Johnston Community College International Student Policy
Johnston Community College has approval by the US Department of Homeland Security and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement for attendance by international students. The College is approved to issue I-20 forms for associate degree programs.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Application for admission should be made at least six months prior to the beginning of the fall semester. The Fall semester begins in August. Please submit your application for admission by March 1 of the year of planned attendance.
Applicant must have completed secondary education equivalent to a high school education in the United States.
International students are treated as non-residents of the State of North Carolina with respect to tuition and fees.
Financial aid is not available to international students; therefore, international students must have sufficient funds to cover all living expenses, tuition and fees while attending the College.
Student housing and meal plans are not provided by the College. All international students are expected to locate their own housing off-campus and provide their own meals.
STEPS TO ENROLLMENT
Admission Documents and Requirements
1. Complete a Residency determination as required by the state of North Carolina at www.ncresidency.org.
2. Complete the Johnston Community College Student Application online at www.johnstoncc.edu. Please provide complete information on the application.
3. Submit a certified copy of the original educational records, to include all previous academic experiences. Records should include courses taken, grades received and degrees or certificates earned. Records should be mailed directly from your school and college or university. Scanned documents sent via email will not be accepted. If the original copy is written in a language other than English, a certified English translation is required.
4. All educational records must be evaluated by a NACES credential evaluation member. This evaluation of your education transcripts is essential to your enrollment and cannot be waived. Please select a member organization from the NACES website that will provide you with a course-by-course evaluation as well as provide grade-point-average computation. Your
evaluation report must be received in a sealed envelope directly from the evaluation agency. See Form 140 for specific JCC credential evaluation recommended organizations.
5. Language test scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) are required of all applicants, except those from countries where English is the only official language, as evidence of adequate proficiency in English. The minimum acceptable scores are below:
TOEFL PBT=550 TOEFL iBT=70 IELTS (Academic)=6.5
Test scores should be sent directly to the Admissions Office from the testing organization, not from the student.
6. All applicants will be required to take the College’s placement assessment.
7. Applicants must have a financial sponsor. The financial sponsor must complete both Forms 120 and 130 as well as provide proper financial documentation of the sponsor’s ability to fully support a student’s cost of coming to school in the United States. The sponsor agrees to accept full responsibility for sponsoring and assisting the applicant as may become necessary for the applicant to pursue his/her education.
8. Documentation of adequate financial support is required. All applicants must submit a notarized Affidavit of Financial Support. An original letter must accompany it from the applicant’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. Funds must be adequate to support a student not only through tuition, but for books, fees, and for general living expenses (housing, bills, transportation, food, etc.) It will likely be necessary for the sponsor(s) to provide evidence of continued financial support by supplying wage and income statements that support the sponsor’s ability to finance the student’s education. Multiple sponsors can support a student. Each sponsor (if not in the same household) must provide Form 130 with supporting documentation. The Affidavit of Financial Support will also be accepted from the U.S. sponsor. An I-20 will not be issued until all financial documentation is received an approved by the College’s PDSO/DSO.
9. A Student medical and immunization form (Form 150) must be completed and signed by a physician on the form provided by the College. The student must have completed the hepatitis B series shots.
Upon receipt of all above items, the applicant’s file will be presented to the Enrollment Management Committee for the admissions decision. The applicant will be informed by mail of the committee’s decision. The Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility, will be prepared on request from the applicant who has been formally accepted for admissions to the College.
Johnston Community College does not accept F-1 transfer students.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT APPLICATION DEADLINES:
Fall Semester – March 1st of application year
Spring Semester – September 1st of application year
ESTIMATED ANNUAL EXPENSES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT
The cost of attendance for a Johnston Community College international student includes both direct costs (billable charges that include expenses like tuition and fees) and indirect costs (nonbillable expenses such as housing, books, and transportation) generally associated with studying in the United States.
Tuition and Fees (based upon 15 credit hours)
Expenses
Expenses
*Total estimated annual expenses (include tuition, books and living expenses) for international students: $25,000.00- $30,000.00. This estimate is based on current costs for a full-time single student. Any student who plans to bring dependents with him or her to the U.S. will have to document additional funds to accommodate increased living expenses and health insurance costs. *Tuition and fees are fixed costs subject to increase at any time by the NC State Legislature. The other items are estimates and should be considered as the minimum.
Additional Funds for dependents:
1. Spouse (husband or wife)- $6,000.00
2. Child = $3,000.00 per child
The complete name, date of birth, and country of birth of each dependent must be recorded on the Affidavit of Financial Support (Form 130) under number two. This information is essential for completing the I-20.
Summary of Financial Documentation Requirements
In order to qualify for an I-20, a single student must document at least $25,000.00 in available funding per year. A student with dependents must document additional funding. Tuition and books are paid per semester or term.
Living expenses are not paid to the college, but must be documented as available to qualify for the I-20.
As a full-time student, you should not expect to be able to support yourself through part-time employment while studying at Johnston Community College.
Inadequate financial support will result in failure to maintain F-1 student status and may result in cancellation of the student’s visa. Please be sure that your financial resources or those of your sponsor are readily available to meet your educational and living expenses throughout your studies.
Instructions for Completing Financial Documentation to Qualify for an I-20
Refer to this page when completing the Affidavit of Financial Support (Form 130) and when obtaining supporting evidence of financial support from your bank. Similar documentation will be required by the United States Consulate or Embassy with your application for a nonimmigrant visa.
REQUIREMENTS FOR SPONSOR SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
In addition to the notarized Affidavit of Financial Support (Form 130), the sponsor must submit evidence of income and resources, as appropriate. Please submit the following original documents below (scanned photographic copies will not be accepted):
1. A notarized Affidavit of Financial Support (Form 130) – completed by your parent or sponsor(s).
In #9 on the form, your sponsor must write a clear statement of intention to support you. For example: “I intend to provide all educational and living expenses for (Applicant’s name) for the duration of his or her studies in monthly payments of $1,500.00.”
The signature of your sponsor must be notarized or certified by a public official
2. An original letter from your sponsor’s bank or financial institution giving the following information:
Date account was opened
Current account balance
A current exchange rate or U. S. dollar equivalent.
The letter must be on bank stationary and signed by a bank official. A photocopy or original copy of your sponsor’s monthly bank statement DOES NOT QUALIFY!
3. Sponsor Employment Verification:
Last 12 months or one year of paystubs or wage statements (pay voucher)
Last 12 months or one year of bank account transaction history showing regular deposits
4. Additional Documents Required:
Copy of last income tax return filed (if required in your home country)
Copy of lease/mortgage/renter’s agreement (if providing room and board)
5. Sponsor in the United States must provide one of the following:
United States Passport
United States Certificate of Naturalization
Permanent Resident Card
REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-SPONSOR SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
If you plan to support yourself (no sponsor), an Affidavit of Support (Form 130) is not required. You must, however, submit the documentary evidence as listed on page 4, steps 2, 3, and 4 under the Requirements for Sponsor Supporting Evidence section of this document.
REQUIREMENTS FOR LOCAL FAMILY/FRIENDS WHO MAY SPONSOR A STUDENT
If you have a family member or friend who lives in the Johnston County area and plans to provide you with housing free of charge, that person must submit an Affidavit of Support (Form 130). In #9 of the form, a clear statement of intention to provide room and board free of charge for the duration of studies must be written and the signature must be notarized. In this case, the estimated living expenses per year does not have to be documented. The blank Affidavit of Support form may be duplicated for this purpose (if you have multiple sponsors).
IF YOUR FINANCIAL DOCUMENTATION IS INSUFFICIENT, YOU WILL NOT BE ISSUED AN I-20.
A deposit equivalent to the amount of a full year’s tuition may be required if financial documentation is deemed inadequate. A deposit of this amount, in the form of a Money Order or a Cashier’s Check payable to Johnston Community College may be submitted with a completed application to expedite processing of the I-20.
Academic Calendar – The academic year at Johnston Community College is divided into two semesters of 16 weeks each. Typical academic terms begin in August and January.
Financial Aid – Johnston Community College does not offer financial aid or scholarships to international students. Generally, only citizens of the U.S. are eligible for financial aid.
Health Insurance – All international students who hold an F-1 visa are required to purchase health insurance for the duration of their studies. Proof of insurance is required when the student arrives for school at the beginning of the start term and must be provided to the PDSO/DSO in the Office of Enrollment & Student Success.
Housing – Johnston Community College has no dormitories, residence halls, or on-campus housing. All students must arrange for housing in the area. The Office of Enrollment and Student Success will not assist with finding adequate housing.
Transportation – Johnston Community College does not provide transportation. Individuals are expected to secure appropriate transportation to and from the College campus.
Contact Information
Mailing address:
Attn: International Student Services
Office of Enrollment & Student Success
Johnston Community College 245 College Road
Smithfield, NC 27577
Email: jccadmissions@johnstoncc.edu
Telephone Number: (919) 209-2128