Student requirements after K1

[lala64 93]

Does anyone know what is required to attend college after you arrive on K1 visa and applied but not received AOS.. such as SSN EAD how can my fiancé start college and should he bring his HS certificate with him?

[TBoneTX 43,042]

*** Thread moved from Off Topic forum to the "Moving to the US & Your New Life" forum. ***

[canadian_wife 1,791]

Contact the school you wish to attend, I am sure they will be able to help you with their requirements.

good luck

[Pitaya 2,576]

Depends on the school. In 2012, my stepson arrived in the US on 26 July 2012, we filed the AOS packets on 17 Aug 2012. He was admitted as an out-of state student (for tuition purposes) at the nearby community college for Autumn quarter 2012. We received the EAD/AP combo cards on 1 Nov 2012. He got his SSN on 2 Nov 2012. His temporary lack of a SSN was not an issue with the college.

YMMV.

Good luck on your immigration journey.

[Jawaree 717]

Choose the College likely he will have to pay out of state tuition now

he can get apply and get receipt for SS# at nearest office with stamped PP

[lala64 93]

Does anyone know if he would be eligible for scholarships or financial aide? since they are not allowed any other government programs on K1? What about his minor son. will he be able to attend a public school although he is disabled? he is 8 with cerebral palsy but has cognitive functioning.

[Pitaya 2,576]

You have to go to the college's financial aids offices and research the individual grant/scholarship/loan programs, many of them are only available to USC.

Public school for the child should not be an issue. However, again, you have to do research at the school level to see what programs are available.

[Darnell 8,478]

i assume you are thinking of schools in your locale,

so I ask - what research have you done in your locale?

If'n it was me, with a computer having the internet access, I'd be all over the google,

selecting the colleges and universities that are nearby, copying down the registrar's phone numbers,

then using my telephone to contact the registrar's offices, asking these exact questions to them.

Why? there is no one answer to your queries, as all of this stuff varies by location.

If the K-1 visa holder truly cannot get in, suggest to find a plot of land and get busy with gardening (I'm a huge garden proponent, it fills the time and folks make new friends )

Edited July 8, 2015 by Darnell

[kwilliams247 1]

A free, public education will be provided for the child, for at least until age 18. That is US law.

[kamw 93]

A free, public education will be provided for the child, for at least until age 18. That is US law.

College being the operative word.

[lala64 93]

i assume you are thinking of schools in your locale,

so I ask - what research have you done in your locale?

If'n it was me, with a computer having the internet access, I'd be all over the google,

selecting the colleges and universities that are nearby, copying down the registrar's phone numbers,

then using my telephone to contact the registrar's offices, asking these exact questions to them.

Why? there is no one answer to your queries, as all of this stuff varies by location.

If the K-1 visa holder truly cannot get in, suggest to find a plot of land and get busy with gardening (I'm a huge garden proponent, it fills the time and folks make new friends )

I assumed all colleges were the same when it comes to Immigrants and federal funding. but know there is a difference between Universities and Community College. which was why I inquired. I will do the research just thought maybe someone could answer if their spouse went to college and if they were eligible for funding. thanks anyway.. I am sure we can fill up his time with things he likes to do outside of gardening. but thanks for the suggestion at least until he starts working. Might be a gardening job who knows.

College being the operative word.

I was also inquiring about elementary school for his son as well. thanks so college and public school

[kamw 93]

I assumed all colleges were the same when it comes to Immigrants and federal funding. but know there is a difference between Universities and Community College. which was why I inquired. I will do the research just thought maybe someone could answer if their spouse went to college and if they were eligible for funding. thanks anyway.. I am sure we can fill up his time with things he likes to do outside of gardening. but thanks for the suggestion at least until he starts working. Might be a gardening job who knows.

I was also inquiring about elementary school for his son as well. thanks so college and public school

Oh ok- For elementary school, you won't need an SSN.. they won't even ask for it most times.

For college- make sure you have the high school diploma & the actual transcripts with grades if he's in a science/medical field. Also get the results for CXC, CSEC, A-level, O level etc.. Sealed envelopes as they won't considered official if the envelope is open.

More than likely he will have to have them evaluated but the minimum that equates to a US high school diploma is 5 cxc passes of 3 or higher. Evaluation is about 80-100 bucks.

For scholarships Google "scholarships for illegal immigrants". I know he isn't illegal but that keyword automatically gives you results that won't require SSN. There are actually a lot but it depends on the state. I was recently doing research for a friend that's not exactly legal and found a few.

[Lelyze 49]

He can not receive federal student aid until he receives his green card, other scholarships you have to research, but most of them are for USC or GC holders.

[HeandI 48]

Oh ok- For elementary school, you won't need an SSN.. they won't even ask for it most times.

For college- make sure you have the high school diploma & the actual transcripts with grades if he's in a science/medical field. Also get the results for CXC, CSEC, A-level, O level etc.. Sealed envelopes as they won't considered official if the envelope is open.

More than likely he will have to have them evaluated but the minimum that equates to a US high school diploma is 5 cxc passes of 3 or higher. Evaluation is about 80-100 bucks.

For scholarships Google "scholarships for illegal immigrants". I know he isn't illegal but that keyword automatically gives you results that won't require SSN. There are actually a lot but it depends on the state. I was recently doing research for a friend that's not exactly legal and found a few.

Do you know if you have to get the CXC Transcript from the head office in Barbados or you can get it from the school you sit the exams?

[Amhara 460]

I see you are kinda getting answers all over the place, but yeah, without knowing your area you won't get good answers. And of course, your fellow VJ'ers can't get the info that you wouldn't be able to search on your own. So for the child's public school, you are good. Enroll him as soon as possible and talk to the school that he will attend (based on which school district your address find's itself in) and ask about special needs requirements and programs. You will need to be informed about special transportation assignments and there may be additional options as well. A best friend of mine has a young son that is legally blind, and he gets special therapy from the school about three times a week to help him learn how to read on the enhancing equipment. You never know what's out there! Don't limit yourself to only the school - there may be other health and social programs available regardless of immigration status.

As for the college, you are more limited. He should be able to register as either a resident (often lower tuition) or out of state resident (often higher tuition), but he should be able to avoid the international student tuition (crazy high tuition). Try just applying and enrolling him in the local community college with just his US id card or drivers license. (I was able to do this when I moved into district to my community college, but was thinking I needed to prove district residency for at least a year. The year is a requirement, but I guess the license was enough.)

While I would encourage you to look into scholarships, he would not be eligible for federal loans (FAFSA) until he becomes "an eligible non-citizen"; which is "U.S. permanent resident, with a Permanent Resident Card (formerly known as an Alien Registration Receipt Card or "Green Card”) OR Conditional permanent resident (I-551C)". After you AOS, you may find yourself waiting for these things.

What we plan on doing, is enrolling him in US government and history classes, then some math classes while we wait on his foreign transcripts to be evaluated. He shouldn't need an SSN, but it will be easier to get that to the college come tax time and you need the Form 1098-T for the tuition you paid. As you wait, if he wants to attend a university later, apply soon after beginning community college. I just say that because if you apply to the school he wants, then they can begin the evaluation process too, and if any classes won't be accepted, he can take those at the college while you two wait for the conditional green card to be eligible for federal student loans.