International Transfers to Mountain View College

I'm an international student looking to transfer to Mountain View College. Does anyone have experience with this process, especially regarding the necessary paperwork and forms? Any tips for making it a smooth transition?

The transfer process from an international institution to a U.S. colleges essentially incorporates the typical undergraduate application process with a few additional steps for international students.

You will need to complete the college's transfer application which typically asks for your academic and extracurricular history, and potentially personal essays and letters of recommendations (these components are less common at community colleges like Mountain View College, but could be required for specific programs). Be sure to check if there are specific requirements or preferences for transfer students. For example, some colleges require you to have completed a minimum amount of college credits to be considered a transfer student.

As an international student, you will also often also be required to submit a financial affidavit which proves your ability to support yourself financially during your studies. You should prepare bank statements or other financial documents to support your claims.

You'll also need your academic transcripts. If your transcripts are not in English, you will need to get them officially translated. Some colleges also require a professional course-by-course evaluation (from services like WES or ECE) which provides U.S. grade equivalences and verifies the authenticity of your documents.

For language proficiency, you'll need to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores (or an equivalent - some schools also accept other examinations, so check the specifics on their website) to demonstrate your English ability, unless you studied in an English-medium school or meet other criteria for a waiver.

The visa process is quite important. If you're already in the U.S. on a student visa, you'll need to get your SEVIS record transferred to Mountain View College after you're accepted and decide to enroll. If you are outside the U.S., you'll need to apply for a visa, and Mountain View would issue your I-20 form after you accept their offer of admission.

Applying for a visa can be complex, so be sure to keep good contacts with the international office at Mountain View—they will help guide you through the process and let you know if there are college-specific protocols to follow.

Lastly, be mindful of deadlines. This process can take a while especially with transcript evaluations or visa procedures, so you should ideally start well in advance of any hard deadlines - the earlier, the better, really. Good luck!