International Student: Steps to Enrollment

1. Apply for International Admissions

www.tjc.edu/applynow or www.applytexas.org

Make sure the name on your application matches the name as it appears on your passport. If it is different than how it appears on your transcript, please notify us. 

Please note that when filling out the application on TJC’s Apply Now site, the application type page has a dropdown menu. An International Student who is seeking an initial F-1 visa should fill out the application noted as “International Freshman”.

TJC only admits new international F-1 students in the Fall and Spring Semesters.

2. Submit a copy of your passport

We will need a copy of the first page of your passport showing your name, date of birth, and expiration date.  The expiration date must be more than six months away. If you have been issued any other US visa(s), we also need a copy of the visa page(s) from your passport.

Considerations:

• If you are in the process of renewing your passport at the time of application, we will need a copy of the new passport as soon as possible.
• The picture(s) that you send of your passport and visa(s) should be clear, easily readable, and unaltered in any way.

3. Submit English proficiency scores:

Minimum required scores are the following: 

• TOEFL = 64;
  • Register for TOEFL at www.ets.org/toefl
• IELTS = 6.0;
  • Register for IELTS at www.ielts.org/usa 
• High School Graduate from High School in the US;
• College-ready in Reading and Writing based on ACT/SAT scores
• Completion of ESL program or Intensive English Certificate in the US
• Citizens from countries where English is commonly used are exempt from TOEFL. 

Native students from the following countries are exempt from proving English proficiency:

Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, English-speaking Canadian provinces, The Fiji Islands, Gambia, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Malta, Nauru, Nigeria, New Zealand, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Tobago Trinidad, Uganda, United Kingdom, The Virgin Islands, the West Indies, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

4. Confirmation of financial resources and bank statements

Students should be prepared to finance the entirety of their educational and other costs while in the United States. Most degrees at TJC will take at least two years to complete, so please plan accordingly.

Submission of the following two pieces of information is required:

• Confirmation of Financial Resources form: Students must submit this form providing evidence of sufficient funds to cover the student’s education. The amount as listed on the form (USD $21,000) is the estimate for one academic year.* Please Note:
  • The actual cost may be more or less than this depending on course load and composition and choice of housing arrangements.
  • If a Sponsor is assisting you, their information must be included and their relationship to the student must be noted using the Confirmation of Financial Resources form.
  • The bank must certify and stamp this form before submitting it to the International Office. If the bank is unwilling to stamp the form, they may submit a bank letter to support the information instead of stamping the form. We still require the Sponsor to fill out and sign the form.
• Bank Statements: Submit three months’ worth of certified bank statements signed by the bank official reflecting the named sponsor resources. Totals need to be shown in U.S. dollars and the statement must have an end date within 5-6 months of the date you intend on starting school.

The Confirmation of Financial Resources form and Bank Statements may be submitted electronically via email to international@tjc.edu as long as the bank seal is affixed to the documents.

Special Considerations:

• The Evidence must be readily available, liquid funds.
• The Evidence provided cannot be company assets, bonds, property or investments (i.e. retirement accounts, trading/investment accounts and the like are not able to be used as evidence).
• A Student may have as many sponsors as they like, but each sponsor must submit a Confirmation of Financial Resources form and supporting evidence.
• If you end up having to defer enrollment to a subsequent semester, you will need to submit updated financial information. Financial information will only be considered for the semester it is initially submitted for.

*The estimate of the yearly cost is subject to change and does not constitute an exact or maximum amount per year that you may spend while at TJC. The estimate only includes: Tuition & Fees and Room & Board on campus. 

5. Transcript Requirements

We will need official transcripts or notarized copies from your high school and official transcripts from any colleges or universities you have attended – either in the U.S. or abroad. We also need proof that you have had these transcripts translated and evaluated by an accepted evaluation company.

1. High School Graduates: Final Official/High School Transcript (with Graduation Date and Certified English translation/evaluation if it applies). 
2. International College/University Transcripts: Official Transcripts that have been evaluated and translated (as needed) by an approved vendor.
3. U.S. College/University Transcripts: If you have U.S. College/University transcripts and do not have a current and valid F-1 visa, we require Official Transcripts be sent by that school to us.
4. All transcripts must be an official original or a notarized/certified copy.

Considerations:

• In order for a Transcript to be considered Official, it must come from the school or the service used to translate and/or evaluate it. A transcript received from the student or anyone unaffiliated with the school or service will be considered Unofficial.
• Unofficial Transcripts can be used for initial Admissions purposes, but we still require an Official Transcript be submitted.
• Transcripts can be emailed to international@tjc.edu by the school or service.
• High School Transcripts should have a listed Graduation/Leaving date or be provided by the official sending the transcript.
• You can see options for Translation and Evaluation services on our International Transcript Evaluation webpage. We always encourage a course-by-course evaluation of all International College transcripts.

6. Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination

All students under the age of 22 must submit Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination forms.

Submit proof of vaccination

7. Statement of Understanding

Students must read carefully before signing the statement of understanding. When signing, they agree to each statement before being considered for admission. 

Please read carefully and initial each statement on the blank before the statement. 

On the second page, please provide your physical mailing address and city of birth for completing your I-20. 

Processing of I-20

Once a prospective student completes all Admissions requirements, he/she will be notified by email to complete the shipping information.

Download the Statement of Understanding.