Admitted International Students

Congratulations on your acceptance! To begin the process of applying for an F-1 visa, please visit www.fmjfee.com to submit your I-901 SEVIS fee. You will need your SEVIS number and our SEVIS School Code (found on your I-20) to complete the form. Once paid, you can schedule your visa interview at your local US embassy or consulate. To check visa processing times for your closest embassy/consulate please visit: travel.state.gov/visas.

Review our Tips for your Visa Appointment before scheduling your appointment to properly complete the DS-160, pass social media checks, and best prepare for your visa interview.

You may enter the US up to 30 days before the start of your program. This date is listed as the "Earliest Admission Date" on your I-20. Please understand that we cannot allow late arrivals. If you are not able to obtain your visa in time to join us by the start of classes, please contact us at gcciso@glendale.edu to request a deferral of your admission. All students are eligible for an automatic deferral of up to one year from their original term of admission. If already approved, you will not need to apply for a new visa but you will need your deferred I-20 to enter the US. If not already approved for your visa, you will need to update your appointment paperwork with the new I-20 (if allowed by your embassy/consulate) or take it with you to the appointment. Please do not cancel any pending appointment. 

Visa Reciprocity Limits: Please check the Department of State's Visa Reciprocity page to check visa issuance details for your country. Citizens from some countries are eligible only for single-entry F-1 visas with an expiration date of 3 months after issuance. If this applies to you, you will need to schedule your visa appointment no earlier than 3 months before the "earliest entry date" listed on your I-20. If your appointment is more than 3 months before the earliest entry date listed on your I-20, then your visa will expire before you can enter the US. You will also need to enter the US no later than 3 months after the visa's issuance. A single-entry means your visa can only be used to enter the US once. This means that if you depart the US after entry, you will need to apply for a new visa the next time you travel outside of the US. If you already hold an F-1 visa that shows a longer duration and/or multiple entries, this issuance will be honored, and you do not need to obtain a new visa.

• Example: Your country has a 3-month visa reciprocity limit. This means your visa is valid for entry to the US for only 3 months after the issuance date (usually the date of approval). If your I-20 says you can enter starting August 1 in the "earliest admission date" section, you must apply on or after May 1. If your visa is approved on May 1, you must enter the US by August 1 (the last valid day for your 3-month visa). If you wanted to enter later than August 1, you would schedule your visa appointment for a later date.

Visa Bans: Admitted students from Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burma/Myanmar, Burundi, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Cote D'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe and those who hold Palestinian Authority Travel Documents are currently unable to have student visas issued. Please contact us at gcciso@glendale.edu to discuss your options.  

The Promise Plus program* for International Students prepares you for academic success, provides you access to reserved courses during your initial Fall term, and helps you make new friends in a supportive, multicultural environment! 

As part of this program, you will need to take a week-long Summer Bridge program (recommended) or enroll in Student Development 101 during your first semester of study. You may take Summer Bridge in-person or online. Please keep in mind that you may only enter the US 30 days before the semester starts (your "earliest date of admission" is listed on your I-20). This date cannot be changed. If you wish to take the Bridge program in-person, please ensure you register for a session that starts after your allowable admission date. You must enter on your F-1 visa and should not enter the US on a tourist visa or ESTA/visa waiver in order to participate in an earlier in-person Summer Bridge session.

You can discuss this program and requirements further with an academic counselor during your Orientation Clearance Appointment (see Orientation section on this page). 

^{*Student visa holders do not qualify for the “free tuition” portion of the Promise Plus program. The tuition waiver is only available to those with non-immigrant visa statuses that allow for establishing CA residency.}

If you are currently in the US on an F-1 visa, and have not yet requested a SEVIS transfer to GCC from your current school, please contact their international student office immediately to provide them with our Transfer Instructions sheet. Most schools will also have a form you need to complete with our SEVIS School Code. Our SEVIS School Code is found on the Transfer Instructions sheet.

You must request a transfer of your SEVIS record no later than 60 days after the end date of your current semester or no later than 60 days after your last day of Optional Practical Training (OPT). Please contact your current school if you are unsure of your specific deadline.

Please remember that your new I-20 will be issued to you after the start of the semester, unless you are traveling outside of the US before then. You do not need an I-20 during this time and may remain in the US. 

If you will be traveling outside of the US before starting at GCC, please contact us at gcciso@glendale.edu to inform us of your intended departure and return date. You do not need a new I-20 to depart, but will need it to return to the US. Any issued I-20 will be emailed to your GCC Student Email only.

Our required International Student Orientation is designed to help you become a successful student at Glendale Community College. The orientation is two parts. Online Orientation (Part One) is completed in MyGCC. After completing the Online Orientation, you will meet with an academic counselor to select and enroll in classes. You will then register for our In-Person Orientation (Part Two). 

Part One: Online Orientation

Online Orientation must be completed in MyGCC before you can meet with an academic counselor and select courses. This program requires you to read information, watch videos, and pass quizzes. We estimate this program will take 2 hours to complete. After completing the program, you will be able to download and submit the Orientation Clearance Appointment Request Form to our office to have your first academic counseling session scheduled. Please complete the Online Orientation no later than 3 weeks after being admitted. To ensure a smooth transition to GCC, you should also make sure to complete the Online Orientation no later than 2 weeks before In-Person Orientation.     

Missed something from online orientation? Re-review any content you'd like using our Flipbook! If you need an ADA-accessible version of the Flipbook, please contact us.

Part Two: In-Person Orientation 

Who Must Attend: All admitted students for Fall 2026, including transfer students. 

Time & Location: August 27, 2026, 9:30 am to 5 pm. Please ensure that you make no other plans this day so that you can fully participate.  

Register* by Sunday, August 16

^{*Please register only AFTER obtaining your visa} 

Glendale Community College is proud to partner with International Student Placements to offer housing placements in the local area. ISP offers a wide array of placements including traditional homestays and independent living placements. The program is flexible and affordable. You may also wish to explore off-campus housing. You may find these Tips for your Housing Search helpful, as well as these blogs on How to Find Off-Campus Housing and Renting an Apartment as an International Student.

Need a roommate?

Complete our Housing Connections Form to connect to other international students looking for roommates. New students must have completed the Pre-Orientation and registration process to gain access to this list. Please complete the Housing Connections form only after you have completed these steps. This process is open to students who have obtained their visas or are physically in the US.

Current GCC domestic students wishing to connect with international students may also request access to this list. Please list your current, valid GCC email address when placing your request.

Housing Costs

Startup costs for new students moving into rentals (apartments, rooms for rent in private homes, rental houses, etc.) can be significant. It is not unusual for students to spend up to $3,000 to $4,000 within their first week in Glendale on their initial rent, utility connection costs, deposits and furniture.

• Rent – Rents for apartments will vary depending on apartment type, number of rooms, location and other factors. Rents for rooms in private homes can also vary. Generally, rental rates for units close to campus are higher than those in the surrounding communities.
• Utilities – Utilities (the cost of paying for electricity, gas, water, and trash pickup services) for apartments is typically not included in the monthly rent. Costs for utilities will vary depending on the number of people living in an apartment and their personal habits. A good, high-end, estimate to use for utilities is $100 – $150/month. Costs for utilities may or may not be included in the rent for a room in a private home – you will need to clarify this with the homeowner. There may also be initial costs to startup and connect certain utilities.
• Deposit – It is common for landlords to require the equivalent of up to 2 – 3 months’ rent as a security and/or damage deposit. You need to be prepared to pay this deposit before moving in. The specifics of how this deposit is collected and returned will be outlined in the lease agreement. Scam alert: make sure never to send a deposit electronically until you have physically visited, toured the inside of your rental unit, and signed a lease. Scammers post fake listings online.    
• Furniture – Generally, off-campus apartments for rent are unfurnished. Most rooms for rent in private homes are furnished.

GCC partners with CampusSIMS and Mint Mobile to provide one month of free cellular service to any student who wishes to use it. Grab your free SIM card at orientation or order one here to activate before you arrive! After your free month of service, you can decide whether or not to continue with the carrier. e-SIMs are also available directly through CampusSIMS but the "one month of free service" promotion does not apply to e-SIMs. See relevant information below: 

• Plan Rates, starting at $15 a month
• Phone compatibility
• Coverage Map

Opening a Bank Account

It is pretty simple to open a bank account after arriving to the US. Most banks will require you to present the following documents in person in order to open an account:

• Passport
• I-20
• Printed I-94
• School ID card or copy of admission letter

Please note: You do not need a U.S. Social Security number in order to open a bank account. However, if you have one, you must provide it to the bank. If you do not have a job in the US, you cannot apply for a Social Security Number and should simply inform the bank you do not qualify for one at this time.

Please note that there may be a delay on funds from bank drafts or checks from a bank in your home country. It may take up to 6 weeks for you to be able to get money from your account if you open it using a bank draft or bank check. If you use cash or traveler’s checks (U.S. dollars), you generally will have immediate access to your money.

Some banks may ask you for a zip code or postal code to continue to their website. Use the zip code for your local address in the US at which you can receive mail.

Types of Accounts

Most students have two types of bank accounts: checking and savings. A checking account is generally used for regular monthly expenses or bills, and allows you to write checks. You can also open a savings account which earns interest on cash which is not needed immediately. Banks offer various free services, such as free checking, automatic teller, online banking and more. You may want to check on these, including interest rates, before deciding where to bank.

Which Bank to Use

Banks generally offer similar services such as online banking, check/debit cards, access to automatic teller machines, and other common financial services. Banks will have varying fees for services such as electronic transfer – you should check with both your home bank as well as the new bank to see what they charge to conduct an electronic funds transfer before deciding where to bank.

Below is a list of a few multinational banks with branches close to GCC. We recommend browsing their websites to see which bank best fits your personal needs.

Bank of America

CitiBank

Chase Bank

Wells Fargo

To learn about Driving in the US (including obtaining a driver's license or general California ID) and other Transportation Options, please visit our Travel page. Please note that California does not recognize the International Driver's License.

An F-2 dependent may be a spouse and/or children only. If you are bringing dependents with you to the US, there are some rules regarding school and work that you need to be aware of.

Schooling for Dependent Children under 18 years of Age

California has a compulsory education requirement for children between the ages of 6 and 18 that requires them to attend primary (elementary) and secondary (high school) institutions. F-1 student visas cannot be issued for attendance at a public primary school or a publicly funded adult education program. F-1 student visas can be issued for attendance to public secondary school but F-1 students must pay the full unsubsidized cost of attending a public high school and cannot enroll for more than twelve months; the 12-month limit does not apply to F-1 students in private schools. F-1 high school students are not eligible for employment. F-2 dependents, however, may attend a public primary school or public secondary school as required to meet CA compulsory laws. If you have a child of secondary school age, you can use this information to determine if it is best for your child to join you as an F-2 dependent or if it will be best for the student to obtain their own I-20/F-1 status. 

To enroll children under the age of 18 in school, the F-1 primary holder must directly contact the School District assigned to your area of residence to inquire about enrollment requirements. Once you have obtained housing, please visit California's School Directory at https://www.cde.ca.gov/schooldirectory/ to find the School District nearest you. Please note that primary and secondary schools of enrollment do not need to be Student and Exchange Visitor Program-certified (SEVP-certified), however, any post-secondary school (college) that an F-2 dependent wishes to attend must be SEVP-certified. You can find a list of all SEVP-certified post-secondary schools at https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/school-search. 

Schooling for Dependent Spouses or Children over 18 years of Age

F-2 dependents over 18 years of age may enroll part time in an SEVP-certified school, if they wish, so long as the primary F-1 holder remains in status. Enrollment in courses is not required for F-2 dependent spouses or children over the age of 18. 

Dependent Registration and Age-Out Rules

F-2s who turn 14 while in the US, or who were not fingerprinted during the visa application process, must register with the US government after entry to the US. Please see our "Age 14" Dependent Registration Requirements document for more information. F-2 status for dependent children will automatically end as of the child's 21st birthday. The F-2 dependent will have to depart the US by the day after their 21st birthday, unless they have obtained their own F-1 visa by either a change of status or by travel and reentry to the US. We strongly recommend that any F-2 dependent who wishes to file for a change of status to F-1 begin this process at least 6 months before their 21st birthday; dependents must keep any application deadlines for schools in mind as they will need to be admitted and have an I-20 in order to apply for a change of status or an F-1 visa through consular processing. 

Dependent Employment

Individuals in F-2 dependent status are not eligible for employment in the US. F-1 status is required for employment eligibility. 

CalWorks Program for Parenting Students

We encourage eligible international student parents to join GCC's CalWorks Parenting Students Program. While international students are not eligible for federal financial-aid funded portions of this program, there are several support networks and services available to you. Please contact the CalWorks department after you have registered in classes to discuss eligibility for participation. 

Contact Us

Contact us at gcciso@glendale.edu with details about your denial. Please let us know what questions you were asked and how you answered them – the more complete of a “transcript” you can provide us the better. This will help us determine areas in your interview that need improvement. You should have also been given a written notice stating the reason for the denial. Please provide a scanned copy of this document, if provided.