International Student

Come to JCC as an international student

Jamestown Community College welcomes students from throughout the world. When you study at JCC, you earn a nationally recognized education through JCC’s membership in the State University of New York, the largest system of public higher education in the United States.

International student application details

As an international student, you will work with both our Admissions and Global Learning teams for acceptance and to receive the form I-20, your Certificate of Visa Eligibility.

Read through these steps carefully and submit the outlined documents to the appropriate department to avoid delays in processing your application.

1. Admissions process for acceptance to JCC

  1. Complete our online application.
  2. Submit a scanned copy of a valid passport to Admissions@mail.sunyjcc.edu.
  3. Send official transcripts from all schools attended, including secondary and post-secondary schools such as colleges or universities, to our Admissions office by mail, fax, or email.

Students who earned a high school diploma from a country outside of the United States where the primary language is not English must submit a certified English translated transcript in addition to the original document.

Additionally, any transcript that cannot be determined by Admissions staff as an equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma will need to provide a certified evaluated transcript in addition to the original document.

  • Many of our students seek translation services from World Education Services (WES) or SpanTran, but any NACES member agency is acceptable.

Students with college credits from a college outside of the United States who do not wish to transfer in previously earned credits must submit a certified English translated transcript (if instruction was in a language other than English) in addition to the original document.

  • Many of our students seek translation services from World Education Services (WES) or SpanTran, but any NACES member agency is acceptable.

Students with college credits from a college outside of the United States who do wish to transfer in previously earned credits must submit a certified course by course evaluated transcript in addition to the original document.

  • Many of our students seek evaluation services from World Education Services (WES) or SpanTran, but any NACES member agency is acceptable.
  • Providing the transcript evaluation does not guarantee credits will transfer in.

2. Global Learning process for your form I-20

After you are accepted to JCC through the admissions process, you must submit the following documents to be reviewed by the Global Learning team to issue you the form I-20 (Certificate of Visa Eligibility). If you meet the standards for covering your educational costs and meeting English proficiency standards, Global Learning will issue you the form I-20.

    Financial requirements for international students

    International students must document their ability to meet all educational and living expenses for the first year of their intended study before JCC can issue a Certificate of Visa Eligibility (form I-20) per immigration regulations. Although you must only show proof for the first year of study, funding must be available for your entire course of study from your personal or sponsored funding sources.

    • If funding becomes unavailable during your studies, JCC cannot assist students with sponsorship or additional funding.
    • International students are NOT eligible for financial aid.
    • U.S. federal immigration regulations severely restrict international student employment so students should not expect to subsidize their studies by earning income in the United States.

    The following chart provides a breakdown of the estimated costs and total amount in U.S. dollars that you are required to show through financial verification documents. Additional details regarding costs can be reviewed at Cost of Attendance, Tuition, & Fees.

    Estimated costs for one academic year for international students
    Breakdown of Estimated Costs for the 2024-2025 Academic Year Amount
    Tuition and fees * $12,310
    On-campus housing and meal plan ** $9,700
    SUNY insurance *** $2,000
    Book bundle **** $740
    On-campus housing scholarship ◊ $6,250
    Amount required for form I-20, on-campus $18,500
    Amount required for form I-20, off-campus $24,750

    * Fees are calculated per credit hour. Additional fees could apply for specified courses. Tuition and fees are subject to change.

    ** On-campus housing and meal plans are bundled into three options: Basic, Value, Premium. The Value Plan is listed here.

    *** JCC requires that sickness insurance, repatriation insurance, and evacuation insurance be carried by all international students. A student may self-enroll into a plan that meets these requirements and provide enrollment confirmation to waive automatic enrollment and charges into the SUNY-wide plan.

    *** Students are automatically charged a per credit hour fee for all required books to be provided. You can choose to opt out of this service.

    ◊ International students who live in on-campus housing and are registered full-time are eligible for the housing scholarship.

    Read the instructions and complete the International Student Financial Statement in its entirety and submit with required financial documents and signatures as explained in Part II on the form. Each funding type requires specific documents and signatures to verify the source of funding. These same documents will be required during your visa interview.

    • All currency amounts need to be converted to the U.S. dollar amount considering exchange rates.
    • Incomplete or incorrectly completed forms submitted without the required verification documents and/or signatures will not be accepted.
    • The Global Learning team reserves the right to request additional documentation or verification directly from a bank, sponsor, or funder.

    English language requirements

    If English is not an official language of your country or your first language, you must submit official assessment results for one of the following:

    • TOEFL IBT 61 or higher
    • IELTS Band 6 or higher
    • TOEIC 500 or higher
    • Duolingo 90 or higher
    • Cambridge English 168 or higher

    Meeting the minimum score requirement does not guarantee you are proficient in English. Any student scoring on the lower end of the threshold may be required to have an interview with a faculty member and additional approval to be issued the form I-20. JCC reserves the right to deny issuing the form I-20 if it is determined you do not meet the required English standard to be successful.

    Next steps

    Now that you have been admitted and have your form I-20, let’s look at the next steps you will need to take to prepare for your arrival to JCC.