ONCE YOU’RE ACCEPTED

Once you have been accepted by Yakima Valley Community College, you will need to apply for your visa and make the other necessary arrangements to prepare for your arrival.

ORIENTATION

You will be required to attend a new student orientation. Please contact the International Student Program office upon arrival to Yakima, Washington.

REGISTRATION

To find out exactly how to register, visit the Registration web page.

All new students are required to complete a placement test (COMPASS) in English and math after arriving and before they enroll in their first quarter at Yakima Valley Community College.

To register for classes, see Online Services under register/pay for classes.

DOCUMENTS

Keep all of your important documents in a safe place (a secure location in your home, bank safe deposit box, etc.). The International Student Program office is required to keep a copy of these documents in your student file. Provide the office with a copy when you renew these documents.

• Passport. Your passport must be valid at least six months into the future. Report a lost or stolen passport to the police, as your home country government may require a police report before issuing a new passport.
  
  
• F-1 Visa Stamp. An F-1 visa stamp that the U.S. consular officials place in your passport indicates that you are eligible to enter or re-enter the U.S. as an F-1 student. It DOES NOT determine your length of stay in the U.S. If your F-1 visa expires while you are in the U.S., it is not necessary to renew it as long as you remain in the country. A visa can only be secured at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate overseas.
  
  
• Form I-20: Certificate of Eligibility. An I-20 is issued by the U.S. school you attend and allows you to: 1). Apply for an F-1 visa; 2). Enter or re-enter the U.S. to pursue your studies; and 3). Receive other immigration benefits. The I-20 lists some recent events such as employment authorization. The I-20 must remain valid at all times throughout your study. You must request a new I-20 prior to the expiration date listed in item #5 on your I-20. You are required to safe keep every I-20 issued to you for your permanent record. Do not discard old ones.
  
  
• The I-94 is a small white card, usually stapled into your passport by an immigration official at your port of entry. This card and a valid I-20 permit you to stay temporarily in the U.S. as an F-1 student. The immigration official should indicate “F-1 D/S” on your I-94. D/S stands for “duration of status” and refers to the length of time an F-1 student is permitted to remain temporarily in the U.S. to pursue a full course of study. Except for brief visits (30 days or less) to Canada or Mexico you are issued a new I-94 with a new admission number each time you enter the U.S.