Admission and Application Information

Admission to Lafayette

Admissions staff evaluate your academic record, standardized test scores, the essay, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities. Your international background and experience are advantageous and will be considered as part of the assessment of your potential for academic success and cocurricular involvement at Lafayette. An effort is made to include students from all regions of the world.

Any student who has undertaken postsecondary coursework will be considered a candidate for transfer admission and should contact the admissions office for a transfer application and specific instructions. Financial aid is not available for international transfer students.

Lafayette students face a strenuous academic workload with at least four courses each semester. Classes are small and professors set a fast pace and expect students to perform at a high level. A strong record of achievement in your secondary school and fluency in English are critical.

Admissions Tests

SAT's —All applicants are required to submit the results of the SAT Reasoning Test or ACT (with writing). These tests are administered at centers throughout the world at various times during the year and should be taken before the application deadline. Official SAT scores should be sent to Lafayette directly. Lafayette College's CEEB code is 2361. Lafayette also recommends but does not require the results of SAT Subject tests. Prospective science and engineering majors are encouraged to take the mathematics and science.

TOEFL —­If English is neither your first language nor the primary language of instruction you have used throughout school, you must submit the official results of the TOEFL examination as part of your application to Lafayette College. Students should score a minimum of 550 (paper based test), 213 (computer based test), or 80 (internet based test). Lafayette's Designated Institution (DI) code is 2361.

Credit and Advanced Standing

Lafayette recognizes the International Baccalaureate (IB). The official results of the higher-level examinations of the IB are considered for academic course credits at Lafayette. Acceptable score levels for the IB program are 5 or higher in all subjects except music. Scores of 4 or above in this subject is acceptable for course credit. Each department will determine the specific amount of credit. No credit is given for subsidiary level examinations. The full IB Diploma may qualify the holder for sophomore (second year) standing and additional course credit.

If the candidate has received the full IB diploma with results of 5 or above on all subsidiary level examinations, results of C or above on both the Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay, and his or her scores in three higher level subjects earn academic credit at Lafayette (see previous section), the candidate will receive sophomore standing. The amount of credit will range from 6 to 8 course credits depending upon the subjects taken. In each case where sophomore standing is given the candidate is to receive credit for 2 free elective credits (undesignated or INDS 198); these credits are included in the range of credits noted above. Full diploma holders who receive sophomore standing may not be awarded more than 8 course credits. Reclassified students should note that the First Year Seminar must still be completed as a graduation requirement. Free electives (undesignated for INDS 198) may not be used for major or distribution requirements.

A number of the subjects in the IB program do not have a direct Lafayette course equivalent. Credit for higher-level examination results in these areas is not guaranteed. If no departmental sponsor can be found for the subject, higher level examination results of 5 or higher in these areas may be awarded as free elective course work (undesignated or INDS 198). Course credits for these subjects count toward the requirements for sophomore status as noted in the section above similar to other higher-level subjects.

Lafayette also considers national examination programs of various countries (i.e. GCE 'A' level, French Baccalaureate, and German Abitur) on an individual basis for credit. Credit will be granted upon the receipt of certified copies of the official examination results. Additional course information (i.e. course syllabus) may be requested.

Lafayette also honors high performance on the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) examination. Generally, Lafayette will grant credit and advanced standing for a score of 4 or 5 on the AP examinations. Each department determines its own policy of assessment of AP scores. A complete listing of credit and placement is available from the Admissions Office, and procedures for requesting credit are provided at enrollment.

Application Procedures- deadline, December 15

If you believe you have the academic qualifications, the command of English, and the possibility of financial resources to study at Lafayette College, we encourage you to apply. Applications from international students are read on an accelerated schedule so that admissions decisions can be mailed in a timely fashion. Please be mindful of the December 15 deadline.

The college charges an application fee of $60.00 to all applicants. If this fee amounts to a financial hardship for your family, the college will grant a waiver. You must include a letter from a school headmaster, counselor or an official of an advising center certifying the need for such a waiver. A fee waiver request from a student or parent is not sufficient.

Lafayette uses the Common Application exclusively. Please click the link below to access the Common Application website and instructions. Please also click the link to the Overview of the application process for International students and Americans overseas and read the instructions.

Application

International students are also asked to complete a Supplement to the College Application.

Overview of the Application Process for International Students and Americans Overseas

Early Decision for International Students

If Lafayette is your first choice, you are welcome to apply under the Early Decision (ED) plan. While there is a slight advantage in applying ED as you are confirming your first-choice interest in Lafayette, please realize that the college is seeking the same highly qualified students as those in the regular pool. The admissions office will review ED applications beginning November 1 and will accept those from international students or non-US citizens and Permanent Residents only until the regular deadline, December 15.

Decisions on ED applications normally are made within one month of receipt of your completed application forms, including the ISFAA if you are seeking financial aid. If admitted under the ED plan, you are obligated to withdraw applications to other colleges and to enroll at Lafayette. If you have applied for funding and a decision regarding aid cannot be made within the 30 days, you will be notified and released from the ED obligations. In most cases, the application will then be deferred and reconsidered in the regular pool for both admissions and funding.

Interview and Campus Visit

You are always welcome to visit the Lafayette campus. A personal interview, however, is not mandatory and the absence of an interview will not jeopardize your chance of admission. Lafayette offers admissions interviews to applicants on campus from May 1 through December 30. In some areas of the world, an Alumni Admissions Representative (AAR) may be available to interview prospective students. If this is the case, the AAR will receive your name after an application has been filed and will contact you. If you plan to visit the campus, call the Admissions Office in advance to arrange for an interview and tour.