International Students
International students are citizens of a country other than the United States who have an F-1 visa for educational purposes and who intend to return to their home country upon completion of their educational program. The following are required If you would like to obtain an F-1 visa to study in the U.S.:
- Acceptance to a SEVP approved institution
- English proficiency
- Sufficient funds available for self-support during the entire course of study
- Maintain a residence abroad which you have no intention of giving up
Admission Checklists
Use the following checklists to assist with completing your F-1 Admission application.
Initial: F-1 Admission Checklist
Transfer: F-1 Admission Checklist
Change of Status: F-1 Admission Checklist
Concurrent: F-1 Admission Checklist
Academic Year
International students are admitted for the Spring and Fall semester. The ACC academic year is composed of Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. F-1 students who begin in the fall semester are not required to attend summer classes. F-1 students who begin classes in the spring and summer must enroll full time in the summer during their first year of studies in the U.S.
Fall semester: August-December Checklist Process deadline: June 1
Spring semester: January-May Checklist Process deadline: October 1
Initial I-20, submit all required documents and complete checklist by June 1 for Fall and
Initial I-20, submit all required documents and complete checklist by October 1 for Spring.
International FAQ
A: International students are responsible for the cost of attending ACC and all living expenses. Federal financial aid is not available to F1 visa holders, but you may be able to apply for institutional scholarships after your first semester. You should check with your home country to see if they provide any financial assistance.
A: Tuition is based on the number of credit hours you take per semester. Please review the non-resident column on the ACC Tuition and Fees chart. The estimated cost of educational and living expenses is $20,000 per year.
Transfer
F-1 students transferring in from another college must complete a Transfer Form as part of the admission process.
Fall semester: August-December Transfer Process deadline: July 1
Spring semester: January-May Transfer Process deadline: November 1
Transfer I-20, submit all required documents and complete checklist by July 1 for Fall and
Transfer I-20, submit all required documents and complete checklist by November 1 for Spring.
Application for Admission
International students seeking admission to ACC should complete the steps below.
- Submit documents by email to International@alvincollege.edu.
- All documents must be sent as attachments within the same email.
- Documents must be scanned; no photographs. Must be pdf or Word documents.
- Include first and last name in every email.
- Application will not be reviewed until all checklist items have been completed.
- Allow 7-10 days for F-1 admission decisions. You will be notified by email if you have been accepted or if items are missing/incomplete.
Employment
F-1 students may not work off-campus during the first academic year, but may accept on-campus employment for up to 20 hours, subject to certain conditions and restrictions. Speak with your international advisor for more information.
After the first academic year, F-1 students may engage in the following types of off-campus employment:
Additional Resources
- Maintaining Legal F-1 Status Guidelines
- Applying for a Social Security Card
- Applying for a Driver's License
- Applying for Economic Hardship