At St. Francis College, we are proud of the wide variety of cultures and ethnicities that are represented by our student body.
Our international students come from all parts of the world to study in Brooklyn, NY, one of the most diverse urban areas in the United States. In close collaboration with SFC International, we are excited to welcome, and meet the varied needs of, our increasingly diverse international students.
Steps to Apply
St. Francis College stays committed to incoming international students by offering rolling admissions throughout the year. You can apply easily online and there is no application fee.
Undergraduate
Applying to Undergraduate Programs (Freshmen and Transfer):
- Complete the SFC International Inquiry Form here.
- Complete your free online application here.
- Send official academic records from secondary school (and all university/universities attended if a transfer student) in the original language translated into English to [email protected].
- First-Year: For transcript translation services, visit SpanTran or any credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). View the list of members. Certain countries may require the submission of a course-by-course evaluation of transcripts by an evaluation company. Email [email protected] for more information.
- Transfer: For transfer students who have studied at an institution outside of the U.S., we require the submission of a course-by-course evaluation of transcripts by an evaluation company for all institutions attended. For evaluation and translation of transcripts, visit SpanTran or any credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). View the list of members.
- If you have taken official exams, send official examination results (Caribbean Examinations Council, International Baccalaureate, West African Examinations Council, etc.) to [email protected].
- Note: Official transcripts must be sent directly from the educational institution to SFC. Transcripts received by SFC from a third party (including the applicant) are considered unofficial.
- Provide TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, PTE or ITEP exam results to [email protected]. See the table below for score requirements.
- This requirement may be waived for students attending International schools or from the following countries.
- This requirement may be waived for students attending International schools or from the following countries.
- SAT/ACT scores are optional (with the exception of nursing students, who have separate requirements).
Scholarship For International Undergraduate Students:
For additional information about our international scholarship program, please contact the International Admissions team at [email protected].
Additional Scholarships Available:
Presidential Scholarship:
Every year, incoming international freshmen students with a B average (GPA) or higher applying for our fall semester before February will be invited to enter an essay contest. After completing an essay and an interview, applicants could be chosen as one of four students to receive the Presidential Scholarship, which covers full academic tuition costs*(housing and living expenses not included). Learn More.
*Please note that the four international students who receive the above scholarship are still responsible for proving financial means to cover all housing, living, transportation, and other expenses while living and studying in NYC. There are no scholarships available for housing.
You are Welcome Here Scholarship:
We are proud to support the #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign. This started as a message of welcome from US higher education institutions to international students but has turned into so much more than that. With open arms, St. Francis College has committed to participating in the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship program.
Each fall semester, SFC will award two annual and renewable scholarships that cover 50% of academic tuition for international undergraduate students. Eligibility for consideration requires that students are not US citizens or permanent residents. International students graduating from either a U.S. or Non-U.S. high school are welcome to apply.
The application process is the same as the Presidential Scholarship process detailed above. To learn more about the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship, please visit this link.
*Please note that the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship is a 50% tuition scholarship off of our official annual academic SFC tuition, and it cannot be combined with other SFC scholarship awards. This scholarship is only available for first-year students applying to our fall semester and who meet the application requirements.
Faith-Based Scholarship:
This type of scholarship is awarded to any high school graduate of a faith-based institution. The scholarship is awarded upon acceptance in the amount of $1,000 and is renewable for up to four years. Learn More.
Larkin Luminary Scholarship:
Up to $500 is awarded to new full-time students who are children, grandchildren, or siblings of SFC graduates. Renewable for up to four years of study at St. Francis College. Learn More.
Graduate
Applying for Graduate Studies
- Complete your application here.
- Go here to review your specific program requirements.
- Submit the following supporting documents to the International Recruitment Specialist.
- Proof of undergraduate course completion (transcripts detailing undergraduate coursework translated into English of an acquired BA, BS or any undergraduate bachelor's degree)
- Two letters of recommendation
- Resume/CV
- Statement of purpose detailing how you plan to meet the challenges of the program
- GMAT/GRE scores is recommended if you have a college GPA below 3.0
- TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo PTE or ITEP exam results (if applying from a non-English speaking country)
- If your previous institution was outside the United States, you will be required to have a course-by-course evaluation of your credits. It is recommended that you use the translation and evaluation service SpanTran. We also accept transcripts that have been evaluated by any credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). View the list of members here.
*Additional writing requirements will be required for an MFA in Creative Writing and an MA in Psychology.
Who is an International student?
A student is considered “international” if they are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. The term assigned to describe international students by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is called “F-1”, and is used interchangeably to describe both legal status and visa type.
An international student may apply as either a first-time freshman, transfer and graduate student. Transfer and graduate students can apply from home-country or U.S. institution depending on where they completed previous studies.
Housing and Meal Plans
If you are interested in learning about living in on-campus housing, visit our Residence Life section.
Popular Programs for International Students
Some of the most popular programs and majors between SFC's international students are:
- Accounting
- Management and Information Technology
- Economics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Communication Arts
- Biology
- Criminal Justice
It is also important to mention that most of the international students are making the most out of their college experience by double majoring or majoring and minoring in different areas. Here is a complete list of Undergraduate, Graduate programs offered by St. Francis College.
In addition, international students can also apply for our Honors program. With classmates as intellectually curious as yourself, you'll have the opportunity to complete enriching projects and dive deep into a subject that matters to you. Honors programs students can partake in field trips, Study Abroad programs, and have the option to present your Honors Thesis at regional Honors Conferences. Please see all program requirements here.
U.S. (DHS) Approved STEM Programs at SFC
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) STEM Designated Degree Program List is a complete list of fields of study that DHS considers to be science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields of study for purposes of the 24-month STEM optional practical training extension described at 8 CFR 214.2(f). The STEM designated courses at St. Francis College are listed below:
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
- Bachelor of Science in Biology
- Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science
- Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
- Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts (Digital Media concentration only)
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
- Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
- Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology
- Dual degree in Bachelor of Arts/Masters of Arts in Psychology
- Master of Arts in Psychology
- Master of Science in Management (Digital Marketing)
- Master of Science in Management (Project Management)
International Admissions and Student Services
St. Francis College fully complies with the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which operates under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. As an SEVP-certified school, the College is authorized by federal law to enroll non-immigrant F-1 students for the purpose of completing a degree.
After you have been formally accepted into the college, your focus should now shift towards obtaining lawful F-1 status and a visa if you are applying from outside of the United States.
Before reviewing the requirements to be considered for F-1, you should familiarize yourself with the difference between the terms status and visa.
- "Status" refers to the amount of time granted to you to participate in an activity; in this case, it is the amount of time given to you to complete a degree.
- "Visa" refers only to the document (a sticker or "foil") placed into your passport which allows you to lawfully travel to the United States.
Think of the student visa as the key to your house: you need it to enter, but once inside, it serves no purpose. This applies to the status/visa relationship, with the visa being secondary to status. F-1 students must observe all regulations associated with international study to remain in lawful, good standing, or “in-status.” The document which demonstrates F-1 status is called the Form I-20.
Form I-20 is the next document you will need after you have been accepted. It allows you to apply for a student visa at the U.S. embassy in your country.
To obtain Form I-20, you must view the checklist titled "Documents required for an I-20" and submit it with the necessary information. You will find helpful instructions on each form's instructions.
Once this is completed, St. Francis College will send you your original, signed Form I-20 to the address you provided on the International Student Information Sheet.
If you are already enrolled in a high school, college, or university in the U.S. as an F-1 student, you will need a Form I-20 from St. Francis College. To do this, your current international student advisor would need to transfer your SEVIS record to us.
For more information about the I-20 process, click here or contact:
SFC International
Room 6212
[email protected]
Mandatory Health Insurance for Foreign Students
SFC International Announcement: Health Insurance is Mandatory for All International Students
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Francis College is requiring insurance for all international students. Students must be covered by their own Personal Medical Insurance (PMI) plan if they are coming to New York for the Fall 2021 Semester.
For those international students coming to New York in the Fall who will not have health insurance, it is strongly recommended that they apply for a PMI plan with an insurance company we have partnered with called Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI). For more information, and to apply for coverage, please click here or visit the CISI website. CISI offers a quality insurance policy with broad and affordable coverage for international students.
Students planning on coming to New York and remaining on the insurance plan from their home country are allowed to do so, but proof of insurance coverage will be required in order to allow students to participate in classes. International students and their parents are encouraged to contact their medical insurance company prior to their son’s or daughter’s arrival at St. Francis College to ensure that medical coverage is extended to “out of network” coverage during their duration of study at St. Francis College. Since St. Francis College’s partnership with CISI has been recently finalized, we will also accept proof of coverage for alternative US-based group health insurance plans you may have already made on a case-by-case basis.
It is the responsibility of the international students and their parent(s)/guardian(s) to understand the conditions that apply to their medical insurance policy and comply with any requests for information from their home insurance company.
Please note: we strongly recommend enrolling with CISI as the coverage they offer is far broader than the one you may be bringing from home.
Proof of your PMI plan must be provided to us and kept on file with the SFC International and Registrar’s Offices prior to September 08, the beginning of the Fall semester. If you will “waive” or decline CISI coverage because you are bringing a plan from home, or have already secured an alternative US-based group health insurance with comparable coverage, please complete the St. Francis College Health Insurance Waiver for Academic Year 2021-22.
St. Francis College is not responsible for any medical bills incurred by international students. Illnesses, injuries and other health issues will not be covered by St. Francis College. Therefore, we kindly ask you to make sure you have some form of acceptable personal medical insurance as we welcome you to SFC campus for an exciting academic year!
The Admissions and SFC International teams are ready to assist and support you however we can. Please let Elizabeth Baldwin, International Student Advisor, know if you have any questions or concerns at [email protected].
Arrival at St. Francis College
Each student’s academic and immigration situation is unique. Therefore, it is recommended that you schedule an appointment with the International Student Advisor & Designated School Officer so your questions can be addressed as accurately as possible. To better assist you in maintaining your status, here are some general points of responsibility to which you must adhere in order to stay “in-status.”
- You must report to the International Student Advisor immediately upon arrival. Please bring a color copy of your passport identification page, color copy of your student visa, and a copy of your Form I-20.
- For your first entry for initial school attendance, the school listed on your visa and your Form I-20 must be the same, and that is the school you must attend.
- Each academic semester (fall/spring) you are required to register for a full course of study, which is a minimum of 12 credits. The only exceptions are during the winter/summer semesters or if you have been approved in advance by the International Student Advisor for a reduced course load.
- Make satisfactory progress towards completing your course of study by completing your program before the end date listed on your Form I-20.
- Refrain from off-campus employment unless authorized by International Student Advisor.
- Ensure the program completion date on your Form I-20 accurately reflects the date you are expected to obtain your degree.
- Keep your Form I-20 valid by following proper procedures to change your education level, program of study, extend your stay, and/or transfer to another school.
- Report a change of address within 10 days of the change so your record in SEVIS can be updated. Failure to do so could result in your SEVIS record being terminated.
- After you have completed your studies, you are authorized to remain in the U.S. for no longer than 60 days. This grace period does not apply if you have followed the correct procedures to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT), advancing to the next higher education level, or have initiated a school transfer.
- Ensure you follow any special reporting requirements requested by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
- Ensure that your passport and Form I-20 remain valid at all times.
- Speak with the International Student Advisor about any concerns you may have regarding your immigration status. We are here to help!
Hear from our International Students
BS Information Technology
BS Business Management
International Student
M.S. Accounting; Sr. Tax Associate
BS Information Technology
BS Business Management
International Student
M.S. Accounting; Sr. Tax Associate
“It's a school that helps students be practical [by gaining real-world experience] rather than just learning [in a classroom].”
“I enjoyed the ideas and experience he [ Dr. Peter Gomori ] shared through our lessons in business and finance over the years. He is a wonderful teacher and an inspiration to future entrepreneurs.”
“I had so many difficulties trying to find the right college and every step I had to take involving SFC felt it was meant to be.”
“The professors were very passionate about teaching and guiding students' careers. I got to talk to my professors a lot, within class or outside it. That made me really love the program.”
“It's a school that helps students be practical [by gaining real-world experience] rather than just learning [in a classroom].”
“I enjoyed the ideas and experience he [ Dr. Peter Gomori ] shared through our lessons in business and finance over the years. He is a wonderful teacher and an inspiration to future entrepreneurs.”
“I had so many difficulties trying to find the right college and every step I had to take involving SFC felt it was meant to be.”
“The professors were very passionate about teaching and guiding students' careers. I got to talk to my professors a lot, within class or outside it. That made me really love the program.”
Meet Your International Student Advisor
Hudson Hooton
For general questions or help with international applications, contact: [email protected].
