International Students

Lorain County Community College welcomes international students, whether holding immigrant or non-immigrant status. Currently, LCCC enrolls international students from more than 17 countries. International students choose Lorain County Community College as the ideal environment to improve their English, pursue their education, graduate, transfer and advance their academic and career goals.

A non-immigrant student is a citizen of a country other than the United States who is authorized to remain in the United States to study for a temporary period of time and who intends to return to his or her home country. LCCC is authorized by the Department of Homeland Security to issue the required Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) for F-1 students. Both J-1 and F-1 Visa students must maintain full-time (12 or more credits) status at all times and remain in good academic standing.

Admission Requirements

  1. International Student Application. Contact the International Student Services office for an application or visit www.lorainccc.edu/international for information about our programs and application process. All application materials must be submitted in their entirety for the applicant to be considered.
  2. English Proficiency. Applicants need to demonstrate proficiency in English even if planning to enroll in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. If English is not the student’s first language, the results of an English language proficiency examination such as TOEFL, iBT, IELTS, EIKEN, or ITEP must be submitted. 
    • Students earning a minimum score of 61 iBT or 173 on the computer-based TOEFL test (or 500 on the paper and pencil test) may be considered for regular admission and must sit for the LCCC placement assessment examination upon arrival and prior to enrollment. 
    • Students earning at least 46 iBT score or 133-170 on the computer-based TOEFL test (or 450 on the paper and pencil test) may be considered for English as a second language study prior to or concurrently with a limited number of courses. Students may also submit IELTS, EIKEN or ITEP results to fulfill the English language proficiency requirement. 
    • A minimum IELTS score is 5; a minimum EIKEN score is 2; a minimum ITEP score is 3. 
    • Students earning a minimum score of 2A on the EIKEN test may be considered for regular admission and must sit for the LCCC placement assessment examination upon arrival and prior to enrollment.
  3. Proof of Financial Eligibility. Students must have adequate funds to cover all expenses for the first full year of study and must be able to demonstrate these funds to the American Consular officer who will consider their visa application. 
    • Approximately $US26,000.00 is REQUIRED for each year of study. No financial aid, grants or loans are available from LCCC. Students should not expect nor require employment income. 
    • The International Student Financial Statement must be completed and submitted along with an original bank letter from the sponsor’s bank or financial institution which includes the location of the bank, sponsor’s account information converted into U.S. dollars and signed by a bank official. Financial documentation must be less than six months old. 
    • If the sponsor is an American citizen or permanent resident, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services form I-134 should be completed and notarized. 
  4. A copy of the applicant’s passport signature page including valid dates and expiration date. 
  5. School Records. Submit official, certified school records, not photocopies. Scanned copies may be submitted for admission review; official copies are required for course evaluation and course credit. These may include documents issued by the school, the Ministry of Education, the government or official office responsible for issuing school records. All documents must be in English or be officially translated into English. 
    • Submit a high school diploma or the equivalent of 12 years of education. 
    • Include official, certified post-secondary, university-level, or English language study information, educational records and/or grade reports for evaluation.  Photocopies are not official records. 
  6. Personal Essay. Submit a brief, personally written essay describing the applicant’s educational goals and previous English-language experiences. 

The Office of International Student Services will acknowledge receipt of the completed application and, upon determination of admission, will send the I-20 Certificate of Eligibility, which allows the student to apply for the F-1 visa. The I-20 form will be sent to the student via courier and/or electronically through our secure portal.

Persons holding immigrant status, such as permanent resident, refugee, or asylum, may apply for admission for any enrollment term. Tuition will be assessed for these applicants according to Chapter 119 of the Ohio Revised Code. (See section on Residency). Contact the Enrollment, Financial and Career Services division to begin the application process.

Prior to course registration, all students must complete the LCCC placement assessment and/or ESL examination. Testing and advisement may result in REQUIRED placement into courses or programs not initially selected and noted on the I-20 Certificate of Eligibility.

All students MUST have a health insurance policy that includes hospitalization and accident coverage at all times while holding a student visa. All students are REQUIRED to adhere to SEVIS guidelines. If these guidelines are not met, students are subject to having their visa status revoked and being unable to stay at LCCC. 

Office of International Student Services
Lorain County Community College
1005 North Abbe Road
Elyria, OH 44035
United States of America
Telephone: (440) 366-4069
Website: www.lorainccc.edu/international