APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Application Form
   Complete and submit a Saint Mary’s online application here.
2. Official Transcripts
   International students must submit a general evaluation of their transcripts from one of the following approved credential evaluation agencies: One Earth, SpanTran, World Education Services, Educational Perspectives, Education Credential Evaluators.  The evaluation must confirm that the academic records are equivalent to accredited U.S. high school and/or university standards.
3. English Proficiency Test Score Reports
   Provide an official score report from one of the English language proficiency exams listed in the adjacent chart. Minimum score requirements for each test are also provided. The TOEFL and SAT require the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota school code of 6632. The IELTS does not require a code.

Application Deadlines

English Language Proficiency Requirements

Additionally, students that have completed 30 undergraduate or 12 graduate credits from an accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent of these credits from an institution in a waiver country listed below will be exempt from English Language Proficiency test.

Waiver Countries

The United States (including all territories), the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Canada (except for the Quebec Province), Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guernsey, Guyana, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Montserrat, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha, Saint Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Virgin Islands.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Cost of attending 2026-2027

Tuition*:  $47,680
Room**:  $6,690
Board (food):  $5,250
Activity fee:  $190
Technology fee:  $440
Laundry fee:  $80
Orientation fee:  $60 (one-time fee that covers one-way airport pick-up)
Total:  $60,390

*Additional Expenses May Apply:
Medical insurance:  $500-1,000 per year (estimated)
Books:  $600-900 per year (estimated)
Airfare & Personal Expenses:  varies by student
**Additional fees may apply for certain residence halls.

Scholarships

International students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships — no separate application required. Awards can cover up to 65% of tuition (excluding living expenses and fees), require on-campus residency, and are renewable each year.

Scholarship determination for transfer students with 12 or fewer credits will be made using high school GPA; for those with more than 12 credits, university GPA will be utilized.

2026 – 2027 Dates

Fall Semester (2026):

New Student Arrivals:  Aug. 24 and 25
International Student Orientation:  Aug. 26
Start of Classes:  Aug. 31
Breaks (no classes):
Fall Break:  Oct. 12 and 13
Thanksgiving Break:  Nov. 25 – 29
Last Day of Classes:  Dec. 11
Final Exams:  Dec. 14, 15, 16, 17

Spring Semester (2027):

New Student Arrivals:  Jan. 1
International Student Orientation:  Jan. 1
Start of Classes:  Jan. 4
Breaks (no classes):
MLK Jr. Day:  Jan. 18
Spring Break:  March 1 – 7
Easter Break:  March 25 – 29
Last Day of Classes:  April 23
Final Exams:  April 26, 27, 28, 29

WHEN YOU ARE ADMITTED

1. I-20 application form –  Complete and submit the online form at smumn.edu/i20
2. Passport – Copy of your passport identification page
3. Financial Verification Documents – Original bank statement, investment letter, or government support document showing proof that your financial sponsor has sufficient funds to cover your costs at Saint Mary’s for at least one academic year.

Fall 2025 – ARRIVAL DAYS/SCHEDULE

Monday & Tuesday, August 25 & 26
New students arrive on Winona campus

Please let us know if you would like a ride from the airport to the Winona campus by sending your flight information to Vicki McDonald at vmcdonal@smumn.edu as soon as possible, or at least 2 weeks before your arrival.  Rides to the Winona campus can be from La Crosse and Rochester airports.

If you plan to arrive on a day different from the designated arrival days, you must arrange your own transportation to campus.  Transportation from the airports to Winona is available through Groome Transportation.  Make a reservation by going to https://groometransportation.com.  Indicate Winona SMU Toner Center as the destination.  Cost one way is $62. If you need help arranging this, contact Vicki McDonald at vmcdonal@smumn.edu.

La Crosse Regional Airport (LSE)
30 minutes from the SMU Winona campus
lseairport.com

Rochester International Airport (RST)
1 hour from the SMU Winona campus
flyrst.com

If your arrival airport is the Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) airport, the International Center will arrange for you to take a Groome Transportation shuttle van to Saint Mary’s University of MN.  However, if your arrival time prevents you from being at the Groome Transportation office by 5:00pm within the MSP airport, you will need to wait until the next morning to join the 6:15am shuttle van to Winona.

Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
2 hours from the SMU Winona campus
mspairport.com

Wednesday, August 27
International Student Orientation for new students – Begins at 9:00 am
Place: International Center, Heights Building (campus map #11)

During orientation we will take care of:

• Immigration Check In: bring your passport, I-20, I-94, proof of health insurance
• Getting your Saint Mary’s ID
• Getting you connected to Saint Mary’s technology
• Banking
• Introduce you to campus services
• Shopping for supplies for your room
• Tour of campus and Winona

Tuesday, September 2
Classes begin

SPRING 2026 – ARRIVAL DAY/SCHEDULE

Friday, January 2
New & returning students arrive on Winona campus

Please let us know if you would like a ride from the airport to the Winona campus by sending your flight information to Vicki McDonald at vmcdonal@smumn.edu as soon as possible, or at least 2 weeks before your arrival.  Rides to the Winona campus can be from La Crosse and Rochester airports.

If you plan to arrive on a day different from the designated arrival days, you must arrange your own transportation to campus.  Transportation from the airports to Winona is available through Groome Transportation.  Make a reservation by going to https://groometransportation.com.  Indicate Winona SMU Toner Center as the destination.  Cost one way is $62. If you need help arranging this, contact Vicki McDonald at vmcdonal@smumn.edu.

La Crosse Regional Airport (LSE)
30 minutes from the SMU Winona campus
lseairport.com

Rochester International Airport (RST)
1 hour from the SMU Winona campus
flyrst.com

If your arrival airport is the Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) airport, the International Center will arrange for you to take a Groome Transportation shuttle van to Saint Mary’s University of MN.  However, if your arrival time prevents you from being at the Groome Transportation office by 5:00pm within the MSP airport, you will need to wait until the next morning to join the 6:15am shuttle van to Winona.

Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
2 hours from the SMU Winona campus
mspairport.com

Friday, January 2
International Student Orientation for new students – Begins at 9:00 am
Place: International Center, Heights Building (campus map #11)

During orientation we will take care of:

• Immigration Check In: bring your passport, I-20, I-94, proof of health insurance
• Getting your Saint Mary’s ID
• Getting you connected to Saint Mary’s technology
• Banking
• Introduce you to campus services
• Shopping for supplies for your room
• Tour of campus and Winona

Monday, January 5
Classes begin

Students will be informed of housing assignments via Saint Mary’s email. Questions about housing can be directed to the Office of Residence Life reslife@smumn.edu.

Study the Win_CampusMap. Important buildings are:

#11 International Center (also known as The Heights)
#18 Campus Safety (Information Desk), Toner Student Center
#8 The Office of Residence Life, Griffin Hall

What is my username and first time login information?

Saint Mary’s University assigns usernames to all of its community members, students, faculty, staff, and administration. The username and associated password is given to new users via email upon admission confirmation. Users also are assigned a SMUMN ID number at this time.

First Time Login Instructions

Sometime after you accepted through the university, you should have received an email to your personal email account that you submitted with your original application. This email is very generic looking and contains your username and temporary password for your first time logging into SMUMN systems. If you cannot find this email, please check your spam folder and/or call the Helpdesk for assistance.

The Student Portal at SMUMN is where students can add/drop classes, view billing, grades, transcripts, and much more! To access the Student Portal, go to student.smumn.edu. All first time users need to login to SMU Portal first and change their password. You will not be able to access other SMUMN Systems, including Gmail, until you change password in the portal.

From now on, you will receive communication from the university at your Saint Mary’s email address. Please check your Saint Mary’s email daily.

Student Services Information:

Winona Campus: 1-800-635-5987

Helpdesk Ext. 7800 (Technology Issues)
Cardinal Central Ext. 6655 (Billing)
Registrar’s Office Ext. 1501 (Academic Issues)

How to Pay Tuition

Tuition payment reminders are sent by email to students and and responsible parties on a monthly basis. Your tuition account detail can be found in the MyBill section of the student portal. Please verify that the Saint Mary’s email is not blocked by your spam filter.

Tuition bills can be paid online, through the mail, or in person. To pay online, go to the student portal, MyBill section, and select Pay by Electronic Check/Credit Card.

• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
  • Transfer funds from checking or savings (no fee)
• Credit Card
  • Pay with Mastercard, Visa, Discover, or American Express (2.75% fee applies)
• Pay with check or money order at the cashier window or mail payment to:
  • Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
    Business Office
    700 Terrace Heights #8
    Winona MN 55987

Note: A service charge of $20 will be assessed against the student’s account for each check returned for insufficient funds.

In most countries, first-time student visa applicants are required to appear at a U.S. embassy or consulate for an in-person interview. However, each embassy and consulate sets its own interview policies and procedures regarding student visas. You should consult embassy/consulate websites or call for specific application instructions.

Keep in mind that June, July, and August are the busiest months for processing visa applications, and interview appointments are the most difficult to get during that period. You need to plan ahead to avoid having to make repeat interview visits and be sure to bring all the documents listed on the embassy/consulate website, as well as any other documents that might help establish your ties to your local community. It is important to apply for your visa well in advance of your travel departure date.