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Services for International Students: FAQ |
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.s) and Quick Answers for International StudentsProspective Students
Prospective Graduate Students
Current Students
Answers: 1. The education system in the United States is different than in my country. How can I tell if I am a freshman, transfer, or post baccalaureate student? You are considered a freshman applicant if you have not attended a college or university after the completion of high school. You are considered a transfer applicant if you have attended another college or university and earned any number of credits. You are considered a post-baccalaureate applicant if you have attended another university or college and earned (or will earn) a U.S Bachelor's degree or a degree that is equivalent to the U.S. Bachelor degree. Students need to submit official transcripts from their university or college that clearly shows the degree earned. *you need to have official transcripts sent to CWU as a part of the admissions application regardless of how many credits you have earned* **All F1 international students use the International Student Application regardless of their class or degree standing** 2. When is the best time to apply, and what are the application deadlines? It is best to send all of your application materials at least 90 days before the first day of the quarter in which you wish to begin. However, international students will be admitted on a continual basis. You may apply up to a year before you plan to attend CWU. 3. Do I need to use the International Student Application even if I am already studying in the U.S.? Yes. All F1 international students who are applying for undergraduate admissions are required to use the international student application. You may either print out and mail in the international student application, or apply electronically. For the online application please click here. Central Washington University offers over 100 majors and 17 graduate programs! For a listing of our most popular majors and grad programs as well as links to the department websites click here. 5. What are the admission requirements for international students? For a complete listing of admission requirements for international students please visit the admissions web page at http://www.cwu.edu/~cwuadmis/international.html 6. Is it better to download an application and mail it in or should I apply online? It is preferred for students to use the online application; however, paper applications are accepted. Please click here for the International Student Application. 7. How can I pay my application fee? You will be prompted at the conclusion of your online application to enter a credit card to be charged the application fee. If you submit a paper application a $50 check must be included with the application before the application will be processed. 8. What is the cost of attending CWU, and do I pay in state or out of state tuition? For the most current tuition costs please visit the Registrars web site at http://www.cwu.edu/~regi/tuition.html . International students pay “out of state” tuition as they do not meet the requirements for Washington State Residency. Also keep in mind that International students are required to show proof of ability to pay living expenses as well as tuition as a part of the Confidential Financial Statement. To download a Confidential Financial Statement please click here. 9. Is financial aid available for international students? United States Federal financial aid is not available to International students. However, there are some private loans and scholarships available. 10. Are there Scholarships available? There are a limited number of scholarships available to international students. For more information on scholarships for international students please click here. Also please see: http://www.cwu.edu/~iss/CSScholarships.html 11. How will my prior courses transfer to CWU and what is the DTA? If you have attended a Washington State community college and have earned Direct Transfer Associate Degree , then you will be awarded 90 credits and your General Education Requirements (GERs) will be satisfied. If you have earned a Bachelor's degree in the U.S. from an accredited college or university, or if you earned a four-year degree outside of the U.S. and we have determined that it is equivalent to a U.S. Bachelor degree, then we will apply your degree to fulfill the General Education Requirements. Once you enter CWU you will only need to take courses to complete your major (at least 45 credits). The academic department (of your major) will determine how much credit they will give you for the classes you took that may apply to the major program. If you do not have a degree, but have some credits from a college or university in the U.S. or another country, then transfer credits will be determined on a course-by-course basis. IMPORTANT: If you attended a school outside of the United States, it is advised that you bring with you as much information as possible about the school you attended, including a catalog, course syllabi, and course descriptions. * You may also pay to have your credits evaluated at an International credit evaluation agency, such as AACRAO's Foreign Credential Evaluation Services , or Foundation for International Services, Inc. We will take into consideration evaluations from either of these organizations.* **Once you have been accepted to CWU and have your transcripts sent to CWU please allow 4-6 weeks for your credits to appear on you CAPS report, or unofficial transcript** 12. What does it mean to be “program ready”? Some majors and all the CWU centers require a student to be “program ready” before they are admitted to their program or major. To be “program ready” means that your General Education Requirements (GER) have to be met and all pre-requisites for the program have to be met. This can be accomplished in two ways. The first way a student can satisfy these requirements is to have a DTA and have taken all the pre-requisite classes for the program. The second way a student can be program ready is to take all the general education requirements and the pre-requisites without having a DTA. The difference between the two is how a student fulfills the general education requirements. The general education requirements can be met by either by having a DTA or by taking the classes without having an associates degree. If you have any questions please either contact the International Student Advisor or the program for which you are wishing to apply. 13. Can I apply to CWU even if I don’t have a TOEFL score? Yes. However students must show English Language Proficiency. International students must meet one of the following English proficiency requirements. This is done in one of three ways:
Students who originate from one of the following countries are exempt from having to take the TOEFL: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and English-speaking provinces of Canada. 14. If my TOEFL score is below the minimum can I still be accepted? Yes, by one of the ways listed above. 15. My English skills need work, does CWU offer ESL? Yes, for information on CWU’s ESL program please visit their website at http://www.cwu.edu/~intlprog/uesl.html . *note, ESL courses are only offered at the Ellensburg campus* 16. When do I need to submit the Confidential Financial Statement and bank statement? All students must provide adequate financial documentation before an admission decision can be made and an I-20 issued. Students must complete the Confidential Financial Statement (CFS) , which is enclosed in the International Student Application packet. The CFS must be signed by the student and by the person who will be sponsoring the student financially. Along with the CFS, students must also submit a current bank statement. The bank statement should be in the name of the student's sponsor or the student, should be dated and no older than three months old by the time we receive it, and should be an original that is in English or translated into English. The bank statement should show that the account holder has at least the total cost for 1 academic year available to him. Please keep copies of your financial documentation for yourself, as you will need to present them to the U.S. Consulate when applying for your student visa. 17. Do I need to confirm my plans to attend CWU if I am admitted? A formal confirmation is not required for students who are coming from their home countries. However, transfer students who are currently in the United States must complete the release of record form before an I-20 will be issued. 18. How do I apply for admission to a specific department/program? Admission to a particular program or major is handled in the office of the program. (Example, to apply to be a business major you must apply in the Department of Business office) *If a student wishes to apply to one of the programs at one of CWU’s centers you must be program ready. Please contact the program for which you are wishing to apply or the International Student Advisor for more information.* 19. Can I check the status of my application or know what documents you have received? Yes, you can check the status of your application by using your student number (issued at the time of the application) and your pin number (will be sent to you via mail) to logon to CWU’s Wildcat Connection at https://portal.cwu.edu/nps/servlet/portal?render=on. In the Student Center you can see your admission progress. 20. How and when will I be notified of the admissions decision? You will be notified as soon as a decision has been reached via USPS mail. 21. Can I defer or postpone my application for a future term? Yes, you may defer for a maximum of one year so long as you do not attend any other school within the time of deferment. If you choose to defer you must notify the Office of Admissions and the Office of International Studies and Programs. If you attend any other school or more than one year elapses than you must re-apply for admission. 22. What is an I-20 and when will I receive it? The I-20 is a “certificate of eligibility” to obtain an F1 visa. You will receive your I-20 after you have been admitted to CWU. You will be required to have a valid I-20 before you can begin your studies at CWU. For more information about the I-20 please click here. *Keep in mind you will require a valid I-20 for your visa appointment at the Consulate. Please plan ahead to allow enough time for your application to be processed and for your I-20 to be mailed before your appointment. The process time takes approximately 4-6 weeks after all required materials are received by admissions. * Please refer to the Department of State web site at www.dos.gov 24. I am a transfer student, how do I transfer my I-20 to CWU? After you are admitted to CWU a transfer release form will be sent to you either via email or USPS mail. You will need to fill out the top portion and give it to the International Student Advisor at your current school. They will fill out the bottom portion and fax or mail it to the Office of International Studies at Central Washington University. They may also require you to bring with you your acceptance letter from CWU as proof of admission. They will then transfer your record and a new I-20 can be issued by Central Washington University. 25. Is there housing available for international students? Yes, if you are interested in CWU’s housing please visit CWU’s housing website at http://www.cwu.edu/~housing/. If you are interested in living off campus than a good resource is the Ellensburg newspaper. Their web site is www.kvnews.com. 26. How can I schedule a visit to Central Washington University? For information about how to schedule a visitor to sign up please see the following web site. http://www.cwu.edu/~cwuadmis/visit.html . Prospective Graduate Students: 27. I am a graduate student, is the application process the same as an undergraduate? No. The graduate application process is different from the undergraduate. For more information please see the Office of Graduate Studies and Research at http://www.cwu.edu/~masters/index.html . 28. What about my graduate I-20? The I-20 process is the same for both graduate students and undergraduate students. You will receive your I-20 after you have been admitted to CWU. If you are transferring from another U.S. College or University, than you must complete the transfer process, which is the same as the undergraduate. After you are admitted to CWU a transfer release form will be sent to you either via email or regular USPS postal mail. You will need to fill out the top portion and give it to the International Student Advisor at your current school. They will fill out the bottom portion and fax or mail it to the Office of International Studies at Central Washington University. They may also require you to bring with you your acceptance letter from CWU as proof of admission. They will then transfer your record and a new I-20 can be issued by Central Washington University. 29. Are there graduate internships at Central Washington University? Yes, there are a limited number of graduate internships offered at CWU. For more information about this and all other graduate studies questions please visit the Office of Graduate Studies and Research web site at http://www.cwu.edu/~masters/index.html. Current Students 30. Can I work while attending CWU? Yes, as an international F1 student you have the benefit to work on campus without permission from DHS. You may work off campus as well, but there are strict regulations regarding international students working off campus. For either working on or off campus please see the International Student Advisor and visit CWU’s website for employment and taxes at http://www.cwu.edu/~iss/CSEmploymentandTaxes.html . 31. Am I eligible for jobs asking for “work-study” students at CWU? No. You may notice that many on-campus jobs with Student Employment advertise for "work-study" students only. As an international student, you are not eligible to apply for jobs require "work-study" only students. This is because “work-study” is a benefit of federal financial aid and since international students do not qualify for federal financial aid they also do not qualify for “work-study” positions. 32. Must I have a Social Security card to work on campus? Yes, for more information on required documents for work please visit CWU’s website for employment and taxes at http://www.cwu.edu/~iss/CSEmploymentandTaxes.html. 33. How many credits must I take each quarter? The Department of Homeland Security requires that all F1 visa holders maintain full time student status. That means that an F1 student an undergraduate is required to take 12 credits each quarter. An F1 graduate student is required to take 10 credits each quarter. Failure to enroll in the proper number of credits each quarter can lead to violation of your F1 standing and as a result you may be required to return to your home country. Exceptions may be granted on a case by case basis. For more information please see the International Student Advisor, Roslyn Moes. To schedule an appointment please email her at moesr@cwu.edu 34. What if I drop below the minimum by dropping a class or receiving a failing grade? Make an appointment with the International Student Advisor as soon as you suspect that you are having a problem. To schedule an appointment with the International Student Advisor, Roslyn Moes, please email her at moesr@cwu.edu Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations require that you make satisfactory academic progress toward completing your program of study. As stated on your I-20 failure can result in being out of status and being required to return to your home country. If your visa stamp in your passport shows F-1 immigration status and the date of expiration will or has expired, you may remain in the United States until your I-20 expires. You may leave the U.S. and visit Canada, Mexico or some of the adjacent islands for 30 days or less and re-enter the U.S. with an expired U.S. F-1 visa stamp as long as you have a valid I-20 endorsed on page 3 for travel. If you travel home, or to any other country other than listed above, and your F-1 student visa has expired, you will need to get a new one at the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy in your home country before you re-enter the United States. 36. Can I renew my visa in the United States? No. You cannot renew your visa in the United States. 37. What if my passport is about to expire? Almost every country has an embassy in the U.S. Please click here to find the nearest consulate from your home country . Procedures to renew your passport will provided on the website. It is your responsibility to make sure your passport is valid for six months into the future while you remain in the U.S. 38. Do I need to obtain a Washington State driver's license? A driver’s license is not required unless you plan to drive. Usually students live close enough to campus (or on campus) and walk to their destinations or use public transit. However, Licenses from home countries are valid within the first three months of your stay in the U.S., unless you bring along an official "International Driver's License" from your home country, which makes your home country license valid for one year. 39. How do I obtain a U.S. driver's license? Having a driver’s license is a big responsibility. Before you try to obtain a driver’s license you should ask yourself the following questions: *Do I really need a driver’s license and car or can I walk or use public transit? *Can I afford the cost of a vehicle including maintenance and insurance? *How often would I take a trip that would require me to drive instead of using another form of transportation? *Am I willing to take the time and responsibility to learn all of the rules of the road to become a safe driver? If you still want a Washington State Driver’s License, Pick up a book of "Rules of the Road" from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) located in Ellensburg at: Department of Licensing Ellensburg, WA 98926 39. I would like to purchase a car. What will I need to do? Just like owning a driver’s license, car ownership is a big responsibility. Ask yourself the same questions listed above. As an international student we advise you to make sure you really need a car and can afford the expenses associated with buying, insuring and maintaining a car. After you purchase a car, you will need to register your car and pay for the licensing. For more information please see the Department of Motor Vehicles. You will also need to purchase Washington state uninsured vehicle insurance. It is not advisable to purchase a second-hand car without first having a thorough mechanical check-up from a local car mechanic. 40. Do I need to purchase Health Insurance? It is strongly advisable to purchase the CWU student health insurance if you are not covered by a world-wide health insurance plan. The cost of medical care in the U.S. is extremely high. Purchasing this kind of medical health insurance would help meet the very costly expenses of needing health care while in the United States. Occurrences such as hospitalization, surgery, accidents, or serious illness could result in medical bills in the thousands of dollars. 41. But I already pay the CWU Health and Counseling quarterly fee. Why do I need to purchase health insurance? The Health and Counseling mandatory quarterly fee for all fully enrolled, on-campus CWU students is not the same as purchasing Health Insurance. The Health and Counseling quarterly fee entitles you to use those services provided at the CWU Health and Counseling Center. However, these services are for minor health and counseling issues which do not require on-going medical help, surgery or hospitalization. If you need to see a doctor or counselor outside the CWU Health and Counseling Center, it is in your best interest to be covered by either a world-wide health insurance plan or by the CWU student health insurance plan as they would not be covered by the Health and Counseling fee. This is for your financial protection against the extremely high costs of obtaining medical care in the United States health care system. 42. I would like to visit Canada. Do I need a visa to enter Canada? International students from some countries do need a visa to enter Canada. Please see the Canadian Citizenship and Immigration web site at http://www.cic.gc.ca/ for more information. 43. Is it possible for an F1 student to take part in study abroad? Yes, International students may find it interesting and beneficial to go on an exchange while studying at Central Washington University. For more information please come to the Office of International Studies and Programs or visit our web site at http://www.cwu.edu/~intlprog/index.html For questions and comments please email the Office of International Studies and Programs at intlprog@cwu.edu . |
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Contact Information
Office of International Studies and Programs 400 E. University Way Ellensburg, WA 98926 Mail Stop 7408 Phone: (509) 963-3612 Fax: (509) 963-1558 Email: intlprog@cwu.edu |
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