Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
International Admissions (J1/F1)
The J1 Visa Placement Process
To place students in CMS, all program representatives must attend one orientation session per year.
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Student application to the program (student must be 15 years of age or older before August 1st)
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Personal statement from the student
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Student transcript (must be translated if not in English; must be in American Letter Grade Equivalency. Student cannot have graduated from high school)
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Copy of ELTiS test results (students must have an overall score of 4 or 5)
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Host parent photo ID
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Proof of residency in the name of the host parent
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NC Health Assessment (can be completed by any licensed physician, including one from the student's home country, as long as it’s in English)
Once the student arrives in Mecklenburg County, they must provide a copy of their J-1 Visa to the Office of Student Records and International Admissions before the program start date.
F-1 Application Process
To apply for an F-1 visa, a prospective student must first be issued an I-20 form by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). Only the CMS Designated School Official (DSO) can issue the I-20, and this will be done through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database.
F1 Residence Requirements
F-1 applicants applying to CMS high schools must be sponsored by and reside with adults who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, parents, or adult court-appointed legal guardians who live in Mecklenburg County and assume responsibility for the student.
Full tuition payment (in U.S. money order or U.S. cashier’s check). Tuition will be required for all F-1 students and must cover the full unsubsidized per capita cost of education in CMS for the student’s attendance period.
Tuition Full Year $16,000, Semester $8,000
If you have any questions, contact the Student Records Department at:
1901 Herbert Spaugh Lane, Charlotte, NC 28208
980-343-5424
InternationalAdmissions@cms.k12.nc.us