First-Year FAQ

A: AIC was founded in 1885 for the purpose of educating international immigrants who were coming to America through New York. Our goal was to give them an education that would help them build successful lives and pursue the dreams that they came to America with. Today, AIC has students from more than 25 different countries and 25 different US states. We stay true to our international roots by embracing the different cultures, languages, and religions that our students bring to campus with them. From our International Week to our heritage-based clubs, AIC proudly celebrates the diversity that makes us truly International.

A: At AIC, we believe in rewarding our students for their hard work and achievement in high school, and we do this by investing in their education right from the beginning.

AIC offers an academic merit scholarship to each accepted student. Scholarship amounts range from $17,000 to $27,000 and stay with students for four years as long as they remain in good academic standing at AIC. For example, a student that receives the $27,000 Presidential Merit Scholarship will save a total of $108,000 during his or her time at AIC.

A: As long as you have not earned more than 12 credits at a college or university, you will be considered a freshman applicant. AP and IB credits are not included as part of the 12 credits because you are taking the courses as part of your high school curriculum. Similarly, taking dual enrollment courses through your high school and earning college credits would still make you a freshman applicant, even if you earned more than 12 credits.

A: If you did the work in high school, then you deserve some credit. If you took an AP course and received a 3 or higher on the AP exam, then you will receive 3 credits on your AIC transcript when you enroll. Depending on the AP course that you took, it may be able to substitute a General Education Requirement or an Elective. For IB courses, AIC will award up to 6 credits for each IB course taken at the higher level as long as you receive a score of 4 or higher. A maximum of 30 credits may be granted. As with the AP courses, IB courses may be able to substitute a General Education Requirement or an Elective.

A: Our SAT school code is 3002 and our FAFSA school code is 002114.

AIC has opportunities for athletics of all levels. With 22 NCAA Division II teams and 1 NCAA Division I team (Men’s Ice Hockey), our Yellow Jackets are highly competitive in a variety of sports. There are also opportunities to play on club sports. Though they are not part of the NCAA, they still compete against other institutions at a high level. If you are interested in learning more about AIC Athletics, visit our Athletics page.

A: Yes, we guarantee housing for all of our undergraduate students. AIC has many styles of residence halls to suit every student’s needs. The types of residence halls include first-year only, female only, suite style, apartment style, on-campus, and off-campus.

A: AIC reviews applications on a rolling basis. Once a complete application is received a decision is typically made within two weeks.

A: To complete your application for admission, we will need an Official Copy of your High School Transcript(s). You can also choose to send us optional documents, to help us get to know you better, like your test scores (SAT or ACT), personal statement, or letters of recommendation. The more we get to know you as a person, the better we can determine if you have the potential to excel at AIC. We also encourage you to visit campus and meet one-on-one with an Admissions Counselor. If you come during the day, we’ll even treat you to lunch.

A: Springfield is conveniently located in a very active part of Massachusetts. We have many events and points of interest all around New England that our students look forward to including the Big E (West Springfield, MA), the Lee Outlets (Lee, MA), Water Fire (Providence, RI), Halloween Weekend in Salem (Salem, MA), Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun Casinos (CT), the Basketball Hall of Fame (Springfield, MA), the Ben & Jerry’s Factory (Burlington, VT), Six Flags New England (Agawam, MA) and much more! Plus, we are less than two hours from all that Boston has to offer. Many times, AIC will host bus trips to these locations. But it’s easy enough to gather a group of friends and take a day trip to any of these destinations!

Looking for something more local? AIC always has something happening on campus. From Casino Nights to group workout classes to plays put on by our Garret Players Theater Group to intramural sports, it’s easy to find something to do. The activities begin before school even starts with our Welcome Week festivities for new students and keep our students busy all the way through senior year with the senior class field trip.

A: We are dedicated to providing academic help to every student who asks for it. The Center for Academic Success at AIC is the go-to place for academic support for all students. Home to the Writing Center, the Tutoring Center, the ACE program, and the Academic Resource Center, the Center for Academic Success guides and supports students through their academic journeys by offering all of these services for free.

A: College presents additional challenges for students with learning disabilities and first-generation college students, and we have dedicated resources to helping these students on their college journey.

Our nationally renowned Supportive Learning Services program is geared towards assisting students with diagnosed learning disabilities grow and develop their skills in areas including time management, study skills, self advocacy, and note-taking. As part of this comprehensive program, students work one-on-one with professional educators to create individual learning plans based on the student’s needs.

We also have the AIC Core Education program, better known as ACE, which is a federally funded program for first generation college students as well as those with limited financial means. The ACE program supports students through personal mentoring, academic support, career counseling, financial aid assistance, and more to help ensure academic success at AIC.

If either of these programs sound like they could be of help to you, contact your admissions counselor for more information.

A: With five state capitals within a two and a half hour radius, we make sure that students are able to get where they need to go. Springfield has a PVTA (Pioneer Valley Transit Authority) bus stop right on campus so our students can easily get to local destinations such as the Holyoke Mall, the shops and restaurants in downtown Northampton, Forest Park, the Eastfield Mall, and many other local attractions. If you’re looking to head home for a weekend or during a break, we also have a Peter Pan bus station and an Amtrak station located just a couple miles from campus.

A: We have a wide variety of student jobs available on campus. There are positions available in the Admissions Office, the Library, Athletics, the Dining Commons, the Bookstore, Financial Aid, and more. Students normally work around 8–10 hours per week and are paid Massachusetts minimum wage