Columbia College does not offer scholarships for international students at this time. This may change in the future. Speak to a Financial Aid representative to discuss other options for funding your college experience.
If English is not your primary language, a TOEFL score is needed, no matter how proficient a student’s is in English. The only exceptions are that you have an SAT score of at least 480, have three years of high school English taught in a U.S. high school, have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years, or have earned a Bachelor’s degree from a U.S. College or University. The TOEFL score will help determine the level of a person’s English skills. This will determine a students’ placement, according to skills, in the correct classroom.
Columbia College accepts students who get a score of 500/550 on the paper-based test and 173/213 on the computer-based test. Students who get a score below those ranges will have to pass the ESL program courses in order to start a new program
Yes. ESL course entry is based on TOEFL scores and begins every 10 weeks. Call the admissions office for more information. Tysons Main Campus 8620 Westwood Center Drive Vienna, VA 22182 (703) 206-0508
Occasionally, Columbia College hires students to work in one of our offices. The college advises against students applying for a position in their first 10-week session, because students will have to adjust to their new lifestyle. Students on an F-1 visa who are in-status may work on campus 20 hours per week or less. Employment is limited on campus, so students should not depend on getting hired. Accepted students are not permitted to engage in off-campus employment without proper authorization from Immigration and Naturalization Services. Check with the local embassy before applying for a position outside the college.
Students attending college that want to maintain their legal F-1 status must attend college full-time and carry twelve credits per semester (for Associate Degree Programs). Students must also attend all necessary classes if they are in the Certificate Program.
An extension to your I-20 form may be filled out so you can complete your program of study.
After a student transfers out of his/her first college, he/she may stay legally in the United States to start classes in another school, provided that the waiting period does not exceed five months. He/she should speak to an advisor, as soon as possible, at his/her local embassy to make sure he/she will not fall out of status.
Students are allowed to stay in the United States for a period of sixty days counting from the program completion date indicated on your I-20 or the last day of classes, whichever is earlier.
Columbia College has two locations in the Northern Virginia Area. They are as follows: Tysons Main Campus 8620 Westwood Center Drive Vienna, VA 22182 +1 (703) 206-0508 Centreville Campus 4930 Centreville Crest Lane Centreville, VA 20121 +1 (703) 266-0528 Feel free to contact the campuses directly or call the main campus in Tysons for information.
