From its earliest days, The Masters School community has enrolled students from all over the world. International students come from 13 countries and represent 14% percent of the student body, joining others from throughout the United States to pursue a college-preparatory education. International students are quickly integrated into the community and are regularly found among our elected student leaders and top award winners at graduation each year.

Academic Program
In addition to a variety of required and elective courses, The Masters School curriculum provides the learning and research skills necessary for students to enter U.S. colleges or universities with confidence. Each student has a faculty advisor who guides the student with academic and social needs. The Academic Dean and college guidance counselors help create course schedules that prepare our students for college, as well as develop areas of personal interest. In addition to ESL (English as a Second Language) courses, our international students enjoy a variety of classes in history, political science, computer science, mathematics, science, global issues, art, drama and athletics. Co-curricular activities each afternoon include team sports and opportunities in a variety of areas, including drama, research in science, creative writing, community service, study hall, theatre tech, open art, yearbook.

Formal college counseling begins in the junior year. Our college guidance counselors supervise all college placement testing (the PSAT, the SAT, the SAT II Subject Tests), coordinate visits to The Masters School by college admission officers, advise students on application procedures, and write a comprehensive recommendation for each senior, based on the student's academic record and teachers' written evaluations.

English as a Second Language (ESL) Program
The Masters School provides English as a Second Language (ESL) program for international students whose English is not yet strong enough for enrollment in mainstream language-intensive courses such as history and literature. ESL courses are offered at intermediate and advanced levels. The goal of the ESL program is to prepare students for and support them through the rigors of mainstream coursework by teaching skills and covering material that will accelerate their English language learning. Our hope is that by providing international students with these classes, in addition to their mainstream courses, they will develop the skills and the confidence to express themselves effectively in English and will thereby acquire the means to become fully engaged in all aspects of community life here at The Masters School.
As a strong foundation in English is essential for success in The Masters School’s demanding curriculum, ESL students must be prepared to devote a great deal of time and effort, both in and outside of class, to fulfilling the requirements of their ESL courses.

Residential Life
With over 150 boarding students, The Masters School dormitories become many students' home away from home. Dorm staff are responsible for the well-being of the students in their dorms, and while there are mandatory study halls and check-in times, the atmosphere on the hall is one of family. Whether it's a dorm dinner, field trip, watching television, baking cookies, or giving advice and friendship, students and dorm parents contribute to the feeling of community at The Masters School. Faculty and their families often eat in the dining halls with students.
Just 35 miles north of New York City, accessible by train, students have access to world-class arts and entertainment, shopping, and international restaurants and grocery stores. In the immediate area, movie theatres, shopping malls and historical places of interest are just a bus ride away. The Student Activities Office organizes weekend activities which include visits to many of these locales and activities.
The International Club is a club that is made up of international and American students who wish to increase cross-cultural awareness at The Masters School. This group sponsors an international dinner and other events during the school year.

Admission Criteria and Process for International Students
International students must meet the same admission criteria as United States citizens do, in addition to obtaining a minimum required score on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language/www.toefl.org). The following items are required by February 5 to complete an application:

• Student Application
• Family Information*
• Application Fee of $100, by U.S. dollar check or via wire transfer to:

JP Morgan Chase Bank 021000021
(914) 693-5200  Account Number 0067202643
Ashford Avenue
Dobbs Ferry, NY            (Include the student’s name on the wire.)

• SSAT or ISEE scores from the current school year**
• TOEFL scores from the current school year**
• Three years of academic records/transcripts/grades, to include current school year and the previous two years. These documents must be in English.
• School Report Form
• Current English Teacher Recommendation
• Current Math Teacher Recommendation
• Interview (on campus or by telephone)

Applications will not be considered until all documents and test scores are received and an interview has been completed. The admission committee may request additional information if necessary.

Notes:
*While we accept the TABS Common Application, we do require that the parent portion of The Master School application be submitted as well.

**All Testing should be completed no later than January in order for our office to receive the official scores by the application deadline.

**TOEFL Scores: Because The Masters School ESL program is designed for students in the intermediate and advanced levels, we require minimum TOEFL scores to be considered for admission. As we fill all spaces for international students in the first round of decisions, it is very important that a student request TOEFL/ETS to send us an official score report as early as possible to ensure the report is received  by the Admission Office prior to the application deadline. We cannot consider applicants who do not submit official TOEFL scores.

TOEFL minimum acceptable score:

The Masters School’s school code for the TOEFL is 8103.

If we receive an applicant’s TOEFL score that does not meet our minimum standard (above), we will not continue with the admission process and will notify the student immediately after receiving the score.

American Sponsor
All international students whose parents live outside of the United States must have a designated sponsor living in the United States while the student is attending The Masters School. This sponsor acts as the family representative in case of an emergency or disciplinary situation. Sponsors are designated by parents once a student has been admitted to the school by completing and signing an American Sponsor form provided with the acceptance notification.

Financial Aid
A limited amount of financial aid is available for international students. To be considered for financial aid, a family must complete the financial aid application process. Click here for detailed information about the process. Please note that international applicants for financial aid can complete the SSS Parent Financial Statement form on-line at https://sss.ets.org

I-20 Forms
Once a student has been admitted (notification March 10) and has returned an enrollment contract and deposit, the Admission Office will issue an I-20 (usually in May). The I-20 must be taken to the U.S. consulate in the student's home country in order to apply for an F-1 (student) visa.