International Admissions

Thank you for considering Ogeechee Technical College to continue your educational journey.

International students must meet basic admission requirements for their classification and you may have additional requirements based on visa type and educational history.

Applicants to Ogeechee Technical College are classified “international” if they meet any of the following criteria:

Students who are currently in the U.S. on an F-1 (student) visa.
Students who are currently in the U.S. on any other class of visa.
Students who have been educated outside of the U.S.
Students who are currently living outside the U.S. and will require an F-1 visa to study in the United States.
Students who are in the process of applying for Permanent Residency status, but have not yet received the Permanent Residency card.

Submit an Application

Once you select a program of study, then you are ready to complete and submit an application. Your application will not be processed until our admissions department receives all required items. Here are the items that you must submit:

All prospective F1/M1 students submit:

International student application
- Make sure that you complete all fields of the application and that you sign the second page. Unsigned applications will not be accepted.
Application fee – $25; Paid online at the end of the admissions application.
Photocopy of current passport (photo page only)
Proof of financial capacity (at least $40,719)
- Financial capacity can be shown by submitting a bank account statement or an official letter from a bank officer that testifies to the account holder’s financial capacity. If the account holder is someone other than the student, then the student must submit a notarized affidavit of support also.
  - information on submitting proof of financial support
    
    Financial documents must:
    
    Be the original documents sent directly to the Admissions Office at 1 Joe Kennedy Blvd., Statesboro, GA 30458
    
    Show an account balance equivalent to $28,000 at a minimum
    
    Bear the account holder’s name
    
    Be accompanied by a financial sponsorship document, if the account holder is not the student
    
    Bear the unit of currency (USD, RMB, EUR, etc.)
    
    Be dated within three (3) months of the date Ogeechee Tech receives the document
    
    Be generated by the bank, not by the account holder
    
    Be printed or typed on bank letterhead or be certified by a bank official’s signature and stamp (no computer-generated signatures)
    
    Be accompanied by a translation into English, if the original document is not in English
    
    Additional funding requirement for dependents:
    If you plan to bring dependents to the US with you (e.g. a spouse or children), then you must demonstrate additional financial capacity of $2,500 per dependent. For example, a student who plans to bring a spouse and one child would need to demonstrate $33,000 in financial capacity ($28,000 + $2,500 + $2,500).
    
    Multiple financial documents:
    You may submit multiple financial documents that, taken together, demonstrate the necessary financial capacity.
    
    Financial sponsorship documents:
    Financial documents submitted by family members or friends of a student must be accompanied by a financial sponsorship document. These documents must:
    
    State the student’s name and the sponsor’s name
    
    State the sponsor’s intention to support the student financially
    
    Be notarized
    
    Be accompanied by a translation into English, if the original document is not in English
Official evaluation of foreign education
- Students who have completed high school outside the US must submit an official evaluation of their high school transcripts done by a professional evaluation agency. Students who have completed university may submit an evaluation of their university transcript instead of their high school transcript.Click here for more information on submitting an evaluation of foreign education.
  - information on submitting an evaluation of foreign education
    
    Official Transcripts
    
    Submit official transcripts from your high school (or GED)*
    
    Submit official college or university transcripts.
    
    Note: All transcripts must be received in envelopes sealed by the sending institution. Applicants with a college degree are not required to submit a high school or GED transcript. If transcripts are in a language other than English, an official translation is required. Foreign postsecondary educational credentials must have a course-by-course evaluation by an Independent Evaluation Service that is a member of NACES- National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Photocopies and faxes are not acceptable.
    
    We recommend the following evaluation agencies:
    
    Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.: 7101 SW 102 Ave., Miami, FL 33173 | Telephone: 305.273.1616 | Fax: 305.273.1338 | Email: info@jsilny.com
    
    Lisano International: P.O. Box 407, Auburn, AL 36831 | Telephone: 334.745.0425 | Email: LisanoINTL@AOL.com
    
    World Education Services (WES): P.O. Box 745 Old Chestnut Station,New York, NY 10113 | Telephone: 800.937.3895
TOEFL Scores
- If English is NOT your first language, and you are abroad, submit official score of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): A score of 500 or higher on the written test, or 173 or higher on the computerized version is required. We will also consider SAT scores of 450 verbal and 440 math.
Placement Scores
- Submit official scores from one of the following placement tests taken within the last 5 years: SAT, ACT, CPE, ASSET, COMPASS, or ACCUPLACER

Unless noted otherwise, all documents must be originals and not photocopies.

F-1 Student Visa Documentation

If you are applying for, or have, and F-1 student visa, supply the following additional documentation:

Transfer Students: Submit the “OTC Transfer Clearance Form” to your advisor at your current college, and inform the advisor that once the form is completed and signed, the form must be sent to Ogeechee Technical College’s Admissions Department.
Change-of-Status: Students who need change-of-status or adjustment of immigration status to comply with government regulations should contact the International Center for advisement. The office can assist the eligible student with the change-of-status process and/or issue documents that enable the student to apply for a student visa.
Obtaining a Student Visa: When all academic and visa requirements are met, follow these steps to obtain a student visa:
- Obtain Form I-20 and a letter of acceptance from the school.
- Pay SEVIS I-901 Fee. Currently the SEVIS fee to obtain an F visa is $200. Fee must be paid prior to the visa appointment with the U.S. Embassy. For payment options and further information, visit www.fmjfee.com. Student is required to bring a copy of the SEVIS fee payment receipt (showing proof of payment) to the visa interview.
- Find the U.S. Embassy closest to your home at www.travel.state.gov. Check the consular site to see if there are any special instructions for the consulate you will be visiting.
- Make an appointment with the embassy for the visa interview.
- Arrival Information: At the port-of-entry to the U.S., the student will be interviewed again and the Arrival/Departure Form I-94 will be issued. The earliest date of entry into the U.S. that is allowed is typically 30 days prior to the start date indicated on your Form I-20. The student will not be allowed entry into the U.S. beyond the start date. The student is required to notify the International Center of arrival and make an appointment to complete U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service requirements.

General Guidelines

You must report to the Admissions office within the first week of the beginning of the semester. Please bring your: stamped I-94 with you, passport, stamped I-20, and any other immigration documents. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires Ogeechee Technical College to maintain copies of all immigration documentation for your file.
- Student must register for a full course load of 12 credit hours
- Student must report all immigration changes to the international student advisor
F-1 international students are issued a duration of stay that is noted on their I-94, which means they are allowed to stay in the United States for as long as they are attending college and taking a full course load.
Students that are unable to complete their program of study by the expiration date on their I-20 must apply for an extension before the expiration date. If the date has expired and the student has not applied for an extension, they will be considered Out of Status and if eligible may apply for reinstatement.
As an international student, you must maintain a full course load (12 credit hours or more) of classes every semester.
International students may not drop below a full course load in any semester; however, there are certain circumstances where you may be authorized to take a less than full time course load. You must have prior approval from the international student advisor and the Office of Admissions.
International students must notify the international student advisor of any emergency that may require a drop in classes or academic withdrawal. Without permission and documentation on file, the international student advisor will be obligated to report the student’s status to USCIS.
If an international student drops out of college, he/she will be Out of Status and will be reported to USCIS.
If an international student wishes to change majors, you must contact the international student advisor for approval and record change in SEVIS.
International students must notify the international student advisor within 10 days of any address changes.
International students may transfer to or from Ogeechee Technical College. Students need to contact the international student advisor of their current college/institution and complete the Transfer Clearance Form. International students should maintain full time status until they are accepted at the new college.
F-1 students must start their studies in the term/semester for which the visa is granted and remain in college for the duration of the visa’s awarded period. Otherwise, the college must notify USCIS immediately that the student is not in school and therefore is Out of Status.
The student must consult with the international student advisor if a problem arises that prohibits the student’s attendance at the college. Before withdrawing from a course, the F-1 student must first have the approval of the international student advisor or the Dean of Admissions since time parameters for program completion are part of the visa approval process. The international student advisor or the Dean of Admissions will notify USCIS officials if the student does not show satisfactory academic progress from one semester to the next or is placed on academic probation or suspension.
According to USCIS policies, the F-1 student’s visa and passport must remain updated while attending Ogeechee Technical College. It is the responsibility of the F-1 student to keep track of the expiration dates of his/her documents. If the visa or passport is to expire before the completion of the student’s program, he/she must see the international student advisor to complete appropriate forms for an extension. The student must meet with the international student advisor no less than 60 days prior to the expiration date of the document(s) in order to have adequate time to have the document in question renewed. Failure to do so could result in the USCIS denying the request for the student extension, that will then result in the student having to leave the country prior to completion of his/her program of study.

Note: Admission to a credit program is a selective process and international students must meet the requirements for admission. International
applicants must have a complete file before they can be accepted to a credit program of study. Once official acceptance is granted, a letter is
mailed to the applicant. The international student advisor will then request that an F-1student visa be issued to the accepted applicant by the
USCIS.