If you were educated outside the United States for your bachelor’s degree equivalent, you must submit:
- Completed application, essay, and a non-refundable application fee in U.S. dollars.
- Official transcript (in a sealed envelope) sent directly from the degree-granting institution.
- Official evaluation (in a sealed envelope) from a foreign evaluation credentialing service confirming that the foreign degree earned is equivalent to a U.S. baccalaureate.
Students must order this evaluation independently. Below is a recommended company (not affiliated with Tai Sophia) that evaluates international transcripts.
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers: AACRAO’s Foreign Education Credential Service Phone: 202-296-3359 Web: www.aacrao.org.
The Institute is authorized under U.S. law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students in the Master of Acupuncture and the Master of Science in Herbal Medicine programs. Please note that Applied Healing Arts students are not eligible to obtain I-20 visa due to the part-time nature of the program. Students interested in seeking Form I-20 must secure this immigration material and application (required to apply for the appropriate visa) from the registrar’s office. International students seeking Form I-20 must be granted admission and request the Form I-20 three months prior to the start date of classes.
If accepted for admission from an academic perspective, students seeking Form I-20 must apply for the credential and begin the process by providing the Institute with a copy of a valid passport, photo identification and proof of financial support. Students must submit a financial statement before this eligibility may be considered. Applicants must be able to support themselves or be able to receive fiscal support from a sponsor. Applicants should give careful financial consideration when considering study in the United States because United States immigration regulations regarding employment is strict and financial aid is not available. Tai Sophia is not responsible for any changes in financial circumstances once the student is enrolled. Please note that foreign currency should be converted to the U.S. equivalent.
Maintaining Legal F-1 Status
As an international student, it is essential that you adhere to the Department of Homeland Security regulations that govern your status. This is your individual responsibility for which you must be aware and accountable. Please be advised that these policies are enforced and that ignorance of the law is not considered an excuse for non-compliance. Therefore, it is essential that you maintain your awareness and currency with regard to maintaining your legal F-1 status. The following is provided solely for information purposes:
- Ensure that your passport is valid at all times. Contact your embassy regarding extension issues at least six months prior to your passport expiration date. (www.embassy.org)
- Students must be registered for a full course load to maintain F-1 status.
- Should you move to another address, ensure that the Registrar's Office is notified in writing within 10 days of the move.
- Should you leave the U.S., make sure the F-1 Visa in your passport is valid. If this is not the case, you must apply for a new one overseas before re-entry into the U.S. is attempted (see Department of State Visa Services). Make an appointment with the Registrar to have your I-20 endorsed for travel before departing from the United States.
- F-1 Students are not permitted to work.
- Should you change your program or need an extension of time to complete the program, you must apply for an extension before your I-20 expires or you will be in violation.
- New students with a Form I-20 are required to pay the SEVIS Fee, which is a non-refundable fee of $100.00 (subject to change). This is a separate fee paid to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program in Department of Homeland Security. You can fill in the Form I-901 online at www.fmjfee.com. For more information on the SEVIS I-901 non-refundable fee, please see the website at www.ice.gov/sevis/i901/faq2.htm.
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) implemented a new system for recording information on international visitors entering and exiting the U.S in December 2003. As part of this initiative, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) was implemented and administered by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which is a division of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and considered the largest investigative division of the Department of Homeland Security. SEVIS is a centralized and automated web-based information system which manages and maintains data for international students and exchange visitors who are studying in the United States and their dependents. We do realize this is an involved process and have provided the SEVIS information and website (www.ice.gov/sevis/index.htm) to assist you in learning more about this process.