International Student Admission

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (A-B Tech) welcomes students from all countries interested in pursuing a diploma or associate degree in many fields of study. This web page includes all the information you should need in order to submit an application and supporting credentials to be considered for admission. A-B Tech has been approved to issue I-20 forms for qualified international students seeking diplomas or associate degrees in F-1 or M-1 status.

International students interested in attending A-B Tech may choose from a wide selection of diploma and associate degree programs. International students may not apply for certificate programs or competitive allied health programs (including, but not limited to Licensed Practical Nursing, Associate Degree Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Dental Assisting, Radiography, Sonography, and Surgical Technology). Click here for a complete listing of programs for which you may apply.

International students on an F-1 or M-1 student visa must be enrolled full-time. Full-time enrollment is defined as a minimum of 12 semester credit hours each for both the fall and spring semesters and 9 semester credit hours for the summer semester (summer semester may be optional depending on program). Additional credit hours may be required in certain programs or if applicants place into developmental courses in Math or English.

Cost of Attendance:

International students are required to pay for all expenses, including tuition, fees, books, supplies, living expenses, and travel. A-B Tech does not provide financial assistance or housing nor guarantee employment for international students.

Estimated Annual Cost of Attendance for the 2010-2011 Academic Year

Please use these estimates for the 2010-2011 academic year. Costs may be more or less, but you must show you have sufficient funds for at least one full academic year (fall and spring semester - minimum of $21,400 US Dollars). The summer term is optional for many programs - refer to the program listing link above to determine if you must show additional funding ($8,600 US Dollars) for the summer term.

Admission Deadlines:

The entire application packet (A-B Tech Application, International Application Supplement, transcripts, and TOEFL scores) must be received by the following deadlines:

For fall semester admission – June 1

For spring semester admission – October 1

For summer semester admission – March 1

All international students must fully complete and submit all required documentation in order to be considered for admission. Incomplete or online applications will not be considered. Faxed or unofficial documents will not be accepted. Applications received after the posted deadline will only be considered for a later semester.  Please allow for 6 - 8 weeks for a completed application to be processed. All necessary forms are available from this website for you to print.

If you are not able to access these materials electronically, an international application packet can be mailed to your home address by contacting the International Student Advisor, Rebecca B. Howell, at rhowell@abtech.edu. Please include your name and complete mailing address.

A complete application includes an A-B Tech Application, the International Application Supplement, Affidavit(s) of Support, high school and college transcripts, TOEFL scores, and additional placement testing. Specifics on each requirement are listed below.

1. Application for Admission
   Complete all sections of the application. Online applications will not be accepted. The written application must be submitted with all other required documentation.
2. International Application Supplement
   Complete and return the Application Supplement. This provides us with vital information to complete the application process. Not all questions will apply to every applicant, so please review it carefully and mark N/A (not applicable) for any question that does not apply. Please do not leave any question blank.
3. Affidavit(s) of Financial Support
   Complete and submit with required documentation described below. International students must show proof of financial support sufficient to cover out-of-state tuition, fees, books, supplies, living and travel expenses, and incidental costs for a minimum of one year of study. Please use the estimated costs of attendance listed above.
   
   The Affidavit(s) of Support must be notarized and a notarized bank letter and/or original bank statement must be attached. Bank letters/statements must be in English and indicate the currency used (US Dollars is preferred). You may submit multiple affidavits if more than one person or agency will be helping you fund your education. In such cases, the combined support of the affidavits will be considered. Please obtain duplicate copies to keep for yourself because financial documentation will also be required to obtain your visa and enter the United States of America.
   
   A-B Tech has very few on-campus employment options for international students and work opportunities are limited and subject to certain limitations. Work opportunities after the first year of study are limited and subject to certain limitations. Financial assistance and scholarships are not available.

Any student who plans to bring dependents (spouse or children) with him or her will need to document additional funds. Please indicate on your International Application Supplement how many dependents plan to travel with you and you will be notified of the additional funds you must provide. These costs must be included and supported in your Affidavit(s) of Support.

1. High School and College Transcripts:
   An official high school transcript must be included with your application. If the original transcript is not in English, an officially translated copy must also be included. The transcript must indicate the courses you completed, the highest level you completed, and the date you completed your studies. To be considered official, your high school needs to place the transcript in a sealed and signed envelope. This envelope is not to be opened before mailing to A-B Tech. If this is not possible, the transcript needs to be notarized as a true and certified copy of the original.
   
   If you have attended any colleges or universities and wish for them to be considered for transfer credit, please include official copies along with an official English translation (if necessary). Again, to be considered official, your college transcript needs to be in a sealed and signed envelope. If the college or university prefers to mail the transcript separately, please ask them to mail it to Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College, Attention: Rebecca B. Howell, 340 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC 28801, USA. A-B Tech will evaluate them for transfer credit if your application for admission is approved.
   
   Please remember: If the transcripts are not in English, official translations must also be included. A-B Tech does not provide translation services for transcripts.
2. TOEFL Requirements:
   Applicants from countries where English is the language of instruction or who already live in the Asheville area are not required to submit Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores.
   
   All other applicants must submit TOEFL scores. These scores may be sent directly to A-B Tech from the testing agency or may be included with your application packet.
   
   For additional information on taking the TOEFL, please contact the nearest American Consular Office. You may also contact the TOEFL website at http://www.toefl.org for information. The TOEFL agency can be reached by telephone at 1-609-771-7100 in the United States Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-9:45 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-4:45 p.m. New York, USA time.
   
   Minimum Scores
   * 450 on the paper-based TOEFL test
   OR
   * 133 on the computer-based TOEFL test
   OR
   * 60 total score on the internet-based TOEFL test
   * A minimum score of 15 is required on each subsection (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing)
3. Additional Placement Testing
   All A-B Tech applicants are required to take the Accuplacer Test for placement in English, Reading, and Math. International students must take the Accuplacer prior to admission. If you wish to take the Accuplacer at A-B Tech because you are already in the Asheville area or in the United States on a separate visa, please indicate this on the International Application Supplement.
   
   If you will be taking this test in your home country or outside of Asheville, you must have a proctor for the exam. The proctor must be a university official and will be responsible for administering the online exam. Our office will contact the proctor directly. Please supply the required proctor information on the International Application Supplement so our office can make arrangements for this test. You will be contacted regarding the placement test once all other required documentation has been received and approved.

When all required documents are received and testing is completed, a final decision on admission will be made.

Accepted students will be issued I-20 forms authorizing them to request an F-1 or M-1 visa from the U.S. Embassy in their home country. Accepted students who are already in the United States on another type of visa may be required to return to their home country to obtain the F-1 or M-1 visa. It is the responsibility of the accepted student to determine the necessary steps to obtain an F-1 or M-1 visa after A-B Tech has issued an I-20. Effective September 1, 2004, I-20 recipients may be required to pay the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) I-901 Fee of $200 U.S. dollars. To determine if you are required to pay the I-901 fee or to review update fee amounts and payment options, please visit http://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901 for more information. If you have additional questions or concerns regarding this fee, please contact your local United States of America Embassy or Consular office.

For additional information or for an international application packet, please contact:

International Student Advisor:
Rebecca B. Howell
E-mail: rhowell@abtech.edu
Phone: 828-254-1921, ext. 441
Mailing address:
A-B Tech
340 Victoria Rd.
Asheville, NC, 28801, USA.

Rev. 01/11