International Student Admissions 

Welcome to Columbus State! Below you will find the steps and required documents to apply as an international student (F-1 visa holder or applicant) and to request a Form I-20 for F-1 visa purposes. If you are not an F-1 visa appliant, visit the global student admissions page for instructions for different immigration statuses and visa types.  

Columbus State issues I-20s for associate degree programs only. F-1 students are not eligible for all programs, including non-credit courses, English as a Second Language (ESL), fully online programs, or certificate programs.

Health Science majors: Most Health Science programs (such as Nursing) have competitive and selective admission processes that are separate from the I-20 process. You must work with a Health Sciences pathway advisor upon your admission to discuss additional admission requirements for these programs.

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Admissions Application

• The first step to attend Columbus State is to submit an application.

Standard application

Note: You will receive a confirmation email once you complete your application. Please check your email regularly for important announcements and next steps.

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Access Workday & Complete Onboarding

• In most cases, students receive their admission decision in 1-2 business days. However, F-1 students have additional tasks to complete in Workday before a Form I-20 can be issued.
• You will receive instructions to access your Workday account where you will complete a series of tasks to meet I-20 eligibility requirements.

Note: Check your Workday account often as new tasks may appear before classes start.

Form I-20 Requirements 

For F-1 visa purposes, you will be asked to upload the following documents in your Workday account:

• Passport
• Proof of Completion of Secondary Education
• Financial Affidavit and bank statements showing your ability to pay for 1 years' worth tuition
• Approved test results or US college transcripts to satisfy course placement requirements (see below for more information)

Financial Affidavit and Bank Statements

As part of the F-1 visa requirements, you or your financial sponsor must provide proof of sufficient funds to cover the cost of attendance for at least one academic year. This includes submitting a financial affidavit with a recent bank statement from a checking or savings account showing a balance equal to or greater than the required cost of attendance. Review the Financial Affidavit below for the required amount to be shown.

Download the Financial Affidavit

Learn more about the cost of attendance as an international student.

Please note that the cost of attendance is subject to change without notice.

Test Results or US College Transcripts 

All F‑1 applicants must demonstrate college readiness by submitting qualifying, unexpired test results from a college‑approved exam, an official U.S. college transcript with applicable transfer credit for English, or by completing a Columbus State placement assessment before a Form I‑20 can be issued.

Examples of approved exams with the required minimum scores are listed below. You are required to submit one of the following options.

• TOEFL (internet-based test or internet-based Home Edition):
  Exams taken before January 21, 2026: A minimum score of 79 or higher is required
  Exams taken after January 21, 2026: A minimum score of 4.0 or higher is required
• IELTS: 6.5 or higher
• SAT: 480 or higher in Evidence Based Reading & Writing
• ACT: 18 or higher in English
• Official U.S. college transcript with applicable transfer credit for college-level English - you must have the transcript on file with Columbus State | How to submit official transcripts 
• Completion of a Columbus State placement assessment with placement into ENGL 1100 | Taking a Placement Assessment

Note: Submitting test results or transcripts is required of all applicants seeking a Form I-20. Waivers are not available, including for students whose first language is English.

If you do not have test scores or transcripts, use the links below to contact a testing company of your choice to reserve your test appointment. Most exams are administered worldwide and have at-home testing available. 

TOEFL

IELTS

SAT

ACT (USA only)  

Columbus State placement assessment

Important Dates & Deadlines

To be considered for the semester you are applying to, all required I-20 documents must be received by the deadline listed below.

Semester	Applicants outside the US	Students inside the US
Autumn Semester	June 1	July 15
Spring Semester	October 1	November 15
Summer Semester	Not available	Not available

Columbus State does not issue I-20s for the summer term.

https://www.cscc.edu/academics/calendar/