International Students

Greenville Seminary heartily welcomes international students to both our on-campus and distance learning programs. As an international student, the U.S educational system may be completely new and unfamiliar. The seminary administration and faculty are eager to help international students understand the system and our institutional distinctives and study programs. The seminary requires every foreign student to pass the TOEFL exam. You may contact the seminary to find out the required passing score by emailing the student registrar.

U.S. F-1 visa regulations can seem complicated and confusing. As an international student in F-1 status, it is important for students to become familiar with F-1 laws and be responsible for understanding what they mean. These laws include:

  • Maintaining legal status while studying in the U.S
  • Making academic progress toward completion of a program of study
  • Determining how long you may stay in the U.S
  • Extending your stay, if necessary
  • Employment
  • Travel outside the U.S
  • Transferring between schools within the U.S
  • Changing from one immigration status to another

The administration, faculty and registrar's office are available to help find professional advice to clarify immigration procedures and inform students of their rights and benefits.

If you cannot come to Greenville but would like to study at GPTS from your current home, click on the "Do You Offer Distance Learning?" link on the right side of this page for more information. Studying by distance as a foreign student must be approved by the faculty; likewise, GPTS must approve of someone able to mentor the student in their location.

Cultural Adjustment

Being away from home, international students might experience culture shock and homesickness. Some of our faculty are from areas outside of the United States or have ministered internationally, and they understands how students might feel, and will do their best to talk to you regarding:

  • Transition and adjustment into life at Greenville Seminary, South Carolina and the United States.
  • Ways to resolve academic, financial, personal or culture problems before these interfere with academic goals.
  • The phases of culture shock and that the experience is normal.