International Students
Dear Prospective Student,
Thank you for your interest in Gavilan College. Gavilan College welcomes students from other countries. We are a two-year public community college accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges offering programs in the liberal arts, pre-professional business, vocational and technical fields. The campus is located in Northern California in Gilroy, thirty-five miles south of the city of San Jose, in a rural setting two miles from the downtown area. Here is some information you may find useful in making a decision about applying to Gavilan:
Housing and Public Transportation
Gavilan College does not have on-campus residential facilities. However, apartments are available in the surrounding area and rent for $1000 and up per month. Public transportation to the campus and around the Bay Area is available by bus and commuter train.
Fees
A non-refundable, one-time filing fee of $100. U.S. dollars is required. Applicants must be prepared to pay all school fees and housing costs. Consult the non-resident fee schedule for International students: Spring 2025 for current information. State or federal financial aid is not available to international students.
Health Insurance
International students must purchase and maintain health insurance coverage provided by Student Insurance International during the entire period of enrollment at Gavilan College.
Application
Prospective F-1 International Students must submit the following documents:
- A completed International Admissions Application and $100 filing fee
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores. A minimum of 550 on the paper based test; A minimum of 213 on the computer-based test; A minimum of 79 on the Internet-based test is required For information regarding the TOEFL exam, contact Educational Testing Service at their website www.toefl.org The "Institutional Code" for Gavilan College is: 004678
- Completed Statement of Financial Support and financial statement from the bank of the person who will be financially responsible for you while you are in the United States.
- Official transcripts of records from other colleges attended inside and outside of the US. These records must be translated into English and evaluated for equivalent credit and course content.
- A small photograph of yourself (passport size picture).
Application Deadlines
OUT OF COUNTRY APPLICATIONS
| Fall Semester: begins mid-August and ends in mid-December | May 15th |
| Spring Semester: begins mid-January and ends in late May | September 15th |
| Summer session: begins mid-June and ends in late July | March 15th |
Students applying within the United States should submit their application documents at least 8 weeks before the beginning of the term. ALL documents must be received before the deadline date. The applicant will be notified in approximately 3-5 weeks of the Admission decision.
NOTE: Applications to the Nursing or Cosmetology program will not be accepted.
TRANSFER STUDENTS
| Fall Semester: | June 26th |
| Spring Semester: | October 27th |
| Summer session: | April 26th |
Students who are currently studying in the United States with an F-1 visa must also submit the following documentation to transfer to Gavilan College:
To be eligible to transfer, you must consistently maintain F-1 status and follow the correct transfer procedures. To maintain your status at your current school, you must continue attending all of your classes while you are waiting to transfer. For an F-1 student, that is until your transfer release date. Your transfer release date is the day on which the designated school official (DSO) at your current school moves responsibility for your Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record to your new school.
Steps to Transfer:
- A completed International Admissions Application
- Copy of your passport ID page, I-94, and F-1 visa
- Completed Statement of Financial Support and financial statement from the bank of the person who will be financially responsible for you while you are in the United States.
- Official transcripts from all institutions you have attended in the U.S.
- You must currently be in good status in SEVIS and have a valid F-1 visa to transfer to Gavilan College
Students accepted for transfer to Gavilan College must submit an International Student Transfer Notification.
International Students who are attending another college and wish to take one course at Gavilan
If you have an I-20 at another college, and wish to take a course at Gavilan College in addition to your course load elsewhere, please do the following:
- Submit a paper application to admissions@gavilan.edu AND a letter from your international student advisor/counselor, on college letterhead, indicating that you are a full time student at that school and you have permission to take classes at Gavilan College. Letter MUST indicate the specific courses and number of units permitted.
Maintaining F-1 Status
All F-1 students must follow the Department of Homeland Security and USCIS regulations to keep their status in the United States.
F-1 Student must:
- Study full time (at least 12 units per semester) during fall and spring semesters. Only one online or distance learning class can count toward a full course of study during each semester.
- Maintain a full course of study each term. If you cannot, please contact your DSO immediately: admissions@gavilan.edu, subject line: F-1 Full Course of Study.
- Students must provide proof of health insurance by the end of the 1st week of each semester.
- Pay all enrollment fees according to the International Students Fee Schedule.
- Have a current Educational Plan on file with Admissions and Records
- Notify Admissions and Records on any changes to your address, phone number, and/or email address. Changes must be reported within 10 days.
Falling out of Status
If you fail to follow the F-1 status regulations outlined above, you could be terminated in the SEVIS system and will have to apply for Reinstatement through the USCIS.
Please contact the Gavilan DSO at admissions@gavilan.edu if you have any questions.
PROGRAMS AND COURSES OFFERED AT THE COLLEGE
We hope the material below will be helpful to you and invite you to contact us if you have further questions.
Admissions@gavilan.edu
408-846-4954
