International Students

International Students

Lake Michigan College welcomes students from around the world

LMC is a source of education, a cultural center, a regional economic partner and a leader in diversity and innovation. International students enjoy special assistance from the International Students Office.

Who is an International Student? 

The College defines an international student as a non-United States (U.S.) citizen residing or intending to reside as a non-immigrant in the United States for the purposes of obtaining an academic degree conferred by the College; i.e. those seeking an F1 student visa.

How to Apply

Submit all documentation to: Lake Michigan College International Student Office, 2755 E. Napier Avenue, Benton Harbor, MI 49022.

Step 1: Apply

International students seeking admission to Lake Michigan College must apply by July 1 for the Fall semester, November 1 for the Spring semester, and March 1 for the Summer term to issue the necessary documents required to apply for a student visa.

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Step 2: Submit Academic Records

Have your secondary school transcripts or certificate and any prior college transcripts evaluated and submitted to the International Students Office. See the Transcript Evaluation section below for more information.

Step 3: Proof of Language Proficiency

Proficiency in the English language is required. The applicant must submit proof of ONE of the following: 

  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Test with a minimum score of 500 on the paper-based test, 173 on the computer-based test, or 59-60 TOEFL iBT for academic admission.
  • Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency (MTELP): a minimum score of 75 is required.
  • Transferable English Composition Course: must be completed at a US college or university with a minimum grade of "C".
  • Native English Speaker: documented by high school Transcript/Certificate/ Reports.

Step 4: Financial Verification

Applicants must be financially self-supporting while studying in the U.S. Students must provide both:

  • Proof of having U.S. dollars to meet the “Lake Michigan College Minimum Cost of Living Estimate.” This must be documented on the “Declaration of Finances Form.” The sponsor of the student must provide a bank statement that testifies to the sponsor’s willingness and ability to support the student while he/she attends Lake Michigan College.
  • A one-time deposit, which will be collected before an international student is admitted to the College for the first time.This required deposit will be made in accordance with the International Student Deposit Policy below.

Step 5: Apply for a Visa

Upon completion of the steps listed above, international student applicants will receive a letter of acceptance, a Form I-20, and copies of the Declaration of Finances Form. The letter of acceptance, Form I-20, a valid passport, and Declaration of Finances Form must be presented to the U.S. Embassy/Consulate abroad to apply for an F-1 student visa. 

Important Information

Before a Form I-20 can be issued to an international student, the student must make a deposit approximately equal to the cost of the first year of tuition. For the current academic year, this amount is $7,866. The deposit is held exclusively for Lake Michigan College tuition/fees and on-campus housing. 

If paying within the U.S., payment arrangements may be made through the Lake Michigan College Business Office at emosbey@lakemichigancollege.edu. Payments made by credit card will be assessed a 2.5% processing fee. If sending funds from outside the U.S., wire payments may be submitted through Flywire.

The deposited funds will be held until the student leaves Lake Michigan College or transfers to another institution. At that time, any remaining deposit will be refunded to the student. Funds are refunded to the account that they were received from. If received through Flywire, funds will be refunded through Flywire with any fees being charged to the originator. 

Health services and practices in the United States are perhaps different from those in other countries. Health care is expensive in the U.S. and must be paid for by the student. Most treatment is obtained through private practice physicians. There is no Federal government facility open to the general population. Hospitalization, medical, dental, and mental health treatment can be very expensive. 

International students are required to obtain medical and repatriation insurance prior to the start of their first semester at Lake Michigan College and must maintain coverage while enrolled at LMC. Documentation of insurance coverage is to be submitted to the International Student Specialist during the enrollment process.  Updated documentation may be requested depending on the length of coverage the student purchases.  

Lake Michigan College does not maintain coverage for students and is not responsible for any medical, hospital, evacuation, or repatriation expenses that you may incur due to a lapsed policy, a policy which does not cover all expenses, or in any other case.

Student housing is available on the Benton Harbor Campus. Apartments and rooms are available for rent to students in the area. Students are responsible for arranging their own housing accommodations.

Benton Harbor, Niles and South Haven do not have international airports. The nearest international airport is O'Hare Airport in Chicago, IL. Arriving students could make arrangements for a connecting flight from O'Hare to South Bend, IN. Land travel is possible from South Bend, IN to any of our campuses.

Public transportation is very limited. Most students rely on a private automobile as a means of conveyance between their residence and the College.

Employment opportunities for international students are very limited. The single source of employment initially is restricted to on-campus employment. There are very few jobs available on-campus. You can not work off-campus in any capacity without specific authorization from the International Student Advisor and Department of Homeland Security. This permission is withheld until you have completed your first year of college work. Applicants cannot assume that monies from employment will be available to them in the US. Working without approval means immediately the student is "out-of-status" with no opportunity for reinstatement. You will be ineligible for any other benefits of your status.

This scholarship is for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) individuals, who came to the United States as children and meet DACA criteria.

Amount: $2,000/year full-time; $1,000/year part-time

Criteria

  • LMC students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status
  • Qualifying GPA: 3.0; must maintain for renewal
  • Current high school graduate entering college for the first time, or current college student
  • Demonstrate financial need
  • Full- or part-time student

Secondary School (High School) Transcripts or Certificate

Students seeking an F1 visa are required to submit an evaluation of their secondary or high school transcripts or certificate as part of the admission process.  The transcript or certificate must be evaluated by an independent international credential evaluation service, for which there is a cost.

Applicants may choose any NACES accredited evaluation service.  We recommend one of the following:

or any other service listed on the NACES website.  Your evaluation must include, at a minimum, whether your secondary school experience is equivalent to U.S. high school completion/graduation.

Non-U.S. College or University Transcripts, Degrees, or Certificates

Students who wish to transfer credit from colleges and universities outside of the United States must have their foreign transcripts and credentials evaluated by an independent international credential evaluation service, for which there is a cost.

Applicants may choose any NACES accredited evaluation service.  We recommend one of the following:

or any other service listed on the NACES website.  

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