International Students Office
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I get a student visa?
2. What is the I-20, and what are the other immigration papers?
3. What is “good standing”?
4. Can I get a social security number?
5. Can an international student work while in school?
6. Do I have to attend summer school?
7. Can I attend school if my Visa is expired?
8. Can I get medical insurance?
9. Does San Antonio College have dormitories?
10. Does San Antonio College offer scholarships for international Students?
1. How do I get a student visa?
First, you must apply and be accepted by a college or university. Upon acceptance, the college/university will issue you a form called 1-20 and a letter of acceptance.
Second, you need to pay the SEVIS fee.
Third, you need to make an appointment with the U.S. Embassy in your home country to apply for an F-1 student visa. You will need to bring your form I-20, acceptance letter, bank letter and SEVIS fee receipt.
2. What is an I-20, and what are the other immigration papers?
Form I-20: The I-20 is issued by the International Students Office (ISO) once a student has been admitted to San Antonio College. This form is shown to the Embassy to obtain an F-1 Visa.
Form I-901: The I-901 is used to pay the SEVIS fee. This fee is required to obtain the F-1 Visa. For more information go to the following link: www.FMJfee.com
Passport: The passport is a travel document in booklet form. It shows your origin, identity and nationality. It is used for entry into a foreign country. The passport must be kept valid for the duration of your stay. If your passport will be expiring within six months, you must renew it.
Visa: The Visa is stamped into the passport by an official of a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The stamp indicates the visa type. Visas may expire during your stay without penalty as long as you remain in the United States in good academic standing with San Antonio College.
- F-1 visas are held by students attending school on a full-time basis.
- F-2 visas are held by the spouse or children of an F-1 student.
Form I-94: The I-94 is a white card stapled to the passport next to the entry visa. The I-94 indicates the visa type, date of entry, port of entry, and the specific period of the time to remain in the U.S. The I-94 should be valid for “duration of status,” D/S for
F-1 students.
3. What is “good standing”?
To be considered in good academic standing or in status, a student must:
- Enroll in school and maintain a full-time course of study.
12 credit hours per semester are considered full-time. ESOL and remedial courses count towards these hours.
- Have a passport that is kept valid at all times. Your passport must be valid for six months when you enter the U.S. This is also true each time you leave and re-enter the country.
- Follow correct procedures to transfer to another education institution.
- Report a change of address to International Students Office (ISO) within 10 days of moving.
- Obtain extensions, as needed, of your permission to stay in the U.S.
- Limit on-campus employment to a total of 20 hours per week during the semester.
- Do not break the laws of the U.S. Conviction may result in deportation. For some crimes, being arrested will result in deportation.
4. Can I get a social security number?
A social security number is only assigned to people who are authorized to work in the United States. The Social Security Administration will not issue a number just to enroll in school. If you want to get a job on-campus, you should contact the International Students Office and request authorization for work and a letter for the Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration now requires proof that a job offer has been made to the student.
5. Can an international student work while in school?
Yes, under the following circumstances, a student may work:
For on-campus employment a student must complete 12 credit hours per semester and have a 2.0 overall GPA. As well as:
- Employment must not exceed 20 hours per week while school is in session.
- Must obtain a Social Security Number.
- Authorization for on-campus employment will be canceled if you are out of status.
To obtain authorization for on-campus employment, stop by the ISO to receive the necessary paperwork. You must fill out the paperwork before you begin working.
For off-campus employment:
Off-campus employment is not available to every F-1 student. The International Students Office cannot give authorization for a student to work off-campus. Only the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services can authorize this type of employment.
To qualify to apply for off-campus employment you must be in good standing for one academic year at this college and have an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher.
To apply for off-campus employment, you must submit a letter explaining your severe economic hardship. In this letter, you should discuss the hardship and your efforts to find on-campus employment, and include a list of all income and expenses. With your letter, you will need to provide documentation of severe economic hardship (such medical bills, unexpected change in the financial circumstances of your sponsor, home country currency devaluation, large increases in tuition, loss of scholarships, or loss of on-campus employment).
6. Do I have to attend Summer Semester?
If the summer is the semester you apply for, you must enroll in both summer sessions. If you applied for the Fall Semester or have been attending SAC, you do not have to attend summer semester.
7. Can I attend school if my Visa is expired?
Yes, as long as your passport and I-20 is valid.
8. Can I get medical insurance?
All students of San Antonio College are offered medical insurance. International students will be charged for the insurance with their registration bills. Information Brochures are available at the International Students Office.
9. Does SAC have dormitories?
San Antonio College has not dormitories. Some rental apartments are within distance from college, while others are located near public bus routes.
Some students live in a nearby residence house for women, run by Catholic nuns: The Villa Maria Residence-719 Augusta Street, San Antonio, Texas 78215. The phone number is (210) 223-8163. The Villa Maria Residence is a comfortable, modern, air –conditioned building near downtown San Antonio.
The International Students Office has teamed with Rent.com to help find local apartments. Rent.com is an independent company that has agreed to help the International Students from SAC. Click on the link below for access to Rent.com.
http://www3.rent.com/enter/?source=346881
10. Does San Antonio College offer scholarships for International Students?
Yes, we offer two scholarships: the Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG) and The Good Neighbor Scholarship.
The TPEG is awarded once each Spring and Fall semesters. All international students who are registered for nine college credit hours or who have completed nine college credit hours are eligible to apply.
The Good Neighbor Scholarship is awarded each year. Students from the countries of the American hemisphere are eligible to apply. Come by the International Students Office in the beginning of the Spring Semester to apply.