The Bulldog Book

International First-Year Application

Are you thinking about coming to the United States to begin your college education? As an international student, you would be part of a diverse group — students from 49 U.S. states and 50 countries who have chosen Drake as their educational home.

Are you a ready to take the step to apply to Drake? There are three ways you can apply, all of which we give equal consideration for admission:

Submit the Drake University online application (fee waived)
Mail the Drake University paper Application ($25 U.S. fee)
Complete the Common Application

If you plan to apply to the pre-pharmacy program, please note the program’s special admission requirements.

If you wish to improve your language proficiency before beginning an academic program at Drake, you may apply for admission to an academic program at the same time that you apply for the Intensive English Program. With the exception of the pre-pharmacy program, Drake offers conditional admission to those applicants who meet the University’s academic requirements, but first need to improve English language skills.

Mailed applications and all other mailed supplementary materials should be labeled with your full name and date of birth and directed to:

Office of Admission
Drake University
2507 University Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50311-4505
U.S.A.

Deadlines

As you’re going through the Drake admission process, be sure to keep track of due dates to ensure that all required documents are sent by the appropriate deadlines.

Undergraduate Programs (all majors except pre-pharmacy)
March 1 is the priority deadline to submit your application and supporting materials. Applications received after the March 1 priority deadline will be considered on a space-available basis.

Pre-pharmacy
Dec. 1 is the deadline to apply to the pre-pharmacy program. Applications and all supporting materials must be postmarked by Dec. 1 and reach Drake by December 10.

Transcripts

Mail to Drake the original or certified copies of academic records, including external examination results, in official form (which varies from country to country). Contact the Office of Admission for information regarding specific credentials required. Photocopies without a fresh seal or stamp of the school or university attended, faxes, or scans of academic records cannot be accepted as official documents. Certification of official documents should be made by a school official or educational authority (such as a Ministry of Education or examination board). Documents will not be considered as official if certified by notaries, commissioners of oaths, or translators.

Applicants must submit official academic records from all secondary schools whether or not a diploma was earned. Academic records include: (a) yearly secondary school records showing rank in class (if available); (b) certified results from external examinations. Any translated record should be an exact translation (not interpretive) and be accompanied by the official, original-language document. Transcripts from U.S. high schools, colleges, or universities should be sent directly from that institution to the Office of Admission. If you are using the Common Application, Drake will accept transcripts sent through the Common Application process.

Test Scores

TOEFL or IELTS

We strongly recommend that you send TOEFL or IELTS test scores to Drake during the admission process. Applicants who have not submitted official TOEFL or IELTS test scores to Drake prior to their arrival on campus must sit for the TOEFL upon arrival at Drake. With the exception of the pre-professional pharmacy and Pharm.D. programs, Drake offers conditional admission to students meeting the admission standards, but who do not meet the TOEFL and proficiency requirements for immediate entry into a degree program.

ACT or SAT

Students applying to any of Drake’s undergraduate programs (all majors except pre-pharmacy) may submit their ACT or SAT for scholarship consideration.
Students applying to the pre-pharmacy program are required to submit ACT or SAT score for admission and scholarship consideration.

Drake University ACT school code: 1302
Drake University SAT school code: 6168

Personal Essay and Optional Video Statement

We require an essay or personal statement from all applicants. You can use one of the essay prompts provided in the Drake application, or write on a topic of your choice. Please do not submit a paper you wrote for a school assignment. The Admission Committee would rather read something more personal.

In addition to your essay, the Admission Committee gives applicants the chance to submit an optional video statement. This is your chance to get creative and let our Admission Committee see what makes you, you. Videos can be uploaded onto YouTube, or another easily accessible site and the URL can be submitted in your application. Remember, the video is optional and does not replace the personal essay.

Summary of Extracurricular Activities

You will need to provide information about principal extracurricular, community, and volunteer activities in order of their interest to you. Be sure to include the length of time you participated in each activity. In addition, list any academic distinctions or honors you have received. Please do not send individual certificates of achievement.

Letters of Recommendation

Submit at least one letter of recommendation from a school counselor, teacher, or other individual who can attest to your abilities.

Financial Certificate

International students must submit documented evidence of financial support for educational expenses. The 2013-2014 Financial Certificatemust be signed by the student and sponsor and either countersigned and sealed by the sponsor's bank or a separate letter or statement may be issued to support the information provided on the certificate.