*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 September 1st through November 1st
  • Fall Semester: accepting applications from March 1st through June 1st

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.

International Student Application

To apply for the international student program, visit apply.otc.edu or click “Apply Now” on the main otc.edu page. If you’re a first-time international student applying for an F1 visa, select “No” when asked about citizenship, then choose “Non-immigrant student visa” under citizenship status. Upload all required documents and pay the processing fee before submitting. If your application meets the OTC’s admissions requirements, your application will be processed within 5-10 business day after submission, and you will be issued an I-20. If documents don’t meet requirements, you’ll receive an email from ipo@otc.edu for updated documents.

Academic Transcripts

For admission to OTC, international students must provide translated transcripts that have have been evaluated and transcribed by a transcription service. These services will provide course equivalencies for all foreign institution courses and generate a U.S. GPA. A cumulative equivalent to a 2.0 GPA is required for all applicants. Applications will only be processed upon submission of these transcribed transcripts. Additionally, any credits earned from U.S. colleges must be transferred over for consideration.

Agencies

Below are some commonly used agencies for transcript transcription services. Please note that this list is not exhaustive but represents the most common options available.

Financial Sponsor Letter

As part of the application process, we require that the student’s sponsor provides an Affidavit of Support, confirming financial assistance. This document will be conveniently sent to the sponsor electronically through our application platform. The statement must contain the sponsor’s name and be in English, and it should 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)
  • Manchester Exam (score of 360 or more)

 

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.