International Application Policies & Procedures

Definition of a First-Year International Applicant

First-year international applicants are foreign nationals who will complete high school by the end of the current academic year. Foreign nationals are students living outside the U.S. or living in the U.S. who hold, or intend to hold, a valid F-1, J-1, H-1, H-4 etc. visa/status, as well as those pending Permanent Residency status. Rice’s international student designation is based on residency or citizenship status rather than where a student lives and studies.

• Students who have elected to take time off from schooling between graduating from high school and enrolling in college are considered first-year applicants.
• Completion of a high school diploma (or an equivalent) prior to enrollment is required for all new incoming students.

Application Fee

Rice requires a $75 nonrefundable application fee. International applicants are not eligible to request an application fee waiver.

The Rice Supplement

The Rice Supplement offers you the opportunity to share more about yourself. This is your chance to tell us why you are interested in Rice and what you would like to pursue as a student here. We also want you to elaborate on your experiences and achievements to share what you would bring to our community.

Essay Prompts (2024-2025)

1. Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected. 150 word limit.

2. Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? 150 word limit.

3. Please respond to one of the following prompts to explore how you will contribute to the Rice community:

• The Residential College System is at the heart of Rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. What life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow Owls in the residential college system? 500 word limit.
  
• Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice? 500 word limit.

Rice Box

One of Rice's long-standing traditions is “The Box,” a question on our application where we ask all of our applicants to share an image of something that appeals to them. The Box gives you the opportunity to present us with an image that shares something about yourself, your interests or what is meaningful to you. This image is not used for evaluative purposes in the application, but allows you to put your stamp on the application about who you are aside from what you have achieved. Be sure to choose an image that speaks for itself and does not need an explanation. The Box must be a two-dimensional image that is uploaded in the Common Application or uploaded in the Rice Admission Student Portal.

Shepherd School of Music Applicants

Applicants interested in Shepherd School of Music must submit additional materials depending on their area of study. All application materials must be completed by December 1. Music applicants are not eligible to apply through QuestBridge or Early Decision. Admitted students must pursue the music program for at least one year before changing schools. For more information, please visit the Shepherd School of Music Admission page.

School of Architecture Applicants

Applicants interested in the School of Architecture must submit a portfolio of creative work. Portfolios should be uploaded via your Rice Admission Student Portal. Note: Submissions exceeding the specifications listed below will not be accepted.

The portfolio should demonstrate creative potential and is not expected to be architectural in focus nor professional in quality. It may include examples of sketches, paintings, photography, models, etc. Examples of mechanical or computer drafting are strongly discouraged. The School of Architecture does not accept CDs or DVDs.

Portfolio specifications:

• PDF file labeled with applicant name (example: JaneDoe.pdf).
• 15 MB maximum file size.
• Page size should be horizontally oriented A4 or Letter (8.5” x 11”); images should be between 150dpi and 300 dpi.
• The first page should be a cover/title page with the applicant’s name.
• Content can be up to 10 pages (not including the title page); more than one image or work can be included per page.
• Captions of images with title, year of execution, media, and size are encouraged. A one to two sentence description is also acceptable.

For more information, we encourage you to visit the School of Architecture website.

Architecture Essay Prompts

1. Why are you determined to study architecture? Could you please elaborate on your past experiences and how they have motivated you to apply to Rice University and the School of Architecture in particular? 250 words.

2. Please expand on relevant experiences and motivations outside of your academic trajectory that have inspired you to study architecture, focusing on aspects that are not accommodated by other prompts in the application. 250 words.

Art Applicants

Applicants interested in the Department of Art under the School of Humanities may submit a portfolio of creative work. If you would like to submit a portfolio, it should be uploaded via your Rice Admission Student Portal. Note: Submissions exceeding the specifications listed below will not be accepted.

The portfolio should demonstrate creative potential and is not expected to be professional in quality. It may include examples of sketches, paintings, photography, models, etc. The Department of Art does not accept CDs or DVDs, but can access URLs to Vimeo or YouTube provided within the portfolio.

Portfolio specifications:

• 10 MB maximum file size
• Images should be JPEGs at least 2000 pixels on the longest dimension and between 72 dpi
• Please upload all images/videos to your portfolio
• Content can be up to 10 files; one work per file (details can be included)
• Submissions of durational and/or moving-image work(s), no matter how many, cannot be longer than five (5) minutes total
• Captions of images with title, year of execution, media, and size are required. A one to two sentence description is also recommended.
• Applicants should not provide links to websites of multiple works, as these will not be reviewed.
• PDF documents should not be submitted and will not be reviewed

To upload your portfolio, access your Rice Admission Student Portal, scroll down to the Art Portfolio section and click “Edit Portfolio”.

Decision Plans

Early Decision Plan

Early Decision is a binding decision plan designed for students who have selected Rice as their first choice. Students may initiate applications to other colleges under nonbinding plans but must withdraw those applications if admitted to Rice. Students who apply Early Decision I must submit their materials by November 1 and students who apply Early Decision II must submit their materials by January 4th. Admission decisions will be released by mid-December for Early Decision I and by mid-February for Early Decision II.

All admission decisions are final. There are three admission outcomes from Early Decision; the admission committee will:

• Admit.
• Defer - Deferred applicants are considered with the Regular Decision pool.
• Deny – Denied applicants will not be considered with Regular Decision pool, but are welcome to re-apply in the following application cycle.

It is important to note that, if admitted under Early Decision, a candidate must withdraw all other college applications, may not submit any additional applications after accepting the offer, and must accept Rice’s offer of admission by submitting an enrollment deposit by January 1 for Early Decision I or by March 1 for Early Decision II.

Regular Decision Plan

Regular Decision is a non-binding decision plan. Students who apply Regular Decision must submit their materials by January 4. Admission decisions will be released by April 1.

All admission decisions are final. There are three admission outcomes from Regular Decision; the admission committee will:

• Admit.
• Waitlist - Applicants who are offered a place on the waitlist, and accept it, may be considered for admission if space in the class becomes available.
• Deny – Denied applicants are welcome to re-apply in the following application cycle.

Regular Decision applicants who are offered admission must submit an enrollment deposit by May 1.

QuestBridge

Rice is one of the original QuestBridge university and college partners (starting in 2004), and we are now one of only 50+ university and college partners with a proven commitment to providing access to low-income students. Programs Rice supports include the College Prep Conferences (typically held in May and June) and the National College Match program which runs October through December. The National College Match is open to all U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents OR students, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the United States. Music applicants are not eligible to apply through QuestBridge.

The Rice supplement offers you the opportunity to share more about yourself. This is your chance to tell us why you are interested in Rice and what you would like to pursue as a student here. We also want you to elaborate on your experiences and achievements to share what you would bring to our community.

Essay Prompts for students using the QuestBridge application (2024-2025)

1. Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected. 150 word limit.

2. Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? 150 word limit.

3. Please respond to one of the following prompts to explore how you will contribute to the Rice community (optional):

• The Residential College System is at the heart of Rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. What life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow Owls in the residential college system? 500 word limit.
  
• Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice? 500 word limit.

Rice Box

One of Rice's long-standing traditions is “The Box,” a question on our application where we ask all of our applicants, including students using the QuestBridge application, to share an image of something that appeals to them. Read more about The Box under the Rice supplement tab.

For more information about applying to Rice through QuestBridge, please visit QuestBridge’s Rice University page or contact us directly at questbridge@rice.edu.

High School Requirements

Official Transcripts and Predicted/Final Exam Results

Official high school/secondary school transcripts must include grades from 9th through 11th grade as well as courses being taken in the 12th grade. Early Decision I and Early Decision II applicants are encouraged to submit first marking period grades, when they become available. Regular Decision applicants will be required to submit mid-year grades from 12th grade, when they become available.

Applicants studying in an international exam-based curriculum, must submit:

• All official high school transcripts
• Final exam results (for example IGCE/GCSE, CBSE X/AISSCE X)
• Predicted exam results, if available

All official transcripts/documents must be issued in English. If not, an official translation of all documents must be provided along with the original language documents. Translations may be done by the institution attended or an authorized/official translator in the country of study.

Official high school transcripts must be submitted by your high school via the application platform (Common App), through an online ordering system or eTranscript service, or sent via postal mail directly to the Office of Admission. Transcripts will not be accepted by fax or email.

• Parchment

• SCOIR

• National Student Clearinghouse (SPEEDE server)

• Overgrad

• Scribbles (ScribOrder)

• GreenLight

• WES

• Spantran

• Cambridge Assessment International Education (CIE Direct)

For USPS Courier:
Rice University
Office of Admission-MS 17
P.O. Box 1892
Houston, TX 77251-1892

For DHL/Fedex EXPRESS Couriers (common for international):
Rice University
Office of Admission-MS 555
6100 Main St.
Houston, TX 77005

Course Requirements

Rice seeks students who demonstrate intellectual vitality through their course selection and their grade performance. Most applicants will challenge themselves by taking advantage of the rigorous coursework available to them. At a minimum, students must complete the following.

Subject Area	Number of Credits
English	4
Social Studies	2
Mathematics	3
Laboratory Science (e.g. biology, chemistry, physics)	2
One Foreign Language	2
Additional credits in any of the categories above	3
Total	16

• At a minimum, the natural science and engineering divisions require trigonometry or pre-calculus and both chemistry and physics. Students may substitute a second year of chemistry or biology for physics.
• Students who are studying an international curriculum that does not allow the opportunity to pursue a foreign language are exempt from the foreign language requirement (example: GCE/A-levels).
• Students admitted with curriculum deficiencies will be asked to complete the required work by taking high school or college-level courses during the summer before enrollment at Rice.

Standardized Testing

Testing Policy

Rice recommends first-year and transfer student applicants to undergraduate degree-seeking programs to submit SAT or ACT test scores, if available. Students who are unable to submit test scores or prefer not to submit test scores will be given full consideration in the admission selection process.

Standardized tests have long served to provide an external benchmark of college-readiness that provides meaningful information about a student’s preparedness for the rigors of a Rice education. As is consistent with our holistic review, test scores are one factor of many that are considered in the admission process.

Students wishing to provide additional exams for admission consideration are welcome to submit these to our office. These exams are optional and at the discretion of the students to submit. We want students to have every opportunity to showcase their strengths and academic achievements where possible.

• English Language Proficiency: English Language Proficiency testing is required, if applicable. See English Language Proficiency section for additional details.
• AP Exams, IB Exams, or AICE Exams: Students may opt to self-report AP, IB or AICE exam scores in the testing section of the Common Application or QuestBridge National College Match Application. These scores show mastery of content knowledge in specific subjects and may be eligible for undergraduate course credit once a student enrolls.
• Predicted IB Diploma and A-Levels: Students enrolled in IB and A-Level curricula whose schools submit predicted scores for admission consideration are expected to complete their exams and submit final results prior to enrolling.

Additional Testing Policy

Students applying to Rice University are recommended but not required to submit SAT or ACT for admission consideration. Students wanting to show their college readiness and academic strengths may choose to submit SAT, ACT, AP, or IB test scores.

• ACT or SAT: Rice does not have a preference for students to submit one test over the other. If an applicant submits both an SAT and an ACT score, the committee will consider the test that best enhances their application.
• Superscore: When reviewing SAT and ACT scores, we use the highest score from each section across all administrations. We encourage students to report all scores knowing that we will recombine the sections to get the best possible set of scores for each candidate.
• Essay sections: The ACT Essay and SAT Essay sections are not required and not considered for admission.
• Self-reported Scores: Students have the option to submit self-reported scores if they are graduating from a high school within the U.S. or submit official scores. Admitted students who used self-reported scores and choose to enroll at Rice will be required to submit official test scores prior to matriculation.
• Official Test Scores: To be considered official, scores must be sent directly from the testing organization. Rice’s College Board code, including TOEFL, is 6609 and our ACT code is 4152.
• Please refer to our Class Profile for more information on the academic profile of admitted students.

Freshman Testing Deadlines	ACT	SAT
QuestBridge National College Match	September	October
Early Decision I	September	October
Early Decision II	December	December
Regular Decision	December	December

Once you have opted in to score consideration, you may not opt out or remove scores. Rice recommends that first-year and transfer student applicants to undergraduate degree-seeking programs submit SAT or ACT test scores, if available.

Letters of Recommendation

Candidates must submit letters of recommendation from their counselor and two teachers.

Counselor Letter of Recommendation

The counselor letter of recommendation serves to highlight the accomplishments of a student within the context of their high school. The letter must come from an applicant’s assigned school counselor, college counselor, principal, or headmaster. Applicants will not be disadvantaged if their high school structure and counselor’s caseload does not allow students the opportunity to build a personal relationship with their counselor.

If an applicant's school does not have school counselors, another school official or educator can submit the School Report and Counselor Recommendation on the applicant's behalf.

Teacher Letters of Recommendation

The two teacher recommendations serve to highlight the applicant’s academic strengths and contributions in the classroom. Both of these recommendations should be from teachers of core academic subjects, and ideally one recommendation would relate to the applicant's intended area of study. Though not a requirement, we would prefer letters come from teachers who have taught the student for a full course.

Supplemental Letters of Recommendation

The required counselor recommendation and two teacher recommendations provide the Admission Committee with all the information we need to make an informed admission decision. However, if someone has unique and personal knowledge about an applicant's accomplishments or talents, the applicant may have that individual submit a supplemental recommendation. For example, this could include an employer, supervisor, coach, mentor, or another teacher. Supplemental recommendations must include the applicant’s full name, date of birth, or applicant ID and should be submitted through the application platform or to riceapps@rice.edu.

Interviews

Interviews are a great way to communicate your knowledge about Rice and an excellent opportunity to showcase academic and personal successes while learning more about the campus experience. We recommend an interview for first-year applicants, though they are optional and not guaranteed. In years of high demand for interviews, all requests may not be fulfilled. Our inability to match you with an interviewer will have no impact on your admission decision. Interviews are not offered for transfer applicants.

All interviews for the 2024 - 2025 application cycle will be conducted virtually. A member of the Rice Alumni Volunteers for Admission (RAVA) or current Rice University student will virtually meet with you to learn more about your accomplishments and academic interests and to answer your questions about life at Rice. Due to limited availability, you will need to submit your application for admission before requesting an interview. Beginning in late August, applicants will receive access to their online applicant portal, typically within 48 hours of application submission, where they can request a virtual interview by the deadlines below.

Applicants are assigned to an alumnus or current Rice student interviewer based on availability – we do not accept requests for interviewer types. Both alumnus and current Rice student interviews are considered equally in the evaluation process.

DECISION PLAN	APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY	INTERVIEW REQUESTED BY
Early Decision I	November 1	November 3
Regular Decision – Priority Interview Deadline	December 15	December 17
Early Decision II	January 4	January 6
Regular Decision	January 4	January 6

International students applying to Rice University may submit interviews from InitialView. Similar to interviews offered directly by Rice, InitialView interviews are optional. InitialView interviews must be completed by November 7 for Early Decision and January 10 for Early Decision II and Regular Decision.

Application Status

You will be notified via email how to access your Rice Admission Student Portal, which is designed to assist you in tracking our receipt of your application materials and to communicate your final admission decision. The only valid notification of an admission decision is a formal communication from the Rice University Office of Enrollment. We reserve the right to close your application if you are admitted under a binding Early Decision plan at another institution.

English Language Proficiency

Applicants whose first language is not English are required to demonstrate English proficiency in one of two ways:

1. Completing at least two years of full-time study in an English language curriculum prior to submitting an application.

2. Submitting one of the following official test scores.

Test	Minimum Score
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)*	100 (Internet-based test)
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)	7
Cambridge English Exams (C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency)	185
Duolingo	130

To be considered official, all scores must be sent directly from the testing organization. Rice's TOEFL code is 6609.

*TOEFL iBT Home Edition will be accepted and TOEFL ITP PLUS will not be accepted.

Financial Statement, Aid & Scholarships

Rice considers international applicants on a need-aware basis and offers need-based financial aid to a limited number of international first-year applicants. This means when the Admission Committee evaluates international applications, the amount of financial aid a family might need is taken into consideration. Students who wish to be considered for financial aid must indicate their intention to apply for financial aid on the International Student Financial Statement. International students admitted without a request for financial aid cannot apply for financial aid in subsequent years.

Rice uses the CSS Profile for international students applying for financial aid.

International Student Financial Statement

All international applicants living outside the U.S. or in the U.S. must complete the International Student Financial Statement and supply the appropriate supporting documentation. International applicants not requesting financial aid must demonstrate the ability to finance their education at Rice. Those requesting financial aid must provide information about their family financial status.

To complete the required International Student Financial Statement, applicants will need to do the following:

• Indicate if they will or will not be requesting financial aid.
• Submit all bank statements or affidavits supporting total funds available to go towards the total cost of attendance. Tax documents and proof of income are not accepted as supporting documentation.
• Submit all award letters or documentation supporting any scholarship funds available to go towards the total cost of attendance.
• Provide an explanation of how the applicant plans to cover the cost of attendance if the total sum of available funds is below $89,727.

All supporting financial documentation must be in English and converted to U.S. dollars.

The International Student Financial Statement can be found on the Rice Admission Student Portal once the application is submitted. An application will not be complete until the Financial Statement and all required documentation are submitted.

Merit Scholarships

The Office of Admission offers merit-based scholarships to incoming first-year students who distinguish themselves academically and personally within our highly competitive group of admitted students. These scholarships are based solely on merit, and financial need is not taken into consideration. There is no separate application or interview required; the Admission Committee automatically considers all admitted students, both domestic and international, on the basis of the student’s application for admission. About 20% of admitted students are offered a merit scholarship each year. Students awarded a merit-based scholarship will be notified at the time of admission.

AP/IB/International Examination/A-Level Credit

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams

Rice University awards transfer credit for the Advanced Placement (AP) Program, which enables high school students to earn transfer credit for college-level courses taken in high school upon completion of AP examinations with a score of 4 or 5. For more information about the AP transfer credit process, please visit the Advanced Placement (AP) Credit page.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams

Rice University awards transfer credit for International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations for students who hold the International Baccalaureate Diploma and have obtained a score of 6 or 7 on higher level exams. For more information about the IB transfer credit process, please visit the International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit page.

International Exams

Students who complete various international exams with a grade of A or B may receive transfer credit. These exams include A-Levels, the Abitur, CAPE, CEGEP (Science Option), French Baccalauréat (Science Option), Italian Maturita, and Swiss Federal Maturity Certificate. For more information about the international exams transfer credit process, please visit the International Exam Credit page.

Transfer/Dual Credit

The Office of the Registrar evaluates courses taken at other regionally accredited colleges or universities (or their foreign equivalent) that are appropriate to the Rice curriculum for potential transfer credit.

Transfer credit will not be awarded for courses included on a student’s high school transcript and used to satisfy high school graduation requirements, i.e. dual credit courses. Only those students who have more than 20 college preparatory courses may have the Office of the Registrar consider for Rice credit their college courses taken in high school. For more information about the transfer credit process, please visit the Transfer Credit page.