International Citizens

Admission eligibility and tuition rates vary for international citizens based on immigration and residency status and federal and state laws. All applicants who are not United States citizens are required to verify their immigration status with specified official documents. Photocopied credentials are not acceptable. Students who believe they may qualify for in-state rates should consult the office of admissions and advising.

F1 STUDENTS—International citizens seeking admission to credit learning programs with F1 immigration status must consult the office of admissions and advising regarding the college’s specific requirements for the issuance of the I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status. Requirements include completion of the college’s application for F1 student status; application fee; proof of English proficiency; certification of adequate finances; and official secondary or postsecondary transcripts translated into English. F1 students admitted to HCC must show proof of health insurance that covers health care in the United States during the time of enrollment. Specific application deadlines apply based on the term for which students are seeking admission. F1 students must consult the office of admissions and advising whenever they plan to leave the United States during the period of time covered by their I-20, seek an extension of stay, apply for employment authorization or optional practical training, or transfer to another institution. For further information please contact intlstudent@howardcc.edu or  443-518-4420.

F1 students attending other colleges or universities may attend HCC if they have satisfied specific admissions requirements, including adherence to standard application procedures, presentation of proof of their immigration status (I-94); and submission of a letter of consent from the institution that issued their I-20 granting consent to enroll at HCC during fall and spring terms.

F1 students seeking to change their academic level from the English Institute (EI) to credit degree programs must apply for a new I-20 from the office of admissions and advising and must meet all specified credit F1 admissions requirements. An additional application fee is required when applying for a change of academic level. 

International citizens seeking admission as F1 students to the college’s EI must consult with the EI. For further information contact 443-518-1681 or ei@howardcc.edu. (For those calling from outside the US, the US country telephone code is 1). Otherwise, please contact the office of admissions and advising 443-518-1200, select #3; adm-adv@howardcc.edu).

UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT STUDENTS—Under the Maryland Dream Act, undocumented immigrant students seeking enrollment to credit programs may pay in-state or in-county tuition under certain conditions as identified by Maryland law. Undocumented immigrant students must contact the office of admissions and advising regarding the specific requirements of this law. Students who attended high school in the State for at least three years beginning with the 2005-2006 school year or who earned the equivalent of a high school diploma (e.g., by passing the GED exam or completing the requirements for the National External Diploma Program) beginning with the 2007–2008 school year may be eligible for in-state or in-county tuition. To be eligible for a non-resident tuition exemption, students must attend HCC within four years of high school graduation. Eligibility for in-county or out-of-county tuition is based on the location where the immigrant student completed high school, or in the case of earning a diploma, where they last attended high school in Maryland. Requirements under the provision of the law include completion of the college’s admissions application; verification of attendance for at least three academic years and graduation from a Maryland high school or equivalency; documentation that the immigrant student or the student’s parent or legal guardian has filed a Maryland income tax return through specified periods; submission of an affidavit stating that the student will file an application to become a permanent resident within 30 days of becoming eligible to do so; and proof that eligible individuals have registered with the selective service system. Students who demonstrate documentation as Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) who reside in Howard County or the State of Maryland may be eligible for an in-county or in-state tuition benefit. Students must contact the office of admissions and advising to determine eligibility intlstudent@howardcc.edu or 443-518-4420.