International Students Applying Online

Source: Application Packet, 2008-09, p. 5

English Language
International students must present authoritative evidence
of sufficient competence in the English language to pursue a regular course of study at the City University of New York. It is required that applicants who have not studied and earned a degree in an English-speaking country take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), administered internationally by Educational Testing Service, and request ETS to report examination results directly to the Office of Admissions, The Graduate Center–College Code 2113, 365 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10016. Inquiries concerning this examination may be made to Test of English as a Foreign Language, Box 6151, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, U.S.A., or to most American embassies and consulates in cities outside the United States. For additional information, call 1-800-GO-TOEFL or on the Web at http://www.toefl.org or www.ets.org. Individual programs at the Graduate Center may require a minimum score on the TOEFL for admission to the program.

Immigration Status
International students who wish to obtain or maintain F-1 student status or J-1 exchange-visitor status may be admitted only as matriculated students. Immigration regulations require full-time enrollment in a degree-granting program for students in F-1 or J-1 status; therefore, students in F-1 or J-1 status may not be admitted as part-time or nondegree students.

There are two steps to follow in order to obtain or maintain F-1 or J-1 student status.

The first step is admission into an academic program.

The second step is the documentation of the amount and source(s) of financial support.

All questions regarding academic admission should be directed to the Admissions Office (Email: admissions@gc.cuny.edu).

All questions regarding immigration status should be directed to the Office of International Students (Email: intstu@gc.cuny.edu).

An applicant who would like to change immigration status to F-1 or J-1 student status should consult the Office of International Students for information on the correct procedure to follow. Please note that change of status within the United States is not guaranteed. A student will not be eligible for employment authorization incident to F-1 or J-1 status (including employment pursuant to a financial aid award) until the request for change of status has been approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (These requests require a minimum of two months to adjudicate.)

If an applicant has an immigration status other than F-1 or J-1 and intends to keep that status, appropriate documentation must be provided to the Office of International Students before registering for classes.

Certificate of Eligibility
Applicants who will apply for nonimmigrant F-1 or J-1 visas for entry into the United States and applicants already in the United States in F-1 or J-1 student status must complete the "Request for Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019) and Declaration & Certification of Finances for International Students" in the Application Packet (pp 9-12). United States government regulations require documentary evidence of financial support for the duration of a proposed course of study prior to the issuance of the Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20 or DS-2019). This documentation may also be requested by United States consular officials upon application for an entry visa, by U.S. Immigration inspectors at ports of entry into the United States, or by Immigration inspectors when applications are made for extension of stay or change of status in the United States. Submit original documents in support of this application and prepare an additional set of original documents for support of visa applications.

Financial Assistance
University financial assistance for which international students are eligible to apply is limited and is usually not adequate to fund a student’s total expenses. For information about financial assistance, see Financial Aid. Students are asked to review their financial situation carefully because the cost of living in New York City is high, and immigration regulations restrict employment. F-1 and J-1 status students should not expect to finance their education through work in the United States.