Enrollment Requirements for International Students
Full-time Enrollment. International students who have been granted approval for admission to the College are required to enroll for full-time status. Full-time status implies enrollment as a full time student (12 semester credit hours should be face to face classes, and may only take one online course during each term or semester). International students that qualify for full-time enrollment require that students are admitted and have followed all the General Requirements for International student admissions, which are the following:
- Submit a completed application to the Office of the Registrar and Admissions or by completing the application on-line at www.applytexas.org or www.laredo.edu/admissions . Students name must be as it appears on their Passport.
- Students need to declare which program of study they will be pursuing and which type of VISA they will be applying for prior to the issuance of an I-20.
- Foreign high school transcripts must have a translation and an evaluation completed by an agency of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Evaluations by other agencies not listed on the NACES website will not be accepted. Original transcripts will be kept in the Office of the Registrar and Admissions. A list of NACES agencies can be found at www.naces.org/members.htm.
- Students transferring from another college or university need to have meet college level reediness and do not require an evaluation of their foreign high school transcripts only their official college transcript from an Accredited U.S. Institution for admissions.
- Complete a Memorandum of Understanding Form. This form outlines specific enrollment and transfer requirements for all International students.
- We also recommend that you schedule your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam prior to doing the application process. Visit the TOEFL test website to schedule the test in your home country at www.ets.org/toefl. Passing scores are 500 for the written test and 61 for the TOEFL iBT internet based test. Other TOEFL scores will not be accepted.
- Complete a Student’s Financial Responsibility Statement. Proof of financial support documentation is required which includes Family Bank statements or sponsors bank statements for the three most recent months from the date the documentation is submitted including a sponsors letter stating that the sponsor will financially support the student during their course of study. If the student is pending documentation from the packet the Financial Responsibility Statement information then the student will need to update their financial statements to reflect the new date of document submission. For further information on Financial Ability visit https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/financial-ability.
- Students requesting a re-issuance of an I-20 must submit revised financial support documents if they are making any changes to their I-20. If a student makes any changes or updates to their personal information such as: change in physical address, mailing address or name change the student only has 10 days to make those changes with The Office of the Registrar and Admissions as per Student Exchange and Visitors Program Student Records and Reporting.
- All documentation required must be submitted 30 to 60 days prior to the beginning of the semester or session that the student is planning to attend.
- Admission to Laredo College does not imply financial support for International Students. Each student is responsible for acquiring his/her health insurance, supplying his/her own living quarters; food and other personal expenses.
- International Student Document Checklist includes, TOEFL Scores, Evaluated High School Transcript, Copy of VALID Passport, Memorandum of Understanding, Statement of Financial Responsibility, Letter of Sponsorship, Bank Statements (most recent 3 months), Proof of Health Insurance (optional but highly recommended), Copy of I-20 signed by PDSO/DSO.
- Students must submit a completed international student packet by completing the document checklist that is required for all First Time and Transfer Students; this checklist outlines all the documentation that is required to be submitted by the student in order to obtain an I-20. This form must be attached to all the documentation brought in by the student. The student packet is not complete until all documents are received. Partial documentation will not be accepted under any circumstances for all first time and transferring students, this also applies to students who are planning to enroll in certain college programs or are participating in Athletics. All forms are available at the Office of the Registrar and Admissions.
TOEFL Exemptions
Student’s must show English Proficiency; if a student is taking courses at a Language Institute the Office of the Registrar and Admissions will need the original certificate of completion of the program
stating they have met the English Proficiency requirements for admissions, this documentation of completion may be used in place of the TOEFL
Student’s must show English Proficiency; if a student is taking courses at a Language Institute. The Office of Registrar and Admissions will need the original certificate of completion of the program
stating they have met the English Proficiency requirements for admissions, this
documentation of completion may be used in place of the TOEFL
Student who has graduated from a U.S Accredited
High School (4 years) does not require the TOEFL.
Certificate of High School Equivalency from a
U.S. Accredited Agency (GED English) may also be used.>
Countries Exempt from the TOEFL Exam
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American Samoa
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Ireland
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Australia
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Jamaica
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Bahamas
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Liberia
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Barbados
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New Zealand
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Belize
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Guyana
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Canada(except Quebec)
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Sierra Leone
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Dominica
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Trinidad/Tobago
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Grenada
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United Kingdom
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Grand Cayman
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U.S. Pacific Trust
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Enrollment as a full-time student is a requirement, failure to remain enrolled as a full-time student will cause a student to be out of compliance. Subsequent permission to re-enroll may be denied. Students must remain in good academic standing to be eligible to re-enroll. International Students may take one online course during each term or semester to their 12 hour full-time requirement. Full-time enrollment is required for lawful F-1/M-1 student status, must register, attend & successfully complete classes with grades above a 2.0. You are required to comply with rules & regulations in accordance with Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP), Student Exchange and Visitor System (SEVIS) & academic/admissions/International student policies of Laredo College.
Student SEVIS Record Student Registration
The Designated School Official(DSO) will report whether or not an active student reported and enrolled in classes within 30 days of the start of the session. The DSO will register the student, if the student is enrolled as a full time student or terminate the student for failure to enroll, if the student does not enroll.
Concurrent Enrollment. International students who plan to enroll at Laredo College while attending another college or university must fulfill the following requirements:
- Laredo College is the Primary Institution
- The student must possess a current I-20 form from Laredo College.
- The student must enroll in a minimum total composite of 12 semester credit hours between the two designated institutions and needs to submit their registration status from the other institution.
- The student will need to submit an official transcript showing completion of the term in order to determine that the student is in compliance with their I-20/VISA requirements. Official transcripts showing in progress status for courses enrolled in will not be accepted and may result in the student’s I-20 to be terminated for failure to comply with their I-20 requirements.
- Another Institution is the Primary Institution
- The student must present the Laredo College Designated School Official/the Office of the Registrar and Admissions a copy of the current I-20 from the institution he/she is currently attending.
- The student must present to The Laredo College Designated School Official/the Office of the Registrar and Admissions a copy of the student’s VISA and Passport.
- The Student must present to The Laredo College Designated School Official/the Office of the Registrar and Admissions a letter from their primary institution International Student Office stating the courses the student is allowed to enroll for and the term/semester granting the student permission.
- The student shall need to meet with an advisor to ensure that courses granted permission to enroll are eligible for transfer.