International Students
South Florida Bible College welcomes students from all countries of the world.
Our application deadlines for international students are as follows:
June 1 | Fall Term |
October 15 | Spring Term |
April 1 | Summer Term |
A deposit of $US4000 is required. This deposit is not due with the application. It is due after you receive your I-20, at the time you register for your first classes. This deposit must be paid in $US, drawn on a U. S. bank or by international money order. You will not be allowed to attend classes until the $US4000 deposit is paid.
Forms you will need to apply to South Florida Bible College are these: Application Form, Certification of Financial Responsibility, SEVIS Form, I-901 Form, and, in some cases, I-539 Form. To obtain these forms, contact our International Student Services Coordinator by phone: 954-545-4500 or by email: international@sfbc.edu. The forms can be mailed or emailed to you. Our catalog, which is available on this website, also contains an Application Form, which you can download.
How to Apply If You Are Already in the United States:
You can find our catalog, a class schedule, application form, Certification of Financial Responsibility, SEVIS Form on our website. In compliance with U. S. Immigration law, if you are interested in coming to our school, please return all the items listed below on or before the registration deadlines.
1. Completed application. Including signed Forms
2. $US350 for the application/registration/international student fee, non-refundable, made payable to South Florida Bible College, paid in $US, drawn on a U. S. bank or by international money order. We cannot process your application until we receive the $US350.
3. Completed SEVIS Form.
4. Certification of Financial Responsibility, signed by both your sponsor and the applicant (you).
5. Official letter from your sponsor’s bank (showing how much money is in the account). We will need an original bank statement no older than 2 months old. The bank statement needs to be in English using U.S. dollars.
6. Official letter from your bank in the U.S. (showing that you have an account in the U.S. where funds can be received).
7. Personal letter from your sponsor, guaranteeing financial support for one year in the amount of $US21895. (If you are bringing additional family members, add $US4500 for your spouse, and $US3500 for each child). If you are coming alone and are going to live with a relative, you need to have only $US15760, but you must have a letter from the relative guaranteeing your living expenses.
8. Completed 1-901 Form which gives authority to pay the I-901 Fee of $US 200 by VISA, Master, or American Express Card.
9. Xerox copy of your passport pages with your picture and date of expiration.
10. Xerox copy of your I-94.
After I receive all of the above items, I will prepare an I-20 Form for you, which you will need to come here to sign. You can also pay your I-901 Fee on line. Payment information is available at http://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901/ .
After you receive a receipt of payment for the I-901 Fee you then have two choices:
1. You can take the I-20 and the I-901 Receipt to the American Embassy in your home country.
2. You can contact an immigration attorney here in the U. S. and have him send your papers to U.S.C.I.S. If you chose to use an immigration attorney, you will also need to fill out an I-539 Form and buy a money order in the amount of $US290, payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This immigration attorney will charge you a fee for his work. We do not know how much the fee is, nor if he will be able to expedite your documents in a timely way. We do not recommend any immigration attorneys. You will need to find an immigration attorney on your own.
*Note that you may not work during your first year, and must take a full load of classes. For undergraduate students, those pursuing an AA or BA degree, a full load is four classes in the fall, winter, and spring terms. For the graduate students those pursuing an MA or Ph.D., a full load is three classes in the fall, winter, and spring terms.
How to Apply If You Are In Your Home Country:
You can find the class schedule, application form, Certification of Financial Responsibility, and SEVIS Form on our website. In compliance with U. S. Immigration law, if you are interested in coming to our school, please return all the items listed below on or before the registration deadlines. As International Students we must receive original copies of everything.
1. Completed application.
2. $US350 for the application/registration/international student fee, non-refundable, made payable to South Florida Bible College, paid in $US, drawn on a U. S. bank or by international money order. We cannot process your application until we receive the $US350.
3. Completed SEVIS Form.
4. Certification of Financial Responsibility, signed by both your sponsor and the applicant (you).
5. Official letter from your sponsor’s bank (showing how much money is in the account). We will need an original bank statement no older than 2 months old. The bank statement needs to be in English using U.S. dollars.
6. Official letter from your bank in the U.S. (showing that you have an account in the U.S. where funds can be received).
7. Personal letter from your sponsor, guaranteeing financial support for one year in the amount of $US21895. (If you are bringing additional family members, add $US4500 for your spouse, and $US3500 for each child). If you are coming alone and are going to live with a relative, you need to have only $US15760, but you must have a letter from the relative guaranteeing your living expenses.
After I receive all of the above items then I will prepare an I-20 Form for you and mail it to you. You will need to pay the SEVIS Fee. Newly admitted students who enter the U.S. for the first time in F-1 status must pay the SEVIS fee ($200US) prior to applying for their visa. Payment information is available at http://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901/ . After you receive a receipt of payment for the I-901 Fee, you will make an appointment and take the receipt and the I-20 to the American Embassy in your home country. You must take the I-20, I-901 receipt, and other identification required by the American Embassy with you.
Note that you may not work during your first year, and must take a full load of classes. For undergraduate students, those pursuing an AA or BA degree, a full load is four classes in the fall and spring terms. For the graduate students pursuing an MA, a full load is three classes in the fall and spring terms.
If you have any questions, please give me a call or email me at international@sfbc.edu.
Sincerely,
Carol A. Midkiff
International Student Services Coordinator (ISSC) and Principal Designated School Official (PDSO). Our International Student Services Coordinator can be reached at 954-545-8326.
Certificate of Financial Responsibility Form (PDF)