International Students
Welcome
Welcome to the Lumen Christi Catholic School International Students page. We would like to welcome you to our community and are glad that you are interested in getting more information about our school. We are excited that you have chosen our school for your education.
Lumen Christi Catholic School is recognized by the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP) as a (SEVIS) Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, approved school with the ability to issue I-20 forms. An I-20 Form from Lumen Christi will allow you to obtain a United States F-type Student Visa. Lumen Christi is able to accept International students who are proficient in English in grades 9-12.
We can help you to continue or start your education in the United States. Our Administrators are ready to meet with you when you decide. They will discuss with you the academic requirements and give you an acceptance to our school. Once the proper paperwork is filled out and returned to our school office, it will be reviewed and then an I-20 will be issued. This process can take up to a week, so please plan early and make contact as soon as you decide. Keep in mind some of your consulate appointments cannot be made until you get your I-20 number, so please plan ahead. We have welcomed students in the past few years from South Korea, India, China, Brazil, Spain, and Germany. We hope that your experience in Michigan at Lumen Christi is a great experience for you.
Are you interested in attending our school to further your education in the United States? If so, we are here to help you. Our counseling office is the liaison between all international students, scholars, and the United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), the Department of State, and other organizations involved in international cultural exchange.
Required Forms
ALL paperwork is required to be at the International Student Services Office before an I-20 will be issued. Please allow 2-3 days for the review process. If required paperwork is missing an I-20 will not be issued until the required paperwork is provided to our office. Upon review of the required documents an I-20 will be issued. If you would like to pick up the I-20, an appointment will be required. If we have to send the I-20 internationally we will send it via US Postal Service. There is a $250 non-refundable administrative fee to begin the admissions process.
- APPLICATIONS OF ADMISSIONS
- DECLARATION OF FINANCES
- STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
- ENGLISH PROFICIENCY TEST
In addition to the above forms we need the following supporting documents:
- Bank statement (this needs to be the student parents/guardians account) and has to be in US dollars. *If you are going to help support this student financially in the USA please provide a copy of your bank statement and a letter of support.
- 2 letters from current English teachers (we are a English Proficiency school system)
- 1 paragraph written by the student on why he wants to attend our school
- Transcript
- Copy of the students immunization records
- Copy of current Visa (if they have one)
- Copy of I-94 (if they have one)
- Copy of Passport (if they have one)
If your address changes anytime while here on an I-20 with Lumen Christi Catholic School, you need to report this within 10 days to the International Students Service Office. If this does not happen, your I-20 can be terminated.
Transfer Students
If you are currently an I-20 student at an approved F1 school, you can transfer out of your current school and transfer in to our school. We will need all of the above to open a folder on you. See above “Required Forms” plus you need to have your current school fill out and fax or email to Lumen Christi the “intent to transfer in” form. This is a required document before a transfer can be done. We will also need a copy of your school transcripts sent to our office with above paperwork. There is a $100 processing fee if you transfer from our school to another school within 2 years.
TUITION
Tuition for International students (grades 9-12) for the 2017-2018 school year is $10,000. Please be advised that one full semester of tuition is due upon registration (if this is not financially feasible, please contact us to make arrangements). Please note that there may be additional variable expenses incurred for the purchase of uniforms, iPads, workbooks, etc.
HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISORY SYSTEM
NAFSA has issued travel warnings for different countries. Please click here to get the latest. Travel warnings are issues when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid a certain country. The countries listed are currently on that list. In addition to this list, the State Department issues Consular Information Sheets for every country of the world with information on such matters as the health conditions, crime, unusual currency or entry requirements, any areas of instability, and the location of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in the subject country.
Click the button below to see the latest alert we are on and any special travel instructions.
From a broader perspective, DHS is the collection point for all SEVIS related information. In this role, DHS is responsible for assuring the accuracy of SEVIS data and for providing information to Congress and other government agencies, as required by law.
The primary responsibilities of DHS (Department of Homeland Security) in the student tracking and monitoring process include:
- Designing, maintaining, and enhancing SEVIS
- Writing and interpreting regulations pertaining to students and schools
- Approving schools for enrollment of F non-immigrant students
- Providing direction and assistance to DSOs and other governmental entities so that they can fulfill SEVP requirements
- Adjudicating student benefits to include employment, change of status, reinstatement
- Implementing compliance review and enforcement
The primary responsibilities of DHS (Department of Homeland Security) in the student tracking and monitoring process include:
- The Department of State, which issues non-immigrant visas and administers the Exchange Visitor Program
- The Social Security Administration, which issues social security numbers to students who work with the United States
- The Department of Education, which establishes standards for school accreditation
B1 / B2 VISAS
Lumen Christi does not issue paperwork for B1/B2 visas.
J1 VISAS (EXCHANGE STUDENTS)
Lumen Christi Catholic School is located in Jackson, MI, just west of the city limits in a suburban area. We are close in access to I-94 and US-127 for easy, efficient and quick travel.
NON-IMMIGRANT VISA AND SEVIS
To legally enter the United States as a non-immigrant visitor, most foreign nationals must obtain a visa from the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the U.S. Department of State (DOS). DOS issues different types of visas according to the purpose of the person’s visit. SEVIS tracks non-immigrants in three classes of admission (visa types):
- F1 – Individual is temporarily in the United States to study full-time at an academic institution. Lumen Christi Catholic School only issues I-20’s for F1 students. We do not currently accept students that have a F2 or J1 visa, and we do not issue those forms.
F-1 institutions include:
- Colleges and universities
- Seminaries
- Conservatories
- Academic high schools
- Private elementary schools
- Language training program
The individual who serves as a link between the student and SEVIS is one of the following:
- Principal Designated School Official (PDSO)
- Designated School Official (DSO)
A visa allows the foreign national to apply for admission to the United States at a Port of Entry (POE). Customs and Border Protection Officers at the POE will issue Form I-94. The Form I-94 is an extremely important document – it shows that the foreign national entered the United States legally, the class of admission (F, M, J, etc.), and the length of time the foreign national is allowed to remain in the United States. F-1 non-immigrants are admitted for duration of status (for as long as the non-immigrant students remains enrolled in a SEVIS approved school full-time and otherwise maintains status).
What is SEVIS? SEVIS is a web-based system for collecting, managing, and reporting information on foreign students, exchange visitors, and their dependents temporarily in the United States in a non-immigrant status. SEVP manages SEVIS and provides policy support and program administration for F non-immigrants. The reporting and tracking of these non-immigrants is:
- Mandated by U.S. law
- An important part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) mission
- A way for U.S. authorities to differentiate between individuals who are in the United States for legitimate academic pursuits and those who may not be
TERMINATION
Lumen Christi Catholic School follows the rules and regulations of the Department of Home Land Security (DHS). With doing so we are required to follow certain guidelines when accepting students and termination of students.
SEVIS record termination is made when non-immigrant students are:
- No longer participating in a SEVIS-approved program of study
- Does not report change of address within the 10 day requirement
- Potentially out of status
- No longer an F non-immigrant
- Out of the country for more than 5 months and are not enrolled full-time
There are many reasons a student may be terminated. These reasons are not necessarily negative. For example, an F student might need to return home before completing his or her program. The student would no longer need a non-immigrant status so his or her SEVIS record would be terminated, even though the student might continue to study at our school in the future.
Other reasons for termination revolve around a student’s failure to meet the requirements of an F-1 non-immigrant status. Some examples of this are:
- Failure to enroll in a full course of study
- Being expelled from the school or program of study
- Failure to meet Code of Conduct at the school
- Failure to meet minimum grade standards
WINTER INFORMATION
In Michigan we have several months of winter weather that include snow, ice, and wind chill. We would like to give you some information that might help you prepare for our season of Winter. Depending where you are coming from you may have never experienced snow and ice. In some years winter is from Nov – April so please be prepared. Click Weather.com to check the weather temperature for Jackson, MI at your convenience.
ELEVATED ALERTS FOR THE UNITED STATES
The United States has a tier of colors that the country is notified of if there is a threat on our country. You can see at what level we are at by clicking HERE. Red is the most severe threat alert we can be put on. When you hear the alert and color please be aware there will be more instructions that will follow. This will affect businesses, airports, government agencies, schools, etc.
