CSTU is authorized to enroll international students and issue the I-20 form, enabling students to enter the U.S. with a student visa (F-1). The followings documents are required for International Applicants:

1. Proof of English Language Proficiency
2. Transcripts and bachelor’s diploma
3. Certificate of Financial Support with supporting documents. All financial documents must be originals in English and U.S. dollars.
4. Payment for the application fee.

The Admissions Office will issue letters of acceptance, and the I-20 form after the student has been admitted and has been financially certified by the University.

Students can only arrive in the US within thirty (30) days of the program starting date and must report to school within seven (7) days after arriving in the U.S. or the I-20 will be voided. A student wishing to transfer at the end of a semester must apply during that semester to allow enough processing time with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

If you are an international applicant planning to bring your spouse or child with you to the U.S., please submit the following additional documents:

• The processing fee for dependent documents is US$50

If the dependent is the spouse of the applicant

• Copy of spouse's passport
• Certified copy of marriage certificate

If the dependent is the child of the applicant

• Copy of child's passport
• Certified copy of the child's birth certificate

An applicant must submit original diplomas and transcripts with certified translation into English to an independent transcript evaluation service that is a member of either the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) OR the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE), or American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). A list of the agencies and instructions for submissions can be obtained from an admissions officer. The two most commonly used by our applicants and students are IERF and ACEI. All transcripts from countries outside of the USA must be verified and evaluated indicating that the coursework and bachelor's degree are comparable to United States educational standards.

All applicants whose education credits were completed outside the U.S.A. cannot receive full acceptance until an evaluation of their transcripts has been completed. The foreign degree and transcript evaluation and verification process must be completed before the student is officially enrolled. Failure to complete this process within the allotted time may result in delayed admission or deferral to a future term.

An applicant for a master's degree program whose native language is other than English must have a score of 60 (internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), 85 on the Duolingo English test, and must send their official scores to CSTU Admissions Office.

An applicant may be exempted from the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo standards if s/he can present proof of one of the following:

Have graduated from an educational institution where English is the principal language of instruction (U.S.A. or foreign). Have completed prior education from countries in which the official primary language is English.

Students must meet with CSTU’s Admissions Officer prior to proceeding with a Change of Status (COS). In order to change your status to F-1, you are required to submit your application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

COS applicants must have valid immigration status at the time of submitting their COS application.

This procedure requires non-immigrants to file a COS within the U.S. and the processing time is approximately 3-4 months. Applicants must provide all required admission documents in addition to the following documents:

• Copy of passport and U.S. current Visa stamp;
• Copy of I-94 Record (https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home)
• Copy of US port of entry stamp date;
• Deposit of $2, 000 (applicable to tuition).

The Admission Office will issue a “Change of Status” I-20 for this type of procedure. Once you receive the I-20, you must meet your immigration lawyer to review the required documents for the USCIS application.

Obtaining the I-20 does not change your status to F-1. You will need to submit your application packet to USCIS and receive COS approval in order to complete your COS to F-1.