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Over one hundred twenty students from 28 different countries attend College of The Albemarle's four campus locations.
While the majority of international students attend the Dare campus, there are international students at every campus of COA.
These international students bring unique experience and add much valued cultural diversity to COA.
But how do the students become COA students?
International students attending COA are in the United States on F-1 student visas.
In the United States the F-1 visas are type of non-immigrant student visa that allows international students to peruse an education in the U.S.
There are two different ways international students can apply for F-1 status.
The first is by requesting an F-1 visa from the U.S. Consulate or Embassy in their home country.
Students can learn more about that process from the COA website or the U.S. Embassy in their home country.
The second way international students can apply for F-1 student status is that students currently in the United States on another visa type may request a change of status.
This means that students currently in the United States on visa such as J-1 or B-2 can request a change of status to F-1.
For the students who are interested in doing such a thing, a series of steps must be completed.
First, an international student interested in attending COA must complete an application online.
Students can find the admissions application at www.albemarle.edu.
Then should select "Apply & Register." From there, international students should select the international option as listed.
The second step to the change of status process is for students to attend a Connect session.
Connect sessions is where students learn about COA and the different programs and classes offered.
Students are also registered to take placement testing while at the Connect session.
The third step is the placement test. All COA students and international students are required to take placement testing.
You're supposed to earn the necessary score for applying for the F-1 visa. You will learn more about your placement tests during your Connect session.
Students should next gather the necessary documentation to complete the change of status.
The list of documents can be found on COA's international student web page.
Some of the documents required are your valid visa, your passport, an I-539 change of status application, a sponsor letter and sponsor financial documentation.
Sponsors are very important for international students to become students at College of The Albemarle.
Anyone can sponsor international students. It can be someone from the United States or someone from the student's home country.
To be a sponsor, the sponsor must write a letter of sponsorship, stating why they want to help a student in their quest to become an international student in the United States.
The second thing a sponsor must do, is a sponsor must have at least $17,000 in their bank account for each of the last three consecutive months.
Many people ask, "Why $17,000?" Seventeen thousand dollars is the approximate amount it costs for an international student, who would be an out-of-state student at College of The Albemarle, to attend college and live in the area.
One important thing to note is that United States businesses cannot serve as sponsors to international students.
Once students have all their documents and sponsor information, they should request a meeting with a College of The Albemarle Designated School Official (DOS).
After meeting with a DSO, the student will submit their request to change their status to the United States Customs and Immigration Service.
Then they can work with a COA advisor to register for classes.
For more information, student should look on the international students web page or talk to the Designated School Official.