International Students

Berkshire Community College is pleased to welcome international students to our campus and is authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant students. Applications must be received three months prior to the intended semester start date.

International Student Admission Requirements

1. An official translated high school transcript (or high school equivalency program);
2. Official transcripts from any other colleges attended (indicating graduation date);
3. An affidavit of financial support (estimated at $21,000 to reflect tuition, fees, health insurance and all housing and living expenses); and
4. Completion of the Berkshire Community College International Student Application Form.

Upon arrival, international students are required to take an Accuplacer assessment to determine the appropriate level at which coursework should begin. Based upon these test results, placement in college preparatory English, reading and mathematics courses may be required in preparation for a student's success in college-level courses.

Students from other countries, who hold a student visa (F1) enabling them to attend BCC, should be aware of regulations specific to their situation. An international student must normally maintain full-time status, that is, 12 credits or more, throughout each semester. International students must contact the Admissions Office before withdrawing from full-time enrollment, leaving the country, or transferring to another institution.

Tuition for international students remains at the non-resident rate for the duration of the student's time at BCC.

All International students must provide complete immunization. This includes current tuberculosis testing (TB or chest x- ray), tetanus-diphtheria (Td or Tdap), measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), hepatitis B, varicella (chicken pox) and meningococcal: 1 dose MenACWY (formerly MCV4) required for all full-time students 21 years of age or younger. The dose of MenACWY vaccine must have been received on or after the student’s 16th birthday. Antibody laboratory blood tests (titers) must include laboratory report proof of immunity. Medical forms from doctors’ offices should include vaccinations in English.

Some additional admission requirements may be in effect for the Nursing and Allied Health programs.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

International students whose official language is not English must provide the scores of their TOEFL test. The scores should be 500 or above if the test was done on paper, 173 on the computerized test, or 61 on the Internet-based test (IBT). To find out about the TOEFL, visit www.ets.org/toefl. TOEFL scores must be sent to the Admissions Office at Berkshire Community College.