FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Please check this site frequently as new FAQs will be periodically added. If you have a suggestion for an FAQ, please submit it to the Principle Designated School Official!

How are prospective international (non-immigrant) students first contacted by ECPI University once they have expressed an interest in obtaining more information? Email? Phone?

Prospective international students are first contacted either by phone or e-mail.

ECPI University’s Office of International Student Admissions is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, which is within the Eastern Time Zone.

For applicants living outside of the United States, who are in time zones which do not coincide with normal University business hours, the International Student Admissions Advisor makes the first contact by e-mail.

The International Student Admissions Advisor will use E-mail to set up a subsequent, mutually convenient, appointment for a telephone interview.

For prospective international students living in the United States, the International Student Admissions Advisor will telephone the prospective international student and establish a mutually convenient time for a telephone interview.

What is the very first thing a prospective international (non-immigrant) student must do if he/she is interested in submitting an application for admission to ECPI University?

Any international (non-immigrant) individual interested in attending ECPI University first should:

• Select one of the four locations(see the locations tab on the right of this screen) of ECPI University authorized under US federal law to enroll non-immigrant students.
• Click here for International Application Attestation and here for the Affidavit of Financial Support.
• Pay the application fee.
• Begin assembling all necessary admissions documents(link) required of all ECPI University applicants.

Keep in mind that prospective international (non-immigrant) applicants have additional requirements that must be completed. Please review the ECPI University Catalog to make sure you understand all requirements of admission.

When should I apply for admission?

ECPI University receives admissions applications throughout the year, and classes begin every five weeks. This process is often called “rolling admissions.” For international students, a rolling admissions process means that applications are received and processed when it is best for international students to apply. A rolling admissions process provides tremendous flexibility especially for applicants applying from school systems that are not aligned with a traditional US post-secondary educational calendar.

How do I schedule a campus visit?

Click international@ecpi.edu to contact us or call 844.334.4466.

How do I find the campus?

For ECPI University – Northern Virginia

ECPI University – Northern Virginia is located at 10021 Balls Ford Road, Manassas, VA (20109). If you are traveling to Northern Virginia by air, plan to fly into Dulles International Airport. The campus is conveniently located approximately 18 miles from the airport and is easily accessible via South Virginia Route 668 to West Route 66. Driving from the Washington, DC greater metropolitan area, the campus is approximately 30 miles to the west, via Virginia State Route 66. For detailed directions from other locations, contact the campus at 703-330-5300.

For ECPI University – Newport News or For ECPI University – Virginia Beach (Main Campus)

ECPI University – Newport News, located at 1001 Omni Boulevard, in Newport News, VA (23606), and ECPI University – Virginia Beach (Main Campus), located at 5555 Greenwich Road, Virginia Beach, VA (23462), are conveniently located approximately 30 miles apart along Virginia Interstate Routes 64 and 264. Both campuses are served by the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (Patrick Henry Field) and the Norfolk International Airport.

If you are travelling to ECPI University – Newport News by air, the closest airport is Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (Patrick Henry Field), located just six miles from the campus. Driving from the Washington, DC greater metropolitan area, the campus is approximately 160 miles to the south, via Virginia Interstate 95, and east, via Virginia Interstate 64. For detailed directions from other locations, contact the campus at 757-838-9191.

If you are traveling to the Virginia Beach main campus of ECPI University by air, Norfolk International Airport is located only six miles away. Driving from the Washington, DC greater metropolitan area, the campus is approximately 190 miles to the south, via Virginia Interstate Route 95, east Virginia Interstate 64, and south Virginia Interstate 264. For detailed driving directions from other locations, contact the campus at 757-671-7171, or at 1-800-986-1200.

For ECPI University – Raleigh

If you are traveling to ECPI University – Raleigh by air, Raleigh-Durham International Airport is located approximately seven miles away. For detailed driving directions to the campus, call 919- 571-0057.

When do classes begin?

Because ECPI University classes begin every five weeks, international students are able to begin their studies very quickly after having been admitted and having secured all necessary visa and non-immigrant alien statuses. Likewise, if visa issuance (or attainment of the proper non-immigrant alien status) is unexpectedly delayed for any reason, accepted students do not have to wait for several months until the next semester or academic year begins but rather can begin in the next available five-week session after having fulfilled all visa requirements.

The graduate program holds starts several times per year and applications are accepted year-round. Only completed applications will be considered and every effort will be made to give sufficient advanced-notice regarding admissions decisions well before the start of the relevant term to which an applicant is accepted. Please speak to the International Student Admissions Advisor for start dates.

What if English isn't my first language?

All applicants to ECPI University whose first language is not English must demonstrate competence in the English language (see Admissions Requirements--Undergraduate Programs for more information). Competence can be satisfied if the applicant submits evidence of an earned secondary school diploma (or a degree earned at the post-secondary level) from a school in an educational system in which English is the official language of instruction. If English is not the applicant’s “first” language, undergraduate applicants will need to submit:

Instrument	Undergraduate Minimum Requirement	Graduate Minimum Requirement
Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT)	61	79
TOEFL (written)	500	550
IELTS Band	6.0	6.5
Pearson PTE Academic	48	54
iTEP (International Test of English Proficiency)	3.6	3.9
SAT, Critical Reading (old)	440	N/A
SAT (new)	25 Writing/Language or 440 Evidence-Based Reading/Writing	N/A
ACT (English/Writing or English Language Arts)	20	N/A

 

Do you have scholarships for international students?

We want to attract a certain kind of international student, one that shares our values and commitment to excellence. That’s why we are offering a merit scholarship to students who meet the criteria - Merit Scholarship

Other Scholarships available for International Students include:

• Community Service Scholarship
• Head Start – Experience in the Field
• Early Action Scholarship
• Founder’s Scholarship
• Refer a Friend Scholarship
• Online Masters Studies Scholarship

Learn more about these on our International Scholarships page.

My transcripts are not in English. Can I translate them? Can a family member or friend translate them?

No, because all official academic records must be evaluated by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), the all educational documents that are not prepared in English, must be translated to English. To determine what type of official English translations are required by the NACES evaluator, Check with your NACES member-organization evaluator.

What if I am unable to obtain official transcripts from a previous school I have attended?

All applicants to ECPI University must meet the established Admissions’ Requirements for providing transcripts. See International Admissions Requirements for more information. In compliance with US Federal regulations governing schools authorized to enroll non-immigrant students, non-immigrant applicants seeking to enroll at ECPI University in valid non-immigrant student status are not eligible for provisional admission status, and as such, there are no provisions to waive the submission of transcripts under any circumstances.

Non-immigrant applicants seeking to enroll who do not require student visa documentation should refer to the University’s High School Transcripts’ Policy and its Provisional Acceptance Policy.

If an educational institution which you attended is no longer is in existence, you are encouraged to contact the appropriate branch of government within your home country which provides oversight to the educational system, to determine if there are local, regional or nationally maintained educational records which you can obtain. If you are already in the United States, your country’s embassy may likewise be of assistance to you.

International undergraduate applicants who have exhausted all means of obtaining their official secondary school records are encouraged to take the GED (General Educational Development) Test. The GED Test measures competency in five subject areas (science, mathematics, social studies, reading and writing) and are available in the United States and Canada, as well as in other countries around the world. They are given in the first (native) language of the country where they are administered. Successfully passing a GED Test results in an award of a Certificate of High School (Post-Secondary) Equivalency. For more information regarding a GED examination, in the United States, contact the state Department of Education, and outside the US, contact the appropriate local, regional, or national governmental organization with authority for K-12 education.

Why do I need to provide a credential evaluation of my transcript from a NACES member organization?

You must have your transcripts evaluated by a NACES’ member-organization to have them recognized as the equivalent level of education in the United States. An evaluation by a NACES member-organization will provide you with an evaluation which is broadly recognized and validated by a thorough and unbiased comparison of your educational credential(s) against the US system of higher education. Evaluators from NACES’ member-organizations have extensive knowledge and expertise concerning educational systems around the world, and NACES’ members abide by strict standards of professional ethics.

How can I pay the US$45.00 application and US$55.00 registration fees?

International (non-immigrant) students are required to pay both the application and registration fees, in US dollars, by submission of an online payment here, a personal or certified cashier’s check, or a money order, drawn against a US bank account. Checks or money orders drawn against banks outside of the US will be returned. International wire transfers are not currently accepted by ECPI University.

Checks or money orders should be made payable to ECPI University and delivered or mailed, along with all other items necessary to complete the admissions process, exuding application materials with online submission options, to:

Attention: International Student Office
ECPI University
10021 Balls Ford Rd #100
Manassas, VA 20109

International students may not utilize the online payment portal located on the main page of the University’s website at this time.

If you are unable to submit your application and registration fees by submission of a check drawn on a US bank account, please contact the International Student Admissions Advisor to obtain personal assistance.

Is housing available?

ECPI University does not provide traditional, on-campus student housing (i.e. campus-operated dormitories). However, the University recognizes that many international students will need assistance in finding appropriate student housing. Some students will prefer to live alone, while others will want to find a roommate to share rental expenses. Additionally, some students will be accompanied by their spouses and children and have unique and extended family housing requirements.

The Student Housing Manager for ECPI University is located in Virginia Beach, VA, and is available to provide individualized assistance to international students in securing off-campus housing in facilities that are cost effective, conveniently located, safe, and most appropriate for ECPI University students. The Student Housing Manager can assist any international student, who has been admitted to attend any one of the four campus locations authorized to enroll non-immigrant alien students (Newport News, Northern Virginia, Raleigh, and Virginia Beach), in securing housing. Please contact your admissions advisor for more information: isa@ecpi.edu.

Accepted students may likewise secure off-campus housing completely independent of ECPI University.

What is Accelerated Learning?

Because ECPI University offers all of its students the opportunity to register for classes every five weeks, all students have an opportunity to participate in year-round learning.

ECPI University students are able to earn

• A Master of Science Degree (in Information Systems, available only at the Virginia Beach campus) in 60 weeks;
• A Bachelor of Science Degree in 120 weeks (2.5 years); or,
• An Associate of Science (or Associate of Applied Science) Degree in 75 weeks (1.5 years).
• As an international student, you are likely eager to more rapidly earn your degree, so that you can:
• Take advantage of employment opportunities associated with your student non-immigrant visa status, such as Optional Post (degree) Completion Practical Training;
• Return home, at the end of your studies and practical training, to your family, friends, and permanent employment; or
• Move to higher level of post-secondary education at ECPI University or another US or overseas institution.

Year-round learning means that you will also realize a significant financial savings on your total cost of living expenses, by decreasing the overall time you need to spend in the United States.

If year-round, accelerated scheduling is not for you, ECPI University affords all of its students ample opportunity for more traditional scheduling, including summer and holiday breaks.

See our What Is Year-Round, Accelerated Scheduling page for additional information.

I am not the typical age of a college student. Will I fit in at ECPI?

Students at ECPI vary in age. Most students are adults who have worked in a variety of jobs and need to find a new or better career. ECPI also has students who come to ECPI directly from high school. Students at the college vary in age but share many common interests and a good aptitude for technical education.