International Student Services Office (ISSO)
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Belong, Study, Graduate, Succeed.
If you are a non-U.S. native and you wish to become an international student at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ with an F-1 visa, please read below. ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ offers high-quality and affordable education to students from over 150 countries globally. ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ adheres to to guide you in the application process for F-1 visa international students. We are proud to serve our diverse student population.
The SEVP final rule for establishing a fixed time period of admissions and an extension of stay procedure has been blocked by a federal court injunction and did not take effect on September 15, 2026.
Effective September 15, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a that will significantly affect international F-1 visa applicants. Some of these important updates include:
For more information about these significant changes, please review the , as well as the . F-1 applicants may also consult with a ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ DSO.
ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ students enjoy many advantages and opportunities that boost their education and careers!
Choose the degree program type you wish to complete at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½! To review available programs in BC, please visit our .
To begin your educational journey in ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ as an F-1 international student, you must determine how you will arrive at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ with your F-1 visa. Students who are physically present in the U.S. and intend to change their current immigration status to F-1 must seek legal counsel.
I want to apply for the F-1 visa at the American Embassy in my country. I will travel to the U.S. once I receive my F-1 visa.
I want to transfer my I-20 from another school to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½. My transfer-out school must transfer my SEVIS record to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½.
I want to change my immigration status to F-1 in the U.S. I am currently in the U.S. under a different immigration status and wish to change my status to F-1.
The F-1 application for the Fall 2026 term is now closed. The Spring 2027 application will open by September 1.
ISSO reviews applications in the order they are received once all supporting documents and test scores are complete. Therefore, the earlier you apply and submit all required documents and test scores, the earlier you will receive your acceptance.
International students who are unable to complete the application process for the current term by the established deadlines are encouraged to reapply for the next available term.
| Term | Session 1 | Application Deadline for Initial and Change of Status Students | Application Deadline for Change of Education Level and F-1 Transfer students in the U.S. and new applicants from Canada & Bermuda^ |
|---|---|---|---|
| FALL 2026 | mid-August to mid-December (16 weeks) |
June 25 | July 15 |
| SPRING 2027 |
early-January to early-May (16 weeks) |
October 9 | November 13 |
| SUMMER 2027 |
mid-May to early-August (12 weeks) |
March 12 | April 16 |
| ^ Applications submitted past a term deadline will be considered for the subsequent term. | |||
Before you apply as an F-1 international student, please review some of the the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ academic programs below for which international students are ineligible to enroll in. Each program is categorized by its corresponding academic pathway. In addition to the programs listed below, F-1 international students are ineligible to enroll in programs for which the majority of classes are not available on-campus (face-to-face), as required by federal regulations for F-1 international students.
Business
* Students who have completed the required articulated courses for the Culinary Arts Management program at an authorized may apply to the program.
Education
Health Sciences
Industry, Manufacturing, Construction, and Transportation (IMCT)
Social Behavioral Sciences and Human Services (SBSHS)
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
* Students who have completed the required articulated courses for the Medical Laboratory Technology program at an authorized may apply to the program.
Before an applicant can be fully accepted as an international student and receive the Form I-20, which is used to apply for the F-1 student visa, the steps below must be completed.
Students whose primary language is not English and who wish to enroll in a degree program must provide proof of English proficiency in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) (PDF) Level 3 classes or above. Students with language placement scores at Level 3 or 4 will be eligible for admission to an academic program and will be required to take additional language training classes. A student placed in the Language Training program will be eligible to continue with a college degree without reapplying or getting a new visa upon program completion.
To complete Step 2, you must use the online Dynamic Form to submit the required documents electronically.
Note for filling out Dynamic Forms: You must create a username and password using your personal email. Notifications regarding Dynamic Forms will be sent from forms@broward.edu. However, this is a no-reply email that is NOT monitored by ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½.
Your ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ (BC) email will not be active until you are enrolled. You can only use the BC username to log in to your student portal, .
Forms will not be processed if they contain an invalid ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ student ID number.
This international Student Supplemental Application is an online Dynamic Form that is used by international student applicants (F-1 or M-1 visa) to provide the personal information and documentation required during the F-1/M-1 application process to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½. Students submitting this Dynamic Form must create a Dynamic Forms account using their personal email. There are several types of documents that must be provided:
All travel and immigration documents must be valid, in color, and legible.
If you are an F-1 student with dependents, we also need their I-20, I-94, and F-2 visas, if applicable. A dependent must be either a spouse or a child under 21 years old. All travel and immigration documents must be valid, in color, and legible.
All education records submitted in the Supplemental Application are considered unofficial and are only used for conditional admission in ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½. To enroll in ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ classes, students must submit official and complete educational credentials.
Post-secondary (university) education credentials
Students who enrolled (completed classes) in a U.S. university must provide official university transcripts with complete grades. Post-secondary (university) transcripts with courses in progress will not be accepted. A minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or its equivalent is required for admission.
In addition, if the university transcripts are in any language other than English, the credentials must be translated into English by an Typically, commercial evaluation companies include translation services.
The student is responsible for commercial evaluation fees, and there is no guarantee that coursework will transfer.
Placement testing determines students' readiness to succeed in university-level classes based on test scores that measure competence in certain subjects. All ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ students who are seeking an associate degree must satisfy placement testing as part of their admissions process. Students must:
Students who have earned specific post-secondary credits from certain U.S. post-secondary institutions may be exempt from completing placement testing. An ISSO staff member will determine if a student is required to complete placement testing based on provided documentation.
F-1 students must have sufficient funds to successfully study in the U.S. without resorting to unauthorized U.S. employment for financial support. F-1 students must provide documentary evidence that sufficient funds are, or will be, immediately available to pay all expenses during the entire period of anticipated study. Students must state if they are using personal funds or if they have a financial sponsor. Students who have more than one source of financial sponsorship will need to submit the appropriate documentation for each sponsor.
Financial Sponsor (Education Expenses): If a student declares that a financial sponsor will pay the education expenses, then that financial sponsor will be required to create an account with Dynamic Forms and complete his/her section on the form.
Requirements for Financial Documents: The account holder must be the same as the financial sponsor listed, whether the financial sponsor is the student or someone else. If using a bank statement, only summary page showing the bank name, account holder, date of the statement, available account balance, and currency, is needed. If the currency is not shown on the bank statement or letter, ISSO will calculate the conversion to USD based on the currency of the country where the bank is located. We do not accept 401K plans or other retirement accounts, life insurance policies, tax return documents, pay stubs, or other payroll documents.
Financial Sponsor (Living Expenses) [OPTIONAL]: A student may declare a financial sponsor that will be responsible for paying the student's living expenses during the student's completion of studies while physically present in the U.S. This individual may be the financial sponsor for education expenses, or another person. The person listed as the financial sponsor for living expenses will be responsible for all living expenses (i.e., housing, transportation, food, etc.). If the student declares a financial sponsor for living expenses, the sponsor can deduct the following amounts from the total funds required: (1) $12,500 (USD) for the student and (2) $7,000 (USD) for each dependent, if applicable.
Disclaimer: Students who declare a financial sponsor for living expenses may be required to present to the embassy when applying for the F-1 student visa. Students must contact the American Embassy before going for the interview to make sure he/she is bringing all the necessary financial documents. The I-134 is presented to the embassy, not ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½.
Applications are reviewed once all required documentation and test scores are received and approved by ISSO. The estimated review time is 2-4 weeks. Priority is given to applications for the immediate upcoming term. The International Student Services Office (ISSO) endeavors to process all applications as quickly as possible.
F-1 visa applicants who are accepted will be provided with an acceptance packet and the Form I-20, if applicable. All acceptance notifications will be sent via email, and the applicant is responsible for reviewing and completing next steps in a timely manner.
|
F-1 Applicant Type
|
Next Step |
| Initial | Upon receiving the Form I-20, the applicant must within their home country to and . |
| Transfer | Upon being accepted, the applicant must submit the to request their SEVIS record to be transferred to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ (BC) by the DSO at the transfer-out institution. After the accepted international student's SEVIS record is transferred to BC, the ISSO will produce a Form I-20. |
| Change of Status | Upon receiving the Form I-20, the applicant must within the United States to and . |
| Change of Education Level | Upon receiving the Form I-20, the student should proceed with class registration once all holds are cleared. |
Upon being accepted as an international student in ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, the international student must submit the F-1 Transfer form to request
The Form I-20 will be processed as follows:
Students must review all acceptance documents to understand their next steps, including but not limited to paying the SEVIS fee, providing proof of health insurance coverage, and registering for classes.
F-1 Transfer and Change of Education Level students, as well as F-1 visa applicants from Canada or Bermuda, can skip this step.
After an international student uses the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Form I-20 to apply for the F-1 visa at a , the international student will be required to pay the I-901 fee.
Homeland Security's regulation requires all prospective F-1 and M-1 students to pay the I-901 Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Fee. Dependents (accompanying spouse and/or child under 21) applying for F-2 and M-2 visas are NOT REQUIRED to pay for the I-901 SEVIS fee.
Resources:
Before you can register for classes, you need to demonstrate that you have adequate international student health insurance coverage, which must include coverage for medical expenses, medical evacuation, and medical repatriation.
The coverage MUST be for a full academic year (An academic year runs from mid-August to mid-August of the next year), and it must be renewed each year without gaps. This is a requirement for an international student to be able to register for classes at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½.
Health insurance coverage is required for the duration of your studies at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ including, but not limited to annual vacations, school breaks, and Optional Practical Training (OPT). Students on OPT must contact their international student health insurance agent regarding policy requirements before buying the insurance since not all policies cover students on OPT.
COVERAGE PERIOD (students must make sure there are no gaps in coverage)
Students arriving prior to the effective date of their insurance policy must also buy travel insurance to avoid gaps in coverage.
To show proof of health insurance coverage, send your policy's visa or coverage letter to isso@broward.edu.After international F-1 visa students are accepted at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, they must ensure that all requirements are met before they are able to register for classes.
Missing requirements will be enforced via holds on the student’s ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ account. All holds must be cleared before the student can register for classes.
Below is a table that describes each hold you may have on your ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ account and how to clear it.
|
Hold Code
|
Hold Description |
| A3 – Orientation Required1 | The international student must attend a virtual International New Student Orientation (I-NSO). To be eligible to enroll in an I-NSO, the international student must have been provided with a Form I-20 by a BC DSO and start classes by the next available term. |
| I1 – International Student | The international student (Initial, Transfer, or Change of Status) must submit the and provide proof of presence in the U.S. with F-1 visa status. Change of Education Level students are not required to complete this requirement. |
| I2 – International Office Hold | The international student must sign and return the Form I-20 to the ISSO. |
| MO – Verify Health Ins – F1/M12 | The international student must provide proof of valid health insurance to the ISSO to continue enrollment. |
| RH – Needs Proof of HS Graduation | The international student’s official high school transcript or diploma with a final graduation date must be on file before the student’s first day of classes. |
| RP – Missing College Transcripts3 | All international students’ official post-secondary (university) transcripts with no courses in progress must be on file before the first day of classes. |
After international students complete all admissions requirements, they will be able to register for classes and pay for the $75 application fee and tuition.
International students must register for classes as soon as possible to comply with F-1 visa regulations. To assistance with class registration, students should consult with an academic advisor.
Cashier's Office
International students are also encouraged to sign up for tuition payment plans as soon as possible and review tuition payment deadlines as soon as possible. The earlier a student registers for a tuition payment plan, the more options are available.
Failure to pay the application fee and tuition by the tuition payment will result in the student being dropped (removed) from their courses.
Estimated cost of tuition for one academic year (at least 24 credits and 30 weeks) at $373 per credit hour: $8,952
Estimated cost for laboratory fees and books: $1,048
Estimated annual cost of living expenses:* $12,500
Total estimated annual cost of attendance: $22,500
Total estimated annual cost of attendance for Associate of Science in Professional Pilot Technology: $50,000 ($22,500 + $27,500 flight training costs)
* The estimated annual cost of living expenses is $12,500. ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ does not provide housing.
Note: Students and/or their sponsor(s) must show $22,500 to be admitted to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ and to show the embassy to get their F1 visa. However, there are additional expenses of which students need to be aware:
Estimated cost of tuition for one academic year (at least 24 credits and 30 weeks) at $589.45 per credit hour: $14,146.80
Estimated cost for laboratory fees and books: $853.20
Estimated annual cost of living expenses:* $12,500
Total estimated annual cost of attendance: $27,500
*The estimated annual cost of living expenses is $12,500. ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ does not provide housing.
Note: Students and/or their sponsor(s) must show $27,500 to be admitted to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ and to show the embassy to get their F1 visa. However, there are additional expenses of which students need to be aware:
Please note: ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ reserves the right to increase fees at any time with the Board of Directors' approval.
- This form is for a change of immigration status applicant to provide a copy of the I-539 Application to Extend-Change Nonimmigrant Status receipt notice (Form I-797C, Notice of Action) issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
- This form is used by international student applicants (F-1 or M-1 visa) to provide the required information and documentation during the application process.
- This form is used by international student applicants (F1 immigration status) to determine if the Form I-20 can be transferred to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ (BC) upon acceptance. The Designated School Official (DSO) from the current school cannot release the SEVIS record to BC until the applicant provides the official acceptance letter from the International Student Services Office (ISSO).
- This form is used by new international students (F1 visa) to show proof of F1 nonimmigrant status before beginning classes at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½.
- This form is for F1 international students to request a change of program to an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree. The change of program request must be submitted before the start of the term. This form is not intended for limited access programs, such as Bachelor's and Health Science degrees. For those students, they are required to submit a new application.
- This form is used by international students (F1 visa) to extend the Form I-20 when they need additional time to complete their program of study. An updated Form I-20 will be provided if this request is approved by the student's Designated School Official (DSO).
- This form is used by international students (F1 visa) when they are in the last term to graduate and need (1) authorization for a reduced course load or (2) a confirmation of graduation term to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT). An updated Form I-20 will be provided, as needed, if this request is approved by the student's Designated School Official (DSO).
- This form is OPTIONAL and used by international students (F1 visa) who do not want to receive credit for prior courses taken at accredited foreign post-secondary institutions (universities). However, transcripts and translations are still required. F1 students seeking a bachelor's degree are not eligible to opt out of the commercial evaluation of the postsecondary transcripts.
- This form is used by international students (F1 visa) to request an OPT recommendation in their I-20 that is granted by the student's Designated School Official (DSO). Upon confirmation of OPT eligibility, the student will request an OPT appointment with a DSO to review required documents and legal OPT requirements.
- This form is used by international students (F1 visa) to report their employment information, during pre-completion or post-completion OPT.
- This form is for F1 international students to request a transfer from their current ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ (BC) campus to another BC campus.
After F-1 visa international students complete their academic program in ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ (BC), they have many options after they graduate. These options are in accordance with , as well as ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ policy.
Regardless of which option the F-1 visa international student selects, all options must be completed before the end of the student's grace period.
An F-1 visa international student can decide to leave the U.S. after completing an academic program at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½. There is no process required for this option. However, if the student selects this option, they must ensure that they leave the U.S. within the permitted grace period set by USCIS.
An F-1 visa international student can begin a new academic program in ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ (BC) after completing a BC degree. This would be considered a Change of Education Level (COEL). To qualify for this option, the F-1 visa international student must:
To proceed with this option, the qualifying F-1 visa international student must:
An F-1 visa international student can apply for post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT), which occurs after completing a BC degree; or for pre-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT), which occurs before completing a BC degree. The student should review . In general, the student must have an Active SEVIS record, have completed at least one full academic year, and apply for OPT via the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office. However, the student must discuss this process with a ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ DSO before proceeding, as there are several documents that must be provided and strict deadlines to adhere to. The required documents and OPT application deadlines are enforced by USCIS.
To proceed with this option, the qualifying F-1 visa international student must:
The student may be subject to additional documentation and requirements after successfully obtaining OPT employment and reporting OPT employment information to the DSO, as required by USCIS.
If the student does not properly follow OPT regulations and maintain status, it will result in termination of their SEVIS record.
Ultimately, the student is responsible for adhering to OPT regulations and informing ISSO of any changes within the OPT process in a timely manner.
An F-1 visa international student can transfer from ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ to another SEVP-approved institution. However, effective September 15, 2026, per , the following restrictions apply:
To qualify for this option, the F-1 visa international student must:
To proceed with this option, the qualifying F-1 visa international student must:
Once the SEVIS record is transferred outside of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, it will be managed by the new institution.
For questions about application status, email isso@broward.edu (include name and BC student ID).
For general F-1/I-20 questions, contact ISSO during regular business hours via email, the remote queue, or in person.
Office Location
ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Downtown Campus
111 East Las Olas Boulevard
2nd Floor - Student Services Suite
Ft Lauderdale, FL 33301
Office Hours
On-campus
Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Monday: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Thursday and Friday: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Email your Designated School Official (DSO) at isso@broward.edu
A DSO will contact you and guide you through the process.
You may also receive remote assistance from a live ISSO staff member during our hours of operation.
Campus - Designated School Officials (DSOs)
Designated School Officials (DSOs) in campus Student Services Offices can provide general information on maintaining the F-1 status and signing the Form I-20 for travel.
Current students who have specific questions about their immigration status, changing their program, or extending or terminating their I-20 should contact isso@broward.edu
Central Campus
Hiromi Ninomiya
hninomiy@broward.edu
Kobitta Chopra
kchopra@broward.edu
North Campus
Claudia Forero
cforero@broward.edu
South Campus
Jacqueline Canard
jcanard@broward.edu
The ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ International Student Services Office (ISSO) will be closed on the following days:
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Contact: ce@broward.edu for registration assistance.
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