Considering Pacifica for your graduate education? Here is a list of items to consider and some helpful resources.
International Student Resources
F-1 Visa Information
Pacifica is authorized under Federal Law to enroll international students with all Visas, however, Pacifica can only supply the F-1 Visa. The F-1 Visa prohibits any employment authorization while enrolled at 51社区.
F-1 Visa applications, or Change of Status applications, may take up to three months to process.
Most students use the F-1 visa as a commuter visa and travel back and forth to their country of origin at least once a month.
Whether you choose to remain in the U.S. or not, international students are required to provide sufficient evidence of financial well-being.听 Program specific financial statements can be found below.
Once accepted, international students must supply documentation of financial support, this could include bank statements that show the ability to finance education in the U.S., and if relocating, ability to finance their living expenses while studying in the U.S.
Students are also required to provide a copy of their passport.
驰辞耻听may not enter the U.S. until one-month prior to the start of your classes. Please plan for your travels and transition in a timely manner.
For Counseling & Clinical Psychology Programs: Curricular Practicum Training (CPT) is limited but can be arranged as needed (300 hours for Counseling, 1500 for Clinical, 70 per year for Depth summer fieldwork). Optional Practicum Training (OPT) 鈥� post-coursework extension of the 1-20 鈥� can be arranged on an individual basis.
Application Process for International Applicants
Contact Admissions
The Office of Admissions is your first point of contact for information about Pacifica鈥檚 degree programs and the admissions process. Please contact听applicant@pacifica.edu.
Apply
to one of Pacifica鈥檚 nine graduate degree programs and specializations prior to April 1st or as soon as possible to allow sufficient process time to obtain any additional documentation required to study in the United States.听 For Spring enrollment, applications should be started by December 1st to allow sufficient process time.
Required Documents
Please visit our听application requirements听section for the program specific guidelines and contact our Office of Admissions for more detailed instructions.
International transcripts must be evaluated to determine U.S. equivalency.
i. We will accept evaluations from听current听members of NACES () and AICE ().
ii. Where applicable, international applications must submit TOEFL ()听results during the application process for admissions and prior to acceptance.We require the following scores for IELTS: 7; TOEFL:听 230 computer-based test; 570 written test; or 90 internet-based test; or 4.5 on the new scale; and Cambridge Exam: Pass at Grade B; Duolingo English Test (DET) score of 120 or higher
Application Review and Interview
Once the required application documents have been submitted, the completed application file will be sent to the Admissions Committee for review and consideration for an interview.听 Upon review and recommendation, applicants may be invited to interview
Acceptance
If accepted, international applicants must supply documentation of financial support.
Please download our program specific financial statement forms below, for questions contact our Registrar, Francine Matas, FMatas@pacifica.edu.
Applicants who have been accepted must submit a non-refundable deposit of $175 and enrollment agreement forms for confirmation. Those who are unable to attend the academic year they have been accepted for must submit a new application and updated documents in order be considered for acceptance at a later date.
- 听Confidential Financial Statement 鈥� Community, Liberation, and Ecopsychology
- 听Confidential Financial Statement 鈥� Jungian and Archetypal Studies
- 听Confidential Financial Statement 鈥� Integrative Therapy
- 听Confidential Financial Statement 鈥� Depth Psychology and Creativity
- 听Confidential Financial Statement 鈥� M.A. Counseling Psychology
- 听Confidential Financial Statement 鈥� Counseling Psy.D.
- 听Confidential Financial Statement 鈥� Mythology
- 听Confidential Financial Statement 鈥� Clinical M.A./Ph.D.
Financial Aid for International Students
Federal Financial Aid is not available for International Students, but check with your home country as some do offer aid for its citizens.
Pacifica is pleased to provide several institutional scholarship opportunities.听 These are merit-based and need-based.
– The scholarship application is August 15th. Applicants must be accepted PRIOR to this date in order to be considered for the scholarships. For information about our scholarships and process, please visit Pacifica鈥檚 scholarship information on the website.
International and domestic student tuition and residential costs are the same.
Check out the 听to studying in USA 鈥� This website contains information that is relevant to international students who wish to study and live in the United States. It covers everything from college admission and financial aid, passports and visas, to cultural diversity and living in the US. A Scholarship database search for international students may also be found on the website 鈥� check it out at听.
International students may qualify for Private Alternative Loans to cover their educational expenses. Most programs require a credit-worthy US Citizen or permanent resident to co-sign. Most loan programs allow students to borrow up to the cost of attendance each academic year. Interest rates vary among programs and lenders.
Resources:
- – International Student Loans
- – Ford Foundation: International Fellowships Program
- – American Association of University Women (AAUW): International Fellowship (Women) and American Fellowship
- – Scholarship database search
- – Scholarship database search & Loans
- – The Paras Education Foundation (TPEF) Private Loan Program
Canadian students can learn more about the Canadian grant and loan programs available at .
* Pacifica is not responsible for the content or services provided on these websites. *
International Student FAQs
Pacifica is authorized under federal law to enroll international students and currently offers support for the听F-1 student visa听only. Pacifica鈥檚 international student visa model is designed around its limited-residency or low-residency program delivery format.听
International students are supported through the F-1 visa only. Students with other visa types should contact the Office of Admissions directly before applying to听determine听whether Pacifica鈥檚 program model and federal requirements align with their situation.听
F-1 visa prohibits employment authorization while enrolled at 51社区. International students should plan their finances accordingly and speak directly with Pacifica鈥檚听A诲尘颈蝉蝉颈辞苍蝉听迟别补尘听for guidance.
F-1 visa applications or Change of Status applications may take up to three months to process. Because timelines can vary, international applicants are encouraged to begin the application and documentation process as early as possible.听
Because many Pacifica programs are offered in limited-residency or low-residency formats, many international students use the F-1 visa as a commuter visa, traveling between their home country and the United States for required residential sessions.
Not necessarily. Depending on the program format and visa requirements, some international students may travel to the United States for required campus sessions while maintaining residence in their home country. Students should confirm expectations for their specific program with Admissions before enrolling.
Funding options for international students are often limited.听奥别听encourage international students to explore听scholarship,听fellowship, and private loan resources.听International students may apply for Pacifica听scholarships.听Private alternative loans may also be available, but many听require听a credit-worthy U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-signer.听Please note that even if awarded a Pacifica Scholarship, it will not cover the entire cost of the program.
Funding options for international students are often limited.听奥别听encourage international students to explore听scholarship,听fellowship, and private loan resources.听International students may apply for Pacifica听scholarships.听Private alternative loans may also be available, but many听require听a credit-worthy U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-signer.听Please note that even if awarded a Pacifica Scholarship, it will not cover the entire cost of the program.
In most cases, U.S. federal financial aid is limited to U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens. International students should contact Pacifica鈥檚 Financial Aid Office to discuss scholarship options, private alternative loans, and other outside funding resources.
International applicants should be prepared to听submit听the standard admissions application materials, along with any听additional听documents听required听for international student review, visa processing, and financial verification. After submitting an application, applicants听will听receive instructions regarding听required听documents.听
Pacifica鈥檚 admissions process includes an online application and a $75 application fee. Applicants will receive a confirmation email with a list of required documents after submitting the application.
Prospective international students are encouraged to contact Pacifica鈥檚 Office of Admissions for guidance before beginning the application process. Admissions can help clarify program format, visa considerations, application requirements, and next steps. Please contact applicant@pacifica.edu or 805.879.7305.
Yes. International applicants are welcome to attend Pacifica admissions events, webinars, and virtual experiences. These events are a helpful way to learn more about Pacifica鈥檚 programs, community, learning formats, and admissions process.
Yes. Because each student鈥檚 visa, travel, financial, and residency situation may be different, international applicants should speak directly with Admissions. This helps ensure that the program format, travel expectations, and visa requirements are understood before enrollment.
Begin by reviewing Pacifica鈥檚 International Student Resources page, identifying the program that best aligns with your academic and vocational goals, and contacting the Office of Admissions with any visa or application questions. Starting early is especially important because visa processing can take time.
For further questions, please contact the Office of Admissions at 805.879.7305 or at applicant@pacifica.edu.听 For F1 visa-related and/or financial statement questions, please contact our Registrar, Francine Matas who handles all visa application information at 805.969.3626 ext. 165 or fmatas@pacifica.edu.听 For Financial Aid questions, please contact our Financial Aid office at 805-969-3626 ext. 197 or at finanicalaid@pacifica.edu
