Last modified: March 14, 2024

F1 Visa Information and Application

Foreign Student (Non-Immigrant)

I-20 Application for the school year 2024-2025

Click here for the application in paper form
Click here to submit your information online

General Information

Provo City School District is happy to welcome and support students seeking entrance from foreign countries, this opportunity provides a cultural experience for both the incoming students as well as our District’s students.

Important Things to Know:

School Dates

August 13, 2024 to May 23, 2025 2nd Semester is from January 6, 2025 to May 23, 2025

Schools

Provo High School (9th-12th) 1199 N Lakeshore Dr. Provo UT 84601

Timpview High School (9th -12th) 3570 N Timpview Dr. Provo UT 84604

No. of Students

30 in Total Space for Senior is very limited

Per Capita Tuition

$ 10,100.00 Year, $ 5,100.00 for one Semester, $100.00 non-refundable application fee is included

Application Due Date

June 7th, or as soon as filled. Seniors is March 31st 2nd Semester due date is November 15th. No exceptions.

Submit to

Liz M Robles, Principal Designated School Official 280 W 940 N Provo UT 84604 lizr@provo.edu or internationaladmissions@provo.edu – Phone: 801-370-4640

Student Arrival Date to Provo August 1, 2024 for the full year or 1st semester and 2nd Semester arrival date Jan 6, 2025.
Applications are accepted on a first come first served basis.
Student should be 17 years or younger as of September 1st of the year intending to enroll in school. Student must also be 14 years or older (high school age).
We will accept a minimum number of seniors capable of graduation, and the remaining number in freshmen through junior year per high school. All must demonstrate good academic standing.
Only 12th graders that could meet Utah graduation requirements will be accepted. All others will be denied. 12th graders must attend Aug-May to apply for graduation. We will not consider early graduation for younger students than 12th grade. Please see Graduation requirements for Language Art credit.
Students that have graduated from secondary education in their home country will not be considered for admittance. Students are not allowed to only audit classes.
Students can apply to come for the 1st Semester, or a Full Year. If space is available we can consider students for the 2nd Semester. Once we have 30 completed applications, there will be no more considerations.
Acceptance is for ONE year only in a public high school anywhere in the U.S. Students may transfer to a private high school or college from the public high school.
This application request is for an I-20 form and the application fee is $100.00. This is a non-refundable fee.
The Board shall charge the nonresident child tuition at least equal to the per capita cost of the school program in which the child enrolls. (See Utah State Code 53G-6-306 (2)). The School Board cannot waive tuition for an F-1 student as per Section 625 of Public Law 104-208 in which Immigration requires F-1 students in the public-school system to pay the per capita cost.
The full per capita cost of an F-1 visa-seeking student needs to be paid prior to the time an I-20 form is issued. If the student will not be able to attend, a refund can be requested through a written request. A refund will be given within 10 working days.
Applications are available online at http://www.provo.edu click Community Essentials, under Departments click Student Services, and scroll down to Foreign Admissions.
The student must meet Utah State immunization requirements prior to enrolling. Once the student is in Utah, visit the Health Department at 151 S University Ave. in Provo to know if they must complete a TB test (Tuberculosis test -also known as PPD) and provide results to the school.
It is required that the students arrive 10 days prior to the start of the school allowing them to register for classes and be ready to start on the first day of school.
No Internet classes are allowed.
The student must have major medical insurance coverage while residing in the US with a Host Family.
Please be aware that Provo City School District does not find Host Families.

Requirements

In order to approve a student, the district must receive the following:

● Complete APPLICATION

● High School TRANSCRIPT(s) translated into English

● If the student is younger than 15, include 7th, 8th and 9th grade

● If the student is seeking graduation or to enter in the 12th grade, they must submit a transcript for 9th and 10th and current progress report for 11th grade. Please see page 6 for information on Graduation Requirements.

● Must provide proof of English PROFICIENCY such as a TOEFL Junior score or other assessment of English, if the scores on the test are not proficient, we will require a school transcript showing their English classes with proficient grades, and a letter from a private English instructor that supports the student’s ability to comprehend the English language at a proficient level.

In order to accept a student and prepare the I-20 the district must receive the following:

● Tuition payment

● Copy of PASSPORT (this is used to match the I-20 with exact information)

● Copy of a BIRTH CERTIFICATE

● Student IMMUNIZATION Records

● SIGNED AGREEMENTS by Parents and Students and Authorization Release

Upon arrival to Provo City

● Fill out preregistration forms found at grades.provo.edu

● Receive a TB test if needed at the Utah county health department

● Visit with Student Services to submit paperwork

● Complete registration with the school

● Schedule an appointment with the school’s counseling office

In order to enroll a student, the district must receive the following:

● Copy of Passport with Admittance Stamp from the Department of Homeland Security

● A Signed Host Agreement

● An Original Durable POWER OF ATTORNEY signed and notarized by the Parent and the Host family

● The student must present proof of MAJOR MEDICAL COVERAGE.

In order to enroll, the school must receive the following: ● Copy of the Birth Certificate

● Complete Immunization Record

● Proof of Address from Host family

● A copy of the Durable POWER OF ATTORNEY signed and notarized by the Parent and the Host family

● Copy of the TB test results if needed

● Updated and Complete Transcript(s) for 12th grade students

● Authorization letter to enroll from Student Services

Dates to Remember

Feb 1st – New application will be issued and posted in our website. Application window begins.

March 31st – Senior applications deadline.

June 7th – Application period will close for the year unless spots are still open at which time, they can be filled with 2nd Semester applications.

August 1st – Student should arrive to Provo City.

August 13th – School begins.

January 6th – 2nd Semester starts.

May 23rd, 2025 – School ends.

Please see the School Calendar to know holiday breaks.

Financial Items:

● Pay the $100 non-refundable fee

● Pay the per capita cost

● Pay for any missing immunizations needed to start and continue enrollment ($18 per vaccinations)

● Pay for a TB test ($20 dollars)

● Pay additional registration fees at the school (approximately $200 – $400)

● Pay school lunch fees, if desiring school lunch

● The I-901 fee must be paid AFTER the I-20 is received; this is needed for a visa appointment. Visit www.FMJfee.com to set up your appointment

Immunizations and TB test:

The student must have all their immunizations to attend school and a TB test done here in Utah. You can visit a private physician or The Utah County Health Department (UCHD) provides immunizations and TB testing. For more information about immunization contact the school nurse at joanc@provo.edu or visit http://www.utahcounty.gov/Dept/Health/immunizations/index.asp

Major Medical Insurance Coverage:

Major Medical Insurance Coverage is required while residing in the United States with a Host Family. Purchase an insurance plan AFTER you have received your Visa and show proof when you arrive to Provo City School District for approval to enroll. Here are some insurance contacts that are familiar at insuring students from International Admissions these are only suggestions, you can find your own as well.

● Wiseman Insurance – Local Provo Contact – (Craig Wiseman) 801-377-3060 * craig@wisemaninsurance.com | www.wisemaninsurance.com

● International Student Insurance, an Envisage International Company – 904.758.4391 ext. 104 (Jennifer Frankel) jfrankel@InternationalStudentInsurance.com or www.InternationalStudentInsurance.com

● CISI Cultural Insurance Services/International – 800-303-8120, ext. 5088 – www.mycisi.com

● ISO, Student Health Insurance – 800-244-1180 * email: mailbox@isoa.org – www.isoa.org

School Enrollment:

Host family will receive information to be able to enroll the student in school, make sure they have the following:

● Copy of the Birth Certificate

● Copy of the Immunization Record

● Copy of Proof of Address – from the Host family

● Photo ID

Traveling Home during the Holiday Breaks:

Students wanting to return home for the holidays must have their Travel Endorsement page signed by the Designated School Office if they will be returning to continue the school year. The Travel Endorsement is found in the back page of the I-20. This does not extend their stay more than the one year allowed in the public schools. Failure to have the I-20 signed may prevent an entry into the States. Please contact the Student Services Office to have your Travel Endorsement signed.

End of the Year/Semester Items:

● Transferring out (Private school/College/University, etc.)

At the completion of the applied period if the student is working towards a transfer, the student must notify the Student Services Office- Foreign Admissions School Official to process a transfer. Any requests sent to the High School will only delay the process.

● Transcript

A transcript is the official document that has the record of the grades and credit acquired in the classes. Provo City School District will retain a copy of the record for 20 years after the class year graduates. Parents and the students may request a copy of the transcript personally or through a transcript request form. Once the student turns 18, FERPA laws requires that only the student requests a transcript. Please contact the Student Services office for more details.

Public Law

From: Public law 104-208, Omnibus Authorization Bill for the Commerce, State and Justice departments, signed into law on September 30, 1996. The bill contained provisions entitled the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA). Provisions dealing with foreign students in public schools follow:

SEC. 625. FOREIGN STUDENTS.

(a) Limitations–

(1) In general — Section 214 (8 U.S.C. 1184) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(1)(1) An alien may not be accorded status as a nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(F)(i) in order to pursue a course of study–

“(A) at a public elementary school or in a publicly funded adult education program; or

“(B) at a public secondary school unless–

“(i) the aggregate period of such status at such a school does not exceed 12 months with respect to any alien, and

“(ii) the alien demonstrates that the alien has reimbursed the local educational agency that administers the school for the full, unsubsidized per capita cost of providing education at such school for the period of the alien’s attendance.

“(2) An alien who obtains the status of a nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(F)(i) in order to pursue a course of study at a private elementary or secondary school or in a language training program that is not publicly funded shall be considered to have violated such status and the alien’s visa under section 101(a)(15)(F) shall be void, if the alien terminates or abandons such course of study at such a school and undertakes a course of study at a public elementary school in a publicly funded adult education program, in a publicly funded adult education language training program or at a public secondary school (unless the requirements of paragraph (1)(B) are met).”

(2) Conforming amendment, — Section 101 (a)(15)(F) (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(F)) is amended by inserting “consistent with section 214(1)” after “such a course of study”

(b) Reference to New Ground of Exclusion for Student Visa Abusers. — For addition of ground of inadmissibility for certain nonimmigrant student abusers, see section 347.

(c) Effective Date. — The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply to individuals who obtain the status of a nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act after the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, including aliens whose status as such a nonimmigrant is extended after the end of such period.

Information for Graduating Seniors

Because of the time and resources demand, we place both a cap and early application deadline on students seeking graduation. Both the cap and deadline may be adjusted from one year to the next according to the resources available in our schools. In addition, there are also very strict requirements for students seeking graduation. Failure to meet any portion or deadlines associated with the application will result in instant disqualification of the student’s application for entrance. We will not consider early graduation for any student that is not in 12th grade. Only students with an equivalent to 24 yearlong credits earned at the end of their year-long school experience in Provo City School District will be eligible for potential graduation. Students can earn a maximum of 8 credits in one year of attendance in our High Schools. See the table below.

Credit Evaluation from Non-Accredited Institutions

Provo City School District shall establish a Credit Evaluation Committee to evaluate ALL requests for credit from foreign institutions. The district committee shall evaluate request according to the following criteria:

Credit Evaluation Committee findings will be based on each of the following forms of evidence:

a. Course title and description

b. List of instructional material used

c. Student achievements (progress)

d. Formative evaluations (sample)

e. Summative evaluations (sample)

f. Correlation of course objectives with the core standards for Utah public schools as outlined by the Utah State Board of Education

g. Course length and student attendance

h. Number of days the class met

i. Normal class length

j. Number of classes attended by the student

k. Grading criteria used

l. Teacher name, qualifications, certifications, endorsements, etc.

m. Course requirements for credit (representative sample of student work)

n. Copy of student records

Please note that a Senior seeking graduation will need to submit all the information required in order to receive credit for their course work done from 9th through 11th grade to apply and be accepted into Provo City School District.

Credit Explanation

Credit Type: English/Language Arts

Amount: 4.0

Students coming from a non-English speaking country may receive up to 1.0 full credit towards the English/Language Arts Credit for native language classes taken in their country of origin. This means students will be responsible to take up to 3.0 full credits of English/Language Arts Credit in their one year in high school.

This requirement means students may need/want to seek alternative, additional credit through correspondence, or online options.

English-as-Second-Language (ESL) courses may not meet this requirement.

Credit Type: Math

Amount: 3.0

Successful completion of Secondary Mathematics I, II, and III or higher. Students who successfully complete Calculus have met graduation requirements regardless of the number of credits they have taken.

Credit Type: Science

Amount: 3.0

2 Credits from the four science foundation areas; Earth Systems, Biological Science, Chemistry, or Physics.

1 Credit from the foundation courses or the applied or advanced science core

Credit Type: U.S. History

Amount: 1.0

Credit Type: Geography

Amount: 0.5

Credit Type: Civilization (World)

Amount: 0.5

Credit Type: U.S. Government & Citizenship

Amount: 0.5

Credit Type: Social Studies Elective

Amount: 0.5

Credit Type: Financial Literacy

Amount: 0.5

Credit Type: Fine Art

Amount: 1.5

Credit Type: CTE (Career and Technical/Vocational Education)

Amount: 1.0

Credit Type: Digital Studies

Amount: 0.5

Credit Type: Health

Amount: 0.5

Credit Type: Physical Education

Amount: 1.5

Credit Type: Elective (Choice Classes)

Amount: 5.5

Total: 24.0

Civics Exam: Student must receive a passing score on the state’s Civics Exam

Students applying or seeking graduation should have 16.0 credits or more to qualify

If Utah graduation qualifications are not met, application will be denied.

Please visit the Utah State Board of Education’s website for a list of Utah State requirements