Requirements to Enroll

The requirements for international students are outlined below:

1. Official Transcripts & Related Materials

Official secondary and post-secondary school transcripts, translated into English, listing all courses taken, grading system, and grades earned.

Students with foreign college transcripts seeking transfer credits must provide both of the following for transfer credit review:

• Original College Transcript (not Diploma), translated if not in English, which lists all courses taken, grading system, and grades earned
• Official Course-by-Course Evaluation by a third-party agency

Example agencies include, but are not limited to:

a. SpanTran (offers discounts to GBCC applicants) 

b. World Education Services (WES)

c. Center for Educational Documentation (CED)

d. Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)

2. Test of English as a Foreign Language Test (TOEFL)

Applicants whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and earn a paper-based score of 520 or better, a computerized test score of 190 or an Internet based score of 68. If the student is currently in the United States, Accuplacer scores that are comparable to the TOEFL may be used to determine English proficiency. A student must score on the Accuplacer into the developmental English level.

For information regarding the test contact: TOEFL, Educational Testing Service, Rosedale Road, Princeton, NJ 08541 USA, (609) 921-9000, www.toefl.org.

3. Financial Information

Letter from the financial institution that holds the funds of the person financially responsible for the student’s educational and living. The statement must be on official letterhead, listing the sponsor’s name and the amount of money available for the student. Students attending Great Bay are required to demonstrate at least $27,000 available for their studies. The document must be in English and if the currency held is not in US dollars the exchange rate must be listed.

4. Affidavit / Letter of Support

Affidavit or letter of support from the person who will be financially responsible for the student. This letter should include the student’s name and his/her intent to attend Great Bay Community College, as well as the amount of money available for the student’s education and living expenses. The letter must be signed by the sponsor and must be in English.

For your convenience, you may also use this Financial Support Letter Form.

5. Passports & Documentation

The student must submit copies of current passport and immigration documents including Visa and Duration of Status (D/S) stamp on 1-20. We will also need his/her address in the country that (s)he plans to return to once (s)he graduates from this College.

6. One-Year Expense Account

Applicants (or their spouses) must have enough money available in an account to cover a minimum of one year of expenses that include:

• out-of-state tuition
• fees
• living expenses
• books

All of the above documentation must be submitted, and the student offered admission before a Certificate of Eligibility (1-20) for an F-1 Visa will be All F-1 students must be full-time (1 2 credit hours or more) each semester (except summer) in order to maintain their visa status. International students must meet with the Diversity Programming Coordinator upon arrival in the Center for Academic Planning and Support (CAPS).

7. Health Insurance Coverage

Health care in the United States is expensive; international students are required to obtain adequate health insurance coverage during their studies. Information on health insurance is available through the Diversity Programming Coordinator.