Santa Clara University

Visa Status

International students will need the F-1 student visa to study in the United States. On the F-1 visa, students must enroll full-time at 9-12.0 units per semester.    (Exception:    In the New Directions sabbatical program, 6.0 units constitutes full-time enrollment in combination with other components of the program.)  To apply for an F-1 visa, you will need to be accepted for admission to the JesuitSchool. You will also need to provide the JesuitSchool with documentation of your financial ability to cover tuition and fees and all living expenses during the entire time of your studies.

Below are the estimated costs for international applicants during the 2008-2009 academic year:

S.T.D, S.T.L. and Th.M. Applicants			$32,700
M.Div., S.T.B., and M.T.S. Applicants			$29,900
M.A. Applicants			$30,410
Sabbatical (New Direction and Special Student) Applicants			$21,890*

*New Directions Students: Costs are dependent upon the number of courses taken, and the number of semesters studied. The above amount covers two courses per semester for two semesters.

The JesuitSchool cannot issue the certification form for the student visa until it has received this documentation.

You must add $2,500 for each dependent, if applicable.

As a general rule, international students should plan to have a minimum of $16,450 available for living expenses each year, in addition to tuition and fees.

Students can request a Student Expense Budget from the Jesuit School Office of Admissions for a full breakdown of estimated expenses. In general, students need to budget approximately $16,700 in living expenses in addition to tuition and fees.


The JesuitSchool cannot issue the certification form for the student visa until it has received the required documentation of financial support, which
consists of the following:

1. A letter from one’s financial sponsor attesting that they will cover all expenses for the duration of one’s studies, including tuition and fees and living expenses.   (If you are financing your own studies, you should submit a letter to this effect.    If you have more than one sponsor, each sponsor should submit a letter indicating the amount of their sponsorship.)
2. Documentation from the sponsor’s bank verifying that there are enough funds on deposit to cover at least the first year’s expenses.

If you are currently studying at another school in the U.S. as an F-1 student, you will have to be accepted at the JesuitSchool and submit documentation of financial support in order to transfer to the JesuitSchool in F-1 status.   Once you have been accepted and confirmed your intention to attend the JesuitSchool, notify the International Student Advisor at both schools so that they can arrange this transfer.    

The R-1 Religious Worker Visa
Some clergy and members of religious congregations enter the United States on the R-1 Religious Worker Visa. To qualify for R-1 status, you must be sponsored by an American diocese or by the American branch of a religious congregation of which you are a member.  For more information on the R-1 visa, please confer with your bishop or religious superior.

Information
For further information about applying for a visa, please contact the International Student Advisor, Paul Kircher, at pkircher@jstb.edu or at tel. 510-549-5029, or visit the website of the nearest American consulate.  For a directory of American consulates throughout the world, see http://www.usembassy.gov/