International StudentsGoddard College welcomes and values the presence of international students in our educational community.
As of May 2008, Goddard College has been reapproved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security / U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to issue the I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Students and therefore to admit and enroll students to programs offered from our Plainfield, Vermont campus. We are hopeful that programs offered from our Port Townsend, Washington campus will gain approval in time for students to enroll for the Spring 2009 semester.
Goddard College offers its program in a “low-residency” format which requires students to be physically present on campus for roughly eight days per semester after which students return to their home state or country to complete the work of the semester under the supervision of the faculty advisor. Over and above standard requirements related to international students, it is very important to note the following:
1. Because of the non-traditional format of Goddard’s residency requirement as well as the structure of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) which is designed only for traditional full-time residential programs, the college can only issue an I-20 valid for the duration of the residency plus adequate travel time to and from campus. As such, international students enrolled at Goddard College cannot remain in the U.S. between residencies under the I-20 and/or F-1 visa. 2. Students are required to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee ($100 as of June 2008) in advance of each semester in order that a new semester-specific I-20 can be generated and issued to the student. 3. No Optional Practical Training (OPT) is available to international students at Goddard and Goddard College does not issue I-20 certificates for F2 dependents (or, spouses or children) of I-20 / F1 visa holders.
Goddard College’s Admissions Office staff is well-trained to assist prospective international students and the Registrar can also be contacted with specific questions related to international student enrollment.
The following resources also provide valuable information related to the processes and regulations surrounding international student enrollment:
Obtaining a Visa (non-Canadians) |