Students who receive their secondary education outside of the United States must demonstrate their ability to perform college-level work in the U.S.
Once Rochester College receives all the required items described above, applications are evaluated. If you are accepted, you will receive an official letter of acceptance. All students educated outside the U.S. or Canada automatically enter Rochester College on academic alert, which may limit the number of hours for which they can enroll.
Transferring Credit for International Students
College coursework from institutions not in the U.S. or Canada may be accepted for transfer credit. Coursework should be evaluated by a third party evaluation company that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), such as World Education Services, Inc. or Educational Credentials Evaluators, Inc. The expense for transcript evaluation is the responsibility of the applicant.
World Education Services, Inc. (WES)
www.wes.org
Educational Credentials Evaluators
www.ece.org
In order to receive full credit, applicants should select a course-by-course evaluation.
*A native language is a language that is acquired naturally during childhood and is usually spoken at home, as opposed to a language that is learned later in life as, for example, part of a person’s formal education.
International student athletes are encouraged to have their coursework evaluated by Incred International Credential Evaluations (www.playnaia.org), as they will also determine a student’s eligibility for the NAIA.
Verification of Financial Resources and Student Account Payment for International Students
The details of the cost of attendance at Rochester College, financial documentation required, and tuition payment schedule are contained in the International Student Statement of Finances, which can be obtained from the Admissions Office. Once your ability to pay for your education at Rochester College has been established and your deposit is received by the Admissions Office, the college will issue a SEVIS Form I-20, which you use to apply for a student visa (F-1).
Immigration Procedures
When you have been accepted into Rochester College and all required financial statements and deposits have been received, the college issues an I-20, a Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Students that is used to show reason for entry into the United States and is, in effect, an invitation to attend school. When you have received the I-20 from Rochester College, you must make an appointment at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate closest to you to apply for an F-1 student visa. It is important to understand that the nature of an F-1 student visa assumes that you will return to your home country upon completion of studies and any authorized practical training. Each country is different in how it processes student visas. It may be possible to make an appointment prior to receiving the I-20 as long as you have it in your possession at the time of the appointment. Please contact the embassy or consulate nearest you for specific details. Also note that in many countries several attempts are required to receive an F-1 student visa, so be prepared to try again if your application is initially denied. When you have been granted an F-1 student visa by the embassy or consulate, please contact us to confirm when you will be starting school and whether you need assistance with travel plans to Michigan.
On-campus work is authorized under the F-1 visa for a maximum of 20 hours per week while school is in session and full time when school is out of session if a position is available. Off-campus employment is generally not available to F-1 students except through application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Financial Aid for International Students
No state or federal aid is available to international students who are in the United States on student visas. However, international students are eligible to receive institutional scholarships for athletics and academics, as well as other tuition discounts from Rochester College.
Academic scholarships for international students are very limited due to the lack of equivalent measure for academic ability. Most institutional scholarships are based upon the results of one of two standardized tests used in the U.S., the ACT or SAT, and high school grade point average. Since international students do not automatically take these tests, we do not require either for admission. However, if an international student decides to take either the ACT or SAT and have the scores sent to Rochester College, she/he will be considered for academic scholarships. Information on the ACT or SAT and the nearest testing center can be found at www.act.org or www.collegeboard.org. No other standardized academic test is accepted.
Institutional scholarships and tuition discounts are awarded by the admissions department and are based on the applicant’s academic credentials and need.