International/Foreign Students
Allan Hancock College Board Policy 5012
Allan Hancock College has been approved by the United States Department of Homeland Security/Citizenship and Immigration Services to accept qualified applicants from foreign countries who are interested in attending Hancock on a valid F-1 visa. An international student is a person who is a citizen and resident of another country, and is in the United States on an F-1 “student visa” or other allowable visa. Students who are in the United States on an F-1 student visa may not establish residency. The Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C., 1101 (a) (15), as amended by Immigration Act of 1990, Public Law 101-649, precludes international students holding F-1 visas from establishing domicile in the United States and also states that they shall not be classified as a resident of this state.
All inquiries for admission should be addressed to the office of Admissions and Records, Attn: International Students, 800 S. College Dr., Santa Maria, CA 93454-6399.
Due to the district’s limited financial resources and space, and due to the special educational needs of international students, the Allan Hancock Joint Community College District reserves the right to limit the number of F-1 international students admitted each year.
Admission requirements for International Students on an F-1 Student Visa:
International student application materials must be received in the Admissions and Records office by May 1 for fall admission and November 1 for spring admission. Students on an F-1 visa are required to be full-time students and must maintain a minimum of 12 semester units each semester. Only one class per semester may be a distance learning course. According to immigration policy, international students may work 20 hours a week, on campus only.
- Submit a completed application for admission and declare an educational goal.
- Provide evidence in the use of the English language to ensure proper progression in
an academic program. To provide this evidence, Hancock requires one of the following:
- Satisfactorily passing the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), periodically administered in the student’s home country by the Educational Testing A score of 475 on the paper test, 153 on the computerized test or 53 on the internet-based test is required for admission. For more information on the TOEFL, visit their website, at www.TOEFL.com. To report the TOEFL score to Hancock, please use code 4002. The TOEFL requirement may be waived for those students where English is the official language of the country of citizenship.
- Satisfactorily passing a course in oral and written English in an institution in the United States.
- Submit a confidential statement of finance that verifies financial capability for the costs of attending Hancock, or affidavits guaranteeing financial support from responsible resident citizens of the United States. The college does not provide financial assistance for international students.
- Submit all official transcripts from previously attended and recognized international institutions along with a transcript evaluation translation report. For more information about Hancock's approved transcript evaluation agencies, please contact the Office of Admissions and Records at 805-922-6966 ext. 3329 or 3288.
- Provide proof of major medical insurance coverage. If needed, the college can provide information on policies available to international students.
- Submit proof of measles immunization and tuberculosis (TB) test.
- Approved first-time international students may not enroll until they arrive in Santa Maria and meet with an admissions representative.
- Once admitted, international students must enroll as full time students, maintain a 2.00 grade point average and remain in good standing. Students who do not maintain these standards may not be permitted to remain enrolled.