International Students

F-1 Student Admissions

What is an F-1 visa student?

An F-1 student is someone who has been granted permission from the U.S. federal government to enter and remain in the United States temporarily as a full-time student.  F-1 students must follow special regulations to maintain their visa status.

Here are just a few of these important regulations:

• Must always be a full-time student except during school vacation
• May work on-campus for only up to 20 hours per week.
• May not work off-campus without special permission from the immigration service.
• Must always have a valid passport.
• Must have proof of financial support.
• Must follow special procedures for transferring schools, traveling, and reporting changes to personal and financial information.

Admissions Process

1. Complete an SCC Application for Admission.
2. Submit official transcripts from secondary school and any colleges and universities attended. Include notarized English translations if necessary. Official transcripts from previous universities you attended must be submitted to JCTC during your first semester of attendance at JCTC. Students who attended college or university outside of the U.S. must submit an official course-by-course evaluation of their transcripts. Go to www.naces.org for a listing of accepted international transcript evaluation services.
3. Submit proof of English proficiency.  If English is not your primary language spoken in your home and during all years of your education, submit proof of English proficiency.  SCC CAN NOT GIVE THE FORM I-20 TO STUDENTS WHO ARE STILL LEARNING ENGLISH OR NEED ESL CLASSES. Proof of your English skills may be any of the following:TOEFL: The minimum score for admission is 61 on the iBT, 173 on the CBT or 500 on the PBT. Test scores must be sent directly to Somerset Community College by the testing service. SCC's school code for the TOEFL is 1779. For information about the Test of English as a Foreign Language, visit the website www.toefl.org.
4. Provide proof of Financial Support for $15,000.
5. Provide ACT or Compass scores.
6. Provide Proof of Health Insurance Policy
7. Provide a completed health exam form
8. Photocopy of Student VISA
9. Once the SCC international student representative has reviewd your documentation and provided your I-20, make and appointment for the visa interview at the appropriate U.S. Embassy/Consulate. Make sure you have all the documentation you will need when you go for the interview, including the I-20, financial support documents, proof of payment of the SEVIS and visa fees, college acceptance letter, and a completed visa application form.

International Student Services Contact

Tina Whitaker
Student Services PDSO for International Students
606 451-6636
tina.whitaker@kctcs.edu