International student applicants seeking a Form I-20, "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status in order to obtain an F-1 Visa must apply to the college and submit the required documentation below.
Once all required documents have been received and admission to the college is approved, Lakeland will issue an I-20 form to the student, typically within 2-3 weeks.
- Fall Semester – July 15
- Spring Semester – November 15
- Summer Term – F-1 international students cannot be admitted for the summer term.
Complete Lakeland's application. Choose "International Student" as your student type. There is no fee to apply.
A copy of your final, official high school transcript showing graduation date, school seal and school representative signature is required. You may submit the transcript directly to Lakeland Community College at international@lakelandcc.edu if all criteria are met.
- U.S. college transcripts: Only submit if you are currently studying at a U.S. college or university on an F-1 visa. Official transcripts must be in a sealed envelope from the college or university or can be sent electronically from the school to transcripts@lakelandcc.edu.
- Foreign transcripts: Only submit if you have completed university studies outside of the United States. Foreign transcripts must be evaluated by an accredited evaluation agency such as World Education Services (WES) or Educational Perspectives. For a full list of accredited evaluation service providers, visit https://www.naces.org/members. All costs associated with foreign transcript evaluations are the student's responsibility and arrangements for payment must be made directly with the evaluation agency. Transfer of foreign credit may not be guaranteed.
Submit a copy of the passport signature page, showing the validity and expiration date of your passport. If you list dependents on your application, you must also submit a copy of their passport.
If you are a transfer applicant and currently in the United States, in addition to your passport, you must also submit a copy of your F-1 visa and your current I-20 and I-94 forms.
If English is not your first language, you are required to submit the results of an English language proficiency examination (unless you are from an English Proficient Exempt Country).
Official scores must be dated within the past two years from one of the following:
| Test/Program | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL (paper-based) | 500 |
| TOEFL (computer-based) | 173 |
| TOEFL (internet-based) | 61 |
| IELTS | 6.0 or above |
| ACT | 18 or above (in English) |
| SAT | 480 or above (in Evidence-based Reading and Writing) |
| Completion of accredited ESL program | Not available at Lakeland Community College |
| Transfer credit in college-level English from an accredited U.S. college or university | Grade of "C" or better |
You must submit both of the following as proof of financial support to cover tuition and living expenses for one year in the amount of $20,500 USD. If traveling with dependents, this amount will increase by $4,500 USD per dependent (for example: 2 dependents would increase the amount to $29,500 USD).
- Bank statement in student's name or in the name of student's sponsor indicating a minimum balance of $20,500 USD (see above regarding increase in amount due to dependents). This statement must be dated within six months of your program start date, and it must include the bank's contact information. Bank statements for fall should be dated no earlier than March 1 and statements for spring should be dated no earlier than August 1.
- Sponsor's Affidavit of Support
- U.S. sponsors must submit an original Affidavit of Support (Form I-134).
- Foreign sponsors must provide a written statement indicating their relationship to the student and specific intended contributions towards the student's expenses. View a sample sponsorship letter.
- Not required if you are paying yourself
Estimated Cost for 2024-2025 Academic Year (in U.S. dollars)*
- Tuition and Fees (based on 12 credit hours): $9,235
- Living Expenses: $7,908
- Books/Supplies: $800
- Other Expenses: $2,557
- Total: $20,500
*Estimated budget expenses are subject to change without notice. See Tuition & Fees schedule for out of state residents.
If you are currently attending another U.S. institution, you must request that your current institution transfer your valid I-20 form to Lakeland Community College. Lakeland's Student & Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) code is CLE214F00272000.