Collaborative Academic Program Application Instructions (3+2, 2+2

Collaborative Academic Program Application Instructions

(3+2, 2+2, etc. Programs)

General Application Instructions for International Students who are participating in one of the various

collaborative programs MU has established with a foreign/sending institution:

Type of Programs:

“2+2”: These students are expected to complete two years of undergraduate study (usually highly

structured) at the sending institution. After that, they apply to come to the University of Missouri to

complete their Bachelor’s Degree. These students will transfer undergraduate credit. Their Bachelor’s

degree is awarded by the University of Missouri.

“3+2” or “3+1+1”: These students complete three years of undergraduate study at their home/sending

institution. They then come to MU to complete the requirements of their undergraduate degree and, if

accepted by their graduate program, begin their graduate degree (to complete it in perhaps a somewhat

shortened timeframe if they have been able to satisfy some of the requirements of their graduate

degree during their semester or two in the Senior Dual Enrollment Program). Their Bachelor’s degree is

awarded by their home/sending institution. Their Master’s degree will be awarded by the University of

Missouri.

“4+2”: These students complete all four years of their undergraduate study at their home institution.

They then come here as graduate students to complete their Master’s degree.

It is up to each program, school or college at the University of Missouri, along with the sending

institution abroad, to determine at which level the student will be joining us. This level should be

outlined by the collaborative agreement in which they participate.

Application Instructions:

For “2+2” students: These students apply for admission as undergraduate students. For information

about their process and admission requirements, please go to this website:

http://admissions.missouri.edu/apply/international/index.php

It should be agreed upon by the sending institution and the program/school/college at MU what courses

the student should take during the first two years of study for transfer into an undergraduate program

that will allow for completion of their program during their third and fourth year here. Other than this,

the applicants will have to meet all g.p.a. and English-language assessment requirements as noted in the

undergraduate admissions link above. They will work out the details of the required financial

documentation with the undergraduate International Admissions Office. If they qualify, they will be

admitted to the applicable undergraduate degree program here at MU. The International Center will

issue their I-20’s. Upon completion of their studies, they will be awarded a Bachelor’s degree from MU.

For “3+2” or “3+1+1” students:

Part one: These students apply for admission as undergraduate students. The program and the sending

school will decide together which courses need to be completed at MU in order to fulfill the

requirements of the Bachelor’s degree at the home institution. The students will have to meet all g.p.a.

and English-language assessment requirements as noted in the MU undergraduate admissions link on

the previous page (see link in the “2+2” information). The students will not be admitted to an

undergraduate degree program here. The program/school/college at MU should work with the

undergraduate International Admissions Office to establish a designated undergraduate admissions

category for their “3+2” or “3+1+1” students. Once these requirements are successfully completed, the

Bachelor’s degree will be awarded by the home/sending institution. The International Center will issue

I-20’s for these students.

Part two: During their first or second semester here, these undergraduate students should apply for

graduate admission to the appropriate academic program, according to the collaborative agreement.

They will use our regular on-line application for graduate admission (Apply Yourself), found here:

http://gradschool.missouri.edu/admissions/apply/index.php

To be eligible for admission, they will need to complete all of the requirements of their undergraduate

program with a minimum 3.0 g.p.a. on the last 60 credit hours of coursework prior to their first semester

as a graduate student, and they will have to have been accepted to their graduate academic program.

Their graduate academic program will determine what requirements need to be fulfilled (besides the

completion of their undergraduate coursework with the requisite g.p.a.) for acceptance to their

graduate program (i.e., GRE).

If all of the necessary conditions are met and the applicants are accepted to their programs, they will be

admitted, by the Graduate Admissions Office, to their graduate program for the completion of their

Master’s degree, which may take anywhere from one to three years. They will work with the

International Center to determine what is needed for the issuance of their new/amended I-20 reflecting

the fact that they are now graduate degree-seeking students at MU. The International Center will issue

their new I-20. Once they have completed the requirements of their graduate program, their Master’s

degree will be awarded by MU.

For “4+2” students: This is very straight-forward as these students will be completing the requirements

of their Bachelor’s degree at home prior to coming to MU. They will apply for graduate admission, at

this link:

http://gradschool.missouri.edu/admissions/apply/index.php

If they are accepted to their program, and if they meet the minimum requirements for graduate

admission (the equivalent of a 3.0 g.p.a. on their last 60 credit hours and a minimum TOEFL of 61 (ibt) or

500 (pbt), or a minimum IELTS of 5.5), they will be admitted to their program by the Graduate

Admissions Office, once they have provided us with adequate financial documentation as required by

USCIS. The Graduate School office will issue their I-20’s.

If any of these students participating in these collaborative programs need to come to MU to study in

the Intensive English Program first, in order to qualify for academic admission to their program, they

will need to apply to the Intensive English Program (IEP). Information about applying to IEP can be

found here:

https://cellmu.missouri.edu/

The Intensive English Program will gather the required financial documents to issue the I-20 and will

forward these to the International Center. The initial I-20’s for these students will be issued by the

International Center, but they will be issued for Intensive English Studies only, at MU. (Once the

student is able to join their academic program, the I-20 will be adjusted by the International Center.)

If they are a student applying to IEP to qualify for an undergraduate collaborative program, please check

with the undergraduate International Admissions Office to see how they handle the application fees,

and to see which application the student will need to submit first. Please keep in mind that it is

important to know that the student will be admissible to their desired undergraduate program after

successfully completing the Intensive English Program. It is also advisable that they have a conditional

letter of acceptance stating that they will be admitted for undergraduate study at MU once the English-

language requirement has been met. It may be difficult for them to be approved for a visa if they do

not have a conditional letter of acceptance to an academic program when they show up at the Embassy

with an I-20 for IEP.

If they are a student applying to IEP to qualify for a graduate collaborative program, they will need to

submit both applications: one application for admission to IEP and also an application for graduate

admission (Apply Yourself). These students are eligible for graduate admission with a lower TOEFL, but

do not have a high enough TOEFL for acceptance to their graduate program. For these students, the

programs (after making sure that the students are otherwise qualified) will provide a conditional letter

stating that after the students have successfully completed IEP and achieved the required TOEFL score,

they will be admitted to their program to pursue a Master’s degree. Again, it is important for these

students to have this letter; otherwise it will be difficult for them to be approved for a visa.