|
[
Back to International Home ]
International
(F-1) Visa Students/Admissions
West Los Angeles College is an institution of higher education approved by the United
States Bureau of Immigration and Citizenship Services to issue
certificates of eligibility for non-immigrant (F-1) student
status. West Los Angeles College accepts qualified
international students each semester who wish to pursue occupational,
transfer, and Associate in Arts Degree and Certificate curricula.
All applicants must meet the following admission criteria:
-
Demonstrate
English language ability adequate to enable the student
to profit from instruction at the college level. Adequacy
of English proficiency is determined by a satisfactory score
on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A
score of at least 45-46 on the Internet based exam, 450 on the standard, written, paper based or 133
on the computer based test, is the minimum acceptable score.
Transfer applications in the U.S. may substitute WLAC placement
exam results for the TOEFL. But, all students take the Math
and English assessment tests in order to enroll in courses
having Math and English prerequisites.
• Successful completion of English As a Second Language(ESL)
courses at an equivalent level, taught by English Language
Schools in the U.S., may also be accepted – or -
• Students having a lower TOEFL score, who are at an
English language level appropriate for entrance to ESL classes
taught at WLAC, may be accepted
-
Evidence of
academic achievement equivalent to an American high school
education.
-
Demonstrate
ability to pay educational and living expenses for at least
one year. Once an international student has been accepted
as a student at West Los Angeles College, the student must
maintain a full-time academic load of 12 or more units per
semester with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
In order to receive
an I-20 from West Los Angeles College, an applicant
must be a graduate of a secondary school with at least a "C"
average. A prospective student is required to submit a preliminary application for acceptance as an international student, provide a copy of a high school diploma or secondary leaving certificate, official university transcripts (if appropriate), evidence of English proficiency, provide evidence of financial support for education and personal expenses (either personal of from a sponsor) and submit a non-refundable
application processing fee of U.S. $25.
If your sponsor is in the United States, you must also submit an official, notorized Affidavit of Support.
Getting Your International / F-1 Student Visa
When you have made your appointment with the U.S. Embassy, you should prepare for your interview. It will be brief and you must have all the correct responses to the interviewer’s questions.
The following information is taken from the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors (NAFSA). This provides a foundation for your preparation.
- TIES TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY. Under U.S. law, all applicants for nonimmigrant visas, such as student visas, are viewed as intending immigrants until they can convince the consular officer that they are not. You must therefore be able to show that you have reasons for returning to your home country that are stronger than those for remaining in the United States. "Ties" to your home country are the things that bind you to your home town, homeland, or current place of residence: job, family, financial prospects that you own or will inherit, investments, etc. If you are a prospective undergraduate, the interviewing officer may ask about your specific intentions or promise of future employment, family or other relationships, educational objectives, grades, long-range plans and career prospects in your home country. Each person's situation is different, of course, and there is no magic explanation or single document, certificate, or letter which can guarantee visa issuance. If you have applied for the U.S. Green Card Lottery, you may be asked if you are intending to immigrate. A simple answer would be that you applied for the lottery since it was available but not with a specific intent to immigrate. If you overstayed your authorized stay in the U.S. previously, be prepared to explain what happened clearly and concisely, with documentation if available.
-
ENGLISH. Anticipate that the interview will be conducted in English and not in your native language. One suggestion is to practice English conversation with a native speaker before the interview, but do NOT prepare speeches! If you are coming to the United States solely to study intensive English, be prepared to explain how English will be useful for you in your home country.
-
SPEAK FOR YOURSELF. Do not bring parents or family members with you to the interview. The consular officer wants to interview you, not your family. A negative impression is created if you are not prepared to speak on your own behalf. If you are a minor applying for a high school program and need your parents there is case there are questions, for example about funding, they should wait in the waiting room.
-
KNOW THE PROGRAM AND HOW IT FITS YOUR CAREER PLANS. If you are not able to articulate the reasons you will study in a particular program in the United States, you may not succeed in convincing the consular officer that you are indeed planning to study, rather than to immigrate. You should also be able to explain how studying in the U.S. relates to your future professional career when you return home.
-
BE BRIEF. Because of the volume of applications received, all consular officers are under considerable time pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview. They must make a decision, for the most part, on the impressions they form during the first minute of the interview. Consequently, what you say first and the initial impression you create are critical to your success. Keep your answers to the officer's questions short and to the point.
-
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION. It should be immediately clear to the consular officer what written documents you are presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written explanations cannot be quickly read or evaluated. Remember that you will have 2-3 minutes of interview time, if you're lucky.
-
NOT ALL COUNTRIES ARE EQUAL. Applicants from countries suffering economic problems or from countries where many students have remained in the US as immigrants will have more difficulty getting visas. Statistically, applicants from those countries are more likely to be intending immigrants. They are also more likely to be asked about job opportunities at home after their study in the U.S.
-
EMPLOYMENT. Your main purpose in coming to the United States should be to study, not for the chance to work before or after graduation. While many students do work off-campus during their studies, such employment is incidental to their main purpose of completing their U.S. education. You must be able to clearly articulate your plan to return home at the end of your program. If your spouse is also applying for an accompanying F-2 visa, be aware that F-2 dependents cannot, under any circumstances, be employed in the U.S. If asked, be prepared to address what your spouse intends to do with his or her time while in the U.S. Volunteer work and attending school part-time are permitted activities.
-
DEPENDENTS REMAINING AT HOME. If your spouse and children are remaining behind in your country, be prepared to address how they will support themselves in your absence. This can be an especially tricky area if you are the primary source of income for your family. If the consular officer gains the impression that your family will need you to remit money from the United States in order to support themselves, your student visa application will almost certainly be denied. If your family does decide to join you at a later time, it is helpful to have them apply at the same post where you applied for your visa.
-
MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. Do not engage the consular officer in an argument. If you are denied a student visa, ask the officer for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring in order to overcome the refusal, and try to get the reason you were denied in writing.
NAFSA would like to credit Gerald A. Wunsch, Esq., 1997, then a member of the Consular Issues Working Group, and a former U.S. Consular Officer in Mexico, Suriname, and the Netherlands, and Martha Wailes of Indiana University for their contributions to this document. NAFSA also appreciates the input of the U.S. Department of State
~~~~~~~~~~
|
