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Applying to PUC
Admission
Procedures
Online
Application
Becoming one of our many international students with a legal non-immigrant
status involves several basic steps. Just follow along. The application
process to Pacific Union College is not much different than for
U.S. citizens.
International students are required to submit the following:
1. Application
2. ACT, SAT or TOEFL score
3. Official transcript of academic record (in English)
4. Letter of recommendation or reference form (from website)
5. Bank statement of parent or financial sponsor confirming availability
of $35,000 to cover expenses for one academic year.
Let’s get started.
Getting
academically accepted
Getting
financially accepted
Receiving
the I - 20 form from us
SEVIS
Fee
Applying
for an F-1 student visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate (not
applicable to Canadians)
Arriving at a U.S. Port of Entry – What a Student Can Expect
Arriving
at Pacific Union College
1. Getting academically accepted.
To begin, you must request an application package from Enrollment
Services (you may get a hard copy by writing or e-mailing or you
may download one using this link). These documents will tell you
exactly what you need to present in order for you to be accepted
for your specific program and degree. Make sure that you provide
everything exactly the way they ask for it, especially regarding
originals, copies and certified translations.
2. Getting financially accepted.
After you are academically accepted, you must be financially accepted.
Unfortunately, financing your education in the U.S. can be a challenge,
as limited financial aid is available to international students.
Thus, the PUC Student Finance Office will want to make sure that
you are prepared to meet the financial requirements for international
students. Financial difficulties can be one of the most frustrating
experiences in an international student’s life and can even
jeopardize your legal status in the United States. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), formerly referred to
as INS, does not make exceptions if you cannot meet minimum financial
requirements. Therefore, the College will require that you provide
financial documentation.
3. Receiving the I-20 form from
us
After you have been academically and financially accepted, our office, International
Student Services, will receive the appropriate information from Enrollment Services
and Student Finance and we will issue an I-20 form to you. If you are outside
the United States, this form will be mailed to you by express mail.
4. SEVIS Fee
The Department of Homeland Security requires prospective F-1 students to pay
a one-time fee of $100. This fee is to be paid by all prospective students with "initial
attendance" on the I-20 form, who are applying for an F-1 visa from outside
the United States.
The fee must be paid at least three (3) business days prior to applying for the
visa, or applying for admission at a U.S. port-of-entry for those exempt from
the visa requirement.
The SEVIS fee will not be refunded if your visa application is denied. However,
if you reapply for a new F-1 visa within 12 months of the denial, you will not
have to pay the fee again.
For information of how to pay the fee online, by mail or through Western Union,
go to www.FMJfee.com.
5. Applying for an F-1 student visa
at a U.S. embassy or consulate (not applicable
to Canadians)
Receiving the I-20 form from PUC does not automatically mean that
you will receive the student visa (F-1). You must use this I-20
form to request a visa through a U.S. embassy or consulate. It depends
on you and the decision of the consular officer to make your wish
come true to study at PUC. Depending on your country of residence,
the difficulty in obtaining a visa varies greatly. In some countries,
the U.S. consulates issue the visa by mail. In other countries,
interviews with consular officers are required. In a few countries,
it is nearly impossible to obtain a visa. You may also wish to contact
the local U.S. Embassy to inquire what documents they require, as
this may vary from country to country. Several items are generally
required:
- A current, valid passport
- An I-20 form for the F-1 visa
- Evidence of financial suppport for the amount
indicated on the I-20 form
- Proof that you have a permanent residence outside
the United States
- One of more passport-type photographs
- A non-immigrant visa application
Additional application materials may be requested by the visa officer
to prove your eligibility. These may include:
- Evidence of English proficiency
- School records to verify academic preparation
- Additional evidence of strong ties to your home
country
The consulates are especially
concerned about two things: First, are you able to finance your
education in the U.S.? Second, are you coming to the U.S. to study
or do you plan to immigrate? If the consular officer doubts your
ability to pay for your studies or suspects you intend to immigrate,
they may not grant you a student visa.
The most common reason for denying a visa is that the consular officer
is not convinced that the applicant has a residence in a foreign
country or is not planning to return to the home country. In such
a case, the applicant may attempt to convince the consul that there
is both need and reason to return to the foreign residence. This
can be done in a variety of ways, such as showing evidence of a
job offer or a job to which to return, proving ownership of property,
or explaining family ties and responsibilities.
The consular officer will place a visa in your passport. If you
receive a multiple-entry visa, you may use it to re-enter the United
States up to the date of its expiration as long as you have a valid
I-20 form.
After obtaining the visa you are ready to come to PUC. Generally,
the earliest date a visa will be issued is 90 days prior to the
beginning date indicated on your I-20 form. You may enter the United
States not more than 30 days before the school year begins. Also,
make sure you do not come later than the reporting date stated on
your I-20.
6. Arriving at a U.S. Port of Entry – What a Student Can Expect
- PLAN YOUR ARRIVAL. You may be refused entry into the United States if you attempt to arrive more than 30 days before the program start date listed on your SEVIS I-20 form.
- ALWAYS HAND-CARRY YOUR DOCUMENTS. Do not check the following documents in your baggage. If your baggage is lost or delayed, you will be unable to present the documents at your port of entry. As a result, you may not be able to enter the United States
- Your passport, valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected stay;
- SEVIS Form I-20.
- In addition, it is strongly recommended that you also hand carry the following documentation:
- Evidence of financial resources;
- Evidence of student status, such as recent tuition receipts and transcripts;
- Paper receipt for the SEVIS fee
- Name and contact information for your “Designated School Official”, including a 24-hour emergency contact number at the school.
- COMPLETE YOUR ENTRY PAPERWORK
- If Arriving By Air: Flight attendants will distribute Customs Declaration Forms (CF-6059) and Arrival Departure Record Forms (I-94). These must be completed prior to landing.
- If Arriving By Land or Sea: The CBP Officer at the port of entry will provide the necessary Customs Declaration Forms (CF-6059) and Arrival-Departure Record Forms (I-94) to be filled out upon your arrival.
- AS YOU ARRIVE AT THE PORT OF ENTRY
- Proceed to the terminal area for arriving passengers.
- Have the following documents available for presentation: your passport; SEVIS Form (I-20); Arrival-Departure Record Form (I-94); and Customs Declaration Form (CF-6059).
- The Form I-94 should reflect the address where you will reside, not the address of the school or program.
7. Arriving at Pacific Union College
Upon arrival in the United States for the first time, international
students are picked up free of charge by the College at the San Francisco
International Airport. It is the responsibility of the student to
notify Enrollment Services of arrival date, time, airline and flight
number at least one week in advance. Subsequent arrivals and departures
should be scheduled with Evans Airport Service in Napa.
As soon as possible after your arrival at PUC, please come by the
Student Services Office to meet with the International Student Advisor.
We must make copies of your immigration documents before you register
for classes. We will also provide you with the information you need
to get started here at PUC.
Special Considerations for Canadian Students
All the steps mentioned above for obtaining F-1 status applies to
you also, except you do not need a visa to enter the U.S. Therefore,
you are not required to go to a U.S. consulate or embassy. Simply
skip step number four. Beginning January 2007, Canadians will need a passport to enter the United States traveling by air. By January 2008, Canadians traveling to the U.S. by land or sea will need to have a passport. However, make sure
that your I-20 form and I-94 card gets stamped at the border by the
immigration officer who admits you to the U.S.
Admission
Procedures
Online
Application
Admission
of International Students
Student Handbook
Address:
International Student Services
One Angwin Avenue
Pacific Union College
Angwin, CA 94508
Phone: 1 707 965 7362
Fax: 1 707 965 7386
Email: isa@puc.edu |
