International Students
Information for nationals of other countries applying to CVCC
Catawba Valley Community College welcomes all international students interested in pursuing their education with us. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) allows international students on an F-1 student visa to enroll in courses at CVCC for the purposes of completing an academic program of study. These international students are eligible to enroll in the same program offerings as are our national students, but they are restricted to enrolling in a single online course per academic term and must maintain a full-time schedule. This federal guideline may prohibit participation in certain programs due to course delivery method.
The international student’s admissions documentation must be completed and received by the published deadline for the semester in which the student is interested in enrolling (see below). Once the enrollment manager receives all required information and documentation, a decision will be made concerning eligibility for enrollment at CVCC. The college will keep records of incomplete applications for six months, after which time, in the interest of information security, the contents of the applications will be destroyed.
Upon receipt of completed admissions documentation and provided that all documents are in good order, the international student will be issued an I-20 for their requested academic program. (Please note that some Allied Health programs have competitive admissions processes, and submission of documentation does not guarantee admission to these programs.) The student must take that I-20 to the US Embassy or Consulate Office in their country if living abroad and complete a non-immigrant visa application to apply for a student visa.
Catawba Valley Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex/gender, religion, creed, age, or disability in its programs and activities.
Thank you for your interest in Catawba Valley Community College.
International students may download and print the application forms with the links listed below.
Affidavit of Financial Support for International (F-1) Applicants Form- Attachment B (PDF)
Oath or Affirmation of Sponsor Form (PDF)
Verification of Home Country Address Form – Attachment C (PDF)
Visa Clearance Form for International Students Form – Attachment D (PDF)
To view these (PDF) documents, you may need to download free Adobe reader at www.adobe.com.
- For Spring Admissions: All admissions-related documents are due by October 31.
- For Summer Admissions: All admissions-related documents are due by January 10.
- For Fall Admissions: All admissions-related documents are due by May 31.
International students will need to complete the following:
1. Submit the Application for Admission. Please provide complete information and attach a photograph of the student to the application. The student must list their foreign address. Incomplete forms will be returned and will result in delays in reviewing the student’s application.
2. Submit complete, official academic records in English from secondary and post-secondary schools. Records should include courses taken, grades received, and degrees or certificates earned. They should be sent directly to the college or included in the student’s application in sealed envelopes. All transcripts must be evaluated and translated by any one of the agencies affiliated with NACES. A list of those agencies is found at NACES.
SpanTran Pathway – Catawba Valley Community College
Foreign Credential Evaluations For Catawba Valley Community College School Applicants
3. International students may be required to take CVCC placement testing in English and mathematics.Testing will be determined by the International Student Advisor.
4. Submit Affidavit of Financial Support (Attachment B). All international student applicants must submit a notarized affidavit, which must be accompanied by an original letter in English from the student’s bank or financial institution verifying the availability of funds to support a full-time student and any accompanying dependents for each year of study. An I-20 form will not be issued until all financial documentation is received and approved.
5. Submit official report from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). TOEFL scores must be less than five (5) years old. The school code for Catawba Valley Community College is 005098. The minimum scores for admissions: paper-based score of 540, the minimum Internet-based score of 76 and the minimum computer based score of 213. Applicants who do not meet minimum TOEFL scores will not be admitted. Information regarding the TOEFL may be obtained by contacting:
TOFEL
Box 899
Princeton, New Jersey, USA 80540
(609) 771-7100
http://www.ets.org/
6. Submit your Home Country Address Form (Attachment C) and list your home country on the CVCC application.
7. Submit all documents by the required deadline.
Before mailing the student’s application to the CVCC Admissions Office, be sure the following items are complete and included:
- Application for admission is completed and signed with a notarized signature if sent in by mail. The student’s preferred program of study should be checked on the last page of the application. The student must list a foreign address.
- Financial documents including an Affidavit of Support (Attachment B) and an original letter from the student’s sponsor’s bank giving specific account balance information. Bank letters must be in English, or translated, if necessary, and on official bank stationery. Students must understand the information found on the Estimated Annual Expenses form provided in this information packet.
- Official high school or secondary school transcripts translated to English. They should be mailed directly from the student’s high school or included with the student’s application in sealed envelopes and translated and evaluated by agencies associated with NACES (www.naces.org).
- One photograph of the student.
- The Verification of Home Country Address Form (Attachment C).
- Official TOEFL scores: International student applicants must prove to have sufficient knowledge of the English language to enable them to pursue a full course of study for credit. The applicant must submit the results of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) taken within the past five (5) years to CVCC. Our institutional TOEFL code is 005098. The minimum paper-based score is 540, minimum computer based score is 213 and the minimum Internet-based score is 76. Applicants not meeting the minimum TOEFL scores will not be admitted to CVCC. Information regarding this test may be obtained by contacting:Test of English as a Foreign Language
Box 899
Princeton, New Jersey, USA 80540
(609) 771-7100
www.ets.org - Visa Clearance Form for Transfer Students Only (Attachment D)
- Applications must be completed by the published deadlines. Submitting an incomplete application packet will cause delays in the processing of your I-20 form.
Please mail the completed application packet to:
Catawba Valley Community College
Office of Admissions
2550 Highway 70 SE
Hickory, NC 28602
Attn: International Admissions
The application must be mailed to the college, NOT to a friend or relative in the United States.
It usually takes one to two weeks to process an I-20 from a complete application and ten (10) additional business days for an I-20 to be mailed from the college to the applicant. I-20’s and acceptance letters cannot be Express mailed by the college. It is advised for students to keep a copy of their application for reference.
This application packet should be completed by applicants who qualify for a I-20 form from Catawba Valley Community College. Complete this packet if the student is:
- An individual living outside the United States and wants to receive an I-20 to apply for a student visa at the US Embassy or Consulate in the student’s home country. (Note: the application must be completed by the applicant in the student’s home country and not by a friend or relative in the United States.)
- An individual who is currently in the United States on a student visa but holds an I-20 from another college or university and are interested in transferring to Catawba Valley Community College. (Note: The student must first attend the college, university or language training center that issued the current I-20 for one academic term before the student is eligible to transfer.)
- An individual who is in the United States on another non-immigrant visa (such as B-1/B-2, F-2, J-1, H-4, L-2, R-1) and who wants to receive an I-20 to apply to change the applicant’s visa status to student status. (Note: CVCC will process a change of visa status application from B-1/B-2 status only if the applicant’s visa has a “prospective student” annotation printed on the visa. Without this stamp, the applicant must apply for an I-20 through application to INS. The applicant may need to seek the advice of an immigration attorney to change their visa status.)
This application packet should NOT be completed by individuals who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States. This category would also include refugees, political asylees, conditional permanent residents and pending permanent residents.
These individuals should complete a Catawba Valley Community College Application for Admission, complete and mail Transcript Request Forms to the high school and any colleges or universities they have previously attended, and request any TOEFL and/or SAT scores be sent to CVCC.
| Expense | First Semester | Second Semester | Total for One Academic Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $4,288.00 | $4,288.00 | $8,576.00 |
| Insurance Fee | $1.25 | $1.25 | $2.50 |
| Activity Fee | $35.00 | $35.00 | $70.00 |
| Technology Fee | $48.00 | $48.00 | $96.00 |
| Access/Security Fee | $35.00 | $35.00 | $70.00 |
| Books and Supplies | $950.00 | $950.00 | $1,900.00 |
| Living Expenses (est. 12 months) | $5,100.00 | $5,100.00 | $10,200.00 |
| Estimated Total Expenses (one year) | $10,457.25 | $10,457.25 | $20,914.50 |
Note: The tuition expenses are based on Fall and Spring semesters only for 16 semester credit hours.
| Dependent | Additional Expense |
|---|---|
| Spouse (husband or wife) | $5000.00 |
| Child (per child) | $3000.00 |
The complete name and date of birth of each dependent must be recorded on the Affidavit of Support (Attachment B) under item number two. This information is essential in completing the I-20.
In order to qualify for an I-20, a single student must document at least $20,914.50 (USD) in available funding per year. Students with dependents must document additional funding. Tuition or book expenses are paid per semester. Living expenses are not paid to the college, but must be documented as available to qualify for an I-20.
Students should not expect to be able to support themselves through part-time employment while they study. For the first year, the only employment available to F-1 students is on-campus employment and this is extremely limited at CVCC. After the first year, limited off-campus employment opportunities are available for some students. In general, international students are not allowed to work while they are pursuing their education.
Inadequate financial support will result in failure to maintain F-1 student status and possible deportation from the US. Please be sure that the student’s financial resources or those of their sponsor are readily available to meet the student’s educational and living expenses throughout their studies.
Academic Calendar: The academic year at CVCC is divided into two 16-week semesters and one summer school.
Application Deadlines: Students must have their application and supporting documents completed by deadline dates. Late applications cannot be considered. Students missing semester deadlines must await admission for the next term.
Financial Aid: CVCC does not offer financial aid or scholarships to international students. In general, only permanent residents and citizens of the United States are eligible to receive financial aid.
Health Insurance: All international students who hold F-1 visa status should have health insurance for the duration of their studies at CVCC.
Housing: CVCC has no residence halls, dormitories or on-campus housing. All students must arrange for housing in the Hickory area.
Maintaining F-1 Status: Students must maintain a minimum of 12 credit hours every Fall and Spring semester in order to maintain their status. Part-time (less than 12 credit hours per semester) study is not allowed.
Testing and TOEFL Scores: International students are required to provide official TOEFL scores to CVCC. Our TOEFL test code is 005098. Minimum paper score is 540; computer based score of 213 or a minimum Internet score is 76. Scores must be no older than five years. Students not meeting the minimum TOEFL score will not be admitted to CVCC.
Transfer Students: Students who have already received an F-1 status and are currently attending another college or university may transfer to CVCC as long as they have already received their F-1 status and are in good academic standing. In addition to the standard CVCC paperwork for International Students, transfer students must provide to CVCC a letter from their previous institution that they are eligible to transfer, have maintained good academic standing and forward an official transcript from their current institution.
Transportation: There is a small public bus service which connects the campus with various locations in town. The closest airport to CVCC is the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, Charlotte, NC and is about an hour drive from campus.
Tuition: International students must pay out-of-state tuition at CVCC.
Work: International students may not work without authorization.
Contacts