First-Time F-1 International Student Admissions

1. Start a new application or continue with a saved application form.
2. If you selected "Start a new application," on the next screen select "F-1 International" from the left-hand menu.
3. Fill out and complete all 9 steps of the F-1 application. Record your W number and your password.
   
   

Start Your Application

After you submit your application, you'll receive an email with your conditional acceptance letter. You won't be officially admitted to HCC until after you submit your additional required materials, which include:

1. SEVIS Form I-20 Application. If you have more than one dependent who is joining you in the U.S., you will need to submit an additional page for each of them.
2. A copy of your passport (biometric page only). If you plan to bring your dependents on F-2 status, add copies of their passports as well as marriage and birth certificates.
3. Your financial documentation. The documents you need to submit will depend on your situation. Learn more about the required financial documents.
4. Your $75 non-refundable application fee. You can pay the fee online using a credit card or funds transfer from your local bank (via Flywire).
5. Upload your documents to your F-1 Student Checklist.

1. Log in to your account on the HCC Student System using your HCC W number and your Password.
2. In the Student Homepage, click on Checklists
3. Click on the F-1 Student Checklist to upload the required documents (If you do not see an F-1 Student Checklist, please send an email to oiss.international@hccs.edu with your HCC student ID, "NEW," and the semester you're applying for, written in the subject line. Check your account again within three business days, and the F-1 Student Checklist should now be available.)

New applicants should wait about two hours after submission of the online application to access their F-1 Student Checklist.

* Monitor your F-1 Student Checklist for additional documents that may be required.

You can submit and complete these items in the student system under your F-1 Student Checklist. Follow this tutorial for more detailed instructions.

Access the Student System

Login to your HCC Student Sign-In and view your To-Do list (click on Checklists>F1 Student Checklist).  If the only item in your To-Do list is “I-20 In Process”, your application is under review by one of the Designated School Officials (DSO). If you see any other items in your F-1 Student Checklist, you must upload the required documents so that your application can be reviewed. 

After uploading all the required documents, it usually takes approximately 10 business days for the review and processing of the I-20. The duration of this process may vary depending on when the application is submitted and the number of applicants in the queue at that time.

If you haven't heard from us within 10 business days (weekends and holidays are not included), please email oiss.international@hccs.edu to check the status of your application. Make sure to include your HCC ID in the email subject line.

Once we receive all of your documents, it will take about 10 business days to process your SEVIS Form I-20. This time will vary depending on when you submitted your application. When you are officially accepted to Houston City College, you'll receive your I-20 form and your official acceptance letter (with specific instructions) in your email.

To receive approval to enter the United States, you must pay a fee and obtain your visa through the U.S. government. The U.S. government is responsible for overseeing each of the steps below.  HCC cannot assist you with paying the I-901 Fee, visa interviews/denials, or entry at the U.S. border.

1. Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee using the information on your I-20. (Dependent applicants (F-2) do not pay this fee.)
   
   1. Houston City College's school code is HOU 214F 00354 000.
   2. Print your receipt to present during your visa interview and when you enter the U.S.
   3. If you are from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, or Gambia, you must pay by money order, Western Union Quick Pay or certified check drawn from a U.S. bank.
   4. If you are from any other country, you have the option to pay with a credit card on FMJfee.com. SEVP will accept third party payments, meaning someone else can pay your I-901 SEVIS Fee using the same method of payment. For students from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria or Gambia who cannot pay the fee by credit card, third party payers are also restricted from paying the fee by credit card. Visit SEVP's website for instructions on how to complete the Western Union Quick Pay/Quick Collect form. You can access the PDF version of the SEVIS Form I-901 on SEVP's website. Print and mail in your paper SEVIS Form I-901 with your check or money order, according to the instructions on the form.
   5. For help with paying your SEVIS I-901 fee, call the SEVP Response Center at 703-603-3400.
2. Apply for your F-1 visa through your country's U.S. embassy or consulate.
   
   1. If you are denied an F-1 visa on your first attempt, you can reapply with your U.S. embassy/consulate. If you will be unable to enter the U.S. by the program start date listed on your I-20, you can defer your attendance to receive an I-20 for the next semester. Please note that you can apply for deferment only by the date listed on your acceptance letter. Applications received after that date will be processed as initial/new applications.
   2. If you are a citizen of Canada or Bermuda, you are not required to apply for an F-1 visa. Upon arrival as F-1 students, their passports should show an entry stamp indicating F-1 and D/S (Duration of Status).
3. Once you have received your visa, you can enter the United States. When you come to the U.S., you must have this documentation ready to present at the border:
   1. Original SEVIS Form I-20 — With a valid Program Start Date and signed by the Designated School Official/International Student Advisor (DSO/ISA)
   2. Passport — Must be valid for at least six months after the date of your entry.
   3. F-1 Visa — Must be valid and designated for attendance at HCC.
   4. Proof of Financial Support — Information showing proof of necessary funds to cover tuition and living expenses.
   5. I-901 Fee Payment Receipt — Validating that the I-901 payment was submitted.

After you have successfully entered the U.S. on your F-1 visa, you must immediately report virtually to check-In with the Houston City College Office of International Student Services. 

You will need to provide:

• Your HCC ID number
• A current local U.S. address
• A U.S. phone number
• Emergency contact information
• PDF copies of the following documents:
  1. Form I-20 for yourself and all dependents on an F-2 visa
  2. Passport (photo page) for yourself and all dependents on an F-2 visa
  3. F-1 Visa page for yourself and all dependents on an F-2 visa
     1. Citizens of Canada and Bermuda will need to provide a copy of the passport entry stamp indicating your F-1;D/S status.
  4. I-94 form for yourself and all dependents on an F-2 visa
     1. Visit the I-94 website and click on "Get most recent I-94." Follow the instructions to download the I-94. 
     2. If you cannot retrieve your most recent I-94, or if you receive an error that your I-94 was “Not Found,” or if your I-94 record has an error, then you must Retrieving I-94 Document to have the document corrected.
  5. Proof of online payment for the $50 non-refundable orientation fee.
  6. Proof of payment for your SEVIS I-901 fee.

Check in With HCC

After you check in, you'll need to access the MyEagle student system and complete the Checklist items that prevent enrollment: Financial Responsibility; Residency Re-affirmation; Meningitis (if under 22 years of age); On-boarding Checklist: Eagle Launch (web orientation), Testing.

Negative holds like Int’l Student Advisement, Bursar's office, and ESL should be cleared before enrollment with the relevant department (read details of the hold).  Positive holds like “F-1 student” do not affect enrollment. For additional information, review the Checklist Completion Video.

Access the Student System

Please note that the DSO/International Student Advisors in the International Office are not able to assist with testing authorization or class enrollment. For assistance with testing authorization, testing fee payment, test scores, transcripts, class enrollment, or change of major, connect with the HCC Enrollment & Advising Services teams. You can access these services either at your local HCC campus or through the HCC Virtual Enrollment & Advising Services.

Get testing authorization. Pay the testing fee at the cashier’s office on campus or via your HCC portal, and bring the receipt to the testing center on campus to take the exam. Make sure to have a photo ID to present before taking the test.

You can find more information about Testing and English proficiency on the foreign credentials page. Documents with passing English proficiency scores should be sent to HCC as instructed. Evaluated foreign credentials or U.S transcripts should be sent as per the instructions on our transcripts page.

Foreign Credentials

Your advisor will help you decide which classes to take for your program. Book your advising appointment as soon as you can.

Students placed in ESL/Intensive English levels 0, 1 and 2 should contact the CEU ESL department on campus or their Zoom lobby for enrollment/registration.

Students placed in ESL/Intensive English levels 3 and 4 and all academic-ready students should meet with an Enrollment Services/Academic Advisor on campus or virtually about the classes they need to take. Students in the Intensive English program will be enrolled in cohort-based courses that do not allow mix-and-match of the classes.

Spring and Fall semesters - F-1 students must enroll in 12 credit hours, of which only ONE (1) class can be 100% online. The remaining classes must be in-person or hybrid classes. If Summer is the first semester of attendance, F-1 students should enroll in 9 credit hours, of which only ONE (1) class can be 100% online, and the rest must be in-person or hybrid classes.   

After you've added all your classes to your schedule, you will need to pay your account balance.

To pay for your classes yourself, log in to the MyEagle student system and look at the Financial Account area to review your account balance, due date, and payment options.

Your sponsors can also pay for your classes from their home countries. Please see the HCC International Payment TUTORIAL. For government or third-party sponsored students, please see Payment and Scholarship Information on the International Students FAQs page. 

You're ready to start your first classes at Houston City College! We're so excited to have you.

If you have any questions or need help preparing for your first day, use HCC's Virtual Lobby to get in touch. It's your one-stop resource to find the assistance, answers, and assurance you need.

Virtual Lobby

F-1 international students will be automatically enrolled in HCC’s Student Health Insurance Plan. For more information about the plan and applying for a waiver of coverage, please visit the International Students health insurance page.

Health Insurance for International Students

Attendance at the International Student Orientation is mandatory. Please visit the International Students Orientation webpage for more information. Don't wait for the Mandatory International Orientation to enroll in classes! Classes are filling up quickly!

International F-1 Student Orientation

Congratulations!  

You have arrived in the U.S., completed the online check-in process, and enrolled and paid for your classes (or made a partial payment if you are on a payment plan).  

After the semester begins, your Designated School Official (DSO) will register your record in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and issue you a "Continued Attendance" Form I-20. This "Continued Attendance" I-20 will reflect your active status and include updates such as your major, address, or program dates. You can expect to receive the "Continued Attendance" I-20 via email within 15 days of the start of classes.  

Please note that the "Continued Attendance" I-20 is required for applying for a driver's license, state ID, or Social Security Number (SSN) in the event of employment.