Erskine Theological Seminary follows the guidelines and regulations set forth by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for all international students applying to our institution. To be eligible to enter the United States on an F-1 visa or F-1 student status, you must be a student qualified to pursue a full course of study at an academic institution. When applying for an F-1 visa, you must prove to a U.S. consular that you wish to enter the United States temporarily and solely for the purpose of study and that you have a permanent residence in a foreign country which you have no intention of abandoning.
Erskine Theological Seminary is allowed to issue a Form I-20A-B to a foreign applicant only after the following conditions have been met:
The applicant has completed an application to the school and submitted a $35.00 nonrefundable application fee.
- The school has received the applicant's official college transcripts reflecting an acceptable grade point average; three letters of recommendation evaluating the applicant's character and potential to engage in ministry; and the applicant's two-page essay stating why he/she would like to pursue a seminary education.
- The school has received proof of financial responsibility for the applicant, and other supporting documents, and has reviewed and evaluated them at the school's location in the United States.
- The school has received the applicant's TOEFL score of at least 550 for paper-based or 213 for computer based examination.
- The appropriate school authority has determined that the prospective student's qualifications meet all standards for admission and that the student has adequate English skills for the intended course of study.
- The official responsible for admission at the school has accepted the prospective student for enrollment in a full course of student
Upon admission to Erskine Theological Seminary, you will be issued a Form I-20. In addition, you will be required to submit a $100 payment for the I-901 fee. Please be advised that you will be required to present your Form I-20 and proof of payment of the I-901 fee at the time you apply for a visa and again to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) when you arrive in the United States. To learn more about the I-901 fee, please visit www.FMJfee.com.
Erskine Theological Seminary must obtain reliable documentation declaring that you have financial resources adequate to meet expenses at our school. These funds may come from any dependable source, including scholarships, fellowships, sponsoring agencies, or the student's family. The documentation must demonstrate that you have adequate funds on hand for at least the first year of your study and that, barring unforeseen circumstances, funding will be available from the same or equally dependable sources for subsequent years. Tuition, fees, room, and board for the first full year must be paid prior to the student's enrollment.
Please be advised that you may be required to present documentary evidence of financial support at the time you apply for a visa and again to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) when you arrive in the United States.
Once you have been admitted to the United States as an F-1 student, you must meet certain obligations in order to maintain your status. Under current regulations, the student must:
- Have a passport that is kept valid at all times, unless exempt from the passport requirement.
- Attend the school he or she was authorized to attend.
- Continue to carry a full course of study.
- Leave the United States by the anticipated completion date shown on Form I-20, or, by that date, apply to the school for a program extension.
- Apply to the school to continue from one educational level to another at the same school.
- Limit employment, both on-campus and off, to a total of 20 hours per week while school is in session.
- Refrain from off-campus employment without authorization. A student must be enrolled in F-1 status for one full academic year before he or she may be authorized by USCIS to work-off campus based on unforeseen severe economic hardship.
- Report a change of residence to USCIS
|
