This guide is for international students considering Dallas Baptist University（达拉斯浸会大学）in Dallas, Texas. It covers the programs on offer, what the university looks for at undergraduate and graduate level, the published 2026-27 costs, and the way an international application is supported from English preparation through to the I-20 and arrival. All facts were verified on the university’s official catalog and website (catalog.dbu.edu and www.dbu.edu) visible on 5 August 2026; fee figures come from the published 2025-26 and 2026-27 schedules.
Dallas Baptist University at a Glance
Dallas Baptist Universityis a private Christ-centered comprehensive university founded in 1898, located at 3000 Mountain Creek Parkway in Dallas, Texas. Its own pages describe a mission of integrating Biblical faith with academic learning to produce servant leaders, and the current president is Dr. Adam C. Wright. The 368-acre campus sits on University Hill overlooking Mountain Creek Lake within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, whose population exceeds seven million; the university’s pages put the campus 13 miles from downtown Dallas, 29 miles from downtown Fort Worth, and close to both Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Love Field. Dallas Baptist University organizes its work into seven colleges and schools — Business, Christian Faith, Education, Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and the School of Leadership — and offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees as well as pre-professional and certificate programs. Beyond the main campus there are off-campus teaching sites across the metroplex and a service center called DBU North at the Hope Center.
Programs at Dallas Baptist University: From Bachelor’s to Doctorate
Dallas Baptist University states that international students can choose from over 100 degree programs at both undergraduate and graduate level. Undergraduates study under a block-tuition system: for 2026-27, full-time students (12 to 18 credit hours per semester) pay a flat $20,595 per semester in fall and spring, credit hours above 18 are charged at $1,373 each, and part-time students (under 12 hours) pay $1,373 per credit hour. Graduate tuition at Dallas Baptist University is $1,432 per credit hour for 2026-27 (master’s) and $1,495 for doctoral work, while exclusively online courses are billed at $495 per hour for undergraduates, $550 for master’s and $795 for doctoral students. The academic year runs on semesters with a 16-week main term (Subterm A) plus 8-week Subterms B and C and various short Subterm D options; the published Fall 2026 main term runs 24 August to 16 December 2026. The university also runs an Accelerated Graduate Placement scheme and bachelor’s-to-master’s bridge programs so undergraduates can take graduate courses early.
Undergraduate Entry Requirements, Including International Applicants
Freshman applicants to Dallas Baptist University need a high school diploma or GED, a completed application, an official high school transcript, and official ACT, CLT or SAT scores; the university recommends four years of English, three years of mathematics (including Algebra I and Geometry), three years of science (including at least one year of lab science and one Biology credit), three years of social studies, and two to three years of foreign language in high school. Transfer and homeschool students are also welcome. International applicants — anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident — apply through the university’s International Admissions and Immigration department rather than the regular admissions route. The international checklist requires: the international application; official school records showing a minimum 2.5 GPA on the U.S. 4-point scale, with word-for-word English translation if the originals are not in English; a 250-word written essay; and an Application for I-20 for students who need an F-1 visa, which carries financial requirements. English proficiency can be met through any one of a long list of options, including TOEFL iBT 71, IELTS 6.0 overall with no band below 5, PTE 48, CAE 163, MELAB 80, iTEP 3.7, Duolingo English Test 100 total with no sub-score below 90, SAT 500 on Critical Reading and Writing, IB 5 in Higher-Level English A1, AP 3.0 in English Language and Composition, or a passing KCSE with a B in English; applicants from English-speaking countries such as Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Canada (except Quebec) are exempt from proving English ability. Students who do not yet meet the English bar can enter the Intensive English Program (IEP) at Dallas Baptist University, which runs five 8-week sessions a year across six levels with a placement test at entry.
Graduate and Doctoral Admissions at Dallas Baptist University
Master’s admission at Dallas Baptist University is holistic: applicants submit a formal application, the official final transcript from the bachelor’s degree, a statement of purpose, a current professional résumé and letters of recommendation, and must hold a bachelor’s degree from an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale in previous coursework. Applicants who show potential but fall short of full criteria may be admitted under Provisional status, converting to full admission after completing the set conditions, typically 12 credit hours at a 3.0 GPA with no grades below B. Doctoral programs (the PhD in Leadership Studies and the EdD in Educational Leadership) require a master’s degree, a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher, a GRE score at or above the 50th percentile (GMAT or MAT accepted with approval), an admissions assessment, professional experience, three letters of recommendation from specific sources, an employer letter of support, and an in-person admissions interview on campus; the application fee is $50. Application deadlines at Dallas Baptist University differ by program: the PhD packet is due mid-March for summer matriculation, the EdD priority deadline for fall is June 1, and the EdD Educational Leadership K-12 concentration runs June 1 (fall cohorts) and November 1 (spring cohorts) deadlines. International graduate applicants face a higher English bar than undergraduates: TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.0 with no band below 5.5, PTE 53, CAE 169, MELAB 80, iTEP 3.9, or Duolingo English Test 110 total with no sub-score below 90, and must also submit the I-20 application.
Costs for 2026-27: Tuition, Housing and the Cost of Attendance
Dallas Baptist University publishes costs by academic year. For 2026-27, the undergraduate cost of attendance for a full-time on-campus student — an estimate used for financial aid eligibility, not the actual bill — totals $60,640, comprising $41,190 block tuition, $2,370 fees, $5,898 housing, $7,000 meals, $1,290 books and materials, $92 loan fees, $1,150 transportation and $1,650 personal expenses; the comparable 2025-26 figure was $58,124. Housing is billed per semester: for 2026-27, Spence Hall rooms cost $2,700 (double) or $2,500 (triple) per semester with the Spence Pod at $3,010, Crowley/Lange/Williams doubles are $2,360 and triples $2,100, and the Ford Village learning-living communities (Jewel and Stone Houses) are $3,600 plus a $385 program fee. Residence-hall residents must take at least a 14-meals-per-week plan: the 2026-27 options are the 14-meal plan at $3,340 per semester plus tax, Unlimited at $3,500, Unlimited Plus at $3,900, and the Resident Flex 10 at $2,440. A $50 fee applies each time a course is dropped, an installment payment plan carries a $175 fee, and late or short payments cost $55 each. For English preparation, the IEP academic-studies route costs $11,335 in tuition, fees and tax for a 16-week session in fall 2026 or spring 2027, with health insurance around $1,100, for a total near $12,435, plus optional housing and meals (about $6,975 for 16 weeks). The university reserves the right to change tuition at the start of any semester, so current figures should always be checked against the latest pages.
Application Timeline: Financial Settlement and the Academic Calendar
Dallas Baptist University runs on fixed financial milestones. First payment dates are July 15 (fall), December 15 (spring) and June 15 (summer); financial settlement dates are August 15 (fall), January 13 (spring) and May 31 (summer); and final payment due dates are November 15 (fall), April 15 (spring) and July 15 (summer). Students who do not reach financial settlement by the due date are withdrawn from enrolled courses, and unpaid balances trigger a Cashier’s Hold that blocks further registration, records access and campus services. International students must pay 100% of the semester’s tuition, fees, insurance, housing and food at registration unless the international office approves an installment note, and international wire payments can be made through Flywire in the payer’s home currency. Planning a fall 2026 start at Dallas Baptist University means working around the published calendar: advance registration ran April 1 to May 29, 2026, classes begin August 24, fall break is October 5-9, and November 4 is the last day to withdraw. If English is not yet at the required level, the IEP’s five 8-week sessions in 2026 start January 13, March 18, June 2, August 11 and October 20, so a student can complete a session or two before the main term begins. The practical sequence is to work backwards from the target term’s financial deadlines, then line up English scores or IEP timing, and finally lock in the tuition and housing budget.
Information Currency and Advice
The programs, entry requirements, costs and dates above were verified against the official catalog and website of Dallas Baptist University on 5 August 2026. Tuition, fees, housing, calendars and deadlines change by academic year, so always confirm current figures on the latest published pages and in official offer documents before acting. If you would like to turn your academic background, English level and budget into a concrete application plan — program choice, the right English pathway, document preparation and financial milestones — discuss your specific situation with this site’s advisers.