International Students at Princeton

How Does An International Student Get into Princeton?

About 50 miles southwest of New York City, the town of Princeton, New Jersey, is the new home for international students at Princeton where they spend at least four years of their college life.

Applications from students across the world are welcome at Princeton. No matter the applicant’s citizenship or place of residence, all applications are evaluated equally. Princeton examines applications from outside the United States in a manner like how evaluation works for applicants from within the country, considering their surrounding environment and opportunities, as well as the various national and international educational systems. There is no preference for or benefit to a specific system or nation.

Although you are, of course, free to submit further information on the schools you have attended, Princeton is also aware of the educational systems of most countries. You must evaluate Princeton’s application checklist, the requirements for standardized testing, and the financial aid program before you start to prepare your application. So, how does an international student get into Princeton? Let’s check the things you need to prepare before being a part of the international students at Princeton.

Transcript (Academic Record)

Your educational system and school curriculum are used while evaluating your transcript (or academic record).

Your academic record should include any internal grades from classes that are available, marks earned on external tests (such as IGCSE, British A-Level, International Baccalaureate, national leaving exams like Std. X/Std. XII in India), or a combination of the two.

If the leaving exams are a prerequisite for graduation, please request from your school official the submission of predicted or achieved results as soon as they become available. You are not required to declare your internal grades if your school or country’s educational system does not offer them.

Additionally, if your school or educational institution does not provide a conversion or grade-point average (GPA), Princeton does not expect you or the school to do so.

Graded Written Paper

The graded written paper must be presented in English and may be from coursework taken at the O- or A-level as long as it satisfies all other requirements. The graded written paper and teacher comments must be prepared in English and cannot be translated from another language. The rubric you submit must also be in English.

English Proficiency

You must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System Academic (IELTS Academic), or the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) if English is not your native language and you are enrolled in a school where it is not the language of instruction.

If English is your first language or if you have completed at least three years of secondary school in a setting where English is the primary language of instruction, you are not required to take the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic.

Standardized Testing

For the 2022–23 application cycle, Princeton will not need the submission of standardized testing due to the lack of access to testing locations (SAT or ACT). If possible, those who still intend to take the standardized test should do so before the test date in December. Based on previous experience, results from test takers outside the United States who took the test in December will reach Princeton on schedule.

The institution does not request the submission of SAT Subject Tests this year, as in years past. You may submit your score if you decided to take a Subject Test (before January/June 2021). For domestic students in January 2021 and for overseas students in June 2021, the College Board will no longer offer the SAT Subject Tests.

Please be aware that the thorough and holistic applicant assessment process includes many different components other than standardized testing. Princeton does not use minimum exam results to determine admission; rather, the context of a student’s full background is considered. In addition, applicants are not required to submit their scores from the SAT or ACT’s optional writing portion (the SAT Essay or ACT Writing Test).

Candidates are allowed to use the score choice feature of the SAT and only accept the highest composite score of the ACT. However, Princeton encourages the submission of all test results for those who decide to submit testing.

If you took an AP or IB exam, you are encouraged to self-report all your results on your application. If you choose to submit your SAT and/or ACT scores to Princeton, you submit the results directly from the testing companies.

School Reports and Recommendations

• School Report: Please ask a school official, such as a principal, vice principal, or dean, to complete your School Report on the Common Application if your school does not have a counselor for students applying to universities.
• Midyear Report: After the first semester or trimester of your senior year, this includes any new internal or anticipated grades. Your counselor or a school representative is not required to turn in a Midyear Report if your institution does not offer midyear grades or projections or if you have already received your diploma.
• Final Report: All admitted students who plan to enroll must have their school submit the Final Report, which comprises internal grades (if available) and external marks from your last year at school. Princeton is aware that external exam results will be available beyond the due date for the final report. So, your school must provide these to Princeton as soon as they become available.

If you ask someone to fill out a teacher recommendation or a school report and that person is not at ease writing in English, that person may fill out the paperwork in another language. However, before submitting the forms to the admission office, you must have them professionally translated. Translation can be done by an employee of your institution or a third party may offer translation services, but paid translations are not required.

What Percentage Of Princeton Students Are International?

What percentage of Princeton students are international? At Princeton, overseas students make up about 12% of undergraduates and more than 42% of graduate students. Based on the 2019 enrollment data, there were almost 1,900 international students at Princeton making up 23% of the total student enrollment.

For the Class of 2026, 15% of the admitted students are comprised of international students from 76 different nations, including Algeria, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Norway, Romania, Thailand, and Ukraine.

Do International Students Get Financial Aid At Princeton?

Do international students get financial aid at Princeton? Princeton is known as one of the most generous in the nation when it comes to financial aid programs. The same financial help is to international students at Princeton. A few universities do the same practice as well.

Princeton uses its streamlined formula to assess a family’s financial capacity. With Princeton’s no-loan policy, student debts are replaced by grant money that they don’t have to pay back, allowing them to graduate with little to no debt.

All admitted international students at Princeton have their needs fully covered, just as students from the United States. There is no disadvantage for applicants seeking financial help in the Princeton admissions process because it is a need-blind institution. Grants, as opposed to loans that must be repaid, are given to students who are eligible for financial aid.

The financial aid program at Princeton is need-based. There are no academic or athletic merit scholarships available at Princeton. The difference between Princeton’s costs and what your family is expected to contribute toward your education is covered by financial assistance grants. The assessment of your financial aid application will determine how much your parents will contribute.

You must first apply for admission and set up an account on the Princeton Applicant Portal before you can complete the Princeton Financial Aid Application. Within 48 hours of submitting your admission application, you will receive an email with instructions on how to set up your applicant portal. The Princeton Financial Aid Application can be accessed using the same login information.

Complete the Princeton Financial Aid Application.

• Both domestic and international applicants can complete the free and simple Princeton Financial Aid Application.
• Before submitting, you are free to keep your information and come back to the form as often as you like. There will be a confirmation of receipt of your application once you are done.
• You are unable to access or edit your application after submission. Before submitting, kindly print or save a copy of the application. Any updated information must be uploaded, mailed, faxed, or emailed.
• The CSS Profile is not required nor accepted when applying for financial aid at Princeton.

Upload a copy of your parents’ W-2 statements and 2021 tax return.

• Tax documents can be uploaded after the PFAA has been submitted. The relevant document type field can be used to upload the necessary documents. Additional documents can be added using the “other” field if necessary.
• The federal income tax return (Form 1040), all schedules, W-2 statements, and schedule K-1s, if applicable, should all be uploaded with the tax form.
• You must provide an additional document if your parent(s) does not file a U.S. tax return.

Provide information for a noncustodial parent.

• If your custodial parent has not (re)married and your parents are divorced, separated, or living apart in different households, you must submit the noncustodial parent’s form to be evaluated for need-based help at Princeton.

Is Princeton Good For International Students?

Applications from students across the world are welcome at Princeton. When it comes to admissions and financial aid, Princeton takes both US nationals and foreign applicants into account.

A lot of applicants from around the globe may wonder “Is Princeton good for international students? Princeton is one of the few colleges in the nation that treats international and domestic students equally when it comes to financial aid. The high caliber of education offered at American universities also draws in foreign students. And since the US is renowned for its cutting-edge research, creativity, and technology, a degree from one of its universities will undoubtedly stand out on your resume. It is understandable why the nation attracts so many foreign students.

With roughly 8,900 total enrolled students (2022-2023 academic year), Princeton University is a medium-sized institution of higher learning. International ranking organizations place Princeton University among the top universities in the world. For its academic excellence, highly regarded departments, esteemed faculty, citations, international reputation, and research output, Princeton University is among the top 10 in the world.

International students at Princeton utilize top-notch instruction in subjects like computer science, chemistry, and architecture. Furthermore, Princeton offers Master’s subjects including civil and environmental engineering, architecture, and chemical and biological engineering. Princeton also has a variety of clubs and organizations students can choose from.

As discussed earlier, Princeton University provides financial aid to international students in the form of grants, scholarships, and other types of funding. You can realize your ambition of studying abroad with their assistance without having to pay a lot of money.

If you get admitted to Princeton, you can benefit from the several services the university offers to assist international undergraduate and graduate students. You will take part in an orientation program to acclimate yourself to the United States and the University during your first few days on campus.

The Davis International Center provides specialized assistance to international students at Princeton. Your queries about your immigration status and practical acclimatization to the United States can be answered by the staff of consultants. In addition, international students can get assistance from the Davis International Center with every step of the Princeton visa application process.

You can take part in a range of social, cultural, and adjustment programs once you are on campus that is designed to improve the well-being of international students, scholars, and their families. English programs and tutoring are also available through the Davis International Center and McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning. Through Davis’ events and programs, you will have the chance to make friends and learn things that will be useful as you integrate into the American culture.

Princeton withheld its acceptance rate for the Class of 2026, but the overall acceptance rate is estimated to be between 3 to 4 percent. Princeton has become more competitive, with the acceptance rate declining by more than 30% in just five years, according to trends in admissions over the past five years. With this, getting into Princeton is extremely difficult, thus seeking an expert’s help would be the best course of action.

AdmissionSight has assisted thousands of students from all over the globe to get into Ivy League and other top universities in the world. With AdmissionSight’s expertise, on average, 75% of our students are admitted, one of the highest track records in the industry. Feel free to set up an initial consultation with us today to learn more.