The I-20 is the "Certificate of Eligibility" form that schools issue to admitted students who have accepted an offer of admission so they can apply for their F-1 Student Visa in their home country.

The International Student Application Form must be filled out and returned to the International Student Center with the required fees and documentation before an I-20 can be issued. The I-20 is a document necessary to apply for a foreign student visa at the U.S. Consulate in the student’s home country. Upon admission, the I-20, along with orientation information, is mailed to the student. You can find more information on International Admission by review the Admission Information section.

If you are over 18 years old, GED-certificate or its equivalent may be accepted instead of a high school diploma. Proof of completion of the GED or a similar high school equivalency program must be submitted with the international student application.

International students may be admitted without a TOEFL score. After their admission to the college, they are required to take the RSCCD English Placement Test which measures English language proficiency. Students who achieve a satisfactory score may enroll directly in the college credit programs. Others will be enrolled in the English Language Academy, the college's intensive English as a Second Language program. Note there is no TOEFL requirement for admission to the English Language Academy students.

Generally, we only mail the I-20s through standard U.S. Air Mail. It could take an average of two to four weeks for you to receive the I-20 after we mail it. However, you can arrange for special handling in cases where there is an urgent need to expedite the mailing. Contact the International Student Center for details.

Yes. Even though you may have a valid F-1 Visa and an I-20 from another school, you will still need an I-20 from Santa Ana College. BCIS requires updated school information on all international students. To be in compliance with BCIS regulations, you need a valid I-20 from the school you are currently attending and an updated visa.

Important: Your previous school must release certain information to us before we can issue you an I-20. Notify the International Student Office at your previous school about your transfer plans so processing of your I-20 is not delayed. After our office issues the I-20, the International Student Center will assist you with transferring your visa to Santa Ana College.

No. If you are outside of the U.S. after completing your course of study at your previous school and re-enter the U.S. with an I-20 issued by your previous school, you will be considered in violation of your F-1 status unless you continue at the old school. If you do not receive our I-20 within a time frame that allows you to obtain your visa, you may want to reconsider your travel plans. We'll make every effort to process your I-20 promptly.

There are no scholarships available to NEW international students. However, the Scholarship Office does offer scholarships to continuing students who have completed a minimum number of units. For more information, please review Student Services & Support section under scholarships.

Yes, Homestay is usually arranged prior to arrival at the college.

No, but information on airport shuttle service is provided to international students. The airport shuttle is a convenient low-cost service providing transportation from the airport to your destination. For more information, please review Student Services & Support section under Travel Help.