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International Students
International Student Program
Wenatchee Valley College welcomes international students from all over the world, offering them a friendly and beautiful location in which to learn and grow.
To be granted admission to WVC, an international student applicant must submit the following items to the admissions office:
- A completed Washington Community College Application for Admission.
- Copies of all high-school and college transcripts translated into English.
- A completed Declaration and Certification of Finances form.
- Evidence of enrollment in an approved health insurance plan.
- Letter telling us why you wish to study at WVC.
- Evidence of English language proficiency, such as:
- A TOEFL (test of English as a foreign language) score of 520 or above
- Graduation from a U.S. high school
- Completion of grade 8 or level 6 in an ESL (English as a second language) program; or
- Completion of Compass, the WVC assessment tool, with a score indicating a readiness for college-level course work.
- A $64.40 (non-refundable) application fee.
If you are an international student currently living in the United States of America, you must also submit:
- A copy of all I-20s from schools at which you have studied in the U.S.
- Transcripts from all U.S. schools at which you have studied
- A copy of your passport
- Your transfer student report
Once the application process is complete, the I-20 will be issued for students to get their visas.
International students at Wenatchee Valley College are ineligible for student loans and most scholarships and, in most instances, will not be allowed to work while enrolled in school. They must enroll in a minimum of 12 credits per quarter and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
For more information, contact Jaima Kuhlmann at 509.682.6846.
For more information on the Wenatchee area, click HERE.
Documents and Definitions
INS
INS stands for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. It is the U.S. government agency that works with travelers from other countries. The INS issues forms and procedures and is responsible for enforcement of the procedures and U.S. law regarding non-citizens. Officials at schools in the U.S. do not work for the INS; they simply help the school to comply with the regulations.
I-20
Issued by your school, this document allows you to apply for a visa and to enter or to re-enter the U.S. It shows where, what and when you are authorized to study.
TIP: Keep the "Student Copy" (pages 3,4) I-20 for every school you attend as a permanent record of your immigration status in the U.S. When you enter the U.S., the "School Copy" (pages 1,2) will be kept by the immigration officer.
Visa
A visa is the stamp in your passport issued by a U.S. Consulate. It shows that the consulate has reviewed your documents in your country and recommends your admission into the U.S. It does not guarantee that you will be admitted into the country, but it shows that you are allowed to apply at a port of entry for admission into the U.S. in a particular immigration classification (e. g. F-1, B-2, etc).
REMEMBER: The visa stamp does NOT tell you how long you can stay in the U.S., and the expiration date of the visa does not affect your length of stay in the U.S. (See "Period of Authorized Stay").
I-94
Upon entry into the U.S., every non-immigrant is given an I-94, a small card usually stapled to the passport page opposite the visa stamp. The I-94 shows how long you are allowed to stay in the U.S. Someone in B-2 (visitor for pleasure) status is given a date, usually six months from their arrival. A student in F-1 status has D/S instead of a date (See "F-1 Regulations and Procedures").
TIP: You will give the I-94 card away to an immigration official when you leave the U.S. (except for a brief visit to Canada or Mexico-see "Leaving and Returning to the U.S.") to notify the INS of your departure.
Passport
Your passport must be valid at all times. Report a lost or stolen passport to the police, as your government may require a police report before issuing a new passport. Talk to the consulate or embassy for your country (in Seattle) to renew or replace your passport.
TIP: Keep your passport and other important documents in a safe place, such as a bank safety-deposit box. It is also a good idea to keep a copy of your passport in a separate safe place. You can obtain a Washington State ID card to use for identification purposes.
Duration of Status (D/S)
To be "in status" means to be OK with the INS If you are following the rules of your visa, then you are in status. If you come into the U. S. on an F-1 student visa, you are allowed to stay in the U.S. for the Duration of your Status--as long as you stay "OK." If you have violated the rules of the F-1 visa, you are "out of status" and you are staying in the U.S. illegally. Please see "Staying in Status."
TIP: If you stay in status, you may remain in the U.S. a very long time! Read the information below about staying in status, and you will be OK, even if your visa stamp has expired.
Employment
Employment refers to any work for which you are compensated, including money through a salary or tips, housing, goods, or other services.
Getting a Student Visa
In order to apply for a student visa, you must first apply and be admitted to a school in the U.S. When you are admitted to Wenatchee Valley College (WVC) we will send you an INS Form I-20 which authorizes your study period. You can take that I-20 to the U.S. Consulate in your country and apply for your visa.
In order to obtain a non-immigrant, student visa, you must be able to prove the following:
- That you have strong ties to your home country which demonstrate your intention to return home after your studies (in other words, that you do not plan to immigrate permanently to the U.S.)
- That you have sufficient funds to pay for your financial needs while you are studying in the U.S., including tuition, health insurance, housing, travel expenses, etc.
- That you have legitimate intentions to study full time and gain education and training which will be useful in your home country
Once you receive your visa from the U.S. Consulate in your country, you are eligible to come to the U.S. and "apply" for entry. An Immigration Inspector at the border (usually the airport) will decide if you are really admissible, looking for proof of the above criteria once again. Therefore, you may be asked to show your financial documentation again, or you might be asked to prove you really plan to study. You must also show the I-20 for the school where you intend to study.
F-1 Regulations and Procedures
Period of Authorized Stay
Your admission to the U.S. on an F-1 visa is for "duration of status" (D/S). This is the time during which you are studying full-time with a valid I-20 (or working in authorized practical training following completion of your studies), plus a 60 day grace period to prepare for your departure from the U.S. Duration of status permits you to transfer to different programs and to continue your studies as long as you are pursuing an educational goal. There is no final date or specific expiration of your stay in F-1 status as long as you continue to maintain your status.
Full-time Requirement
You must enroll as a full-time student. College students must pass a minimum of 12 credits per quarter. You may only study part time if you have the permission of your international student adviser, for a special reason like a medical emergency.
Annual Vacation
NOTE: This rule applies to F-1 students who plan to remain in the U.S. during their vacation. If you are going home to your country for a vacation, you can do that at any time. You are allowed to have one quarter off per year, as long as you have maintained your status for three consecutive quarters before your vacation and you plan to return to school after the vacation.
EXCEPTION: students in college level classes can automatically take their first summer quarter off (even if they have not yet completed three consecutive quarters).
TIP: Ask your international student adviser to check and see if you are eligible for a vacation.
Leaving and Returning to the U.S.
If you leave the U.S., you must present a current and properly endorsed (signed on page 3) I-20, a valid F-1 visa and your passport when you re-enter. If returning from Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands (except Cuba) after a visit of less than 30 days, the visa need not be valid; however, you will be required to show your previously issued I-94 in addition to the other documents listed above.
TIP: Talk to your international student adviser before you take a trip to make sure you have all the documents you need. Your I-20 must be signed.
Change of Program
Your I-20 should state what subject you are studying.
School Transfer
If you are coming to WVC from any other school in the U.S., you must go through the transfer process. You must notify your current school of your intent to transfer to WVC. They will transfer your SEVIS record to our school and then we will be able to issue you an I-20.
TIP: If your transfer is not officially processed, you will be out of status!
Reinstatement
A violation of any immigration regulations outlined above (for example, failure to maintain a full-time course load) could place you out of status. You may apply for reinstatement to student status with help from your international student adviser. Reinstatement decisions are made by an immigration official who reviews your case and determines if you are eligible to continue studying in the U.S. Talk to your international student adviser for help with this process.
On-Campus Work
F-1 students are allowed to work part-time on the campus of the school they are attending (and whose I-20 they have). You may work up to 20 hours per week while attending full-time classes. You can work full-time during summer vacations and between quarters, provided you continue at that school the following quarter.
NOTE: You must be in status to work on-campus. If you are in the process of a reinstatement, you must wait until it has been approved before you can start working. It should be noted that WVC has very little it the way of on-campus employment for international students.
Off-Campus Work
There are two ways to get permission for off-campus work: practical training and severe economic hardship. Your student adviser must authorize both of these.
TIP: IT IS ILLEGAL TO WORK OFF-CAMPUS WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION! If you work illegally and it is discovered, you will not be reinstated and you will lose all benefits of the F-1 student visa.
There are two kinds of practical training that allows you to get on the job experience in your field of study. For both of these you must have been in F-1 status for at least nine months before you apply.
CURRICULAR PRACTICAL TRAINING allows you to get college credit for work in your field, and is generally used on a part-time basis while you are enrolled in full-time classes. Authorization does not take long once you have your job offer. OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING is usually used after completion of studies, and is usually full time. It can be authorized for a maximum of 12 months at the full-time rate. It takes two or three months to receive the authorization from immigration. You can apply for OPT at the completion of each educational level.
TIP: You must apply before you graduate from a program of study.
Off-campus employment authorization based on UNFORSEEN SEVERE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP can be awarded to students in special circumstances. The student has to have been in F-1 status for at least nine months, and must prove that there has been a change in his or her economic situation which results in a need for employment additional to or instead of on-campus employment. Authorization from the immigration takes about two months.
IMPORTANT: Talk to your international student adviser about any questions you have regarding employment opportunities.
Staying in Status is as Easy as 1-2-3!
- Study Full-Time: This means you must enroll in and successfully complete a minimum of 12 credit hours each quarter. You may only take a quarter vacation off from classes after studying full-time the three previous consecutive quarters.
- Keep Your I-20 Current: Your I-20 must be correct at all times. It must show where, what and when you are studying. Make sure that you have a correctly processed I-20 for the school you are attending, for the program of study you are in, and for the current dates. If your I-20 is going to expire, we can evaluate your program of study and perhaps issue you a new one; you must bring your I-20 to the student development office within 30 days of expiration.
- Don't Work Illegally: F-1 students are eligible to work on-campus up to 20 hours per week while studying full-time. Off-campus employment is restricted, and must be authorized by your international student adviser.
Frequently Asked Questions
New Students
How can I get a student visa?
A: You have to be accepted by a school in the U.S. and get an I-20 from the school. Then, you have to go to American Embassy in your country to apply for a student visa. At that time, you have to bring your passport, bank statement and the I-20 from the school. Required documents depend on the country, so you need to call and check what you need before your appointment.
How long does it take to get my I-20?
A: It does not take too long. After we receive all your materials for admission, we will evaluate the documents and make the I-20. It takes two or three days to make your I-20.
What TOEFL score do I need to study at WVC?
A: Your score needs to be 520 or above on the paper version (190 or above on the computer version or 68 on the internet version).
Does WVC have scholarships for international students?
A: No.
When should I arrive for class?
A: New students have to take a math and English placement test before school starts.
I am transferring to WVC. If I go to Canada during my break, which school’s I-20 should I use when I come back to the U.S.?
A: When you go to Canada or Mexico, you can use your I-20 from your former school. It is easier to use your former I-20 at the border of Canada or Mexico and complete your transfer after your classes at WVC start.
How about if I go back to my country?
A: If you go to another countries except Canada or Mexico during your break, you have to use the I-20 from WVC when you come back to the U.S. Immigration at the airport will stamp on the student copy of your I-20, and you have to keep it with your passport. After school starts, please bring your I-20 with the immigration stamp because we need to make a copy of it.
Can I throw away my I-20 from my former school?
A: No, don’t throw away any I-20s you have. You have to keep all I-20s from every school you have attended as a permanent record of your immigration status in the U.S. Sometimes immigration asks you to show your old I-20, so please staple all I-20s together and keep them with your passport.
How can I transfer my credits from former school?
A: After you start to study at WVC, you can ask to have your credits that you earned at other schools evaluated. You have to fill out the Application for Evaluation form and drop it off at the admissions/registration office. You can get the form at the admissions/registration office. Your results of evaluation will be sent to your house. It takes about one week to have your credits evaluated.
Current Students
I heard from my friend that in summer quarter we just need to earn 10 credits to be a full-time student. Is this correct?
A: No, it isn’t. You have to earn 12 or more credits to maintain your F-1 status. If you have attended and earned more than 12 credits for three quarters in row, you are eligible to take one quarter vacation in the U.S. (You can have a vacation in your home country at any time.)
How long can I stay in the U.S. after I finish my program?
A: You have to leave the U.S. within 60 days after you finish your program.
Student Life
How can I maintain my F-1 (student) visa status?
A: It's easy as 1-2-3! 1) Take at least 12 college credits every quarter. 2) Keep your I-20 current and correct at all times. 3) Do not accept off-campus employment unless authorized by the INS for a special program.
Why do I have to purchase medical (health) insurance?
A: Unlike many countries, the federal government does not support the health system in the U.S. for the most part. Each individual must pay the cost of any medical appointment or treatment, which is very expensive. In fact, those costs are even too much for most Americans to pay right out of their pocket. Therefore, the insurance system is used to manage those costs. With insurance, you would only need to pay a small portion of any medical appointment or treatment out of your pocket.
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