Summer/Fall 2024 classes now enrolling! Visit our enrollment page for more information.
MCC-Penn ValleyStudent Enrollment Centeriss@mcckc.edu Bobbie Gustin, International Student CoordinatorPrincipal Designated School Official816.604.4683bobbie.gustin@mcckc.edu Carlton Fowler, Enrollment ManagerDesignated School Official816.604.4101carlton.fowler@mcckc.edu
Step 1 of 6
Semester
Deadline
FALL (August)
JULY 1
SPRING (January)
DECEMBER 1
SUMMER (June)
MAY 1
The following documents are required for admission to MCC and an I-20. TOEFL is not required for admission.
Mail:Metropolitan Community College - Penn ValleyInternational Student Services3201 SW TrafficwayKansas City, MO 64111USA
E-mail:Documents can be scanned and sent via e-mail to iss@mcckc.edu.
Step 2 of 6
Before paying the SEVIS fee, review the information on your Form I-20. If any information on your form is incorrect, please contact us immediately using the contact information provided in the cover letter.
The spelling of your name on all U.S. visa and immigration documents must be exactly the same as the spelling of your name in your passport.
If all information is correct, sign and date the I-20.
F-1 students are required to pay a fee to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Go to Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) SEVIS I-901 Fee processing Website to pay the fee.
Help with fee payment issues
If you are having a problem with the SEVIS fee payment process please visit I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions website.
Step 3 of 6
A visa is an official document issued by a consulate overseas allowing a foreign national to apply for admission into the United States. Students should obtain an F-1 visa. Having a visa in the passport is not an automatic guarantee that you will be admitted into the U.S. in that status.
Citizens of all countries except Canada are required to have an F1 visa in their passports if they are to enter the U.S. in student status. A good resource that provides basic information about student visas is EducationUSA.
There are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary at the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply.
While interviews are generally not required for applicants of certain ages outlined below, consular officers have the discretion to require an interview of any applicant, regardless of age.
You must schedule an appointment for your visa interview, generally, at the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at any U.S. embassy or consulate, but be aware that it may be difficult to qualify for a visa outside of your place of permanent residence.
Wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa category, so you should apply for your visa early.
New students - F-1 student visas can be issued up to 120 days in advance of your course of study start date. However, you will not be allowed to enter the U.S. in F-1 status earlier than 30 days before your start date.
Gather and prepare the following required documents before your visa interview:
Additional documentation may be required
Review the instructions for how to apply for a visa on the website of the embassy or consulate where you will apply. Additional documents may be requested to establish that you are qualified. For example, additional requested documents may include evidence of:
During your visa interview, a consular officer will determine whether you are qualified to receive a visa.
Ink-free, digital fingerprint scans will be taken as part of your application process. They are usually taken during your interview, but this varies based on location.
Additional information
All applicants for a student visa are required to be interviewed these are very short and the consular officer will take your pictures and fingerprints digitally. During the interview, you must make a good impression. Be positive and respond to the questions with clear, concise answers. Be prepared to discuss the following:
You must establish to the satisfaction of the U.S. consular officer that your ties to your home country are stronger than your ties to the U.S.
If you are fortunate, you may not be asked to provide any particular documentation to establish that you intend to return home. It may be sufficient for you to say that you plan to return to your country to work, to continue your studies, or to do whatever you plan to do when you return home.
Below are some questions to help you decide if you should make a special effort to prove your intent to return home (nonimmigrant intent). The more questions to which you respond with the answer "yes," the more important it will likely be for you to make a special effort to prove your intent to return home after your activities in the U.S.
If, based upon your answers to these questions, you believe you should make a special effort to prove that you intend to return home, the following factors may be taken into consideration:
If you own property or have financial investments in your country, documenting them may help prove you have strong financial ties. To prove this, you may not use any assets that will be needed to pay for your F-1 activities.
Documents to Submit: Official papers proving property ownership, copies of investment statements or certificates, a letter or financial statement from your bank or accountant.
If all members of your immediate family live in your country, the U.S. Consular officer may understand that you have strong family ties to that country. If you are your parents' oldest child or only child, the Consular officer may believe that you are more likely to return home because of that fact. If one or both of your parents are not in good health, this is another reason you might be expected to return home.
Documents to Submit: Copies of official documents proving family relationships and residence of each family member, letters from physicians explaining important medical conditions of one or both parents.
If you will be employed full-time upon your return, this indicates strong employment ties to your country.
Documents to Submit: A letter from your current employer stating that you will resume your work with them after your time in the U.S., a letter from a prospective employer stating that a position will be offered to you upon your return. The best letter is one that guarantees a job upon your return and states how important your U.S. activities will be for the type of work the employer wants you to do upon your return.
Reasons can include the tuition savings for your family, the specific program you want to study or the Intensive English Program that is available. If you plan to transfer to a four-year university, clearly explain how the 2-year degree transfers to the next school.
Documents to submit: School Catalog, Intensive English Program Information, Articulation Agreements. Show school is accredited.
If you have visited other countries and returned to your country after those visits, you have demonstrated a pattern of behavior that may lead the U.S. Consular Officer to believe that you will return home after your time in the U.S. The more trips you have made, the better your situation.
Documents to submit: Current and/or previous passports containing entry and exit stamps from your country to other countries, other official documents indicating departure and return.
There are 3 outcomes from the visa interview.
If you are denied and the letter cites 214(b), here is the explanation.
What Is Section 214(b)?
Section 214(b) is part of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). It states:
Every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for admission, that he is entitled to a nonimmigrant status.
Consular officers must decide in a very short time if someone is qualified to receive a temporary visa. Most cases are decided after a brief interview and review of whatever evidence of ties an applicant presents. To qualify for a visitor or student visa, an applicant must meet the requirements of sections 101(a)(15)(B) or (F) of the INA respectively. Failure to do so will result in a refusal of a visa under INA 214(b). The most frequent basis for such a refusal concerns the requirement that the prospective visitor or student possess a residence abroad he or she has no intention of abandoning. Applicants prove the existence of such residence by demonstrating that they have ties abroad that would compel them to leave the United States at the end of the temporary stay. The law places this burden of proof on the applicant.
How can an applicant prove "strong ties?"
Strong ties differ from country to country. Some examples of ties can be a job, a house, a family, a bank account. "Ties" are the various aspects of your life that bind you to your country of residence: your possessions, employment, social, and family relationships.
U.S. consular officers look at each application individually and consider professional, social, cultural, and other factors. In cases of younger applicants who may not have had an opportunity to form many ties, consular officers may look at the applicants specific intentions, family situations, and long-range plans and prospects within his or her country of residence.
Is a denial under Section 214(b) permanent?
No. The consular officer will reconsider a case if an applicant can show further convincing evidence of ties outside the United States. Unfortunately, some applicants will not qualify for a non-immigrant visa, regardless of how many times they reapply, until their personal, professional, and financial circumstances change considerably.
Applicants refused visas under section 214(b) may reapply for a visa. When they do, they will have to show further evidence of their ties or how their circumstances have changed since the time of the original application. It may help to answer the following questions before reapplying: (1) Did I explain my situation accurately? (2) Did the consular officer overlook something? (3) Is there any additional information I can present to establish my residence and strong ties abroad?
Applicants will be charged a nonrefundable application fee each time they apply for a visa, regardless of whether a visa is issued.
Who can influence the consular officer to reverse a decision?
Consular officers overseas have the final say on all visa cases. An applicant can influence the post to change a prior visa denial only through the presentation of new convincing evidence of strong ties.
Step 4 of 6
You must arrive in the United States at least by the date indicated on your Form I-20. You may enter the United States as early as 30 days prior to the official arrival date indicated on your I-20.
Be ready to present your passport, visa, your I-20 and supporting documentation.
US-VISIT will be used to track millions of visitors to the United States. All students are required to go through the screening process, which includes a digital photograph and electronic fingerprints.
If you are issued an I-515A at the port of entry, you have 30 days to fix your immigration status. Bring the information to the International Office. We will help you mail the necessary documents to:
Student and Exchange Visitor ProgramDHS/ICEATTN: SEVIS/I-515A Processing Team500 12th Street SW STOP 5600Washington, DC 20536-5600
Please note that MCC does not provide airport pickup. The Kansas City International Airport is located approximately 45 minutes from the college.
For more airport information or for ground transport information visit the Kansas City International Airport.
To reach a hotel, you can take a cab (taxi) from the airport.
You should plan on arriving in Kansas City at least a week or two before classes start to find housing.
Step 5 of 6
For other transportation services visit FyiKCI.com
You may also search Internet-based apartment search engines such as Social Serve or Apartment Guide. ApartmentList.com is another free resource to find housing. Each city on the website is broken down into neighborhoods, highlighting pricing, noise level, nearby attractions, restaurants, shopping, etc.
Additional Housing Search Websites:
To rent an apartment, it is customary that you sign a lease. A lease is a binding contract, and is required for a fixed period, typically 12 months. Leases obligate you to pay rent for the term of the lease even if you move out of the apartment.
Apartments/ townhomes/ condominiums can be rented by yourself or shared by multiple students depending on the lease options of the apartment complex. It is reasonable to expect off-campus housing to cost between $500 to $800 per month, depending on the number of people sharing the expenses which include monthly rent and utilities (water, phone, electricity, gas, trash, cable etc.). A security deposit (usually one month's rent) is also required for most off-campus housing. In addition, utility companies (phone, electricity, etc.) may require deposits in advance as well. Find assistance with internet or cable TV.
Step 6 of 6
Upon arrival
MCC offers comprehensive English as a Second Language testing and instruction. Grammar, composition, reading/vocabulary and speaking/listening are available at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. Students may take classes at any of the five campuses in the MCC District once they have completed any required ESL coursework. At the current time, ESL classes are only offered at the MCC-Penn Valley campus.
A visiting F-1 student is defined as a student seeking dual enrollment; planning to attend MCC in addition to current institution that issued the student's valid I-20.
Au pairs are individuals aged 18-26 who are paired with a U.S. host family and provide child-care services while attending an accredited post-secondary institution. In order for an au pair to attend MCC, the following documents must be submitted.
A pending permanent resident is a person who has filed an application for permanent residence in the United States and has an I-797C Notice of Action noting the request for change.
Therefore, you are considered a pending permanent resident if you have filed for permanent resident status (USCIS form I-485) and your case is pending and/or a decision has not been made. The following requirements will need to be completed before enrollment is allowed.
International students who marry an American citizen will be granted local tuition rates based on residency once they have shown the I-797C Notice of Action permanent resident application receipt from USCIS. The student must maintain a full course load (12 credit hours) until conditional permanent residency is granted by the USCIS.
Choosing to exit the United States and apply for the F-1 student visa from abroad. You will need to do the following:
For more information about consular processing, please visit the Department of State Travel page. For information about SEVP, please visit the ICE Student and Exchange Visitor Program page or the DHS Study in the States page.
You will need to file Form I-539 to request to change to F-1 student status. Your F-1 program start date may be deferred to the following semester because USCIS did not make a decision on your Form I-539 change of status application before your originally intended F-1 program start date.
Are undocumented students eligible for admission to Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City?
Undocumented students with a U.S. high school transcript or GED will be admitted to MCCKC and will pay the international tuition rate.
Are undocumented students eligible for Federal or State Financial Aid?
Federal and State financial aid is only available to U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents. However, qualified undocumented students may be eligible for MCCKC specific scholarships.
Are there deadlines to apply for admission for undocumented applicants?
No.
How does an undocumented applicant apply for admission?
To apply, you must submit the International Application for Admission (PDF).
Do students admitted under undocumented status need to take English as a Second Language assessment?
If the student reports English as a second language on their application for admission, they will be asked to take the ESL ACCUPLACER® placement test.
Is the student's immigration status protected by FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student educational records at educational institutions. As a result, the college cannot release a student's information (other than directory information), including immigration status, except under very specific circumstances, such as a court order. For more information about what can be released about students, refer the US Department of Education website. Students can request a FERPA hold at the Enrollment Center on each campus.
What is Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)?
Deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) provides for a two-year grant of deferred action to certain individuals who are not in lawful immigration status and 1) entered the U.S. before age 16, 2) lived in the U.S for five continuous years since June 15, 2007 and on June 15, 2012, 3) enrolled in or graduated from a U.S. high school, GED or other qualifying educational program, 4) no felony, misdemeanors and not a national security or public safety threat and 5) at least 15 years of age but not more than 30 years of age at the time of application.
DACA does not confer lawful immigration status, nor does it have any impact on a student's eligibility for admission to MCCKC. DACA students will pay the out-of-state tuition rate. DACA status allows the Department of Homeland security to forgo deportation against recipients for a two-year period of time. DACA recipients are eligible for work authorization, to apply for a social security number and thus to complete a FAFSA. While completion of the FAFSA does not make them eligible for Federal and State financial aid, it may allow determination of eligibility for private aid. They will receive a C-code on the FAFSA requesting documentation of citizenship.
On September 5, 2017 the Attorney General announced the rescission of the DACA program. According to the Memorandum issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and accompanying FAQs, the agency will continue to adjudicate DACA requests that were filed with DHS by September 5, 2017. DHS will also accept applications for DACA renewals from beneficiaries whose current DACA benefits will expire between September 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018, so long as those requests are received by DHS by October 5, 2017.
MCC will continue to monitor this major change in policy, and update our website as new information becomes available.