International Applicants

You must submit an official record of academic performance for the equivalent of 9th, 10th, and 11th grades under the U.S. system. Please include any certificates, diplomas, or examination results marking the completion of secondary education or preparation for higher education (i.e., O- or A-level or IB exam results).

Yes. All official documents must be accompanied by a verified English translation if the original document is not in English.

You may leave the section blank on your application if your school does not use GPAs or class rank. We look at all the different parts of your application and its context to determine match, so you will not be disadvantaged during our review process.

Hopkins is test-optional for the 2024–2025 application year (students enrolling in fall 2025) but encourages students with access to SAT or ACT testing to submit available scores. Standardized testing will be required beginning with the 2025–2026 application year (students enrolling in fall 2026).

TOEFL, IELTS, the Duolingo English Test (DET), or the Cambridge English Exam are recommended for applicants whose primary language is not English or students who have not attended an English language school for the last three years.

View Standardized Testing for more details.

Yes. We have admissions counselors who are assigned to regions all over the world and are familiar with the educational systems of their assigned region. You can find your regional admissions counselor here.

Yes. Need-based and merit scholarships are available for international applicants, although both types of assistance are limited. If you anticipate needing any financial assistance throughout your four years at Hopkins, you must apply for financial aid as a first-year applicant. International students who do not apply for financial aid as a first-year applicant will not be able to apply for aid later. Currently, we do not offer financial aid to international transfer students.

For more information, visit Tuition & Aid.

Hopkins is need-aware for international students, meaning that financial circumstances are considered in the admissions process. Hopkins meets 100% of demonstrated need for all admitted students, including international students. About 10% of international students receive financial aid.

If you anticipate needing any financial assistance throughout your four years at Hopkins, you must apply for financial aid as a first-year applicant.

If you are an international student and think you will need financial aid, you must indicate this on the admissions application and submit the CSS Profile. See Application Deadlines & Requirements for a full list of important dates. If you are unable to complete the CSS Profile, we encourage you to complete our free alternative form, the Johns Hopkins University International Student Financial Aid Application.

All international citizens who apply to the university must submit the International Student Certification of Finances (COF) form that they access through their application portal. Without this document your application will be incomplete.

International students who do not apply for financial aid as a first-year applicant will not be able to apply for aid later.

Need-blind means a student’s ability to pay is not a factor the admissions committee considers. Hopkins is need-blind for domestic applicants, which includes U.S. citizens, permanent residents, students with DACA or undocumented status, and other eligible noncitizens. If a student holds U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status while living outside of the U.S., they will still be considered in a need-blind review process where their admissions decision will be considered independent of their financial circumstances. 

Hopkins is need-aware for international citizens (who do not hold U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status) that apply for financial aid. This means financial circumstances are considered in the admissions process. Hopkins still promises to meet 100% of demonstrated need for all admitted students, including international students.  

No, international students cannot apply for financial aid after admissions decisions are released. If you are an international student and think you will need financial aid at any time during your four years at Hopkins, you must indicate this on your admissions application and submit the CSS Profile by the required deadlines. International students who do not apply for financial aid as a first-year applicant will not be able to apply for aid later.

International students who do not apply for financial aid as a first-year applicant will not be able to apply for aid later. If a family anticipates potential changes in finances, the student should apply for financial aid as a first-year applicant to be considered for financial aid in the following years. 

International students who apply for financial aid as a first-year applicant will be notified of their eligibility for both need-based and merit scholarships at the time of admission.

• If you receive financial aid in your first year, you will not need to reapply in future years. Your financial aid will renew automatically.
• International students who are not offered scholarship assistance for their first year at Hopkins will not be eligible for scholarship assistance for any other academic period while they are undergraduates.

No, international students cannot apply for need-based scholarships after they receive their admissions decision. If you are an international student and think you will need financial aid, you must indicate this on your admissions application and submit the CSS Profile by the required deadlines. International students who do not apply for financial aid as a first-year applicant will not be able to apply for aid later.

The Certification of Finances form (COF) is a document the admissions committee uses during the need-aware review process for international citizens. The form is less comprehensive than the CSS Profile and is intended to provide a snapshot of the family’s estimated family contribution. All international citizens must submit the COF through their applicant portal before the deadline of the admissions plan they are applying. The COF form will be created in the Hopkins applicant portal after the student has submitted their admissions application.

The CSS Profile is a more comprehensive financial aid application that Student Financial Support uses. Financial aid advisers use information from the CSS Profile when determining a financial aid offer. If you are unable to complete the CSS Profile, we encourage you to complete our free alternative form, the Johns Hopkins University International Student Financial Aid Application.  

International students applying for financial aid must submit the CSS Profile. All international students applying to the university, regardless of if they are applying for need-based financial aid, must submit the COF form.

Check our Application Deadlines and Requirements page to learn more about the deadlines to submit the CSS Profile. 

Any questions about the Certification of Finances form (COF) should be directed to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at intlhelp@jhu.edu. 

Inquiries about the CSS Profile and/or related financial aid documents (tax forms, income statements, etc.) should be directed to Student Financial Support. 

Need-based scholarships are based solely on a family’s ability to pay for college. For all international citizens, we promise to meet 100% of a family’s demonstrated need—the difference between the total cost of attendance each year and what a family can pay. We also promise to meet this need without any loans. 

Merit scholarships are based on student achievement both in and outside the classroom. All applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships when they apply to Hopkins, regardless of citizenship or their ability to pay. 

Yes, Hopkins offers a small number of merit scholarships to international citizens each year.  

There is no additional application students need to submit to become eligible for merit scholarships. Our admissions committee automatically considers all applications for merit scholarships. Please note merit scholarships are limited. If you are an international student and think you will need financial aid to attend, you must indicate this on your admissions application and submit the CSS Profile to be considered for need-based scholarships.

Applicants in all admissions plans receive the same consideration for financial aid. We promise to meet 100% of a family’s demonstrated need without loans for international citizens admitted in Early Decision I, Early Decision II, and Regular Decision. International citizens are also eligible for merit scholarships in all admissions plans.  

To learn more about the benefits of Early Decision, visit our Early Decision page.

If you are unable to complete the CSS Profile, we encourage you to complete our free alternative form, the Johns Hopkins University International Student Financial Aid Application. 

Please allow 5 to 7 days for us to process your application. You can check the status of your International Student Financial Aid Application on your Financial Aid Checklist in your applicant portal. 

Please note the CSS Profile will show as ‘Waived,’ and no further action is required. Student Financial Support will contact you directly if we need the full CSS Profile or any additional supporting documents.

Not all students will submit documentation through IDOC. Students will receive access to IDOC if it has been determined that additional documentation is required. You will be notified by email if/when IDOC access has been provided. 

Yes. You and your custodial parent (the parent you live with the most) will complete a CSS Profile together. Your noncustodial parent will also need to fill out their own CSS Profile. 

We realize that issues of college support may be complicated in divorced and separated families, and we evaluate each situation individually. If you believe special circumstances exist in your family, please review the CSS Profile Waiver Request for the Noncustodial Parent or contact Student Financial Support if you have additional questions. 

Currently, we do not offer financial aid to international transfer students.

Need-based scholarships are available for domestic transfer students only. Hopkins defines domestic students as U.S. citizens, permanent residents, eligible noncitizens, and those with DACA or undocumented status.

If you’re an international transfer student and need help paying for college, you can seek out private loans and outside scholarships to cover your college costs. Most lenders require a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen. Visit Financial Aid for more information.

Hopkins does not include loans in our financial aid offers. If you choose to borrow from a lender as part of your financing plan, visit loans options for more information.

If you received financial aid in your first year, you would not need to reapply in future years. Your financial aid will renew automatically based on the financial aid information provided at the time of application to the university.  

International students who are not offered scholarship assistance for their first year at Hopkins will not be eligible for scholarship assistance for any other academic period while they are undergraduates.

Students with an F-1 visa are eligible for on-campus employment but are limited to working a maximum of 20 hours per week during the school year. They may work full-time (40 hours per week) during the summer. On-campus employment may also include jobs with employers that are educationally affiliated with Hopkins, such as research work at a Hopkins affiliate.

For more information, visit IOS’ On-Campus Employment.

International students who are not offered scholarship assistance for their first year at Hopkins will not be eligible for scholarship assistance for any other academic period while they are undergraduates. 

If you (student) receive U.S. Permanent Residency after being admitted to Hopkins, then you will be considered an eligible noncitizen. Please take the following steps AFTER you have received your U.S. Permanent Resident Green Card to initiate a financial aid application with Hopkins:

• Update your citizenship status in SIS AND your U.S. Social Security Number in SIS.
  • Log in to SIS Self-Service. Click the “Personal Info” tab, then “Summary,” then “Identity Management Form.”  
• Submit documentation of your U.S. Permanent Residency with a Form I-551 or I-151 (Permanent Resident Card, Resident Alien Card, or Alien Registration Receipt Card), also known as a “green card” to JHU Student Financial Services via SIS. 
  • Log in to SIS Self-Service. Click the “Financial Aid” tab, then “Online Forms,” then “FA – Document Upload Form.”  

• Submit a federal FAFSA financial aid application to JHU at Code E00473. 
  • If FAFSA confirms your citizenship status with DHS, then at that point, you may be considered eligible to apply for Hopkins financial aid. 
• Please reach out to our Undergraduate International Student Financial Aid Adviser with any questions. 

If any of the below Visa statuses apply to you, and you do not have DACA or undocumented status, you are considered an international applicant at Hopkins.  If you anticipate needing any financial assistance throughout your four years at Hopkins, you must apply for financial aid as a first-year applicant. 

As per Federal Student Aid, you are neither a citizen nor an eligible noncitizen if you have 

• been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA); 

• an F-1, F-2, or M-1 student visa; 

• a J-1 or J-2 exchange visitor visa; 

• a G series visa (pertaining to international organizations); 

• A2 and A3 visas (foreign official, including attendants); 

• a NATO visa (NATO); 

• a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa; 

• an H series or L series Visa (which allow temporary employment in the U.S.); or 

• U-Visas (victims of criminal activity). 

If you’re neither a citizen nor an eligible noncitizen, you aren’t eligible for federal student aid. 

And here is an additional explanation from the US Department of Education Federal Student Aid about ineligible statuses and documents 

There are several types of immigration documentation that do not substantiate a student’s eligibility for Title IV [US federal government] financial aid.  

• A Social Security card or driver’s license isn’t acceptable for documenting U.S. citizenship or national status since ineligible individuals can also have these forms of identification. Enhanced driver’s licenses (provided by a limited number of states to permit non-air travel entry to the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean) are also not acceptable. 

• Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (Form I-171 or Form I-464) holders cannot receive Title IV funds. 

• Employment authorization documents (Form I-766, EAD) alone do not support Title IV eligibility. However, a student with another eligible status and employment authorization can, potentially, be eligible. USCIS can verify an immigration status or category that may be eligible for aid using the information contained on an EAD. 

•  An Advance Parole Document allows certain noncitizens with pending applications for certain immigration benefits to seek parole into the U.S. after traveling abroad. The issuance of the Advance Parole Document does not alone make them eligible for Title IV funds.