Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University is a Catholic university located in suburban Fairfield, Connecticut, near the border with Bridgeport. Sacred Heart was founded in 1963 by Reverend Walter W. Curtis, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, CT. SHU was the first Catholic university in the United States to be staffed by the laity.[citation needed] Anthony Cernera has been president of Sacred Heart University for eighteen years.

SHU is the second largest Catholic university in New England, behind Boston College[1],and offers more than 40 degree programs to 5,800 students at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels.

Sacred Heart is included in The Princeton Review's Best 368 Colleges 2009, The Princeton Review's Best 366 Colleges 2008, the Best 290 Business Schools 2008, as well as U.S. News and World Report's Best Colleges.

Sacred Heart University welcomes students from around the world. Our students represent many countries including Japan, Canada, United Kingdom, China, India, Thailand and France. International students are eligible to apply to Sacred Heart University if they have completed the equivalent of a United States bachelor's degree (approximately 120 credit hours) and have had their post-secondary academic transcript(s) translated by the World Education Services (WES).

International Students Admissions Requirements

Completed International Studdex Application for Admission

Official test scores for the TOEFL, IELTS. Sacred Heart University requires a minimum TOEFL score of 550 on the paper-based test, 213 on the computer-based test, or 80 on the TOEFL

Two letters of recommendation that attest to the applicant's qualifications for admission to a graduate program.

Professional resume detailing the applicant's employment history

One page personal statement discussing the applicant's rationale for pursuing the degree

A bank statement with U.S. dollar figures that verifies the student, the student's family and/or sponsor's ability to pay the costs required to attend Sacred Heart University for one year of study. The statement should be officially certified and signed by a bank official and dated within twelve months of enrolling at Sacred Heart University

The Immigration I-20 form (the form needed to obtain a student F1 visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate) will be issued from SHU after the student has been accepted to the University and proof of financial support is submitted. The issuance of an I-20 and subsequent F-1 visa constitutes a legal agreement with the U.S. government binding the student to maintain full-time enrollment (at least 9 credits per term) at all times except during the summer session. Employment in the U.S. is only allowed if authorized by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.