F-1 Visa and Junior/Community College

Tucker.Tim

I'm thinking about getting an F-1 visa to study in the US and I was looking for anyone with experience to lend their ear for a moment - I'm a few years removed from second level and hence pretty rusty on my academic basics. Coupling that with significantly lower costs and easier entry I was looking at the possibility of applying to a junior college, doing a two-year degree and gathering together about half the credits needed for a bachelor's degree. Now I know that your are limited in the universities that will honour your credits from a junior college but I'd likely want to stay 'local' and with enough information I'm sure I'd be able to find a junior college course and a university course that sync up well for me.

My questions - has anyone you know took this course of education and if so, what were their take-aways from it?

On a funding level I'm aware I'd need enough to cover at least one year's tuition and living expenses independently, but what tends to be the situation when it comes to on-campus work that's allowed under the F-1 visa? Are we talking about exclusively minimum wage jobs (whatever that happens to be in the given state) and how likely is it that you'd be able to get such a job in the first place?


On a related note, what are realistic wait times for an F-1 visa to be cleared and ready to go if your interview and funding are all a-ok?

Thanks for any and all help!

pow wow

In terms of on-campus work they'd usually be minimum wage or close enough to it but you may get work as a notetaker/tutor or some other kind of administrative work which will pay slightly more. Most people I knew worked in either food service at the canteens etc. or as tutors (I did the latter!). As for how likely it is you'll find a job, it really depends on the size of the campus and the size of the city the campus is in (local students will live and probably work off-campus so there's less competition for the on-campus stuff). The international office at the college you choose may be able to send some work your way (they occasionally hire incoming international students for different things) in addition to the options available to you/local students.

The people I know who've done Associates Degrees at a CC have usually done so for more vocational courses (nursing being the big one) or accountancy related courses as opposed to English or Psychology for example. Most went via the CC route for the same reasons you are and it worked out just fine for them.

Current visa wait times can be found here - Note 4 says it can be up to 60 days but if your paperwork is in order it's much much quicker than that.

bookofstones

had my visa about 5 days after the interview last summer.. on campus jobs were easily got especially in the canteen-$15/hour.. Fairly upmarket school, I don't know how a Junior/Community college would compare..After two academic semesters you can work off campus.. Good luck!