Guides / Canadian and International Applicants

Optometry School for Canadian and International Applicants

Several U.S. optometry schools accept international applicants through OptomCAS on the same terms as everyone else, with extra paperwork on top. Here is what the schools and the OAT say about that paperwork, and where to ask before you apply.

Last checked Nov 2, 2026.

The Short Answer

Every school we checked says international applicants use OptomCAS and meet the same admission requirements as U.S. applicants. The extra steps are an evaluation of any foreign coursework, English proof if English isn't your first language, and visa and financial documents once you're admitted. Policies differ school to school, and we only read the ones named below, so ask the rest. Four things to check first:

Does each school on your list accept applicants who aren't U.S. citizens?
Do your transcripts need an evaluation?
Does the school require an English test?
What can you borrow or pay, given your status?

Transcripts

U.S. and English-language Canadian transcripts are sent to OptomCAS like any other. Canadian schools that issue transcripts in English aren't treated as foreign.
French-Canadian and other foreign transcripts are treated as foreign. OptomCAS says most programs require a course-by-course evaluation from a U.S. service, and it accepts evaluations only from World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). Don't send the original or a translated copy of a foreign transcript to OptomCAS, because it will be discarded. Transcripts from Caribbean medical schools are treated as foreign too.
Order the WES evaluation inside OptomCAS. OptomCAS says WES electronic evaluations must be ordered directly through the application. ECE evaluations are mailed on paper.
Start early. OptomCAS warns that services can take several weeks.

Schools add their own rules. Pacific wants both a credential evaluation and a course-by-course evaluation of all foreign coursework, even courses that don't count toward prerequisites. Western accepts WES or Josef Silny & Associates for coursework outside the U.S. and Canada. Berkeley strongly encourages third-party verification such as WES early in the process. Illinois College of Optometry requires an evaluation for applicants educated outside the U.S. or Canada, or whose transcripts aren't in English, and accepts WES or ECE.

The OAT

It's the standard test. See the OAT, explained.
Bring the right ID. The ADA requires two original, current IDs. One must be government-issued with your photo, name and signature, and passports are accepted. All IDs except passports must be written in English.
Language. The exam is presented in Standard American English.
Fees are in U.S. dollars. The ADA's guide lists no international surcharge. The exam fee was $520 for the year ending June 30, 2026.
Test locations. The ADA's candidate guide doesn't list sites outside the U.S. and Canada, so check Prometric before you plan a trip.
Fee waiver. The ADA's 50% partial waiver for severe financial hardship requires you to be a U.S. citizen or a foreign national who meets the IRS green card or substantial presence test.

English Proof

School	What its page says
Illinois College of Optometry	TOEFL required if English is your second language. You can ask in writing for a waiver. No minimum score is listed.
UC Berkeley	TOEFL may be required. Check the university's international requirements.
Pacific	A satisfactory command of English is required of all applicants, including residents and citizens. If English isn't your first language, you must meet the university's English proficiency requirement before admission.
Western University	Official TOEFL iBT or E3PT results if your native language isn't English, current for the cycle.
Indiana	The apply page lists no English test. Check with admissions.
Puerto Rico (IAUPR)	The catalog says all lectures are in English. It also lists bilingual English and Spanish skills as a required personal quality and requires a clinical proficiency exam in Spanish. See the guía en español.

Visas, Money and Status

Illinois College of Optometry says admitted international students must show proof of financial responsibility by mid-June, after which it issues the I-20 used to apply for an F-1 visa. Its page lists a $350 SEVIS fee and sends you to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the current amount.
Inter American University of Puerto Rico asks foreign candidates for notarized financial documentation, a passport or ID copy and a visa application. Its catalog says visas are granted only to full-time students.
Western asks applicants who are not U.S. citizens but live in the U.S. for proof of legal U.S. residency before they start.
What you can borrow. We haven't sourced which loans non-citizens can use. FutureOD's cost pages assume a U.S. borrower, so ask each school's financial aid office what you can borrow before you compare costs. The federal loan cap guide explains the limits U.S. borrowers face.

Applying to a Canadian Program

The OAT's candidate guide tells anyone applying to a Canadian optometry school to confirm that the school accepts the OAT before registering. We read one Canadian program's page, the University of Waterloo's Doctor of Optometry. It says:

All applicants must complete the OAT, with a minimum score of 300. Lower scores are decided case by case.
Applicants must complete CASPer, an online assessment, and submit two confidential assessment forms, one from an optometrist and one character reference. Neither may be from a relative.
Applicants must be Canadian citizens or legal residents of Canada for at least twelve months before their first term. Some international students on student visas may be considered in special situations.

The Waterloo page still showed the 2023 CASPer date and 2024 entry when we read it, so treat its details as a guide and confirm the current cycle with the school. We haven't covered other Canadian programs.

What to Ask Each U.S. School

Do you admit applicants who aren't U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and is there a seat limit?
Which evaluation services and English tests do you accept, and by what date?
What proof of funds or insurance do you need, and when?
Do you charge a different application fee? Ohio State, for example, charges international applicants $70 (see what applying costs).

Start with the school pages to shortlist programs, and follow the OptomCAS walkthrough. The NSU Oklahoma school page carries an unconfirmed note on who is eligible, so check it with the school.

All of the above is from the pages listed below, last checked Nov 2, 2026. Policies change each cycle and some pages leave out details, so get answers in writing from the admissions office.

Sources

Requirements and dates change each cycle. Always confirm with each school before you apply.

Keep Reading

The OAT, ExplainedWhat's on the Optometry Admission Test, how it's scored, what it costs and the rules for retaking it.
What's a Good OAT Score?Entering-class OAT averages for every school, and what score to aim for.
Which OAT Prep?The main OAT prep options side by side, what they cost, and which one fits your budget and study style.
OAT Study PlanFree 8-week and 12-week OAT schedules, week by week, with what to study for each section.