Questions & Answers for International Students

International students who enroll below 12 credits would be considered in violation of their immigration status. 

Students may only enroll under 12 credits if they are given permission to be on LOW CREDIT. Low Credit may be approved for students who fall into one of the following categories:

1. Academic difficulty

2. Upcoming graduation (last quarter)

3. Medical reasons (note from a U.S. licensed doctor will be required; these include a Medical Doctor (MD), Doctor of Osteopathy (DO), or Clinical Psychologist)

Low credit MUST be requested in advance.

REQUEST LOW CREDIT

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International students interested in taking more classes may do so with approval from their International Advisor.

HIGH CREDIT is when a student wants to enroll in more than 19 credits. 

Request HIGH Credit

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You can purchase your course books through the TCC Bookstore. This can be done online or on-campus (Building 11).

TCC Bookstore

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An F-1 international student is allowed one vacation quarter per year. In order to be eligible for this vacation quarter (or quarter off), you need to:

• Enroll full-time (minimum 12 credits) for at least three quarters in a row
  • For example, enroll in 12+ credits for Spring, Summer and Fall allows a student to take Winter quarter off
• Request summer vacation (not available to students starting in summer quarter)
  • Any student who begins in Fall, Winter or Spring is eligible for summer vacation

REQUEST A QUARTER OFF/VACATION QUARTER

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Learn more about your Health Insurance policy through TCC by visiting the following website:

International Student Insurance

You can also print your Heath Insurance Card directly from the Firebird website:

FIREBIRD INSURANCE CARD

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The Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) can issue you a state ID card or driver’s license.Here is a list of documents that you must bring with you when applying for a state ID card (additional documents may be required):

• Valid passport
• F-1 Visa
• Form I-20
• I-94 card or a printed copy of your electronic I-94
• International Support Letter
  • Request your support letter here: https://tccinternational.wufoo.com/forms/k1jwiu9j18cn829/

Tacoma's Department of Licensing: 6402 S Yakima Ave, Tacoma, WA 98408

WA State Dept of Licensing

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International students are allowed to work on-campus for 17 hours per week. Students become eligible AFTER meeting immigration requirements during their first quarter (2.0 GPA and minimum 12 credits). Students must apply for and be selected for a position. Employment is not guaranteed.

Off-campus work is not allowed unless U.S. Immigration gives special permission.

After you graduate from TCC, you may stay in the U.S. and work full-time in your chosen career field through a special program called Optional Practical Training (OPT).

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It is important for you to do research to find which departments across campus are hiring. You may want to consider a job that is related to your major, so that it may help achieve your career goals.

Students can get assistance with their resume, cover letter and practice interviewing by utilizng the resouces available at the TCC Career Center.

CAREER CENTER

You can look for available positions at TCC and apply via the following link:

Employment at TCC

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You will need two letters from TCC before you visit the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN):

• On-Campus Employment Offer Letter (from supervisor with specifics about position). Note: The International Office can send your supervisor a template employment letter, if needed
• International Student Support Letter (from the International Office confirming you are an F-1 international student who is eligible to work on campus)

After you receive your on-campus employment letter and support letter, you will contact the local SSA office for an appointment to apply in-person. Required documents to bring with you are listed below:

• Two letters from TCC (listed above)
• Form I-20
• Valid passport
• I-94 card or a printed copy of your electronic I-94
• Form SS-5 

You will either receive the social security card the same day or a letter stating that the social security card will be mailed to you.Back to top

Optional Practical Training (OPT) allows F-1 visa holders an opportunity for hands-on work experience complementary to their academic field of study. At Tacoma Community College, students are eligible to apply for post-completion OPT. This means you can apply for OPT at the beginning of your graduation quarter in order to work off-campus in your field of study following your Associate-degree graduation.

Learn more about the international student job search and how to apply for OPT (59:20) by watching the following video:

Global Student Job Panel

To apply for OPT or ask additional questions, please contact Executive Director, James Newman, at jnewman@tacomacc.edu

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As an F-1 international student, you must register and maintain a minimum of 12 credits each quarter and earn a 2.0 overall GPA (C or higher). 

Failure to meet the above requirements will result in academic review, probation and possibly dismissal. Reach out to your International Advisor if you are concerned about your immigration status.

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International students are required to maintain 12 credits per quarter. If dropping a course results in being under-enrolled (less than 12 credits), you'll need to speak wtih your International Advisor before dropping the class.

Keep the TCC Academic Calendar in mind if you are considering dropping a course. There are specific dates after which you will receive a "W" for withdrawn or fail the course if you drop too late. 

Academic Calendar

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Request a change of major by completing the following General Request form:

General REquest Form

You will also want to speak with your International Advisor as your new major may require a different set of coursework. 

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If your I-20 end date is approaching and you are not completing (graduating) your studies at TCC, you need to request an I-20 extension:

ACADEMIC REQUEST FORM

Please note that you need to submit a bank statement with the above request. The bank statement must be issued with the last six months and show a balance of at least $18,900 USD or equivalent.

If you are only extending your I-20 by one quarter for graduation purposes, you can disregard the bank statement.

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International students studying in the U.S. need to maintain an active I-20. The F-1 student visa may expire while studying in the United States, and as long as the student is maintaining status and their I-20 remains valid, they do not need to renew their F-1 visa from within the country. 

In the event that you would like to leave the United States for vacation or to return home, you will have to renew your visa prior to re-entering the country.

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Students who are outside the U.S. with an expired visa must take the necessary steps to renew. In some countries, this requires only paperwork while in others, the student will have to go in for an interview once again. To get started, you will first need to request a Visa Renewal Letter from TCC International through the following form:

General Request Form

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