For admission to SSC:

1. An application must be completed and submitted to SSC using the international application available online.
   – Please enter all 999s for your social security number
   – Under high school, select OH for the state, select any city, then click the dropdown arrow and select My School Isn’t Listed and manually type in the name of your school
2. High school diploma or equivalent and transcripts (English translations may be needed)
3. Any previously attended college/university transcripts (Formal evaluation may be needed to grant credit from schools outside of the U.S.)
4. English proficiency shown by taking and meeting the minimum score requirements on the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or ACT/SAT (taken within the last 2 years). This is required for all international students, regardless of language spoken in country of origin. SSC does not offer any ESL programs.
   – TOEFL: minimum score of 61 AND minimum of 18 on both reading and writing sections
   – IELTS: minimum score of 6
   – Duolingo: minimum score of 90
   – SAT: minimum EBRW of 360
   – ACT: minimum English score of 18

For issuance of I20:

5. Current passport
6. Bank statements or letter from the bank that shows the most recent 4 months having a balance of at least $20,752. This can be the student’s account or whomever is sponsoring the student.
   – If adding a single F2 dependent, please add an additional $2,500 (for a total amount of $23,252)
   – If adding more than one F2 dependent, please add an additional $5,000 (for a total amount of $25,752)
7. SSC Financial Affidavit form, completed by the student, acknowledging his/her responsibility of all costs for attendance

Any and all of the above required documentation can be sent directly to Rebecca Danner, DSO, at rdanner@starkstate.edu.

Once all of the above steps have been completed and you have received your I20, you will then need to complete the following steps.  Please note the order of these steps and how you complete them may vary by the Embassy or Consulate. Please consult the instructions at usembassy.gov.

1. Pay the I-901 fee (https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/index.html)
2. Complete an F1 visa application (https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/)
3. Schedule an interview with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you live (usembassy.gov)

*Please keep in mind that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there may be significant delays in meeting with a consulate for visa issuance.

**Additionally, the U.S. requires any incoming F1 visa students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Please visit https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/covid-19-vaccination-required-for-immigration-medical-examinations for additional information.

Currently, tuition for international students is $323.60 per credit hour.  Most degrees are approximately 62-68 credit hours, plus any needed prerequisite courses, fees, labs, supplies, and textbooks. Per U.S.C.I.S. F1 visa student regulations, you must take a minimum of 12 credit hours every fall and spring semester, with no more than one online class at a time.

Also, please note that F1 visa international students are not eligible to receive any financial aid or scholarships through Stark State College.  Stark State is proud to offer its students one of the lowest tuition rates around, but students are encouraged to research outside sources that may offer such assistance. Additionally, please be aware we are a commuter college and offer no on-campus housing. International students are responsible for securing their own housing, and job opportunities for F1 visa students are severely limited and not guaranteed.