Admissions: International Students

The SANS Technology Institute is proud to welcome students from all over the world who want to get the best college education in cybersecurity.

Earn a U.S.-Based Degree from Your Home

Relocating to the U.S. and securing a student visa can make earning a traditional degree complicated and costly. At SANS.edu, you can earn a respected U.S.-based cybersecurity degree or certificate fully online, building real-world skills and advancing your career from wherever you are.

Because our programs are non-residential, student visas are not required, and we do not issue I-20 forms or sponsor F-1 visas.

Thinking about applying to SANS.edu from outside the U.S.?

A Step-by-Step Video Guide for International Applicants

Watch our video guide to learn how to apply to SANS.edu as an international student—from admissions requirements to getting started with our flexible, cybersecurity degree and certificate programs.

Higher Education Qualifications for International Applicants

Students who completed their undergraduate studies outside of the United States must follow these steps before submitting their SANS Technology Institute application.

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Step 1: Request a Course-by-Course Evaluation

To help reduce your evaluation costs, we’ve established preferred partnerships with The Evaluation Company (TEC) and International Education Evaluations (IEE), both of which offer discounts to SANS Technology Institute applicants.

We also accept evaluations from WES or NACES member organizations.

Step 2: Have Your Evaluation Sent Directly to Us

The Office of Admissions must receive transcripts directly from TEC, IEE, WES, or a NACES-approved organization via email to transcripts@sans.edu.

We cannot accept unevaluated transcripts, unofficial evaluations or evaluations from unapproved organizations.

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Step 3: Complete Your Application

Once your evaluation has been submitted, complete the remaining requirements in your SANS.edu application package.

For detailed application instructions visit:

English Language Proficiency Requirements

Applicants must be fully fluent in professional, academic, and technical written and spoken English to qualify for admission to the SANS Technology Institute. Certain graduate courses require long-form papers—written and graded in English—as well as oral presentations. Students must be able to clearly communicate complex technical and non-technical topics to meet the academic rigor of our programs.

International applicants are required to demonstrate that they are proficient in the English language.

We accept the TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge English proficiency assessments with the minimum score requirements listed below.
We do not accept Duolingo scores, TOEFL Essentials or any assessments not listed below.

Test scores must be sent directly to us by the testing agency. Scores can be sent from the testing agency upon taking your exam, emailed to transcripts@sans.edu or physically mailed to:

SANS Technology Institute 2093 Philadelphia Pike #4606 Claymont, DE 19703

Approved English Language Exams

TOEFL iBT

In January 2026, the scoring model was updated. Applicants who tested before January 21, 2026 must have earned at least 25 in each sub-category (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing) and 100 overall. Applicants who tested on January 21, 2026 or later must earn at least 5 in each sub-category and 5 overall. We are unable to grant exceptions to these minimum requirements. The SANS Technology Institute’s DI Code is 6410

Schedule Your TOEFL Test

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IELTS Academic

Applicants must attain a minimum score of 7.5 in each of the sub-categories (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing) and a minimum overall score of 7.5. We are not able to offer exceptions to scores lower than our minimum.

Schedule Your IELTS Test

Cambridge English Assessment

Applicants must attain a minimum score of 191 in each sub-category and a minimum overall score of 191. We are not able to offer exceptions to scores lower than our minimum.

Schedule Your Cambridge Test