International Student Information Packet

Transcription

1 International Student Information Packet Full Sail University 3300 University Boulevard Winter Park, FL

2 Full Sail University International Student Information Packet

3 International Student Information Packet International Student Center Please read the following information very carefully before you begin your application process. This information should answer most of your questions regarding the application and student visa process. For detailed program information, the Full Sail Catalog can be accessed at An Admissions Representative can also assist you with any questions you may have regarding the degree programs offered at Full Sail. Questions about Immigration and concerns specifically relating to international students should be directed to the International Student Center. The contact information for the International Student Center can be found on the last page of this document. I. Admissions The following documents are required to get enrolled and be issued an I-20 Form. The I-20 form is needed to apply for a student visa at the U.S. Embassy in your home country: Enrollment Application Application fee - $75.00 USD Seat deposit - $ USD High school/secondary school transcript Transfer Credit Acknowledgment Form University or College Transcripts (for entrance into graduate programs or transfer credit requests) Financial guarantee Verification of language proficiency (if native language is NOT English) Copy of the identification page of your passport Signed and dated Enrollment Agreement The Application To begin the process, you must first submit a completed application form with the $75.00 USD application fee. You may include the $ USD seat deposit at the same time to reserve your seat. The application can be mailed or faxed, or you may enroll online. The web address for the online application is: The following methods are acceptable for payment of application and tuition fees: Electronic bank transfer - Please consult the International Student Center for current electronic transfer information Check drawn on a U.S. bank Any of these major credit cards: VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or Debit Card High School/Secondary School Transcripts The minimum academic requirement for admission to Full Sail for the Bachelor of Science Degree or the Associate of Science Degree is the completion of high school or secondary school. The high school or secondary documentation is required even if you have college or university work. A transcript (record of subjects/courses and grades) and verification of graduation is required. The document(s) must represent the equivalence of high school graduation in the U.S. All documents not written in English must be submitted along with a certified English translation. Please contact the International Student Center for the specific documents required according to country of study. University/College Records Official University or College transcripts are required for admission into a graduate program or for transfer credit requests. If your documents are from another country, they must be submitted to an education credential evaluation service to determine U.S. degree equivalency. A bachelor s degree or the equivalence, with a minimum grade point average of 2.5, is required for admission into a graduate degree program. All documents not written in English must be submitted along with a certified English translation. Please contact the International Student Center for recommended evaluation services. IOR-IG :1011 International Student Information Packet 1

4 English Language Proficiency Proof of English Language Proficiency is required of all students whose native language is not English. Language verification is not required if you graduated from a school in the U.S., UK, Australia or Canada (except Quebec). You may either submit TOEFL scores, IELTS Scores or, you may submit certification of English Language Studies. TEST MINIMUM SCORE TO REGISTER TOEFL Internet 79 Paper 550 IELTS 6 ELS Program Level Please note the Institutional TOEFL is not acceptable. Our school code for the TOEFL is Scores are available as early as 15 business days from the date of testing. Please inform your Admissions Representative or the International Student Center if you will be taking the TOEFL or IELTS, or if you will be enrolling in an English language program. If you plan to enroll in an English language program, we can provide you with a list of acceptable programs in the area. Enrollment Agreement The Enrollment Agreement (EA) is your contract with Full Sail. It will be mailed to you after your application and fees have been processed depending on your start date. The EA must be signed and dated on page 6 and initialed on all pages as indicated. It does not need to be notarized. The entire enrollment agreement needs to be submitted. You can scan and it in. II. Financial Aid International students are not eligible for financial aid from the U.S. Government. If you receive a FAFSA Form, please disregard it. This form is for U.S. citizens only. However, international students can receive financial assistance through private loans. Please contact a Financial Aid Advisor for the most current information regarding the availability of private loans. The Financial Guarantee The financial guarantee is verification that you will have the required funding for tuition and living expenses available to you while you are studying at Full Sail. Noted below are several forms of verifying funding. All financial documentation submitted must be in English. Please contact the International Student Center for the minimum amount required based on your degree program. Sponsor Supported If you will be financially supported by your parents, other relative, or a friend, the Affidavit of Support Form and a bank letter or bank statement are required. Affidavit of Support Form The Affidavit of Support Form must be completed in its entirety, signed and dated. It does not need to be notarized. Please refer to the Affidavit of Support Form included in this packet. Bank Letter or Bank Statement The bank letter is a written document from a financial institution, which confirms that sufficient funds are available to cover the tuition, living expenses and institutional fee for the first 12 months of your program. The total amount for tuition and living expenses must be stated in the letter. The letter must also be on the institution s official stationery/letterhead. Please refer to the sample bank letter included in this packet. A bank statement is also acceptable. A bank statement shows account activity such as deposits and withdrawals. If you submit a bank statement, please block or remove the account number. Self Supported If you are financially supporting yourself and have an account with sufficient funds in your name, you will not need to submit the Affidavit of Support Form. Either a bank letter or a bank statement is required. 2 FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY

5 Private Loan If you are approved for a private loan, and if the loan covers tuition and living expenses for the first 12 months of your program, the Affidavit of Support and bank letter/statement are not required. Verification of approval of the loan and the amount of the loan is required. Scholarship or Corporate Funding If you have a scholarship or a grant or will be receiving corporate funding for the first 12 months of your program, verification of the amount and duration of the funding is required. This information must be written on official stationery/ letterhead of the scholarship agency or corporation. Do not mail your original financial guarantee documents to Full Sail. Copies or faxes of these documents are sufficient. The original documents will be required at the Embassy when you apply for your Visa. Tuition and Living Expenses The cost of tuition includes all books, course materials, and lab fees for the duration of the program. Living expenses for a single student are estimated at $ each month. Living expenses include rent for an apartment, utilities (lights and water), telephone, food, transportation, etc. These items are paid for and managed by the student. Verification of additional funding is required if you will be accompanied by a spouse and/or children. An additional $ each month is required for the spouse and an additional $ each month is required for each dependent child. Estimated tuition and living expenses for the duration of each degree program are indicated on the last page. However, confirmation of funds for the issuance of the I-20 only needs to cover the first 12 months of tuition and living expenses. Please contact the International Student Center for the specific amount that applies to your preferred degree program. Institutional Fees The student will incur institutional fees (separate from tuition) for the cost of a computer and software configured in accordance with program specifications and range up to $4,500. Computer and software prices and specifications will vary depending on start date, availability and manufacturer changes. Due to specific programming requirements, Game development students will receive a PC laptop which ranges up to $2,100. Online students living outside the continental United States will incur an additional fee for the cost of shipping their computer, software, equipment, and educational materials configured in accordance with their degree program specifications, which will change from time to time. This shipping fee to students living outside the continental United States will be separate from tuition and in addition to the cost of the computer, software and equipment specific to their degree program. The shipping fee may vary depending on the online student s place of residence. Payment of Tuition You may pay your tuition in one lump sum or you may wish to take advantage of the payment plan noted on the Enrollment Agreement. Please contact your Admissions Representative for payment details. III. Visa Information You will need an F-1 student visa. This visa will allow you to study for the duration of your program and does require full time study. Before applying for your visa, you should either contact the Consulate/Embassy or visit their website to determine the requirements for applying for the F-1 student visa in your home country. In order to obtain an F-1 student visa you will need an I-20 Form (Certificate of Eligibility for Non immigrant Students). For the I-20 Form to be issued, your Admissions file must be complete. All documents must be reviewed and accepted. Faxed copies of all documents, except the academic transcripts, are acceptable for the issuance of the I-20. The original Enrollment Agreement, GPS Contract and academic transcripts must be submitted to the Admissions Office. PLEASE NOTE: If you are a citizen of Canada or Bermuda, a visa is not required to enter and study in the U.S. However, the I-20 Form is required for student status. SEVIS Fee Payment The SEVIS I-901 fee is mandated by Congress to support the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the automated system that keeps track of students and exchange visitors and ensures that they maintain their status while in the United States. Each student or exchange visitor issued an initial Form I-20 or DS-2019 on or after October 27, 2008, is responsible for paying the $200 fee to SEVP. The fee can either be paid by mail with a check, via the Internet using a credit card or through Western Union. For more information, please visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website. The link to their website is Confirmation of the SEVIS Fee payment is required before the visa will be issued. This confirmation must be filed with your visa application. International Student Information Packet 3

6 PLEASE NOTE: Although citizens of Canada and Bermuda are not required to apply for a visa to study in the U.S., they are required to pay the SEVIS Fee. SEVIS Fee Reimbursement Where applicable, Full Sail will reimburse each student for up to $100 of the $200 SEVIS Fee after they have attended registration and orientation. The student should submit payment confirmation to the International Student Center for reimbursement. Students or Other Applicants Already in the U.S. If you are already enrolled in a school in the U.S on an F-1 student visa, an electronic SEVIS transfer can be done. We will provide you with a transfer form that will have to be completed by your International Student Advisor at your current school. The International Student Advisor will also have to electronically transfer your SEVIS record to Full Sail in order for us to issue a new I-20. To complete the transfer, please submit a copy of your I-20, the visa page from your passport, the front and back of the I-94 and the identification page of your passport with the name, photo and expiration date. Immigration does not assess a fee for the transfer. If you are on an M-1 visa, a change to F-1 status in the U.S. is not permitted. You would have to leave the U.S. and obtain an F-1 visa. If you are in the U.S. on another type of visa, including J-1, that permits you to change your status, the change can be made in the U.S. Copies of your Immigration documents (I-94 front and back, identification pages from your passport and any other pertinent information) are required. Please Note: J-1 visa holders that are under the 2-year home rule restriction must have that requirement waived before applying for a change of status. The current fee assessed by Immigration for a change of visa status is $ Working in the U.S. on an F-1 Visa Off-campus employment is not permitted while you are in your degree program. Only On-campus employment is allowed without Immigration approval. Students may work a maximum of 20 hours a week when school is in session. Full-time employment is permitted during official school breaks. International students are only employed by our Behind the Scenes Tour Department. They require 90 percent class attendance for a minimum of 45 days, and a minimum grade point average of 85 percent before employment is granted. Optional Practical Training after Completion of Studies Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary employment where you are permitted by Immigration to work in the U.S. to gain specialized training in your field of study. OPT is permitted after the completion of each higher degree level and is limited to twelve (12) months for each degree. The training is not automatic; an application must be submitted to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (U.S.C.I.S.) for employment authorization. The International Student Center will contact students approximately three (3) months before graduation and assist with the application process. 4 FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY

7 IV. Housing Full Sail does not provide on-campus housing. Our students live off campus in apartments near the school. As your start date approaches, please contact the Housing Department for information on the surrounding apartment complexes and roommate availability. They can be contacted by telephone at (407) Arriving in the Orlando Area Please be aware that it is your responsibility to make arrangements for your arrival into the Orlando area. It is also your responsibility to establish all the services you will require during your stay such as electricity, telephone, bank accounts, renting furniture, transportation to and from school, etc. In order to make the necessary arrangements before classes begin, you should try to arrive a week before school starts. Should you require special assistance, please contact your Admissions Representative or the International Student Center. Contact Information We hope you find this information helpful as you make your plans to achieve the career of your dreams. For further assistance please contact your Admissions Representative or the International Student Center indicated below (toll free in the U.S.) (outside the U.S.) FAX: admissionsinternational@fullsail.com IOR-IG :1011 International Student Information Packet 5

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9 Affidavit of Financial Support for (F-1) International Student Applicants Return completed form to International Student Services Center Answer all items. Fill in or write in ink. 1 Name of Sponsor: Address Street and Number City State or Province Zip Code Country Telephone Number 2 This affidavit is executed in behalf of the following person: Name of Student: Date of Birth: Sex: Male Female Marital Status: Country of Citizenship: Relationship to Sponsor: Presently resides at: Address Street and Number City State or Province Zip Code Name of spouse and children accompanying or following to join student: Spouse Sex Date of Birth Child Sex Date of Birth Child Sex Date of Birth Child Sex Date of Birth Child Sex Date of Birth Child Sex Date of Birth 3 I make this affidavit for the purpose of assuring Full Sail University that the person named in item 2 will not become a public charge in the United States. 4 I will financially support the person named in item 2. I am ready and willing to deposit a bond, if necessary, to guarantee that such person(s) will not become a public charge during his or her stay in the United States. 5 I understand this affidavit will be binding upon me for the duration of study of the person mentioned in item 2. Continued on next page

10 6 I am employed as, or engaged in the business of Type of Business with Name of Company at Address Street and Number City State or Province Zip Code Country I derive an annual income of $ I have on deposit in savings in banks in the United States or $ Country 7 The following other persons are dependent upon me for support: (Place an X in the appropriate column to indicate whether the person named is totally or partially dependent upon your support.) Name of Person Age Relation to Sponsor Wholly Dependent Partially Dependent 8 I have previously submitted affidavit(s) of support for the following person(s). If none, state None. Name Date Submitted 9 Please specifically describe what support you intend to provide for the student. For example: I will pay (enter student s name) full tuition as well as living expenses for a total of (enter amount) while he/she is studying at Full Sail University for the school year or school years. Signature of Sponsor Date To complete the financial documentation this Affidavit Form must be accompanied by a bank statement or a bank letter confirming that the sponsor has the financial means to support the applicant. Refer to the sample bank letter. Revised: Oct 2011

11 Bank or Financial Institution Sample Letter International Student Center This information must be on company letterhead. Sample Letter This letter serves to confirm that (NAME OF THE PERSON FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE) has sufficient funds to finance (NAME OF STUDENT) education and living expenses in the U.S.A. while he/she attends Full Sail University for the ( OR SCHOOL YEARS) the cost of which is estimated to be (INSERT TOTAL AMOUNT HERE). Sincerely, (NAME OF BANK OFFICIAL) Please contact the International Student Center for the most current amount that should be noted on the Bank Letter. The contact information is shown below (toll free in the U.S.) (outside the U.S.) FAX: Revised Oct 2011