The Application Process

International Admissions Process

International student applicants need to have completed at least the equivalent of twelve years of elementary and secondary education and have successfully passed all required examinations. All international students must submit the following information in order to be considered for admission to the college:

1. Application for Admission
   Applicants for admissions must complete the Cayuga Community College application (91 kb). (To download this PDF, you will need Acrobat Reader, a free download.)
   
2. English Proficiency
   Applicants whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate an acceptable level of English language proficiency. To be considered for admission to Cayuga, the minimum required TOEFL score is 500 (paper-based), 173 (computer-based) or 61(internet-based). The Institution code for Cayuga is 2010. The TOEFL website is http://www.toefl.org. At this time, Cayuga Community College does not offer English as a Second Language (ESL) courses.
3. Foreign Student Financial Statement (required for F-1 Students)
   F-1 visa applicants are required to demonstrate that they have financial resources to cover their educational expenses while attending Cayuga Community College.
   
   The "Foreign Student Financial Statement" should be completed carefully. It MUST be accompanied by a current notarized bank statement supporting the information reported on the form. This form (FSA-4: Foreign Student Financial Statement [plus Instructions] ) is available as a pdf online at http://www.suny.edu/student/pdf/fsa-4.pdf. (To download this PDF you will need Acrobat Reader, a free download.)
   
   NOTE: Cayuga Community College has NO financial aid or scholarships available for international students. Students must demonstrate ability to pay for their total educational and living expenses for their entire enrollment at Cayuga.
   

4. Academic Records
   Cayuga Community College does not accept international academic credentials without an evaluation by an accredited organization. The College advises that students who want to have their international academic credentials evaluated must use the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). For more information, visit http://www.aacrao.org/international/foreignEDCred.cfm.
   
   Students can still enroll at the College without the evaluation, but will need to meet the Ability to Benefit test score levels during their placement test.
5. First Semester Tuition Deposit
   Students are required to mail the first semester's tuition and fees of $3,800 to the College before an I-20 will be forwarded to the applicant. This amount is fully refundable if for any reason the applicant is not able to attend Cayuga, and we are notified prior to the semester start date.
6. Send
   Send the material listed in 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 above to:
   
   Admissions Office
   Cayuga Community College
   197 Franklin Street
   Auburn, NY 13021-3099 USA
7. Placement Test
   All new students (domestic and international), without transferable college credit in English and Mathematics (or completed high school calculus) must take a placement test. The test is designed to gauge your academic skill level in reading comprehension, understanding of sentence structure, mathematical skill, and overall writing ability. These tests take approximately 2 hours to complete. The tests are Internet based and can be taken at remote locations.
   
   PLACEMENT TESTING PROCESS – PLEASE FOLLOW THESE STEPS
   
   Following application and the evaluation of your academic record, the Admissions Office will determine whether testing is warranted; if so...
   
   
   • In the process of earning a degree you will be participating in a 24 credit High School Equivalency program. Due to differences in academic standards throughout the world and with no universal agency to evaluate and compare all systems, we have taken the position that a student must have the equivalent of a United States high school education prior to our granting a degree. The 24 credit program will provide you with that equivalency and allow you to graduate with the desired degree from Cayuga Community College. In most degree programs the required course work is built into the degree program and requires no extra classes.
   • The student must locate an appropriate testing environment and an acceptable Proctor. Proctors can be Educators, Teachers, Administrators, Managers, Counselors, or others in a position of responsibility willing to administer the test in a secure environment (quiet space with no distractions or interruptions) with access to a computer work station connected to the Internet. Examples include a Library, school, college or university, learning center or other educational setting. Unacceptable sites include, but are not limited to, a parent's office, an Internet café, or a computer kiosk in a mall, airport or other public setting.
   • The student should e-mail the following information to the Academic Support Center (hambergerv@cayuga-cc.edu): the name of the Proctor, job title, location of the test administration, and the Proctor's e-mail address. The ACS will contact the Proctor to provide the secure web address for a training manual as well as access to the testing website, once the Proctor and test site are approved.
   • The Proctor then downloads and prints the Training Manual and test information for the student.
   • The Proctor administers the test and contacts the Admissions Office at blodgett@cayuga-cc.edu when the test sequence has been successfully administered.
   • If all the other required documents have been received and the first semester's tuition has been paid, the student can then be registered for classes.

The Acceptance Process

Once all the required documents are received by the Admissions Office, the applicant will be evaluated for admission to the College.

• If the applicant meets all the necessary requirements - Academic, Financial and Linguistic - an official letter of acceptance will be mailed to the applicant.
• The letter of acceptance and the I-20 must be presented to the United States Consulate or Embassy with passport in order to obtain an F-1 student visa, which will allow the student to enter the United States.
• Registration for classes can be done either in person upon arrival at the college, or over the telephone once all of the above steps have been completed.
• To obtain an F-1 visa, the student will be required to pay a $131 fee for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). This is separate from the visa fee. Details are published at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website at http://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901/faq.htm.   

Helpful Links for More Information

The International Student Guide to the United States of America is an education resource guide for students worldwide who are planning to study in the United States. Students can find American colleges and universities, plan an academic program in the United States, and learn about American culture.

United States Visas - an official source of information about U.S. visa policy and procedures. Use this site to learn about the visa application process, understand current requirements, and get updates on recent developments. This site serves as a single point of access to U.S. visa information. It will connect you to additional, in-depth information found on Web sites managed by the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Contact

Any questions about this information can be directed to Bruce Blodgett at blodgett@cayuga-cc.edu or 315-255-1743, Ext. 2244.