Admissions & AidInternational StudentsInternational Student Admission Requirements

International Student Admission Requirements

To apply to Naropa University as an international applicant, applicants must submit all of the undergraduate admissions requirements or graduate admissions requirements.

In addition to these general admission requirements, international applicants must also complete the following international applicant admissions requirements:

English Proficiency Testing

International applicants must document their English language proficiency by submitting scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) tests.

Applicants must earn the following required scores:

TOEFL

  • Internet test (iBT): 80 or higher
  • Computer test (cBT): 213 or higher
  • Paper test (pBT): 550 or higher

IELTS

  • 6.5 or higher

Exceptions are granted for applicants from countries where English is one of the official national languages, or when English was the primary language of their previous schooling.

 

Non-U.S. Education Records

Undergraduate and graduate applicants must submit all required academic records from non-U.S. schools to a NACES-recognized agency for evaluation, regardless of country citizenship. Only after the transcript evaluations have been received and reviewed by the Office of Admissions will Naropa consider an offer of full acceptance, as well as issue the required documents to obtain your student visa.

Undergraduate applicants are required to have all non-U.S. secondary and postsecondary education records evaluated. Graduate applicants are required to have all non-U.S. postsecondary education records evaluated to determine if your education meets the requirements of a U.S. bachelor’s degree. Secondary school records are not required.
    • If your undergraduate degree outside of the U.S. was completed in three years or less, or if it does not equate to 120 semester credits, there is a strong possibility that your degree will not meet the U.S. undergraduate requirements of a bachelor’s degree (which is normally 4 years and 120 credits).
    • If you have concerns that your completed coursework may not meet the U.S. requirements for a bachelor’s degree, please connect with your admissions counselor to discuss options.
If you have questions about this process, please contact the evaluation agency for assistance. Naropa cannot help with this part of the process.
  • If you are currently in school, please wait until you’ve completed your current program to have your transcripts evaluated, otherwise you may be required to pay for a second evaluation once your program is complete.
  • Official non-U.S. transcripts from your prior schools should be sent to one of the approved evaluation agencies and not to Naropa University.
  • You must request a “Course-by-Course” transcript evaluation for all post-secondary academic work. (Secondary or high school transcripts do not need to be evaluated course-by-course.)
  • Please ensure to instruct the evaluating agency that the final transcript evaluation must be mailed directly to the Office of Admissions at Naropa University. It is not to be mailed to you.
  • The visa application process cannot begin until all required documents have been submitted to Naropa, including transcript evaluations, proof of funding, etc. No exceptions can be made.
  • Issuance of an international transcript evaluation does not guarantee full admission to Naropa University or a visa to enter the U.S.
Please attend to all above steps as soon as possible prior to the start of the term to which you have applied. Immigration-related processes can take as long as 6–10 weeks.

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About Naropa

Located in Boulder, Colorado, Naropa University is a Buddhist-inspired, nonsectarian liberal arts university that is recognized as the birthplace of the mindfulness movement. Naropa offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs that emphasize professional and personal growth, intellectual development, and cultivating compassion. 

Academics

Contemplative education brings together the best of Western scholarship and Eastern world wisdom traditions. Therefore, your pursuit of wisdom at Naropa means learning both about academic subjects and about your own place in the world. This innovative approach places Naropa on the cutting edge of the newest and most effective methods of teaching and learning.  

Admissions & Aid

If you’re seeking an education that resonates with both personal fulfillment and global impact, Naropa could be your top choice. At Naropa, you will experience a comprehensive curriculum that integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational approaches. Explore how Naropa can fuel your journey of intellectual and spiritual development.

Life at Naropa

Through its incredibly vibrant and welcoming community,  “Naropa offers a home for those who aren’t willing to conform to convention—the mystic, the healer, the prophet, the rebel, the artist, the revolutionary, the oddball—those who are incredible contributors to the evolution of society and of our planet.”—Core Associate Professor Zvi Ish-Shalom

The Naropa Difference

How is Naropa different from other universities? At Naropa, a liberal arts education balances rigorous academics with powerful interpersonal skills and self-awareness to educate the whole person. Naropa’s contemplative approach is inspired by Buddhist philosophy and the conviction that we can build a diverse, contemplative, enlightened society when we have transformed education to affirm the basic goodness of every person. 

Support Naropa

At a time when the value of higher education is being questioned, Naropa University stands firmly rooted in its mission to create a more just and regenerative world by nurturing insight, awareness, courage, and compassion in its students. By making a gift to Naropa, you play a pivotal role in helping to create the authentic, effective & mindful leaders that the world desperately needs.

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Naropa University campuses are closed on 12/17/2025. 

Due to adverse weather conditions of high winds and planned power outages, all Naropa campuses will be closed today. 

 

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Spring and Summer Start Dates for the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentrations

In support of students and in response to federal legislation impacting financial aid for graduate students, Naropa University will be accepting applications for MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling for spring starts through January 10.

Graduate School of Counseling concentrations listed below will be offering online and low-residency courses to start their programs in January 2026 as well as our Summer 2026 terms.

Beginning a graduate program in Spring 2026 or Summer 2026 means that you will have access to apply for Graduate Plus loans as these loans will be eliminated at the federal level starting in Fall 2026.

Contact Admissions (admissions@naropa.edu) today to learn how you can begin the next step in your graduate education journey.