Admission Requirements and Registration Procedures for International Students
Participants should apply to the Language Institute at least two months before the program begins.
The Language Institute’s programs are for participants and professionals who:
- Are 18 years of age and older.
- Have completed high school or the equivalent in their country.
Participants are required to send via email or mail the following items:
- Review specific program requirements.
- Submit the application electronically.
- Process placement test payment registration.
Our office will assist students to complete their registration Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Contact us by email, at the Language Institute sites, or by calling us at either our Edinburg or Brownsville locations:
UTRGV Edinburg
Language Institute
1407 E. Freddy Gonzalez
CESS Bldg., Rm. 1.700
Edinburg, TX 78539-2999
Email: pewd@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 665-2133
Fax: (956) 665-5001
UTRGV Brownsville
Language Institute
1601 E. Price Rd. Ste. "E"
Resaca Village Plaza
Brownsville, TX 78521
Email: pewd@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 882-4178
Fax: (956) 882-4182
The I-20 Form will be provided to eligible students.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Students must submit a current bank statement from the person responsible for the expenses at the time of registration. The bank statement must cover tuition, books, housing, and insurance expenses for the length of study.
- Copy of passport. The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements).
- The Department of Homeland Security requires all foreign students to pay a SEVIS fee of $350(USD) either by mail or via internet, and fill out an I-901 Form before making an appointment at their corresponding American Consulate.
Student Visa F-1, I-20 Form (Full-Time Student):
- International students, who wish to study full-time at the LI, must apply for a student visa before leaving their country. The Language Institute is authorized to issue the Certificate of Eligibility I-20 Form needed to obtain an F-1 student visa for English study. This form will only be issued after an application for admission and tuition has been received and the LI has verified that all requirements have been fulfilled.
- Students may pick up the I-20 Form in the LI office or request that it be sent by registered mail. Students must take the Certificate of Eligibility, I-20 Form, two photos, the bank statement and a valid passport to their corresponding American Embassy or Consulate in their home country before entering the United States.
- We recommend that the student call their American Consulate to ask if they need further documentation.
Border Commuter Visa F-1, I-20 Form (Part-Time Student):
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) allows Mexican and Canadian commuter students to study on a part-time basis at schools located within 75 miles of the United States border. The Language Institute is authorized to issue the Certificate of Eligibility I-20 Form needed to obtain an F-1 Border Commuter visa for English study.
- International students who wish to study part-time at the LI must apply for an F-1 Border Commuter visa.
- Border commuter students must meet the following criteria to be eligible to obtain a Form I-20 for authorization to continue in part-time study:
- A national of Canada or Mexico who maintains an actual residence, and a place of abode in the foreign national's country of nationality
- Lives within 75 miles of the border
- Attending a school located within 75 miles of the border
- Registered as a border commuter student
- Enrolling in a full course of study on a part-time basis.
- F-1 Border Commuter visas can only be issued at the U.S. Consulate in Matamoros, Tamaulipas. The U.S. Consulate in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon will not issue F-1 Border Commuter visas.
- Students may pick up the I-20 Form in the LI office or request that it be sent by registered mail. Students must take the requirement documents as instructed in their F-1 visa appointment confirmation to U.S. Consulate.
- We recommend that the student call their American Consulate to ask if they need further documentation.
Visa Appointment Wait Times:
- To review the Visa Appointment Wait Times in a U.S. Consulate near you, please click here.
Tuition:
The prices of our programs are located on the corresponding course page.
- We require a written request emailed to pewd@utrgv.edu at least 3 business days prior to the start date of the course to get the registration fee refunded in full. Partial refunds are not available.
- It takes 5-7 business days to process refunds for credit/debit card payments.
Financial Aid and Scholarships are not available to LI participants.
Participants who apply to the following programs are required to take a placement test: Intensive English Program, Semi-Intensive English Program, Survival English Adult Learners (SEAL) Program, and TOEFL Test Prep.
Specially trained instructors will determine participants' level of proficiency and place them into the appropriate level. Participants are placed in a class with other participants of the same ability.
Medical Insurance:
- The Board of Regents of the UT-System schools requires that all international students have medical insurance every session. The Board of Regents has also granted an exception for Mexican Nationals attending the Language Institute.
- The minimum coverage is:
- Medical Benefits - unlimited maximum on benefits
- No Pre-existing condition limitation
- Medical Evacuation - $10,000 or more
- Repatriation - $7,500 or more
- Deductible cannot exceed $500 per accident or illness
- All insurance policies must be compliant with the Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
NEW WAIVER REQUIREMENT - EFFECTIVE FALL 2014:
- The UT System has approved new criteria for waiver eligibility. In order to be approved for a waiver, your alternate health coverage must meet or exceed the requirements as set in the System regulation and be PPACA compliant. Your external insurance policy may no longer qualify for the waiver.
- For more information on the regulation and waiver requirement, visit: http://www.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/rules-regulations/rules/50402-health-insurance-requirements-international-students
University of Texas System Injury and Sickness Insurance
- For a complete list of all the benefits, exclusions, and limitations, please see the current plan year brochure. You can view the current brochure by going to the carrier website at: http://utrgv.myahpcare.com
- Follow the directions on the website for more information on the policy.
Proof of Meningitis Vaccination:
- In accordance with Texas law, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the Language Institute requires all first-time students, including transfer and returning students 21 years or younger, to submit evidence that the student has been vaccinated against bacterial meningitis 10 days prior to the first class day or to provide other documentation establishing why such a vaccination is not required.
- Students will not be allowed to enroll without providing proof of the vaccination or exemption.
- All first-time students, including transfer and returning students, must provide one of the following documents to the Language Institute:
- A Bacterial Meningitis Immunization Record" signed by a health practitioner evidencing that the student has been vaccinated against bacterial meningitis or any other official state or local immunization record. Confirmation of the MCV4 (Menactra) vaccine will satisfy as the requirement. The MPSV4 (Menomune) vaccination may not be accepted unless administered or boosted within the past 5 years. Vaccinations must be administered no fewer than 10 days prior to the first day of the session for which the student is enrolling.
- A "Refusal of Immunization for Medical Reasons" signed by a physician who is licensed and registered to practice medicine in the United States which states the physician's opinion that the required vaccination would be injurious to the health and well-being of the student.
- A "Texas Department of State Health Services Conscientious Exemption" signed by the student stating that the student has declined the vaccination for reasons of conscience, including religious belief.