International students who wish to attend Blue Ridge must have a valid student visa (an F-1 visa).

If you currently hold an F-1 visa and are transferring from another school in the United States, the documentation listed below must be completed and received before Admission to Blue Ridge will be granted.

• The International Student Transfer Recommendation must be completed by the DSO (Designated SEVIS Official) at your former school. Click HERE for this form.
•  The numbered items below must all be completed and received by the International Students Coordinator before Admission to Blue Ridge will be granted.

PLEASE NOTE: The deadlines for completing and providing all of the items below for International Transfer Admission to Blue Ridge are given below:

For entry into Fall Semester - July 15

For entry into Spring Semester - December 15

For entry into Summer Semester - April 15

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION:

 1. APPLICATION FORM

• The student must complete Blue Ridge Community College's application for admission.
• Click HERE to print off a copy of our General Admissions Application, or to complete the Application online.
• The student MUST apply for either the “Associate in Arts” Degree program or the “Associate in Science” Degree program. Blue Ridge is only approved through SEVIS for international students applying to these programs.
• All correct application forms must be received and approved before International Transfer Admission to Blue Ridge will be granted.

 2. EVIDENCE OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT

• The student must submit a notarized Affidavit of Financial Support. A copy of this form is attached to this email. Both pages must be filled out completely by the person who is financially supporting the student. Click HERE for a copy of the Affidavit of Financial Support form.
• This form must also be accompanied by an original letter from the bank or financial institution of the person supporting the student. The letter must verify the availability of U.S. funds to support a full-time student and any accompanying dependents for each year of study.
• The second page must be notarized.
• Total estimated annual expenses (includes out-of-state tuition, books, and living expenses) for international students: $18,700.00 - $21,000.00.
• Inadequate financial support will result in failure to maintain F-1 student status and possible deportation from the U.S. The student must be sure that the student financial resources or those of the sponsor are readily available to meet all educational and living expenses throughout the student’s program of study.
• A deposit may be required.
• All correct financial documentation must be received and approved before International Transfer Admission to Blue Ridge will be granted.

 3. OFFICIAL DIPLOMA/TRANSCRIPTS

• The student must provide complete, official academic records from secondary (equivalent to high school education in the U.S.) and post-secondary schools.
• Records should include courses taken, grades received, and degrees or certificates earned.
• Secondary school transcripts (equivalent to high school education in the U.S.) if not originally in English must be translated into English.
• Post-secondary school transcripts must not only be translated into English, but also must be evaluated for U.S. Credit.
• Translations and evaluations must be performed by one of the organizations approved by Blue Ridge. These organizations can be found on the NACES website: www.naces.org.
• The student will need to provide Blue Ridge with original transcripts that we can keep for the student’s file (not ones that need to be returned to the student), plus the translation/evaluation report sent from an NACES organization.
• All transcripts, translations, and evaluations must be received and approved before International Transfer Admission to Blue Ridge will be granted.

 4. EVIDENCE OF ENGLISH COMPETENCY

• Potential students must demonstrate English competency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This test is published and administered in most countries by the Educational Testing Service.
• Their address in the United States is Educational Testing Service, PO Box 899, Princeton, NJ 08541 USA.
• Their website is http://www.ets.org/toefl/
• The student will need to go on their website, find out when and where their tests are held, register for and take the test, and then arrange the official test-results sent to Blue Ridge.
• The student must have a TOEFL score of 550 on the paper-based test, 213 on the computer-based version, or 80 on the Internet-based version in order for the I-20 Form from Blue Ridge to be issued.
• International Transfer Admission to Blue Ridge will not be granted until official TOEFL scores are received and approved.

 5. PLACEMENT TESTING

• The student must complete Pre-Enrollment Placement Testing for Blue Ridge Community College
• The student must complete either: the A.C.T. ASSET tests for 2-year colleges (all four of the tests listed here): Writing Skills, Reading Skills, Numerical Skills, and either Elementary Algebra or Intermediate Algebra
• Or, Accuplacer Tests (all four of the tests listed here): Arithmetic, Elementary Algebra, Reading Comprehension, Sentence Skills
• If the student wants to take Placement Testing a local college, the student can do this. The student must complete all of the required tests and have an official copy of the test results sent to Blue Ridge.
• If the student has taken the SAT and scored 500 or better on Critical Reading and/or Math, that portion of the Pre-Enrollment Testing may be waived.
• If the student has taken the ACT and scored a 21 on the ACT English and/or a 20 on the ACT Math, that portion of the Pre-Enrollment Testing may be waived.
• All required placement testing scores must be received and approved before International Transfer Admission to Blue Ridge will be granted.

 6. INTERVIEW

Before an I-20 Form is issued, an interview may be required.

 7. ADEQUATE HEALTH AND HOSPITALIZATION INSURANCE

• The student will need to provide official documentation that the student have adequate health and hospitalization insurance coverage for the time that the student will be a student at Blue Ridge Community College.
• All documentation of adequate health and hospitalization insurance coverage must be received and approved before International Transfer Admission to Blue Ridge will be granted.

 8. LOCAL ADDRESS

• The student will need to supply the Blue Ridge Designated School Official (DSO) with a valid local address.
• This must be the address where the student will be residing during the academic year.
• This address cannot be a temporary address or an address of a friend or colleague.
• Until the local address is established and approved International Transfer Admission to Blue Ridge cannot be granted.

 PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS FOR STUDENTS ON F1 STUDENT VISAS:

• Students are required to be enrolled as a full-time (minimum 12 semester hours) degree seeking student at Blue Ridge. Out-of-state tuition is charged.
•  Minimum tuition cost per semester is currently around $3800, which does not include books and supplies.
•  F-1 students are not permitted to work for salary or wages for at least the first full year of study. The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services may authorize employment eligibility in extreme hardship cases due to changing economics after the first year of study. (PLEASE NOTE: this is very rarely approved.)
•  Blue Ridge has no dormitories or residence halls. All students must arrange for housing away from the College. The community college system in North Carolina is established to meet the needs of commuting students. Thus, we are unable to provide transportation, housing, meals, or any support of that sort.
•  Blue Ridge is located in a small town setting with no major public transportation available. Students are responsible for meeting their own transportation needs.