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New F-1 Students from Overseas

Any person wanting to be a full time student in the USA needs to obtain a student visa for the USA. Most students are issued an F-1 visa.

In order to apply for an F-1 visa, a student needs to be officially accepted to a certified U.S. institution and obtain a “form I-20” from the school to take to the F-1 visa interview.

JCCC International Student Application Deadlines (Adjusted for Extended Visa Processing)

To allow for possible delays in visa processing, international students are strongly encouraged to complete their application and submit all required documents by the following dates:

Class Term Recommended Deadline
To come in the Fall semester
(classes begin in August)		 June 15
To come in the Spring semester
(classes begin in January)		 October 15
To come in the Summer session
(classes begin in June)		 March 15

These dates are designed to support students who may face longer visa wait times or additional vetting. Submitting early increases the likelihood of arriving in time for orientation and the start of classes.

Important Arrival Policy:
Late arrival is not allowed. No exceptions will be granted.
Students must arrive in the U.S. prior to the start of classes as listed on their I-20. Failure to do so may result in termination of SEVIS records and loss of F-1 status due to lack of course availability.

Applications and materials submitted after the listed admissions deadlines may not be processed for the current term as immigration regulations may be negatively impacted. Standard processing is 5 business days from the date submitted.

Required Steps to be admitted to JCCC and receive a form I-20

Apply online

After applying to JCCC, you will receive an email which contains your 8 digit JCCC student I.D. number and provides information on how to log into your MyJCCC account. Once you receive this email, you will be able to proceed with completing the other admissions steps found below and submitting the required documents to the IISS office.

Not all programs are I-20 eligible - check with the IISS office to verify eligibility.

Online forms

About the proof of finances requirement

  • Who needs to submit proof of finances?
    • all new F-1 students (including transfer F-1 students)
    • current F-1 students requesting a change of level I-20 after a change of academic program (such as completing the EAP program).
  • Why provide proof of finances?
    • The U.S. federal government requires F-1 students to show sufficient resources to cover educational and living expenses.  F-1 students are not eligible for federal financial aid, scholarships are limited, and off campus employment is not permitted. For these reasons, F1 students must provide proof of funds to be issued an I-20.
  • What type of document can demonstrate proof of finances?
    • A bank statement or official bank letter issued within the last 6 months for a checking or savings account. Refer to the Acceptable Proof of Funds page for full details.
    • Note that financial documents should be current when presented to government officials (at your visa interview, at the U.S. port of entry, etc.).
  • How do I submit proof of finances?
  • How much money do I need to show?
    • Provide proof that you (or your financial sponsor) have enough funds to fully cover all expenses for one academic year.

Breakdown of estimated F-1 student cost of attendance (for 1 year / 2 semesters):

Tuition $5,688
Books/Supplies $1,560
Housing/Meals $10,252*
Personal Expenses $9,700 
Accident/Illness Insurance $1,800
Total $29,000

Notes:

  • F-1 students must enroll in at least 12 credit hours each fall and spring. Tuition is charged per credit hour at the out-of-state rate. View JCCC current tuition rates.  The JCCC Board of Trustees can change tuition rates without notice.
  • *Deduct $10,252 for housing/meals if someone in the Kansas City area is providing you with free room and board. (Upload the sponsorship form to the Certificate of Finances.)
  • Provide proof of additional funds if you start your studies at JCCC in the summer semester (add $6,000) or if you have any F-2 dependents (add $8,000 per dependent).

Provide documentation of your English language proficiency.

Use the Documentation of English Language Proficiency form to submit evidence of previous education in English or an English language test score.

Most students provide test scores from one of these exams:

 

Minimum score required for I-20 / F-1 admission to JCCC

Duolingo English Test

90

IELTS

5

TOEFL iBT

57

Email to iiss@jccc.edu a copy of your diploma, certificate or any other official document showing completion of your secondary school education and that you are eligible to advance to higher education in your home country. Documents must be translated to English and attached to the original document.  The documents do not need to be translated by a professional translator. 

After receiving all required documents, IISS staff will email you with further information about your I-20.

Upon arriving in the U.S., you will need to complete some additional tasks which include:
IISS follows college policy for the Student Code of Conduct and Discipline. Any student found in violation of our code of conduct or discipline may be reported the Deans Office to follow disciplinary procedures. This includes, but is not limited to, the submission of falsified documents for immigration purposes or academic history.