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IMPORTANT APPLICATION NEWS:

TCC no longer requires that bank statements and transcripts be sent by mail. You may submit bank statements by fax, mail or email. Please make sure to include your name and date of birth with all documents you send.

Step 1. Apply

It is easy to apply to TCC! There are 3 simple steps:

1. Apply Online using our secure web form
2. Send supporting documents to us by fax, mail or email - Please use only one method to send your documents!
3. Pay the application fee and other fees, if applicable

How to send us your bank statement and supporting documents:

• Our fax number is +1-253-566-6027
• The email address for submitting supporting documents is rkao@tacomacc.edu
• Our mailing address is:
  Tacoma Community College
  International Student Services and Programs
  6501 South 19^th Street - Building 11
  Tacoma, WA 98466 - USA

A complete application has 4 parts:

1. Online Application Form – be sure to answer each question completely!
2. Bank Statement in English showing $15,525 available for the first year of study – may be submitted by fax, mail or email; be sure to indicate your relationship to the person listed on the bank statement
3. High School Transcript in English
4. Applicable Fees – includes mandatory $50 application fee and other fees for housing placement, etc. Fees are payable by credit card, money order from the postal service (not Western Union), bank draft, or check from an American bank. If you would like to pay by credit card, please download and send us the credit card authorization form.

Notes:
If you have a relative or agency with whom you would like us to share information about you, you will need to print a release of information form and send it to us. This form is required in all applications submitted through educational agencies.

If you are already studying at a different school in the US, you will also need to submit a transfer form after you have had it signed by the International Advisor at your current school.

Paper versions of all our forms are available. Please call +1-253-566-5190 to request paper forms.

For help with the application, see our Frequently Asked Questions page or contact Reuth Kao.

Step 2. Receive I-20 Form

Step 3. F-1 Visa Interview

You will need to make an appointment for an interview at the US consular office nearest your home.  The US government requires that all F-1 visa applicants do an interview and pay a SEVIS fee and a visa fee. Check here to see how long you will have to wait for an interview – the wait time varies drastically from country to country. 

Have a look at this website to prepare for your visa application.

It helps to be prepared for the F-1 visa interview.  If you can, answer the questions in English.  Consular officers will probably ask you about the following issues, so you should have an idea of what you want to say about each one.  Remember, detailed answers are better!

• Plans at TCC: What is your intended course of study? How well are you prepared academically for your studies at TCC? (Mention your English language proficiency and high school and/or college grades)
• Plans After TCC: What do you want to do after your studies at TCC? Will you transfer to an American university for a bachelor’s degree? Will you return to your home country to work?
• Benefits of Your Education:How will your education in the US be useful to you in your home country? If your education will help you to find a better job, please give details.
• Break in Education: If you are NOT currently a student, what are you doing now? What have you been doing since you finished school? Why do you want to study now?
• Previous Degree: If you already have a degree in your home country, how will an associate’s degree or EAP training benefit you?
• Return to Your Home Country After Your Education: What will motivate you to leave the US after you complete your education here? Students with F-1 visas are required to leave the US after completing their studies here. If you have a job prospect, fiancé(e), or close family ties in your home country, or are planning to return to your home country for university, it is more likely that the consulate will grant you a visa. Bring any supporting documents you may have, such as verification that you own land or a business, marriage documents, or anything that proves you have stronger ties to your home country than to the USA.
• Required Documents: Bring original documents of your bank statement and transcripts for the consular officer to examine.

For more information about F-1 visas and interviews, please see the US State Department website.

Step 4. Arrival in the USA

As soon as you receive your F-1 visa, please tell us so that we can plan for your arrival. The Housing Coordinator will need to know your travel plans, including flight number, date and time, so she can set up an airport pickup for you.  When you enter the US, you will need to show the immigration officer:

• Your I-20 form
• Your passport with a valid F-1 or M-1 student visa
• Your I-94 form (you will be given this form and fill it out on the airplane)

Please plan on arriving no more than one week before New Student Orientation begins. See our Academic Calendar page for more information.  Remember to have the TCC International office’s phone numbers with you when you travel so that you can get a hold of us if you have any problems. You can find the office phone number on your I-20 form.

Congratulations!

You have completed all the steps required to study in the USA. We hope to see you soon!