Students playing cards

Whitman College enrolls approximately 1,500 students from throughout the world, creating an intellectually centered, diverse and highly engaged community of scholars. We strive to build a community that represents students from various ethnic, religious, socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds.

Whitman's international students are essential and valued members of this diverse community and receive extra care and attention from the Office of International Student and Scholar Services, which provides transition, orientation and immigration support. The office also organizes community and holiday break activities, and manages the Global Whitties and the Friendship Family Program. These programs help international students connect on-campus mentor, as well as build relationships with the community by being paired with a local family.

Have questions about applying? Email our Admission Office at international@whitman.edu.

First-Year Deadlines Transfer Student Deadlines Early Decision FAQ Apply to Whitman

Whitman College requires international applicants whose first language is not English to submit an official score report for either the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo.

The institution code for Whitman is 4951. You will need this code when requesting official score reports for submission.

The minimum required TOEFL scores are 560 on the paper-based exam or 85 on the internet-based exam. The minimum IELTS score is 7.0. The minimum Duolingo score is 110. The TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo can be waived if your first language is English OR if the primary language of instruction at your high school has been English. Exceptions beyond these cases are rare.

Interviews for admission to Whitman College are not required or encouraged for international students. We could never interview all of our international candidates, so out of fairness, interviews are purely informative and do not lead to any advantage in the admissions cycle. Your application is considered complete without them.  International applicants who are not able to travel to Walla Walla for an interview have the option of completing an interview through InitialView or Vericant.

For more information, please contact, Senior Associate Director of Admission, Veronica Ortiz.

Whitman College is proud to be a partner with the Davis United World College Scholars Program. The Davis Scholarship program contributes $30,000.00 each year for four years to entering UWC graduates enrolling at Whitman College.

Enrolling students from United World Colleges may also be eligible for a travel stipend that covers the cost of a one-way trip to Whitman College from their home country.

Whitman College offers credit for certain scores on specified International Baccalaureate exams. Learn more about Whitman's IB credit policy by reviewing the Academics section of the college catalog.

The Whitman College Intercultural Center

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

The Study in the States website with Homeland Security has good general information about student visas and what the requirements are to get a visa and maintain it once you are in the United States.

The U.S. State Department can be very helpful in your college search and provides instructions and tips for obtaining a student visa and the location of U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide.

The U.S. Network for Education Information covers many topics and has links to dozens of useful sites.

News and Features

  • Sylvia Adome ’22 Awarded Prestigious Watson Fellowship

    May 17, 2022 • The Whitman College theater and economics major will spend a year traveling to seven countries to learn about African artists in the diaspora as a recipient of the Thomas J. Watson fellowship.

  • A Look Back at Power & Privilege 2022

    March 11, 2022 • This year’s symposium covered issues including diversity in sports at Whitman, religious inclusion, abortion access, entrepreneurship in BIPOC communities and barriers for first-generation college students.

  • Freedom Songs 2021 Celebrates Diverse Voices From Around the Globe

    November 18, 2021 • A powerful evening of song, dance and spoken word from around the world was delivered to a remarkable turnout at Whitman College’s Cordiner Hall on Friday, Nov. 12.

  • Where We All Belong: Meet Whitman’s First Inclusion Fellows

    November 15, 2021 • The college’s first cohort of Inclusion Fellows share their vision for a campus where everyone belongs.

  • Get to Know the Class of 2024

    May 25, 2021 • Like no class before them, they began at Whitman College virtually. The Class of 2024’s true uniqueness lies, though, in the depth and breadth each of their personal narratives adds to the Whitman community. Read some of their stories.