Congratulations on your acceptance! To begin the process of applying for an F-1 visa, please visit www.fmjfee.com to submit your I-901 SEVIS fee. You will need your SEVIS number and our SEVIS School Code (found on your I-20) to complete the form. Once paid, you can schedule your visa interview at your local US embassy or consulate. To check visa processing times for your closest embassy/consulate please visit: travel.state.gov/visas.

We recommend reviewing these Tips for your Visa Appointment at least a few weeks before your appointment.

You may enter the US up to 30 days before the start of your program. This date is listed as the "Earliest Admission Date" on your I-20. Please understand that we cannot allow late arrivals. If you are not able to obtain your visa in time to join us by the start of classes, please contact us at gcciso@glendale.edu to request a deferral of your admission. All students are eligible for an automatic deferral of up to one year from their original term of admission. If already approved, you will not need to apply for a new visa but you will need your deferred I-20 to enter the US. If not already approved for your visa, you will need to update your appointment paperwork with the new I-20 (if allowed by your embassy/consulate) or take it with you to the appointment. Please do not cancel any pending appointment. 

 

Visa appointments: Please note that social media is being used in the vetting of students for visas. Please review this article for more information. 

Admitted students from Afghanistan, Burma/Myanmar, Chad, Burundi, Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela and Yemen are currently unable to have student visas issued. Please contact us at gcciso@glendale.edu to discuss your options.  

Visa Reciprocity Changes: Admitted Students from Angola, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote D'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Malawi, Micronesia,  Niger, Nigeria, Palau, Sao Tome and Principe, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, & Zimbabwe will only be eligible for single-entry F-1 visas with an expiration date of 3 months after issuance. This means that you will need to schedule your visa appointment no earlier than 3 months before the "earliest entry date" listed on your I-20. If your appointment is more than 3 months before the earliest entry date listed on your I-20, then your visa will expire before you can enter the US. You will need to enter the US no later than 3 months after the visa's issuance. A single-entry means your visa can only be used to enter the US once. This means that if you depart the US after entry, you will need to apply for a new visa the next time you travel outside of the US. If your visa was issued prior to these changes, and shows a longer duration and/or multiple entries, then this issuance will be honored.

The following countries are currently restricted from issuing F-1 visas at this time but have also had these visa reciprocity changes implemented, unless otherwise listed: Afghanistan, Burma/Myanmar, Burundi, Chad, Republic of Congo, Cuba, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Laos (6 month limit, multiple entry), Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan (tiered fee schedules that impact duration/number of entries), Venezuela, & Yemen. 

The First Year Experience (FYE) Program prepares you for academic success and help you make new friends in a supportive, multicultural environment! This program is intended for first-time college students or those returning to college after some time away. 

As part of this program, you will need to take the one-week long Summer Bridge program. You may take Summer Bridge in-person or online. Please keep in mind that you may only enter the US 30 days before the semester starts (your earliest date of admission is listed on your I-20). This date cannot be changed. If you wish to take the Bridge program in-person, please ensure you register for a session that starts after your allowable admission date. You must enter on your F-1 visa and should not enter the US on a tourist visa or ESTA/visa waiver in order to participate in an earlier in-person Bridge session.

Apply to be an FYE student today! Note: this program is currently offered only for Summer/Fall semester admits. It is recommended that you be accepted to this program before completing pre-orientation and meeting with an academic counselor so that your course schedule can be built according to the program requirements. 

If you are currently in the US on an F-1 visa, and have not yet requested a Transfer to GCC from your current school, please contact their international student office immediately to provide them with our Transfer Instructions sheet. Most schools will also have a form you need to complete with our SEVIS School Code. Our SEVIS School Code is found on the Transfer Instructions sheet.

You must request a transfer of your SEVIS record no later than 60 days after the end date of your current semester or no later than 60 days after your last day of Optional Practical Training (OPT). Please contact your current school if you are unsure of your specific deadline. 

Please remember that your new I-20 will be issued to you after the start of the semester, unless you are traveling outside of the US before then. You do not need an I-20 during this time and may remain in the US. 

If you will be traveling outside of the US before starting at GCC, please contact us at gcciso@glendale.edu to inform us of your intended departure and return date. You do not need new I-20 to depart, but will need it to return to the US. Any issued I-20 will be emailed to your GCC Student Email only.

Our required International Student Orientation is designed to help you become a successful student at Glendale Community College. The orientation is two parts. Part One is an Online Orientation that you will complete in MyGCC. After completing the Online Orientation, you will meet with an academic counselor to select and enroll in classes. Students coming to the US will then register for our In-Person Orientation (Part Two). Students who will begin studies from their home country must complete only Part One at this time and opt out of insurance (see Insurance Opt Out section after registering for orientation).  

  

Part One: Online Orientation

Online Orientation must be completed in MyGCC before you can meet with an academic counselor and select courses. This program requires you to read information, watch videos, and pass quizzes. We estimate this program will take 2 hours to complete. After completing the program, you will be able to download and submit the Orientation Clearance Appointment Request Form to our office to have your first academic counseling session scheduled. Please complete the Online Orientation no later than 3 weeks after being admitted. To ensure a smooth transition to GCC, you should also make sure to complete the Online Orientation no later than 2 weeks before In-Person Orientation.     

Missed something from online orientation? Re-review any content you'd like using our Flipbook!

 

Part Two: In-Person Orientation

Who Must Attend: All admitted students who will study from within the US for Spring 2026, including transfer students. 

Time & Location: Coming Soon!

Register*: Coming Soon!

^{*Please register only AFTER obtaining your visa} 

 

 

Glendale Community College is proud to partner with International Student Placements to offer housing placements in the local area. ISP offers a wide array of placements including traditional homestays and independent living placements. The program is flexible and affordable. You may also wish to explore off-campus housing. You may find these Tips for your Housing Search helpful, as well as these blogs on How to Find Off-Campus Housing and Renting an Apartment as an International Student.

 

Need a roommate?

Complete our Housing Connections Form to connect to other international students looking for roommates. New students must have completed the Pre-Orientation and registration process to gain access to this list. Please complete the Housing Connections form only after you have completed these steps. This process is open to students who have obtained their visas or are physically in the US.

Current GCC domestic students wishing to connect with international students may also request access to this list. Please list your current, valid GCC email address when placing your request.

 

Housing Costs

Startup costs for new students moving into rentals (apartments, rooms for rent in private homes, rental houses, etc.) can be significant. It is not unusual for students to spend up to $3,000 to $4,000 within their first week in Glendale on their initial rent, utility connection costs, deposits and furniture.

• Rent – Rents for apartments will vary depending on apartment type, number of rooms, location and other factors. Rents for rooms in private homes can also vary. Generally, rental rates for units close to campus are higher than those in the surrounding communities.
• Utilities – Utilities (the cost of paying for electricity, gas, water, and trash pickup services) for apartments is typically not included in the monthly rent. Costs for utilities will vary depending on the number of people living in an apartment and their personal habits. A good, high-end, estimate to use for utilities is $100 – $150/month. Costs for utilities may or may not be included in the rent for a room in a private home – you will need to clarify this with the homeowner. There may also be initial costs to startup and connect certain utilities.
• Deposit – It is common for landlords to require the equivalent of up to 2 – 3 months’ rent as a security and/or damage deposit. You need to be prepared to pay this deposit before moving in. The specifics of how this deposit is collected and returned will be outlined in the lease agreement. Scam alert: make sure never to send a deposit electronically until you have physically visited, toured the inside of your rental unit, and signed a lease. Scammers post fake listings online.    
• Furniture – Generally, off-campus apartments for rent are unfurnished. Most rooms for rent in private homes are furnished.

Students who will remain in their home country for Spring 2026 must opt out of the insurance plan by Monday, February 15. There will be no exceptions - if you do not opt out by this date, you will be responsible for the health insurance fee. Please allow until the end of the add/drop period to have the health insurance fees reversed from your account. You may pay all other fees in the meantime. Students in the US are automatically enrolled in the health insurance plan. No opt out is allowed for in-country students.

Opening a Bank Account

It is pretty simple to open a bank account after arriving to the US. Most banks will require you to present the following documents in person in order to open an account:

• Passport
• I-20
• Printed I-94
• School ID card or copy of admission letter

Please note: You do not need a U.S. Social Security number in order to open a bank account. However, if you have one, you must provide it to the bank. If you do not have a job in the US, you cannot apply for a Social Security Number and should simply inform the bank you do not qualify for one at this time.

Please note that there may be a delay on funds from bank drafts or checks from a bank in your home country. It may take up to 6 weeks for you to be able to get money from your account if you open it using a bank draft or bank check. If you use cash or traveler’s checks (U.S. dollars), you generally will have immediate access to your money.

Some banks may ask you for a zip code or postal code to continue to their website. Use the zip code for your local address in the US at which you can receive mail. 

Types of Accounts

Most students have two types of bank accounts: checking and savings. A checking account is generally used for regular monthly expenses or bills, and allows you to write checks. You can also open a savings account which earns interest on cash which is not needed immediately. Banks offer various free services, such as free checking, automatic teller, online banking and more. You may want to check on these, including interest rates, before deciding where to bank.

Which Bank to Use

Banks generally offer similar services such as online banking, check/debit cards, access to automatic teller machines, and other common financial services. Banks will have varying fees for services such as electronic transfer – you should check with both your home bank as well as the new bank to see what they charge to conduct an electronic funds transfer before deciding where to bank.

Below is a list of a few multinational banks with branches close to GCC. We recommend browsing their websites to see which bank best fits your personal needs.

Bank of America

CitiBank

Chase Bank

Wells Fargo

To learn about Driving in the US (including obtaining a driver's license or general California ID) and other Transportation Options, please visit our Travel page. Please note that California does not recognize the International Driver's License. 

An F-2 dependent may be a spouse and/or children only. If you are bringing dependents with you to the US, there are some rules regarding school and work that you need to be aware of.

Schooling for Dependent Children under 18 years of Age

California has a compulsory education requirement for children between the ages of 6 and 18 that requires them to attend primary (elementary) and secondary (high school) institutions. F-1 student visas cannot be issued for attendance at a public primary school or a publicly funded adult education program. F-1 student visas can be issued for attendance to public secondary school but F-1 students must pay the full unsubsidized cost of attending a public high school and cannot enroll for more than twelve months; the 12-month limit does not apply to F-1 students in private schools. F-1 high school students are not eligible for employment. F-2 dependents, however, may attend a public primary school or public secondary school as required to meet CA compulsory laws. If you have a child of secondary school age, you can use this information to determine if it is best for your child to join you as an F-2 dependent or if it will be best for the student to obtain their own I-20/F-1 status. 

To enroll children under the age of 18 in school, the F-1 primary holder must directly contact the School District assigned to your area of residence to inquire about enrollment requirements. Once you have obtained housing, please visit California's School Directory at https://www.cde.ca.gov/schooldirectory/ to find the School District nearest you. Please note that primary and secondary schools of enrollment do not need to be Student and Exchange Visitor Program-certified (SEVP-certified), however, any post-secondary school (college) that an F-2 dependent wishes to attend must be SEVP-certified. You can find a list of all SEVP-certified post-secondary schools at https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/school-search. 

 

Schooling for Dependent Spouses or Children over 18 years of Age

F-2 dependents over 18 years of age may enroll part time in an SEVP-certified school, if they wish, so long as the primary F-1 holder remains in status. Enrollment in courses is not required for F-2 dependent spouses or children over the age of 18. 

 

Dependent Registration and Age-Out Rules

F-2s who turn 14 while in the US, or who were not fingerprinted during the visa application process, must register with the US government after entry to the US. Please see our "Age 14" Dependent Registration Requirements document for more information. F-2 status for dependent children will automatically end as of the child's 21st birthday. The F-2 dependent will have to depart the US by the day after their 21st birthday, unless they have obtained their own F-1 visa by either a change of status or by travel and reentry to the US. We strongly recommend that any F-2 dependent who wishes to file for a change of status to F-1 begin this process at least 6 months before their 21st birthday; dependents must keep any application deadlines for schools in mind as they will need to be admitted and have an I-20 in order to apply for a change of status or an F-1 visa through consular processing. 

 

Dependent Employment

Individuals in F-2 dependent status are not eligible for employment in the US. F-1 status is required for employment eligibility. 

 

CalWorks Program for Parenting Students

We encourage eligible international student parents to join GCC's CalWorks Parenting Students Program. While international students are not eligible for federal financial-aid funded portions of this program, there are several support networks and services available to you. Please contact the CalWorks department after you have registered in classes to discuss eligibility for participation. 

Contact Us

Contact us at gcciso@glendale.edu with details about your denial. Please let us know what questions you were asked and how you answered them – the more complete of a “transcript” you can provide us the better. This will help us determine areas in your interview that need improvement. You should have also been given a written notice stating the reason for the denial. Please provide a scanned copy of this document, if provided.

 

Help Us Make a Difference

The National Association of International Educators (NAFSA) is an organization that advocates for international student issues within the US. One of the agencies they regularly engage with is the Department of State (DOS) Consular Affairs. In response to recent reports about an increase in visa denials from Africa and the Global South, NAFSA, along with other higher education partners, are gathering data to help identify patterns/trends and request DOS to investigate these occurrences.

Please use the Visa Denial Information Collection form to provide details about your visa denial to aid in this study.

^{Please note that DOS will not discuss specific visa applications with anyone other than the applicant and attorney, so we will not be able to obtain details about the cases you report, but all information will help to create an image of potential problems at certain posts around the world.}