International and Immigrant Citizens

Admission eligibility and tuition rates vary for international citizens based on immigration and residency status and federal and state laws. All applicants who are not United States citizens are required to verify their immigration status with specified official documents. Students who believe they may qualify for in-state rates should consult the HCC Office of Admissions.

F1 STUDENTS—International citizens seeking admission to credit learning programs with F1 immigration status must consult the HCC Office of Admissions regarding the College’s specific requirements for the issuance of the I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status. Requirements include completion of the College’s application for F1 student status; application fee; proof of English proficiency; certification of adequate finances; and official secondary or postsecondary transcripts translated into English. F1 students admitted to HCC must show proof of health insurance that covers health care in the United States during the time of enrollment. Specific application deadlines apply based on the term for which students are seeking admission. F1 students must consult the HCC Office of Admissions whenever they plan to leave the United States during the period of time covered by their I-20, seek an extension of stay, apply for employment authorization or optional practical training, or transfer to another institution. For further information please contact intlstudent@howardcc.edu.

F1 students attending other colleges or universities may attend HCC if they have satisfied specific admissions requirements, including adherence to standard application procedures, presentation of proof of their immigration status (I-94); and submission of a letter of consent from the institution that issued their I-20 granting consent to enroll at HCC during fall and spring terms.

F1 students seeking to change their academic level from the English Institute (EI) to credit degree programs must apply for a new I-20 from the HCC Office of Admissions and must meet all specified credit F1 admissions requirements. An application fee is required when applying for a change of academic level. 

International citizens seeking admission as F1 students to the college’s EI must consult with the EI. For further information contact 443-518-1681 or ei@howardcc.edu. (For those calling from outside the US, the US country telephone code is 1).  

UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT STUDENTS—Under the Maryland Dream Act, undocumented immigrant students seeking enrollment to credit programs may pay in-state or in-county tuition under certain conditions as identified by Maryland law. Eligibility for in-county or in-state tuition is based on the location where the immigrant student completed high school, or in the case of earning an equivalent diploma, where they last attended high school in Maryland or the address on the most recently filed Maryland state income tax return. Undocumented immigrant students must contact the HCC Office of Admissions regarding the specific requirements of this law. Requirements under the provision of the law include completion of the College’s admissions application; verification of attendance and graduation from a Maryland state high school or equivalency; enrollment at a public institution of higher education in Maryland within six years of graduating or receiving the equivalent of a Maryland state high school diploma, documentation that the immigrant student or the student’s parent or legal guardian has filed a Maryland state income tax return through specified periods; submission of an affidavit stating that the student will file an application to become a permanent resident within 30 days of becoming eligible to do so; and proof that eligible individuals have registered with the selective service system. Students who demonstrate documentation as Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) who reside in Howard County or the State of Maryland may be eligible for an in-county or in-state tuition benefit. Students must contact the HCC Office of Admissions to determine eligibility intlstudent@howardcc.edu.