Full Time Undergraduate International Student Admissions

Welcome! International students add an important and dynamic dimension to the Caldwell College community. Our current international students enrolled in the traditional undergraduate, adult undergraduate as well as our graduate programs contribute greatly to the life of the college, both in and out of the classroom. We welcome the global perspective you bring to our campus and Caldwell highly encourages your applications.

Meet Some of Our International Students

In this section of our site, you will find the following information:

For further information, please feel free to contact the International Admissions Counselor, Pauline Ongeri at POngeri@caldwell.edu, or the International Student Advisor, Heather Eaton-Dwyer at HEatondw@caldwell.edu.

LOCATION:

Where is Caldwell College Located?

Caldwell is located 20 miles outside of New York City in Northern New Jersey.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

What is needed for admission into the college?

  • A completed application with a non-refundable check or money-order in the amount USD $40.00, payable to Caldwell College.
  • Secondary School Transcripts
  • TOEFL or SAT scores more information about these exams at: www.Collegeboard.com or www.toefl.org
  • WES evaluation (World Education Services) more info at www.wes.org
  • Letters of Recommendation (2)
  • Essay

If you are a Transfer Student: (achieved more than 30 credits)

  • College transcript from Institution in the United States
  • College or University transcript outside the US- we require a WES evaluation with it- www.wes.org)
  • Letter of recommendation
  • Essay

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

When are the specific deadlines for application?

There is rolling admission at Caldwell College; however we do have certain deadlines especially for international students who are also applying for F-1 non-immigrant status in order to study at Caldwell. For the spring it is recommended to be January 15th because you will need sufficient time to acquire your visa and still be able to arrive on campus by the program start date indicated on your I-20. In the fall it is recommended to be August 18th, for the same reason.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:

Does Caldwell College offer any kind of assistance to international students?

Caldwell College offers MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS for students who are academically strong. However, International students are NOT eligible for federal or state aid because they are not US citizens or permanent residents.

ANNUAL FEES FOR THE THIS UPCOING YEAR 2009-2010.

What are the annual fees to attend Caldwell?

As for the Fall of 2009-2010, the fees can be found on the following page, click on the link: http://www.caldwell.edu/student_accounts/tuition.aspx

HOUSING FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS:

Is housing provided for international student?

Caldwell College has three dormitories: Mother Joseph Resident Hall, Rosary Hall and Dominican Hall. Click on the following link about more information on the residence life http://www.caldwell.edu/residence/index.aspx.

SEVIS AND F-1 STATUS GUIDELINES

What is SEVIS?

SEVIS (Student & Exchange Visitor Information System) is the U.S. government database system for maintaining information on international students and exchange visitors during their stay in the U.S. Information must be updated by the principal designated school official (PDSO), (at Caldwell this is the International Student Advisor) within certain time periods in order to comply with federal regulations. Caldwell’s F-1 students are expected to inform the PDSO of changes in their personal or program information as soon as changes occur. Your I-20 must reflect accurate and up-to-date information at all times. Feel free to contact the International Student Advisor at HEatondw@caldwell.edu.

Maintaining Legal F-1 Status

When you enter the U.S. as an F-1 student, you are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It is extremely important that as international students you maintain your F-1 status, as it may not be possible to fix the situation once you are out of status. Students who have fallen out of status are not allowed to work on campus and are not eligible for other F-1 benefits. Please bear in mind that there is an important difference between an F-1 visa and F-1 status. An F-1 visa is the visa sticker page in your passport placed there by a U.S. Consular Officer. This is for entry purposes only. F-1 status is granted once you enter the U.S. and is denoted by the "D/S" written on your white I-94 card (Duration of Status). Even if your visa in your passport is valid, you can still lose your legal F-1 status if you do not comply with the immigration laws regulating your stay in the U.S. It is very important that all non-immigrants remain in close contact with the International Student Advisor in order to ensure they are maintaining their status.

  • Maintain a valid passport at all times (unless exempt from passport requirements).
  • Complete an official SEVIS record transfer whenever you change educational institutions. A SEVIS record transfer must be completed within 45 days of the beginning of classes during your first quarter/semester at the new school (NOTE: A SEVIS transfer is a completely separate process from transferring academic credit from one school to another. A SEVIS transfer is not complete until the International Student Office from the school to which you are transferring, issues you an I-20 from that school authorizing the transfer).
  • Complete a full course of study during normal enrollment periods (Fall and Spring semesters). For Undergraduate students, this means taking a minimum of 12 credits each Fall and Spring semester; for Graduate students, this means taking a minimum of 9 credits each Fall and Spring semester.
  • Apply for an extension of your program of study if you cannot complete your degree by the ending date listed in Section 5 of your I-20. You can apply for an extension up to 60 days in advance. Please note that if you do not extend in a timely manner, you will be "out-of-status/illegal" in the United States.
  • Obtain a new I-20 Form whenever you make a change in degree levels. This includes changing from bachelor's degree to master's degree, from master's degree to a doctorate degree, from Optional Practical Training to a new degree, from one major to another major within the same degree level (e.g., Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology to Master of Arts in Applied Behavioral Analysis), etc.
  • Do NOT work off-campus UNLESS you have first received authorization from your International Student Advisor and/or USCIS. On-campus work does not require authorization, but is limited to part-time (20 hours or less per week) during normal enrollment periods. On-campus employment may be full-time (more than 20 hours per week) during the summer and official school breaks.
  • Before traveling outside the U.S. with the intention of re-entering, you must have the International Student Advisor endorse the last page of your current I-20 authorizing you to re-enter the United States.

This list is not exhaustive. Please see the International Student Advisor with any questions.

New SEVIS Fee

International students applying for an F-1 visa with a SEVIS form I-20 issued on or after September 1, 2004 will be required to pay a $200 fee.

The SEVIS fee must be paid at least 3 business days prior to a visa interview or the filing of the change of status application in the U.S. For more detailed information, please visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website. (https://www.fmjfee.com/index.jhtml)

Immigration Resource Guide

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

SEVIS homepage

U.S. Embassy websites

Visa Denials

U.S. Visa waiting times

I-20 Application Form and Information

This form must be completed and submitted with the required financial documentation for you to be issued a Caldwell College Form I-20.

If you are transferring from another institution inside of the U.S, please contact our International Student Advisor, Heather Eaton-Dwyer at 973-618-3519 or at HEatondw@caldwell.edu.

I-20 Application Information and Form (pdf)

International Student Orientation

Fall 2009

Monday, August 23 - Friday August 27

Spring 2010

Monday, January 11 - Wednesday, January 13

International Student Orientation, which takes place prior to the start of each academic semester, is organized by the International Student Advisor. Orientation is intended to provide international students with added time and exposure to life at Caldwell College before the semester begins. We want you to have an opportunity to begin to recover from your travels and adjust to a new environment; this is a time for students to adjust not only to life at Caldwell, but also to completely different food, weather, time-zone, and interpersonal communication style. We hope that during this program, you will develop friendships with each other and will build connections with current students, staff, and faculty.

New international students will also receive help with all the logistics of "getting settled" including:

  • Personal finances and opening a bank account
  • Shopping for necessary supplies
  • Workshop on Immigration Laws and regulations
  • Placement Testing and advising, classroom culture in the U.S.
  • Health clearance, the US Healthcare system and student insurance
  • ID cards and computer passwords
  • Introduction to various offices and facilities on campus
  • Applying for a social security card

We hope you will enjoy this opportunity to familiarize yourself with the campus, make new friends, and prepare to take full advantage of the new semester.

Important reminder about move-in: Dorm residents will not be allowed to move in unless their Health Forms are cleared by Health Services. Please comply with deadlines concerning your immunizations and health documentation.

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