*Federal Law authorizes this school to enroll non-immigrant students.

Thank you for your interest in Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC). OTC is a comprehensive community college offering two-year associate degree programs in both academic and technical areas.

If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States and are considering pursuing a full course of study as an international student at OTC, the government requires you to meet the following requirements before we can issue an I-20 form for the F-1 or M-1 visa. Please consider these requirements for international student admission carefully before submitting a formal application.

Application Deadlines for First-Time International Students

Submit all required application materials to the OTC International Program Office (IPO) by the following deadlines:

  • Spring Semester: accepting applications from October 1st through November 30th
  • Fall Semester: accepting applications from April 1st through June 30th

Admission Requirements

Processing Fee

Ozarks Technical Community College requires a U.S. $75 processing and application fee (plus $3 for credit card payment) for all international admissions. This fee is non-refundable and also applies to guest students who take classes at OTC without transferring. The IPO must receive this fee before application processing can begin. Please pay the processing and application fee here.

Academic Transcripts

For us to consider admission to OTC, international students must graduate from the equivalent of a U.S. high school (secondary school). You must submit official copies of academic records for all course work completed in secondary schools, colleges and universities within and outside the United States (faxed copies are acceptable for records outside the U.S.). All documents must have English translations, including your full name on each document. All records become OTC property and will not be returned.

Records

Records should provide detailed information including courses studied and grades received. The grading scale and number of course hours attempted should be noted when possible. A cumulative GPA equivalent to a 2.0 is required for all applicants. Transcripts from American and Canadian institutions should be sent in a sealed envelope directly from the institution to the IPO.

Agencies

Students who wish to have foreign coursework accepted for credit or as a prerequisite at OTC must have their foreign credits evaluated by an independent agency such as:

Financial Sponsor Letter

We require a hand-signed Affidavit of Support of support from the student’s sponsor verifying financial support. The statement must both include your name and be in English. It must also be dated within six months of the start of classes.

Bank Statement

We require a certified bank statement dated within six months of the start of classes showing the equivalent of $22,000 to demonstrate the student’s ability to afford one full year of living and educational expenses in Springfield, Missouri. This is the estimated one year cost for tuition, books, fees, housing and living expenses. In addition, OTC requires an additional $3,000 per dependent. Your bank statement and affidavit of support should reflect this if you have a dependent like a child or husband.

To learn more about the breakdown of these expenses, feel free to visit our International Student Estimated Costs page. These figures are subject to change.

To simplify transactions, we recommend prospective students establish a local account with a branch of any of the national or international banks in the Springfield area.

English Proficiency

Proof of English proficiency is required if your primary language is not English. The list below are the countries where English is one of the primary languages. If you are from one of these countries, you are exempt.

Exempt Countries

Individuals who have completed one or more years of study at the university level in the U.S. may be exempt at the discretion of the International Programs Office.

The following are tests and scores that count as a fulfillment of the English proficiency requirement at OTC:

  • TOEFL (Score of 61 or more)
  • IELTS (Score of 5.5 or more in every category)
  • ELI (completion of English for Academic Purposes Level 5)

 

After Admission and Before Arrival

Medical Insurance

*OTC does not have a student health center

Medical Insurance is mandatory for all F1 and M1 international students attending OTC. We recommend using the pre-approved insurance plan available to OTC students. While you are here, you will need to have year-round insurance coverage. Proof of insurance (which must include full medical, repatriation, and evacuation services) through the end of the upcoming semester is required to be eligible to register for classes. We recommend having your insurance coverage begin on the date you travel to the United States. You can access the International Student Health Insurance brochure here. If you have questions about the medical insurance plan for international students, please reach out to use at ipo@otc.edu.

 

To pay for your health insurance, please click here.

 

I-20 Form

Once we receive the above payments and documents, the IPO will review them and determine whether or not OTC will admit you. If admitted, OTC will send an I-20. The program then requires you to take your SEVIS receipt, your passport and your I-20 to the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy to apply for your student visa. If OTC does not select you for admission, OTC will notify you by mail. Processing an application may take six weeks or more to complete, so please start early.

Contact Information:

International Programs Office
Ozarks Technical Community College
1001 E. Chestnut Expressway
Springfield, MO 65802

Phone: (417) 447-6941
E-mail: IPO@otc.edu

SEVIS Fee

The U.S. government requires the payment of a non-refundable $350 SEVIS fee for all international students before issuing a visa. There are two methods of payment. You can either (1) electronically complete Form I-901 obtained from website www.FMJfee.com, using a credit card or (2) submit Form I-901 through the mail with a check or money order drawn on a US bank and payable in US currency. Go to www.ice.gov/sevis/index.htm for more information concerning SEVIS.

Prospective students must submit the fee at least three business days before the scheduled visa interview either electronically or by mail to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security address listed on the Form I-901. Students should bring a paper receipt (Form I-797) with them to the visa interview.

Apply for a Visa

Once you have gained your admission to OTC and received an I-20 from the International Programs Office, you will need to apply for your visa. In order to do this you will need to visit the US Embassy or consulate located in your country.