Information about admission procedures, application deadlines, the F-1 Visa, and more.
Coastline's International Student Program (ISP) provides services for international students studying - or who would like to study - on the F-1 student visa. We enroll roughly 70 students coming from different countries around the world.
Great news, International Coastline students!
The Coast Community College District is pleased that federal authorities have announced their intention to undo a policy change by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that would have required international students to attend in-person classes in order to remain in the country.
"The Coast District is pleased that our international students will continue to live and learn in the U.S. as we all work with federal, state, and local partners to get the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic under control." -John Weispfenning, Coast District Chancellor.
To read all of the Chanellor's statement, view the July 14, 2020 press release in its entirety.
From Coastline's Vice President of Student Services and International Student Primary Contact, please read this Letter to Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 Coastline International Students.
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International students at Coastline enjoy quality classes and a full-time staff dedicated to their academic success and personal needs. The goal of the ISP is to provide educational opportunities for international students and promote international understanding on campus and in the community.
The Coast Community College District (CCCD) has partnered with PayMyTuition for international tuition payments. With PayMyTuition, you can pay your tuition payments from any bank, in any country in any currency at better than bank exchange rates.
Available by phone at (714) 241-6141
Monday - Friday: 8am - 12pm, 1pm - 5pm
Applicants for admission to Coastline College must be high school graduates, or equivalent, or 18 years of age or older.
Coastline College admits international students for the Fall and Spring Semesters. The Fall Semester begins late August, and the Spring Semester begins late January. Continuing students have the choice of enrolling in the Summer Term - and if they wish to enroll, should contact the International Student Advisor prior to registering for classes. New students are not accepted for the Summer Term.
All admissions materials listed below must be submitted by July 1 (for Fall Semester), or by December 1 (for Spring Semester) to ensure acceptance. If a student's application is denied or incomplete, Coastline will hold it for one year to facilitate re-application. No application fee will be charged for re-applying.
When the application and all other necessary documents have been received and evaluated, students will be notified of their acceptance by letter. Coastline will issue accepted students the I-20 Form, normally 60 to 120 days prior to the start of the semester.
There will be an orientation day specifically for international students. Information about orientation, registration, and placement tests will be sent along with the I-20. During the orientation, students will take placement tests, meet the International Students Program staff, and register for classes. Placement tests are administered to determine appropriate Math and ESL or English levels. At the time of registration, students must be prepared to pay registration fees, submit their passport, visa, and I-20 form for verification, and purchase health/medical insurance.
Please download Estimated Expenses for International Students.
NOTE: All fees are due at the time of registration.
International Students can make tuition payments with PayMyTuition - from any bank, in any country, in any currency, at better than bank exchange rates.
The following list is designed to help ensure that you have gathered all the documents necessary for admission to Coastline College.
The Coast Community College District (CCCD) is pleased that federal authorities have announced their intention to undo a policy change by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that would have required international students to attend in-person classes in order to remain in the country.
All international students who are in F-1 visa status must follow a set of immigration regulations as outlined by the U.S. government in order to maintain their international student status. The following set of rules and regulations is a guide to properly maintaining international student status at Coastline College. We are here to help you! Before you make an academic or immigration decision, get information from us first.
Students who change their local address must report the change to the International Advisor within 10 days of moving.
By maintaining your F-1 status you are eligible for the following:
International students must register for a minimum of 12 units. 12 units is considered a full-course of study by USCIS.
As a Coastline Community College international student, you are required to have health insurance coverage from the college through a school-approved insurance company.
24-Hour Nurse Advice Line: 1.800.700.0197
Need to File a Claim? Complete a claim form and mail items within 90 days of accident or injury.
Coastline College accepts no responsibility for medical expenses incurred by international students.
Coastline College does not provide on-campus housing for students. If you're in need of housing accommodations, below are a list of resources to search for short-term and long-term accommodations - as well as roommates, apartments, and homestay.
When you first arrive at Coastline, it may take you a few days to a week to find a roommate or apartment. Homestay can be coordinated before you arrive. The following are affordable short-term accommodations:
Once you feel comfortable at Coastline and make friends, you may way to move into an apartment with other students. To save money, most students share a bedroom with a roommate. For example, 4 students will live in a 2-bedroom apartment. You can find homestay, apartment, and roommate information below or in our office.
One of the best ways to improve your English and learn about American customs is to stay with an American family. Coastline College works in partnership with two homestay programs that you can choose from:
Each program offers great services so be sure to review the applications and decide which program and cost works best for you.
If you are looking for roommates or would like roommates to find you, you can post it on the following search engine:
There are many apartments that serve the large student population at Coastline. Several are familiar renting to international students. These apartments:
Coastline does not have on-campus housing.
Coastline Community College has three learning sites where classes are held. The sites are the Garden Grove Center, Le Jao, Center, and Newport Beach Center. Coastline has an administrative building located in Fountain Valley where you can find the Admissions and Records Office, Bookstore, Financial Aid Office, EOPS Office, Distance Learning Department, and Military Program/Contract Education Department.
If you do not have a car you will need to take public transportation to reach each location.
International students who plan to be enrolled for part-time studies must submit the Reduced Course Load form to the International Advisor in a timely manner. There are only a few exceptions to the full-time enrollment requirement for the Fall and Spring semesters. Each exception has its own criteria, which are outlined below.
The deadline for submitting the Reduced Course Load form is the last day to add/drop for that semester. Students should not drop below full-time enrolment until they have received authorization from the International Advisor. Students who drop below full-time enrollment without the proper authorization will be considered out of status.
Students may request an RCL due to academic difficulty only once per degree level. Academic difficulty could be due to the follow reasons:
Students who receive an academic difficulty RCL must resume a full course of study in the next available semester in order to maintain status.
A Medical RCL may be authorized due to a temporary medical condition with an appropriate doctor's letter recommending the RCL for medical reasons. Students must receive prior approval from the International Advisor for the medical RCL.
Requirements of Medical RCL:
If a doctor believes that a student is unable to meet this minimum unit enrollment, then the student should consider a Medical Leave of Absence.
The International Advisor may authorize a final semester RCL for students who are in their final semester of study and only have a few units remaining to meet academic program requirements. Students may request an RCL due to final semester only once per degree program.
International students attending Coastline hold an F-1 student visa, a non-immigrant classification which allows you to enter and remain in the US as long as you are a properly registered full-time student.
A non-immigrant US visa is issued as a stamp in your passport by a US embassy or consulate outside the United States. A visa stamp indicates that you are eligible for entry and reentry to the United States in the immigration category indicated (F-1, E-2, H-1B, etc). Most visa stamps are for multiple entries.
No, it is not possible to apply for or to renew a visa in the United States. Visas are issued only by a US consul in a US embassy or consulate outside the United States.
A visa does not determine how long you can remain in the United States. Therefore, you may stay beyond the expiration date of your visa as long as you are in status as a full-time student. However, when traveling outside the US, it will be necessary to apply for a new visa stamp, through the same process as your initial visa application, at a US embassy or consulate to gain reentry.
F-2 dependents are able to engage in study at Coastline College as long as they are enrolled in less than a full course of study. An F-2 dependent who wants to enroll full-time in a course of academic or vocational study must apply for and obtain approval to change nonimmigrant classification to F-1 before beginning full-time study.
Credits: Gerald A. Wunsch, Esq., 1997, former member of the NAFSA Consular Issues Working Group, and a former U.S. Consular Officer in Mexico, Suriname, and the Netherlands; Martha Wailes, Indiana University, and the U.S. Department of State.
All applicants for a U.S. visa are subject to security checks before a visa can be issued. Visa delays for some applicants can range from weeks to several months. A visa will not be issued until the application clears all security checks. In addition, For F and J visa applicants, the Department of State must be able to verify SEVIS information in its system, which does not contain "real-time" SEVIS information. Rather, SEVIS information must be uploaded periodically from a separate immigration SEVIS system used by schools.
Individuals applying for nonimmigrant visas to the U.S. may also benefit by visiting the Travel to US for visa information.
SEVIS is an online database that houses a record for each F-1 status student.
For everything you want to know about your F-1 status, go to SEVP Student.
Your visa indicates that you are eligible to enter the US in a specific immigration status. A US border official will review your eligibility and authorize your requested immigration status by issuing the Form I-94 to show that you have been granted permission to be in the US. The I-94 is indicates your arrival/departure document and indicates your immigration status and the length of time you may remain inside the United States.
F visa holders will see the notation "D/S" on their form. D/S stands for "duration of status" and refers back to the expiration date on your I-20 immigration document.
F-1 international students who wish to take a semester off during the academic year (fall and spring semesters) and not enroll in courses must receive authorization for Leave of Absence (LOA) from the International Advisor.
Students considering a LOA must review these requirements:
It is the responsibility of the students to meet with the International Advisor and receive written approval. Students have 15 days from the date the International Advisor approves the LOA to depart from the US.
Make sure you have a Travel Signature on your I-20 that is not more than 9 months old when you plan to return to the US.
F-1 students are eligible to take an LOA due to medical reasons. Students have the option to return to their home country or remain in the U.S. to receive medical treatment.
Students who wish to remain in the U.S. must obtain a doctor's letter recommending the LOA for medical reasons. Students who remain in the U.S. without obtaining advance approval for medical LOA from the International Advisor will be considered out of status.
For F-1 students, Medical LOA must be renewed each semester.
Students considering a LOA due to medical reasons must meet with the International Advisor.
Students who will be outside the U.S. for longer than 5 months for a LOA must obtain a new I-20 with a new SEVIS ID number in order to re-enter the U.S. and return. The current I-20 will be invalid after being outside of the U.S. for more than 5 months.
It is the student's responsibility to contact the International Advisor at least two months prior to returning to Coastline Community College to request the new I-20.
Students will need to use the new I-20 to pay the SEVIS fee and apply for a new F-1 visa, even though they may possess an unexpired visa associated with their previous I-20 SEVIS ID number.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regulations state that an F-1 international student must be in status for a full academic year (9 months) in order to be eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT).
This regulation is especially important to note for students who are considering a LOA of over 5 months in the final year of studies at Coastline Community College.
All students returning from a LOA must validate their return to the International Advisor by reporting within 21 days of the start of the new semester. Students must meet with the International Advisor.
Students must bring the following documents to the appointment:
While providing immigration advising, academic counseling, support services, and student activities, the ISP offers insight to students on how to succeed, adjust, and make the most of their time in Southern California.