International students follow the same basic steps as domestic students when applying to a graduate program in the Mathematics Department. However, international students should be aware of the Graduate College's Requirements for Graduate Study, the University's English Proficiency Requirements for admission (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS), and other information available from the University to Prospective Students from Abroad.

The University of Oklahoma application forms request an application fee. However, the Mathematics Department will prescreen your application for free. So, you should not send in an application fee at this stage. If we are considering making you an offer, we will contact you and ask you to send the fee to the OU admissions office.

Do you have questions about visas, forms, immunizations, health insurance, or other International Student concerns? These should be directed to International Student Services for the most up-to-date information.

International students who are Graduate Teaching Assistants are expected to become English language certified within the first two years of their program. The certification process is administered by the English Assessment Program, and involves three exams - the SPEAK Test, the TEACH Test, and the WRITTEN Test - which are taken on-campus after you arrive in Norman. You can find more information about these exams at the English Assessment Program's website. Please note that your progress through these tests will have an effect on what teaching assignments you can be offered. Remember to print out and take this form with you to the review of each English language exam that you take.
There are several resources available to help you improve your English and prepare for these tests:

• Contact the Mathematic Graduate Students Association (MGSA) and see if someone who has taken these tests would be able to talk with you about what to expect.
• Ask a native English speaker to chat with you, read practice essays, or listen to lesson presentations. The MGSA also has other suggestions for those preparing for language exams.
• Norman Public Library offers free tutoring for international students.
• Starting in Fall 2010, the English Assessment Program will offer a free non-credit Spoken English Class to international students. There will be two classes on offer in the Fall and one in the Spring. If you want to enroll in a Spoken English Class in a given semester, you should notify the Graduate Director at least one month before the start of the semester (or earlier, if possible). It is best to enroll early.

The University of Oklahoma has a large International community. There are a lot of ways to get connected with other international (and domestic) students.

• Get involved with other students in the Department of Mathematics by attending talks and other events, including those sponsored by MGSA. You can find announcements about events on the OU MGSA Blog and the OU Math Club Blog.
• Look through the list of student organizations at OU to find one that fits your interests.

• International Student Services (OU ISS) has a page about getting to Norman that you should check out.
• Here is a "Welcome to Norman" video produced by the university.