Pre-University Academic Year Program San Francisco Guide for Agents

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1 Page 1 Pre-University Academic Year Program San Francisco Guide for Agents S t a r t D a t e s The start-date for the 16-week English course at CISL is flexible within a few weeks; the important point being that the 16 weeks are completed prior to the start of the college semester. If the student wants to take a vacation in between the end of the English course and start of the college semester, then that student should begin earlier. For example, the Spring college semester begins the 2nd or 3rd week of January, and many students like to finish their English course just before the holidays in December and travel home for a few weeks before returning to begin at the college. Other students study up until the college start date with no break -- so the start dates could range several weeks in August and September. M i n i m u m L e v e l Beginners, Elementary, and Low-intermediate level students are not eligible for this program. If the student is low-intermediate, he/she may be allowed to register for the program if he/she enrolls in more than 16 weeks of course. Each student must complete our online placement test prior to arrival so we can determine his/her English level. Students should test into our Level 6 (intermediate) or higher at the start of the English course. *For Level 5 students, we may accept them if they are enrolled in at least our Intensive English course. T O EFL Requirement To enroll in CCSF s Academic Program, students must have scored a minimum of 473 on the Paper- Based TOEFL exam or 52 on the Internet-Based TOEFL exam. Students must show proof of their scores by submitting their original results to CCSF. BCC does not require their students to have a certain TOEFL score to enroll in their Academic Program. Instead, they determine the student s eligibility through their assessment test, which is taken after the student has completed BCC s registration process.

2 Page 2 Wh a t N e e d s t o b e S u b m i t t e d Students must submit the following items below for the college application for City College of San Francisco. You may collect these in advance and send them to the school, or advise the student to carry them with him/her to submit to the school after arrival. 1. Secondary school transcripts. Transcripts must be officially translated into English by school or any other legal interpreter. Translated transcript must be submitted together with your official transcript in your native language. Original documents are not required; copies are acceptable. 2. Bank financial statement(s) proving means to pay for the studies and living expenses. The amount of funds that must be available to the student is currently $18,000 USD. The financial statement must also be dated within the last 6 months. Original document that is stamped or sealed by financial institution is required; copies are NOT acceptable. * If the student has already submitted payment to the agency, the agency may complete the Sponsor Certificate, and submit it with a letter on agency letterhead stating that the student has paid $ to the agency for studies abroad. This may be used alone if it meets or exceeds the minimum amount required, or in combination with a Sponsor Certificate and bank statement from the parents or students. Students must submit the following items below for the college application for Berkeley City College. You may collect these in advance and send them to the school, or advise the student to carry them with him/her to submit to the school after arrival. 1. Secondary school or high school transcripts. Transcripts must be translated into English, but an official translation is not required. Translated transcript must be submitted together with your official transcript in your native language. Original documents are not required; copies are acceptable. 2. Secondary school or high school diploma. Diploma must be translated into English, but an official translation is not required. Original documents are not required; copies are acceptable. 3. Personal essay describing the student s educational goals, aspirations. The essay must be approximately 300 words. 4. Bank financial statement(s) proving means to pay for the studies and living expenses. The amount of funds that must be available to the student is currently $19,726 USD. The financial statement must also be dated within the last 6 months. Original documents are not required; copies are acceptable.

3 Page 3 * If the student has already submitted payment to the agency, the agency may complete the Sponsor Certificate, and submit it with a letter on agency letterhead stating that the student has paid $ to the agency for studies abroad. This may be used alone if it meets or exceeds the minimum amount required, or in combination with a Sponsor Certificate and bank statement from the parents or students. 5. Official Immunization Record. Dates must include month and year. O r i e n t a t i o n a n d P r o g r a m G u i d a n c e f o r S t u d e n t s The students should arrive at 1:00 on their first day to have their CISL orientation and listening and oral placement exam just as with other, non-academic Year programs. Within the first few weeks of their program (when the other program students have arrived, based on the flexible start dates), they will be scheduled for a mandatory meeting with the CISL Pre-University Coordinator for the program. At this meeting, the CISL Pre-University Coordinator will go over the information packet, talk about the U.S. college system and what to expect, give information about CCSF and BCC, collect information from the students needed for the college application, and answer any questions. Students will also visit the campuses of CCSF and BCC before they make their decision of which school they wish to attend. The Pre-University Coordinator together with the Client Services Coordinator will then take care of submitting all of the necessary application forms and supporting documents to the student s school of intent. After everything has been submitted, the college will send an acceptance letter by , and an invitation to their mandatory orientation at the college. At the college orientation, students will receive further information about the college programs, campus life, etc. and meet with an advisor regarding their course selection. They will only be able to register for the college course AFTER they have attended the college orientation and met with the advisor. T u i t i o n / P a y m e n t Payment for all CISL English course tuition and fees is due to CISL as per standard agreement; college tuition is handled separately. CISL does not make nor pay commission on the college tuition. Your agency must specify to CISL at the time of booking whether you will be paying the college tuition, or whether the student will pay it directly to the college. If you choose to collect and pay the college tuition, we will send you the invoice for the college tuition separately after the start of the college semester. The tuition varies according to the courses selected by the students, and the college will send us an invoice only after the schedules are finalized after the first week of classes. The college reserves the right to change the tuition rate, and often does change it from semester to semester, based on government funding, enrollment rates, etc.

4 Page 4 The rate for the 2014 spring semester is $203 per unit, with 12 units required for full-time enrollment (students typically enroll in units). There is also a $17 Student Health Fee. This fee IS NOT for medical insurance. All City College of San Francisco international students who are here on an F-1 visa are required to purchase health insurance through Ascension Benefits and Insurance Solutions, Inc. This company has been selected by the San Francisco Community College District because it offers CCSF F-1 students excellent medical coverage at a competitive price of $660 per semester. Books are not included and students should plan to have about $850 available for purchasing course textbooks and materials at the college bookstore. The rate for the 2014 spring semester is $213 per unit, with 12 units required for full-time enrollment (students typically enroll in units). There is also an $18 Health Center Fee. This fee IS NOT for medical insurance, and students should be sure to have their own valid health insurance, as medical fees are extremely expensive in the United States (both CISL and Berkeley City College strongly recommend this, but verification of insurance is not required for acceptance at BCC). Books are not included and students should plan to have about $650 available for purchasing course textbooks and materials at the college bookstore. A d d i t i o n a l I n f o r m a t i o n Please visit the websites of CCSF and BCC for further information: City College of San Francisco: Berkeley City College: H o u s i n g The CCSF and BCC campuses are about minutes from CISL by public transportation. We recommend at CISL San Francisco that the student chooses to live at one of our downtown student residences as public transportation is very accessible to the student. Alternatively, they may choose to live with one of our host families. However, the location of our homestays may increase or decrease the length of the student s commute. Lastly, they may find their own accommodation closer to the college; perhaps sharing an apartment with another student. CCSF and BCC do not have dormitories or offer housing placement.

5 Page 5 S t u d e n t V i s a We will send you an initial I-20 that covers the dates of the student s English course and NOT the college semester. At the end of the English course with CISL, the student s SEVIS record will be transferred to the student s school of intent. Then, at the beginning of the college semester, a new I-20 will be ready to be picked up at the school s International Student Office. It is important to understand that the student should never have more than one active I-20 at a time. If the student is planning on leaving the United States in between the end of the CISL course and the start of the college semester, it is very important to discuss this with the Client Services Coordinator at CISL so that arrangements can be made to either pick up the CCSF or BCC I-20 before departure, or have it mailed to the student abroad, as it will be necessary to have the new valid I-20 for re-entry into the United States (the expired CISL I-20 cannot be used after the end of the English course).