International Student Admission

Athens Technical College has been approved by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) School Certification Branch (SCB) to issue I-20 forms to students from foreign countries who wish to enroll at Athens Technical College. Individuals are considered international applicants to the college if they are citizens or permanent residents of a country other than the United States. Students who will need F or M student visas are required to apply under the international student admission requirements listed below. They must submit all items to the attention of the college’s International Student Office. For more details on these admission requirements, applicants can visit the International Students section of the college’s website. Applicants with other immigration statuses will need to apply under general admission through the Admissions Office, but are welcome to contact the International Student office for assistance. To gain consideration for admission, applicants who will be seeking a student visa must:

• Submit the college's application for admission and the $20 nonrefundable application fee payable with U.S. currency, a credit card, money order, or check issued by a bank in the United States.
• Submit placement exam scores (COMPASS, ASSET, SAT, or ACT) that are less than five years old on the early application deadline date for the semester in which applicants seek admission to the college (see Early Application Deadlines).
• Provide official transcripts from high school (or GED) and all colleges attended by the application deadline. All foreign transcripts must be translated and evaluated by an approved credential evaluation service.
• Provide documentation verifying a minimum of $17,403 USD is available to finance the first year of education and cost-of-living expenses. Applicants or their sponsors are required to submit this documentation.
• Submit a photocopy of the passport page that shows the full name of the applicant. (The full name as listed in the passport must match the full name listed on the admissions application and other documentation required to gain admission to the college as an International Student.)

International students transferring to Athens Technical College from other colleges in the United States must notify the DSOs at the transfer-out colleges of the need to transfer the SEVIS records. Applicants transferring from another U.S. postsecondary institution will need to submit a completed Athens Technical College Transfer Clearance Form and provide a copy of their current I-20 form, I-94 form, and current visa

International applicants must use one of these college-approved credential evaluation service providers: Josef Silny and Associates, World Education Services Inc., Educational Credential Evaluators Inc., or American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) International Education Services. Addresses, applications, and information on the companies approved to provide evaluation services of foreign transcripts are available in the Admissions Office. Applicants must pay the costs of having their credentials evaluated. At a minimum, applicants must have the equivalent of a high school diploma.

Technical College System of Georgia policy specifies that non-citizens cannot receive in-state or out-of-state tuition. In accordance with the Federal Title IV definition, non-citizen applicants are eligible for in-state and out-of-state tuition if they are a United States permanent resident with a permanent resident card (I-551), a conditional permanent resident (I-551-C), or the holder of an arrival/departure record (I-94) from the United States Department of Homeland Security. The I-94 must include one of the following designations:

• Refugee
• Asylum granted
• Parolee (I-94 confirms paroled for a minimum of one year and that the status has not expired)
• Victim of human trafficking
• T-Visa holder (T-1, T-2, T-3, etc.)
• Cuban-Haitian entrant

Persons with an F1 or F2 student visa, a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, or a G series visa do not meet the definition of an eligible non-citizen.

After applicants submit this documentation, the Admissions Office will evaluate their application materials if space is available in programs. The college will assess tuition and fees at a rate that is four times the rate assessed for Georgia residents.

Athens Technical College welcomes students from around the world and values the diversity that international students can bring to the campus. The International Students webpage provides an International Student Admission Guide. This document includes procedures designed to help all international students remain in compliance with U.S. immigration laws and regulations. The following forms are available to international applicants on the International Students webpage:

• Initial F-1 Coming from Outside the United States
  • International Student Admissions Guide
  • F1/M1 International Student Admissions Checklist
  • Affidavit of Support
  • Application for Admission – Mail to the International Student Office, Athens Technical College, 800 US Hwy 29 N, Athens, GA 30601 after completion. Follow the Admission Requirements listed in the Admissions Guide.
• F-1 Students Transferring From a School in the United States
  • International Student Admissions Guide
  • F1/M1 International Student Admissions Checklist
  • Transfer Clearance
  • Affidavit of Support
  • Application for Admission – Mail to the International Student Office, Athens Technical College, 800 US Hwy 29 N, Athens, GA 30601 after completion. Follow the Admission Requirements listed in the Admissions Guide.
• Student Responsibilities
  • F1/M1 International Student Agreement of Responsibilities
  • Change of Address Request