International Students

Provide Financial Affidavit of Support.

Prospective F-1 or M-1 students must have the financial resources to live and study in the United States. This includes being able to cover the cost of tuition, books, living expenses and travel. To ensure that you have sufficient funds to study at Escoffier, please provide family bank statements and documentation from a sponsor, if necessary. Bank statements should be translated to U.S. dollars and be dated within the last 6 months. Students must provide evidence of sufficient resources of a minimum of $35,000 for our diploma programs, or $57,000 for our Associate degree programs.

Provide additional documents required for Transfer Students (if applicable).

If you are transferring from another institution: provide a copy of your current I-20, passport, a copy of your I-94 card, and Transfer Verification form. For transfer credit evaluation, provide college level transcripts.

Escoffier issues your Form I-20.

If you are accepted for enrollment, Escoffier will issue you a Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Students.” A student and the student’s spouse or children must have a Form I-20 to apply for a student visa to enter the United States. The Form I-20 lists your program start date, 30 days before which you are allowed to enter the United States. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Form I-20 is allowed to be signed and transmitted electronically.

Escoffier can expedite delivery of your I-20 for an additional fee.

Pay the I-901 SEVIS fee.

The Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is the system the government uses to maintain information on students who come to the United States. Note that you can only pay the SEVIS fee after you receive your Form I-20 from Escoffier.

Apply for your M-1 or F-1 visa in your home country.

Apply for a visa that will allow you to enter the United States to study at your selected campus. This step includes an interview with a U.S. Consulate in your home country. You are expected to have the original Form I-20 at your visa interview (no copies).

If your visa application is accepted, the consulate will issue you an M-1 or F-1 visa.

This visa is issued for the Austin, Texas or Boulder, Colorado, campus for any of their diploma programs.

Work and Externships. While attending school, M-1 students may not accept employment. M-1 students may accept an unpaid position while completing their externship course. Practical training is the only type of work permission available to M-1 students. It allows students to get on-the-job training that is not available in their home country. Eligible students may have up to six months of practical training after they complete their program.

This visa is issued for Associate Degree programs at the Austin, Texas, campus.

Work and Externships. The type of work you can do under the F-1 visa depends on whether or not you have completed an academic year of study.

In the first academic year, F-1 students cannot work off-campus. However, they may work on-campus up to 20 hours per week, subject to certain conditions and job availability.

After the first academic year, F-1 students have an opportunity to engage in 2 types of off-campus employment related to their area of study:

• Pre-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT): This program allows you to work off-campus part-time (up to 20 hours per week) in an approved program while school is in session. You may work full-time when school is not in session.
• Post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT): After completing your studies, you may apply to work in an approved program for a part-time (less than 20 hours per week) or full-time position. F-1 students are eligible for up to to one year of post-completion practical training.