How soon can I come if I apply immediately and I am accepted?
International applications are initially processed by our university-wide Office of Global Education. When all the required documents have been received and the application file is complete, it is forwarded to the Admissions Committee of the physics department for a decision on admission. Most admitted PhD students start in our program at the beginning of the Fall semester each year (August). Students who begin in August typically have submitted their application documents around January that year.
I have looked over the Kent State Physics website, and I'm very interested in the research done by Prof. X. I would like to apply immediately to begin PhD research in Prof. X's group. Is this possible?
At Kent State, admitted students affiliate themselves with a research advisor after they have completed the required courses and have passed the candidacy exam. So, the first step is to be admitted and join the department. Still, if you have interest in a particular research it is helpful to say this in your Goals statement.
All the documents needed for admission are attached to this email that I am sending to the Physics Department. Do I need to do anything else to apply for the advertised PhD Studentship?
We can not process application materials sent in this way. Document should be uploaded to the online application.
The university where I did my bachelor's degree does not use GPA, and does not convert our marks into equivalent GPA. Is this a problem?
No, it is not a problem. Our Office of Global Education is very knowledgeable about grading and assessment at universities around the world. You do not need to convert your marks to equivalent GPA. Just send your official English-language transcript to us, and we will assess your record according to the normal standards used by most US universities to calculate equivalent GPA for your country/university.
Is my 3-year B.Sc. degree accepted as equivalent to a Bachelors degree from a US university?
Three-year B.Sc. degrees from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and from certain Canadian institutions are not accepted by the State of Ohio as equivalent, with few exceptions. Applicants holding one of these are encouraged to contact the International Admissions office for clarification on their specific degree’s equivalency (intladm@kent.edu). If an applicant’s degree does not meet any of the admission exceptions, the applicant is required to also have a Master's degree in order to qualify for graduate admission.
The Kent State Office of Global Education says that my transcript has a "consolidated mark sheet" and it cannot be accepted. What does this mean?
Kent State University has a rule that so-called “consolidated mark sheets” are not accepted. The consolidated format is a condensed summary format, from which some information may be removed, and many US universities do not accept this format. Consolidation normally removes Fails, Repeated Courses and Withdrawals from the record. US universities never use consolidation when issuing transcripts. The reason for the rule is that if consolidated mark sheets were accepted, it could give the affected international students an unfair advantage in GPA comparisons with US students and with international students from universities that issue transcripts in the normal format.
Exactly which transcripts are needed? Do I need to send transcripts from my college?
Transcripts are needed from each third-level institution you have attended. Confusion sometimes arises from the very different meaning of the word "college" in US and British/Commonwealth English. In US usage, "college" is always a third-level institution, where a student takes courses that count towards a bachelor's degree, whereas "college" can refer to a secondary-level school in other countries. Getting back to the question, transcripts are needed from any third-level institution where you took courses that counted towards your bachelor's degree, and if you pursued further study after your B.Sc., transcripts for that work also need to be submitted. A transcript for your secondary-level studies is not needed.
What are the guidelines for filling out the Financial Information Worksheet?
Kent State University requires this worksheet (see link to pdf form near the end of this page) mostly because departments outside the sciences sometimes offer admission without much financial aid. Since our Physics Department offers everyone who is admitted an Assistantship and a full tuition scholarship, the worksheet numbers are not so important for our applicants. However, you still need to submit this form and a bank statement. Original documents are not needed, and you may submit email attachments. If you wish, you may print the Financial Information Worksheet and fill-out the form by hand.
Applicants should demonstrate that they have (or can borrow) enough to pay for their travel to come to Kent, Ohio. When new students arrive, they receive $500 almost immediately and then their first assistantship payment comes on September 15. Applicants should demonstrate that they have sufficient financial resources to handle this situation.
Do I need to pay taxes on the Assistantship? If so, how much?
The answer is maybe, as explained below. US tax rules can be quite complicated, and this webpage cannot offer formal tax advice. Information given here might be incomplete or out-of-date. The Kent State Office of Global Education has staff who can assist new students with tax questions.
Some countries have a Tax Treaty with the US which may allow their citizens to earn money in the US without US Federal Tax for a certain period of years; see this link or other internet resources for further details about the individual treaties.
If your home country does not have a favorable Tax Treaty with the US, then you are generally liable for US Federal Taxes. The rate of tax depends on many factors. If you have an accompanying family to support, your tax could be zero or very small. If you are single, you can still deduct various amounts from your income (this is one of the not-so-simple issues), and then you might pay 15% US Federal Tax on the remainder of your income. Because of the deductions, your total tax can be considerably less than 15% of your total income. Many more details can be found on the internet.
Where should international applicants send their documents?
Documents should be uploaded with your online application. If you need to send hard copies of any document, please use the following address:
Office of Global Education
Kent State University
106 Van Campen Hall
625 Loop Rd
Kent OH 44242
USA
phone: +1-330-672-7980
You may use postal mail or a package delivery company.