Admissions > International Students
International Students
Holy Cross College welcomes the diversity and richness that international students contribute to the campus. Last year we accepted students from many countries including Brazil, Vietnam, Uganda, Iraq and England.
Our small size and personalized approach to higher education provides the ideal environment for students from other countries and cultures who wish to pursue high-quality undergraduate collegiate studies in the United States.
International students must complete their application to Holy Cross College by August 1* for fall semester enrollment or by November 15* for spring semester enrollment, providing all supporting documentation to the Admission office by that date.
* Applicants from Canada and Mexico may submit documentation through August 10 for fall semester and through December 1 for spring semester.
To apply for admission to Holy Cross College please complete and submit the following:
- An Application. Our online application will take approximately 15-20 minutes to finish.
Note: after completing the first page, you will receive an automated email with a PIN and login information. If you need to stop and return to your application at a later time, use the login information provided in that email. Once you review and submit your application, you will no longer be able to login to your form.
- An Essay. Compose a one to two-page essay explaining why Holy Cross College is a good fit for you. Please email your essay to us at admissions@hcc-nd.edu or complete or online Essay Form (click to open). If you are interested in being considered for scholarship opportunities, include in your essay information on your leadership and/or community service activities.
- An official transcript or record of secondary school and/or post-secondary academic work. All transcripts and records must be accompanied by certified English translations where applicable.
- Test Scores.
- If your native language is English, please submit official results of the SAT Scholastic Achievement Test I (www.collegeboard.com) or the ACT American College Test (www.actstudent.org).
- If English is not your native language, or if the language of instruction in your secondary school is not English, please submit official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (www.toefl.org). The International English Language Testing System Exam (IELTS) is also accepted.
- A completed and signed Financial Guarantee Statement (click to open) and official documentation verifying that you possess sufficient financial resources to cover your cost of attendance (tuition and fees, living expenses, textbooks) at Holy Cross College for one year. Official verification documentation cannot be more than six months old. The cost of attendance for the 2010-2011 academic year is $30,100. If the Specific Source of Funds section on the Financial Guarantee Statement totals less than $30,100 (U.S. Dollars), an I-20 will not be issued.
- A copy of the photo identification page of your passport as required by the Department of Homeland Security.
International students who are transferring from another college or university must also submit: Transfer Applicant Personal Record (click to open).
Also, if you wish consideration of unique circumstances, you are encouraged to include a separate statement detailing your specific situation.
Click here to begin your Online Application
ADMITTED STUDENTS ENTERING THE U.S. ON AN F-1 STUDENT VISA
If you are currently residing in your country of citizenship, we will mail your I-20 form via private carrier along with your acceptance letter and packet. You must then make an appointment with the nearest United States Embassy to apply for your F-1 Student Visa. This link will provide helpful information about applying for your visa. http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html#long
ADMITTED STUDENTS ALREADY STUDYING IN THE U.S.
If you are currently holding a valid I-20 from another U.S. college or university and you are transferring to Holy Cross College, you must submit the International Transfer Student Release form to the International Student Advisor or Designated School Official (DSO or PDSO) at your former school. Your former school will then transfer your SEVIS record to Holy Cross College, allowing us to create a new I-20 with updated information. The release form will be provided by the Holy Cross College Office of Admissions.
IMPORTANT SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
Scholarship funds for international students are extremely limited. International applicants for admission must therefore be prepared to pay for all or nearly all of their educational and living expenses. Review of financial resources is part of the admission decision for all international applicants and no admission decision will be made without complete financial documentation. The international scholarships awarded by Holy Cross College are merit-based, recognizing the applicant's combined excellence in academic, extracurricular and leadership activities.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS AND ADMITTED STUDENTS
- Holy Cross College cannot under any circumstance issue an I-20 to a student until the student has been formally admitted to the College.
- We are only authorized to admit international students with a visa classification of F-1.
- International students are required to maintain full-time status (12 or more credit hours)unless given permission by our Designated School Official (DSO) to drop below 12 credit hours.
- When an international student plans to exit the United States for any reason while enrolled at Holy Cross (i.e. to return home for breaks, holidays, summer vacation, etc.), our Designated School Official must sign and date the 1-20 before departure. Otherwise, the student is likely to encounter difficulty with U.S. officials upon reentering the country.
- As a general rule, international students are not allowed to work off-campus.