James Madison University

JMU is a public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley, with more than 22,000 students. The most important operational fact for a Kazakh applicant is that JMU's international deadlines differ from its domestic ones. Fall closes 1 June, Spring 1 October and Summer 15 February for international applicants, against Early Action 1 November and Regular Decision 15 January for domestic students. Applying to the wrong calendar is an easy and costly mistake. JMU's international merit award is reported at USD 5,000 applied toward tuition and awarded on availability, which is modest against an out-of-state rate near USD 31,800. It operates an International Study Center offering pathway entry, with ESL classes available below that for students arriving under-prepared. Health insurance is mandatory for all international students.