International Students

International students must contact the international admissions advisor for instructions about how to start the admissions process at a distance before arriving on campus or in the U.S.

The following requirements must be fulfilled for an applicant to be considered for an F-1student visa Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20):

Application

Complete and submit a Lee College Admissions Application for International Students (Not available on-line and must be requested from the international admissions advisor)

Transcripts

A certified English translation of an official copy of your high school record or equivalent certificates showing completion with above average grades. If you have attended another U.S. College, an official transcript and completed transfer letter from that institution are required.

English Language Proficiency

Obtain evidence of proficiency in the English language. This requirement may be satisfied in part by submitting results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Students need a minimum aggregate TOEFL score of 530 on the paper-based test (PBT), 197 on the computer-based test (CBT), or 71 or the Internet-based version (iBT). Upon arrival at Lee College, conversational English proficiency may be assessed with the BEST Plus, a 10-15 minute interview-style test that supplements the TOEFL test. A score of 541 or higher qualifies the student for immediate entry into academic content courses. Lee College offers developmental classes in English for those students whose scores fall below these numbers, but above 433 (PBT), 120 (CBT), or 40 (iBT), and 439-540 on the BEST Plus. A score of 5.5 or higher on the IELTS qualifies the student for immediate entry into academic content courses. Students with scores between the minimum of 4.5 to 5.5 may begin academic work with some restrictions and concurrent work in English language classes. This may include placement in developmental ESOL classes, tutoring, monitoring, or a combination to be determined on a case-by-case basis.

The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requires a measure of college readiness in English reading, writing, and mathematics and is used to determine placement. International students are subject to all TSI policies and required testing. Scores from these tests are not used to grant or deny admission to the college.

Financial Support

Certified proof of financial support. This may be in the form of a notarized Affidavit of Support with supporting documents or a certified letter from a responsible person (Bank, Government official, or company executive) that you have personal or family funds in the amount of $15,180 a year available to support yourself in the United States.

Application Fee

A $50 non-refundable application fee.

The above requirements must be on file at least six weeks prior to the first semester of enrollment at Lee College.

SEVIS I-901 Fee

All international students who are issued an I-20 after September 1, 2004 must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee before their appointment at the embassy. You will need to fill in Form I-901 with information from your Form I-20 and pay the required fee. For most people, the SEVIS I-901 fee is $100. You can fill in the Form I-901 online at www.fjmfee.com or send in a paper version which you download. You can pay your fee by credit or debit card if you are submitting your form online. If you pay by credit or debit card, you should print out a receipt if you need one immediately and cannot wait to receive a receipt through the mail. You can pay by international money order or check drawn on a financial institution in the U.S. and payable in U.S. currency. Checks are accepted subject to collection. If the bank on which it is drawn does not honor the check, you will be charged a $30 fee. Do not send cash. The federal statute relating to SEVIS requires that a student or exchange visitor present proof of payment before being granted a visa or admission. If you mail in your payment, be sure you allow adequate time for your receipt to be mailed back to you.

Expenses

In order to attend Lee College for one 12-month session, you should have at least $15,180 at your disposal. International students on F-1 visas must enroll in 12 hours during the fall and spring semesters. Tuition and fees for 12 hours are approximately $1247.00. Books, supplies and lab fees are additional. The immigration regulations prohibit students from working off-campus for the first twelve months they are in this country, and any employment thereafter must be by approval of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services of The United States.

Miscellaneous

On-campus student housing and health services are not available at Lee College. Also, Baytown has a limited public transportation system. Students must make their own living arrangements and are urged to maintain health insurance policies.

Online Resources

Overview of the the F-1 Visa program: www.ice.gov/sevis/students/index.htm

Online affidavit of support (the student can type in the info on this form online then print it for submission to the college along with the required bank statement): www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-134.pdf

For students who have earned college credit abroad prior to enrolling at Lee College, here is an online list of transcript evaluation services Lee College recognizes: www.naces.org/members.htm

Note about foreign transfer credit:  It is important to request an evaluation that has “course by course” detail if the student hopes to transfer any foreign college credit to Lee College.  Even with a course by course evaluation, acceptance of foreign credit is limited, especially credit in English language studies.  If transfer credit can be accepted by Lee College, it is important to know that Lee College will need to retain an original copy of the transcript evaluation and that original will not be returned to the student.  We realize that these documents are expensive, and we want students to be informed that sometimes we will need to keep an original.