International Applicants 

Greetings from Colorado and Welcome!

If you are an international student and are looking for a place to further your studies in Public Administration and Criminal Justice then the School of Public Affairs is for you. The University of Colorado, School of Public Affairs (SPA) is ranked in the top 12% of public affairs programs nationwide and offers comprehensive programming for public and nonprofit professionals.

Colorado has over 300 days of sunshine per year and world-class outdoor recreation and scenic wonders. The School of Public Affairs offers undergraduate and graduate degrees on two campuses – the University of Colorado Denver and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Both cities offer a vibrant urban setting and a regional hub for many local, state and federal agencies.

The School offers a Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree along with a Master of Public Administration, Master of Criminal Justice and PhD in Public Affairs. For a full list of concentration areas at the SPA, please visit our website.

FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Please contact the UCD Office of International Admissions.

FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS

International students who wish to pursue graduate study at the School of Public Affairs must have earned an undergraduate bachelor's degree, or its equivalent, and must fulfill all other admissions requirements of the graduate program to which they are applying.

In addition, all international students whose first language is not English are required to provide evidence of their ability to communicate in English. Because course work at SPA often involves in-class discussion or interactive work with groups of other students, we prefer tests that indicate a student’s ability to speak and listen, rather than only reading and writing skills. Both IELTS and the TOEFL internet-based (IBT) tests test speaking and listening. We will accept TOEFL scores from the paper-based (PBT) or computer-based (CBT) exams, but we may ask for additional evidence of effective conversational skills under certain circumstances.

Students who are native or near-native English language speakers should contact the Coordinator of International Student Programs at the School of Public Affairs for information on waiving the TOEFL requirement.

Similarly, some students may feel they need additional help with their English language skills. Those students also should contact Coordinator of International Student Programs at the School of Public Affairs for options to improve their English while in the USA.

In addition applicants are required to take the Aptitude Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or an equivalent such as the GMAT or the LSAT within the last five years. Prospective international student’s with 10 or more years of professional experience may waive the GRE/GMAT/LSAT requirement.

In addition to the aptitude test and language scores, international applicants need to submit the international student application in Denver or the international application in Colorado Springs and the required supplementary documents.

Please submit an International Graduate Student Application six months prior to the term for which you are applying. Send all materials to the campus where you intend to enroll.

Background

The School of Public Affairs has between 40 and 50 International students representing 11 countries. The largest number of international students at the school currently are from the Republic of Korea, where the School of Public Affairs has several memoranda of understanding with various government units.

For more information on the School of Public Affairs you may contact:

Scott Steinbrecher
Coordinator, International Student Programs
scott.steinbrecher@ucdenver.edu

Or

Annie Davies
Director of Marketing, Admissions and Outreach
annie.davies@ucdenver.edu

• Office of International Education – Denver
• Office of International Student Services – Colorado Springs