Franklin University Admissions 2026: Application Deadline, Eligibility & Fees

Franklin University Application Deadlines

Franklin University runs three trimesters each year (Fall, Spring, Summer). Indian F-1 applicants are currently restricted to the master’s route because undergraduate F-1 admissions remain suspended for the 2026-27 cycle. Doctoral programmes accept only non-F-1 applicants. Deadlines below are drawn from the Franklin international students page and reflect Franklin’s Monday-of-early-December Spring pattern for the not-yet-published Spring 2027 deadline.

Franklin University’s primary intake for Indian F-1 master’s applicants in the 2026-27 cycle is Spring 2027, since Fall 2026 has already closed.

Insider note: Franklin’s international graduate cycle publishes exact Monday deadlines about six weeks before opening. Spring 2026 was 8 December 2025 and Spring 2025 was 9 December 2024, so treat 7 December 2026 as a working Spring 2027 target and confirm with OISP.

Franklin University Eligibility for Indian Students

Franklin University uses tiered academic thresholds by degree level. F-1 master’s applicants from India need a bachelor’s degree from an institution recognised by a Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)-affiliated body, evaluated through a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)-member agency such as WES, IQAS, or ECE.

• UG general entry (F-1 suspended): US high school equivalent, so Indian Class XII at ~65 percent.
• PG general entry: Bachelor’s from a CHEA-recognised institution, minimum GPA 2.75 on a 4.0 scale (roughly 55 to 60 percent Indian).
• Doctoral entry (non-F-1 only): Master’s degree or equivalent from a recognised institution.
• MBA specific: No GMAT or GRE required, three-plus years of work experience recommended.

Franklin accepts multiple English proficiency tests. Institution-wide minimums by degree level are shown below, and scores must be less than two years old at the time of application.

Franklin University IELTS Waiver for Indian Students

Franklin’s Office of International Students and Programs (OISP) exempts English proficiency testing for applicants who are citizens of one of 40-plus English-primary countries on its published list. India does not appear on this list, so Indian applicants must submit IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 79, PTE 57, or Duolingo 105 (master’s minimums). One case-by-case exception applies: if you completed a full undergraduate degree in English at a recognised US, UK, Canadian, Australian, Irish, or New Zealand institution, contact OISP with your transcripts before applying.

Franklin University Master’s Programs and English Requirements

Franklin University’s graduate portfolio is delivered primarily online, and F-1 students must satisfy the in-person credit-hour minimum their programme specifies. Base tuition sits at USD 670 per credit hour (around ₹64,112) for standard master’s programs, with per-programme totals varying by credit count. Full cost breakdowns live on the Franklin course-wise fees breakdown page.

Typical total programme cost sits in the USD 20,100 to USD 24,120 (₹19.23 to ₹23.08 Lakhs) band, before the USD 2,000 (₹1.91 Lakhs) new-student deposit and USD 200 (₹19,138) enrolment confirmation deposit. Scholarship options for master’s applicants are on the Franklin funding for Indian students page.

Note: Program-specific entry requirements, fees, and intake availability may differ from the institution-wide minimums shown above. Always confirm on the official Franklin University page for your chosen program before applying.

Franklin University Undergraduate Admissions for Indian Students

Franklin University does not currently offer F-1 visa sponsorship for undergraduate applicants. Indian students seeking a Bachelor’s degree at Franklin may only enrol through the fully online, no-visa pathway (100 percent distance learning from India). If you need the F-1 route for on-campus study, choose the master’s programmes instead, or apply after completing a US-recognised pathway or associate programme.

Base tuition for international undergraduates is USD 526 per credit hour (around ₹50,333), delivered fully online to India-based students. Popular online-only bachelor’s tracks include Computer Science, Business Administration, Cybersecurity, Applied Psychology, and RN-BSN Nursing.

• Duration: 124 credit hours across all bachelor’s programmes (typically 4 years full-time equivalent).
• Academic floor: Class XII at ~65 percent (US high school equivalent).
• English floor: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 75, PTE 53, or Duolingo 100.
• Application fee: USD 40 (around ₹3,828) for international undergraduate applications.
• Study mode: Online only for India-based applicants until F-1 UG admissions reopen.

Franklin University MBA Requirements for Indian Applicants

Franklin University’s MBA is a 36 to 40 credit hour programme with an Organizational Leadership specialisation, delivered in trimester blocks that Franklin structures around adult-learner schedules. Franklin waives GMAT and GRE across MBA and specialised master’s programmes, so admission decisions rest on academic record, work experience, and English proficiency.

• Duration: 36 to 40 credit hours, typically 20 to 24 months full-time equivalent.
• Base tuition: USD 670 per credit hour (₹64,112) for the standard MBA path.
• Work experience: Three-plus years professional experience recommended, not mandated.
• GMAT/GRE: Not required; holistic review weights career trajectory and academic record.
• Interview: Not routinely required; OISP may schedule case-by-case reviews for borderline files.
• Application fee: USD 30 (₹2,871) for international master’s applicants.

Deadlines follow the master’s cycle: Spring 2027 F-1 intake closes on the expected 7 December 2026 date, and Fall 2027 primary intake is expected mid-July 2027. Franklin’s Spring intake is the practical actionable window for Indian MBA applicants in the current 2026-27 cycle.

Planning note: Franklin’s MBA is delivered predominantly online, and F-1 rules require in-person credit-hour minimums each term. Confirm the on-campus MBA course load in your admission letter before finalising visa plans, since fully online MBA delivery does not sustain F-1 status on its own.

Franklin University Doctoral Program Options

Franklin University’s doctoral portfolio (Doctor of Business Administration, Doctor of Education, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Healthcare Administration, Doctor of Professional Studies) is delivered online for working professionals. Doctoral admissions are not open to F-1 visa applicants. Franklin accepts doctoral students only through non-F-1 routes: US residents, or fully-online enrolment from your home country without a US visa.

• Programmes: DBA, EdD, DNP, DHA, and DPS, all delivered 100 percent online.
• Base tuition (international): USD 899 per credit hour (₹86,025).
• Application fee: USD 50 (₹4,785) for international doctoral applications.
• Prior cycle deadlines (all closed): Spring 2026 (8 December 2025), Summer 2026 (23 March 2026), Fall 2025 (9 June 2025).
• Next available cycles: Spring 2027 (expected 7 December 2026), Summer 2027 (expected March 2027), Fall 2027 (expected June 2027).
• Doctoral scholarship: Up to USD 7,500 (₹7.18 Lakhs) available; broader funding details on Franklin’s funding page.

Reality check: If you need a US visa to study, the doctoral track at Franklin is not an option. Choose the master’s route for F-1 sponsorship, or use the DBA/EdD/DNP as an online-from-India credential without physical relocation.

Franklin University Application Process

Franklin uses its own online portal at apply.franklin.edu (called MyTools once your account is created). International students file the same electronic application as domestic applicants, with additional financial documentation added for F-1 review.

1. Create your MyTools account on the apply.franklin.edu portal, and select your intake (Fall 2026 closed; Spring 2027 open) and international applicant status.
2. Pay the application fee of USD 30 (around ₹2,871) on the apply.franklin.edu portal for master’s programs (USD 40 or ₹3,828 for online-only UG; USD 50 or ₹4,785 for non-F-1 doctoral).
3. Submit official transcripts through a NACES-member evaluation agency (WES, IQAS, ECE) sent electronically or by sealed post directly to Franklin.
4. Upload English proficiency scores from IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE, or Duolingo; scores must be within two years of the application date.
5. Complete the Financial Responsibility form signed by you and your sponsor, plus bank statements proving one year of funding (sponsored) or two years (self-funded).
6. Submit your passport biographical page copy so OISP can issue the I-20 after admission.
7. Track your file via MyTools using login credentials emailed after submission; expect a decision within 4 to 8 weeks.
8. Pay the USD 2,000 (₹1.91 Lakhs) new-student deposit plus USD 200 (₹19,138) enrolment confirmation deposit once admitted, to trigger I-20 issuance for F-1 visa processing.

Franklin communicates admission decisions and requests for further information (RFIs) exclusively through MyTools, so check the portal weekly during the review window rather than waiting on email alone.

Franklin University Documents Required for Indian Students

Franklin’s international document set focuses on academic verification, financial capacity, and visa readiness. All items must be uploaded via MyTools or sent electronically from the issuing institution or approved provider — applicant-forwarded PDFs of transcripts are not accepted as official.

• Passport biographical page: valid at least six months beyond intended US entry.
• Official transcripts: from all post-secondary institutions, evaluated by a NACES-member agency (WES, IQAS, ECE).
• English proficiency score report: sent directly by IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, or Duolingo.
• Financial Responsibility form: signed by applicant and sponsor.
• Bank statements: covering one year of tuition and living costs (sponsored) or two years (self-funded), dated within 90 days.
• Passport-style photograph: digital, for I-20 record.
• Sponsor affidavit and identity proof: when the funding source is not the applicant.
• Statement of Purpose: requested by MBA and some specialised master’s programmes.
• Resume or CV: highlighting work experience (essential for MBA and MS Business Analytics).
• Two Letters of Recommendation: required by MBA and doctoral programmes; optional for other master’s.

Keep both scanned and physical copies of every document, since the US Consulate visa interview may ask to see originals of transcripts, degree certificates, and bank statements.

Franklin University Acceptance Rate

Franklin University does not publish an official institutional acceptance rate. Its admissions model is access-oriented (admits most applicants who meet its stated GPA and English minimums, with conditional enrolment offered to those slightly below), so acceptance is estimated between 60 and 70 percent based on adult-learner-focused open-admissions patterns for regional US universities in Franklin’s ranking band.

What drives a Franklin University master’s decision

Franklin’s holistic file review weights your GPA against the 2.75 floor, the credibility of your NACES-evaluated transcripts, and your English score. Because GMAT and GRE are not required, your Bachelor’s discipline (relevance to the master’s programme) and work experience carry substantial weight. Franklin also offers conditional enrolment: applicants below the 2.75 GPA floor may be admitted subject to earning a B or better in their first two Franklin courses.

How Indian applicants strengthen a Franklin University file

Choose the master’s programme where your Bachelor’s discipline aligns cleanly (Bachelor’s in commerce for the MBA, Bachelor’s in computer applications for MS Computer Science). Submit English proficiency scores above the 6.0 IELTS floor rather than exactly at it, and supply a concise Statement of Purpose even when Franklin does not mandate one — narrative fit still matters at the master’s-level review.

Insider note: Franklin’s conditional enrolment pathway is a genuine second chance, not a marketing line. Indian applicants with a 2.6 GPA who cannot re-take their Bachelor’s should still apply, since a B in the first two Franklin courses locks in full admission.

USA F-1 Student Visa Process for Franklin University Applicants

F-1 is the standard US student visa for full-time academic study, and Franklin’s I-20 (the SEVIS certificate) is issued after admission and deposit payment. F-1 processing must complete before the programme start date printed on your I-20, and Franklin’s OISP handles all I-20 issuance from Columbus, Ohio.

The five-step process for Indian applicants: (1) receive the I-20 from Franklin OISP after paying the USD 2,000 (₹1.91 Lakhs) new-student deposit; (2) pay the SEVIS I-901 fee of USD 350 (around ₹33,492) at fmjfee.com; (3) complete the DS-160 online and pay the visa fee of USD 185 (around ₹17,703); (4) schedule biometrics plus the visa interview at the US Consulate (Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, or Hyderabad); (5) attend the interview with I-20, DS-160 confirmation, SEVIS receipt, financial documents, admission letter, and passport.

Financial proof for the visa interview: you must show funds equal to one year of tuition and living costs (roughly USD 25,000 to 30,000, or ₹23.92 to ₹28.71 Lakhs) if sponsored, or two years if self-funded. Franklin’s Financial Responsibility form is the primary document, backed by three months of bank statements. On arrival in Columbus, report to Franklin OISP within 15 days for SEVIS check-in and mandatory international student orientation.

2026 update: F-1 entry is permitted up to 30 days before your I-20 programme start date. Since Franklin’s Spring 2027 term begins in early January 2027, target your visa interview between mid-October and early December 2026 to allow buffer for administrative processing (221(g) checks can add 2 to 6 weeks for Indian applicants in STEM fields).

Franklin University Admissions Tips and Application Checklist

The following tips and steps are drawn from Indian-applicant patterns at Franklin’s F-1 master’s route in recent cycles, and target the Spring 2027 window.

• Target 8 weeks before deadline: Request NACES evaluation (WES turnaround for India is 3 to 4 weeks plus shipping).
• Book IELTS or TOEFL 10 weeks out: Franklin’s 6.0 IELTS floor is low, but scores in hand before applying beat waiting on results.
• Refresh bank statements 4 weeks before the visa interview: statements older than 90 days will be rejected by the consulate.
• File early in the cycle: Franklin reviews Spring intakes on a rolling basis after mid-October, and earlier files clear faster.
• Confirm CHEA equivalency before paying: three-year vs four-year Bachelor’s classification is the common friction point; email OISP first.
• Do not target the doctoral track for F-1: DBA, EdD, and DNP are non-F-1 only, so choose the master’s route if you need a US visa.
• Check MyTools weekly: Franklin issues decisions and RFIs exclusively through the portal, not email.
• Keep the USD 2,000 (₹1.91 Lakhs) deposit ready: I-20 issuance blocks on the deposit, and the I-20 is the visa-interview gatekeeper.

Franklin University’s Indian admissions story for 2026-27 is narrow but clear: only the master’s route carries F-1 sponsorship, only the trimester system, and Spring 2027 with an expected 7 December 2026 materials deadline is the next actionable window. Confirm the exact deadline with OISP before applying.