certificate or diploma with the name of the degree, if not shown on the transcript. If an applicant has not yet graduated, transcripts or semester marks statements for all semesters/years completed to-date may need to be submitted to the credential evaluation agency. Evaluations of transcripts listing work still in progress will need to be finalized prior to the start of the degree program. Foreign transcripts sent directly to FIT will not be accepted by the Office of Graduate Admissions.
  • FIT only accepts evaluations based on official authenticated credentials, as must be stated on the evaluation report.  Provisional evaluations, or evaluations based on scans or photocopies provided by the applicant or otherwise unverified academic documents (without further verification by the evaluator), will not be accepted.
  • International Credential Evaluations must be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions. The Graduate Admissions Office is not responsible for materials sent to other FIT offices. Applicants who submitted an international credential evaluation prior to the completion of their degree will be required to submit an updated official evaluation confirming degree conferral should they be admitted to the School of Graduate Studies. 
  • It is strongly recommended that applicants have completed evaluation reports e-mailed to [email protected] by the evaluation agency. Mailed reports may experience processing delays.

English Language Proficiency Exam Scores

  • Applicants who speak English as a second language must submit evidence of English Language Proficiency to do graduate work, as measured by the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), the IELTS academic (International English Language Testing Service), PTE (Pearson Test of English), or Duolingo exams.
  • English language proficiency is WAIVED for applicants who hold a bachelor’s or higher degree from a university located in the United States or in another country in which English is both the primary spoken language and the primary language of instruction. (e.g., Australia, Barbados, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, United Kingdom) 
  • Official score reports must be sent to the graduate admissions office directly from the testing agency. TOEFL scores can be sent by paper or electronically using FIT's institution code of 2257, department code 99; IELTS scores can be submitted by paper or electronically using the e-Delivery service to Fashion Institute of Technology - School of Graduate Studies. Only IELTS Academic test scores will be accepted. We will not accept the IELTS General Training Module. Duolingo scores can be sent electronically to FIT-Graduate Admissions. PTE Scores can be sent electronically using FIT's institution code of 2257.
  • For all graduate programs, our minimum score requirements are:
    TOEFL (iBT) minimum is 80
    IELTS (academic) minimum is 6.5 
    Duolingo English Test minimum score of 110
    PTE minimum is 53
    Candidates with scores below these minimums are strongly encouraged to retake the exam.
  • Scores must be less than two years old in order for it to be considered valid.

» More information about the TOEFL exam
» More information about the IELTS exam
» More information about the Duolingo exam
» More information about the PTE exam

It is strongly recommended that applicants send TOEFL scores electronically through ETS. If you would like Graduate Admissions to retrieve your IELTS scores taken within the past two years, please e-mail your TRF number to [email protected].

Mailing Address

It is strongly recommended that credential evaluation reports and English language proficiency exam scores be sent electronically as noted above. If agencies offer electronic delivery, materials can be sent to: [email protected].

Reports and exam scores can be mailed to the following address, however, documents received by postal mail will  experience processing delays.

Fashion Institute of Technology
Office of Admissions
227 West 27th Street
New York City 10001-5992

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