B E R G E N C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E International Student

BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

International Student Center, Room SC-110

Pitkin Education Center

Bergen Community College

400 Paramus Road, Paramus NJ 07652, USA

Applying as a Transfer

Student on a F-1 Visa

Revised 10/2022

International Student Center, 400 Paramus Rd, Paramus, NJ 07652-1595

Phone: +1 (201) 689-7601 / www.bergen.edu/isc

Applying as a Transfer Student on an F-1

Thank you for your interest in attending Bergen Community College!

The following information packet is for applicants who will transfer to Bergen Community College (BCC). These

applicants are already in valid F-1 status and are transferring from one U.S. institution to BCC. Applicants who are

currently living outside the United States (US) may apply for an F-1 student visa from their home country. Please submit

the following documents to the International Student Center and allow up to 3 weeks for processing. More information is

available at www.bergen.edu/isc. If you need assistance, please e-mail us at intadm[email protected].

Check List for applicants applying as a transfer student:

 Bergen Community College application for admissions, available at www.bergen.edu. Click the apply online

option. All F-1 students MUST apply for a degree or certificate program. Do not complete the application if

you are already a BCC student with a BCC ID#.

 Proof of graduation from high school or college (translated into English, if necessary)

 Photocopy of passport identification pages

 Photocopy of visa identification page

 Photocopy of I-94 front and back

 Photocopy of ALL issued I-20s

 Agreement of Support Form

 Bank Statement or letter showing at least $22,000 USD

 Agreement of Support for Room and Board Form (if applicable)

 Biographical Information Form

 Transfer Recommendation Form – Ask the designated school official (DSO) at your current institution to

complete the form and release your SEVIS record only AFTER you have been accepted to BCC. This form

must be mailed back to BCC before the I-20 will be issued.

Once the applicant submits all paperwork, BCC will issue an acceptance letter. It is the applicant’s responsibility to

contact his or her former institution to request the SEVIS transfer. The I-20 will be issued normally within 2 weeks after

the SEVIS record has been released to BCC.

The school code for the Paramus campus at BCC is: NEW214F00601000

You may submit your documents as pdf files to [email protected] or you may return the paperwork to:

International Student Center, Room SC-110

Pitkin Education Center

Bergen Community College

400 Paramus Rd.

Paramus, NJ 07652

U.S.A.

Revised 10/2022

What you need to know:

▪ Applicants may not apply directly to The School of Health Professions Program. International applicants must

first apply to a general program, for example, the Associate of Science, Natural Science and Math, General

(AS.NSM.GEN) and then apply for a change of major after one semester of study or after fulfilling all

prerequisites.

▪ Standardized tests (SAT, TOEFL or IELTS) are not required for admission. However, if you have taken the SAT,

you may be exempt from taking certain sections of the placement testing depending on your SAT scores and SAT

completion date. For the placement test waiver eligibility requirements information, visit

https://bergen.edu/testing/placement-test-waiver-information/.

▪ If a student is not exempt from the language based placement test, he or she will take the Accuplacer ESL test at

BCC. This is not an entrance examination; it is used for placement only. If it is necessary for a student to take

English as a Second Language courses through the American Language Program (ALP), the test score will

determine the appropriate ALP course level. Each level is one semester long.

▪ Students may be exempt from providing proof of high school graduation if they have completed 30 or more

college level credits at a regionally accredited US college/university. Students will have to provide an official

transcript from each school attended to the International Student Center.

▪ International students at BCC are required to show sponsorship of at least $22,000 at the time of application. The

$22,000 figure reflects tuition and fees for one academic year of study and estimated living costs. Tuition and

fees for an international student are estimated at $10,000 per year, or approximately $5,000 per semester.

▪ Applicants transferring from another US institution and who plan to live with a friend or family member in the US

may complete the Agreement of Support for Room and Board Agreement and are only required to submit a bank

statement showing $10,000 (estimated tuition costs).

▪ An applicant that wishes to bring a spouse to the US (on an F-2 visa); an additional $12,000 must be reflected in

the financial statements and indicated on the Agreement of Support Form. If the applicant wishes to bring a

dependent child, an additional $6,000 must be reflected on the affidavit and bank statements.

▪ Remember, BCC does NOT provide housing and therefore students must obtain housing on their own.

▪ International students are NOT eligible for the in-county tuition rate, and are therefore charged out-of-county

tuition rates. Financial aid is not available to international students.

▪ Admitted international students are strongly advised to purchase adequate health insurance coverage.

▪ Upon being admitted, students will receive a medical history form, which will require a physical examination by a

doctor and proof of immunization records in English. This examination can be performed either in the student’s

home country or in the US upon arrival. Students will have to show proof of immunization against Measles,

Mumps and Rubella in English. It is extremely important that students submit necessary health records. The

form can be found at: www.bergen.edu/isc/forms.

Revised 10/2022

International Student Center, 400 Paramus Rd, Paramus, NJ 07652-1595

Phone: +1 (201) 689-7601 / www.bergen.edu/isc

Agreement of Support

International applicants must show financial sponsorship of at least $22,000 USD*. This form may be duplicated for

multiple sponsors. Students who wish to show personal funds to satisfy the $22,000 requirement do not need to complete

the Agreement of Support, but must show a bank statement in their own name for the entire amount. All bank statements

are required to be within the last six months.

BCC Student ID:

Name of Sponsor: Sponsor’s relationship to student:

Complete Address of Sponsor:

I hereby certify that I promise to provide

(Name of International Student)

funds in the amount of US $ for each year of study at Bergen Community College.

I hereby affirm that the contents of the statements of this form are true and correct.

(Sponsor’s Name Printed) (Sponsor’s Signature) (Date)

If the international student is bringing dependents with him/her to the USA and those dependents will be supported by the

sponsor indicated on this form, an additional $12,000 for a spouse and an additional $6,000 per child must be evident.

*Sponsor MUST attach a bank statement or bank letter showing the amount indicated above. The $22,000 is an estimate for tuition and living expenses for

one academic year. ($10,000 for tuition/fees and $12,000 for room/board) These figures are subject to change.

Revised 10/2022

International Student Center, 400 Paramus Rd, Paramus, NJ 07652-1595

Phone: +1 (201) 689-7601 / www.bergen.edu/isc

Agreement of Support for Room and Board

International applicants are required to show sponsorship of at least $22,000 USD. This signed document demonstrates the

room and board portion of the expenses for F-1 students at Bergen Community College, estimated at $12,000 per academic

year. Students are required to show an additional $10,000 for tuition and fees in the form of a bank statement or letter and

signed Agreement of Support. Students who wish to show personal funds to satisfy the $10,000 requirement do not need

to complete the Agreement of Support for Room and Board, but must show a bank statement in their own name for the

entire amount. Both Agreements of Support are available at www.bergen.edu/isc/forms.

This form should be accompanied by a bank statement or bank letter within the last six months showing a current balance of at

least $10,000 USD.*

BCC Student ID:

has applied to Bergen Community College for the

(Name of International Student)

semester.

(Fall/Spring-indicate year)

He/she will be living with me, , at my residence for the duration of

(Name of Sponsor)

his/her studies at the following address:

(street address, city, state, postal code)

Sponsor’s Phone #: Sponsor’s E-mail:

is my

(Name of Sponsor) (Sponsor’s relation to student)

I understand that this living arrangement demonstrates coverage of the room and board portion of the financial expenses

required of international students seeking enrollment at Bergen Community College under F-1 student status. This room

and board portion is estimated at $12,000 per academic year.

(Sponsor’s Name Printed) (Sponsor’s Signature) (Date)

*The bank statement can be from a different sponsor or from the applicant.

International Student Center, 400 Paramus Rd, Paramus, NJ 07652-1595

Phone: +1 (201) 689-7601 / www.bergen.edu/isc

Biographical Information

This form will be used to create your Form I-20. Complete the following information below and write clearly.

Incomplete forms will not be processed.

Process I-20 as (check one box): Initial Transfer Change of Status

Initial – Applicant residing outside the U.S. who will apply for an F-1 student visa in their home country.

Transfer – Applicant is already in F-1 status transferring from one U.S. institution to BCC.

Last Name: First Name:

BCC Student ID: Date of Birth:

Country of Birth: Country of Citizenship:

E-mail: Telephone:

All students must provide their foreign permanent address and current U.S. address if applicable. By checking one of the

two boxes below, I request that my admission packet and Form I-20 be sent to the following address (please write clearly

and do NOT provide PO Box addresses):

 Foreign Permanent Address:

 U.S. Current Address (if applicable):

Check all of the following that are applicable:

 I have a degree from the United States. (Enclose a copy of your degree)

 I have a degree from a country other than the United States. (Enclose a NACES approved evaluation report of your degree.

Approved listing of foreign evaluators accepted by BCC can be found at the following website:

http://www.naces.org/members.htm.

 I have taken the TOEFL exam. (Enclose a copy of your TOEFL Score Report)

 I have taken the SAT exam. (Enclose a copy of your SAT Score Report)

 I have taken the IELTS exam. (Enclose a copy of your IELTS Score Report)

 None of the above applies to me.

Only provide the following information below if you require an I-20 for your spouse or child. If you do not wish to bring a dependent with you to the

USA, do not provide this information.

• Copy of valid passport

• Copy of the marriage and/or birth certificate translated into English

Make sure that you provide additional financial supporting documentation for each dependent (additional $12,000 for spouse and $6,000 per child).

Revised 10/2022

International Student Center, 400 Paramus Rd, Paramus, NJ 07652-1595

Phone: +1 (201) 689-7601 / www.bergen.edu/isc

Transfer Recommendation

Only students who have been attending school in the United States under the F-1 status need to submit this form. Please complete the

section below and then ask the Designated School Official (DSO) at your current school to complete the bottom section. Please note

that we will not be able to issue an I-20 until the transfer release date indicated on this form. Once the transfer release date has been

reached, Bergen Community College will have access to your SEVIS record.

Last Name: ______________________________ First Name: _______________________________________

BCC Student ID: _______________________ E-mail Address: ____________________________________

Mailing Address in the U.S.: _________________________________________________________________________

I intend to transfer to BCC (check one box and include year): Spring 20___ Fall 20 ____

I hereby grant permission for the intended request to be made available to Bergen Community College.

___________________________________________ ______________________

(Student’s Signature) (Date)

TO BE COMPLETED BY THE DESIGNATED SCHOOL OFFICIAL

The above student intends to transfer to BCC for the semester above. Please answer all questions based on the term immediately

preceding the transfer or the last semester preceding a vacation or authorized Practical Training and email it to

intadmissions@bergen.edu

Degree level being pursued: ______________________ Last date of attendance: _________________

Has the student maintained full-time status? Yes No

To the best of your knowledge, is the student currently in legal status? Yes No

SEVIS ID#: N00_____________________________

Comments: ____________________________________________________________________________________

Please contact the school DSO to confirm acceptance before you release any “COMPLETED”, “TERMINATED”

OR “CANCELLED” records.

Transfer Release Date in SEVIS: ____________________ BCC Paramus Campus: NEW214F00601000

Name: ______________________________________ Title: _____________________________

Institution: ___________________________________ Telephone: _________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________

Signature: _______________________________________________