International Admission Instructions (F1 Visa)
This page is for international applicants who:
- Need a student visa (F1 visa) to travel to the United States to complete a degree with Columbus State Community College
- Already have an F1 visa from another school and wish to transfer to Columbus State and receive a new I-20
- Have a different non-immigrant visa status and wish to change to F1 status
All F1 applicants must first apply to the College and submit a complete F1 admissions package to receive a Form I-20 “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.”
If you are applying from abroad, you must have a Form I-20 before applying for an F1 visa at a US embassy. If you are an F1 transfer student, you will receive an acceptance letter upon admission to send to your current school to initiate your SEVIS record/I-20 transfer.
Use the F1 Admissions Checklist below as a guide to gather the documents needed for a complete F1 admissions package. For more information about the requirements, refer to the Explanation of Documents. Once you have a complete F1 admissions package, submit your documents electronically to istudent@cscc.edu
Please do not mail in or submit original copies of documents to our office, as they may not be returned and may prolong the admission decision.
Before you proceed, ensure you have completed the Standard Application and received a Cougar ID (student identification number).
- F-1 Admissions Checklist
- Explanation of Documents
- Financial Affidavit
- Transfer Eligibility Form (current F-1 transfer students only)
- Personal Data Form
Below are the deadlines which you must submit all required documents to our office to receive an I-20 for the respective semester:
| Overseas applicants: | Transfer Students* | |
| Autumn Semester: | June 1 | July 15 |
| Spring Semester: | October 1 | December 1 |
| Summer Semester: | N/A ** | N/A ** |
* Already in the US with an F1 visa and Form I-20 from another US college/university
**Initial Form I-20s are not issued for students to start their first semester in the Summer Semester, as it is a shorter, more condensed academic term.
Information for B1/B2 visa holders:
If you are currently in the US on a B1/B2 visa and you wish to change your status to F1, please read our Information for B1/B2 visa holders. Be mindful of your I-94 expiration date which can be found on the entry stamp in your passport that you received when you passed through Customs or you may retrieve your “Most Recent I-94” online at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/
To learn more about the process for becoming an international student in the United States, visit Study in the States.
Contact our office:
Candace Allen, F-1 Admissions Advisor
istudent@cscc.edu | 614-287-5422