{"id":561,"date":"2014-10-15T09:57:46","date_gmt":"2014-10-15T13:57:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gcc.mass.edu\/admission\/?page_id=561"},"modified":"2025-12-16T15:47:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T15:47:31","slug":"faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.gcc.mass.edu\/admissions\/international\/faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/span>Can I change my major once I am in the US?<\/div>
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Yes, you may change your major, but we must issue you a new I-20 form with your new major and completion date.\u00a0 You must request an appointment with a P\/DSO before requesting to change your major.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>Can I drive while in the US? Will I need a US driver\u2019s license?<\/div>
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If you have a valid driver\u2019s license from your country, you may not need to apply for a license in the US. Each state within the US, however, establishes their own requirements and will accept driver’s licenses only from certain countries. For information on Massachusetts driver\u2019s license requirements, you can visit the\u00a0RMV web site<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>Can I get credit for college courses I took at a college in my country? How?<\/div>
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Yes, you may be eligible to receive credit for courses that are equivalent to GCC courses. You will need to have your transcripts translated to English (if needed) and have a course-by-course evaluation completed by an approved credential evaluation service.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>Can I seek employment with a student visa?<\/div>
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No. This is why USCIS requires financial documentation that demonstrates sufficient funds available to support your education.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>Can I submit a change of status form (I-539) if I am in the US on a visitor\u2019s visa?<\/div>
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Applicants entering\u00a0the United States on a visitor\u2019s visa (B-2) without the \u201cProspective Student\u201d classification (which is issued\u00a0only in exceptional circumstances) may find it difficult to change to student classification. You will need to\u00a0apply to the college and provide all the required documentation. Your current visa and I-94 must be valid\u00a0and not expired. Your passport must also remain valid for the intended duration of study.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>Can I transfer from another college in the US to GCC? What do I need to do?<\/div>
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You will need to submit all documentation required for new applicants including a completed \u201cTransfer Verification Form\u201d signed by your current college\/university and current official transcript indicating completed courses and those in progress.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>Can I transfer to another college? How do I go about it?<\/div>
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You should first notify the P\/DSO that you intend to transfer.\u00a0 As long as you are currently in good standing both financially and academically with GCC, we will sign a transfer approval form issued by the school you wish to attend. Additionally, you will want to request an Official Transcript to be sent to the college or university that you intend to transfer to.\u00a0 Please send a copy of your acceptance letter to admission@gcc.mass.edu<\/a> so we can release your SEVIS record to your new institution.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>Can I travel outside the US during school breaks? What do I need to do?<\/div>
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Yes, you may travel during school breaks. You will need your I-20 form signed by a GCC official (PDSO\/DSO).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>Do you have on-campus housing?<\/div>
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No. GCC does not provide campus housing. Students will need to make their own\u00a0arrangements for housing.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>How much does it cost for an international student to attend your college and obtain a degree?<\/div>
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The estimated cost provided is based on one academic year. Your degree may be completed in two years; however, additional time is required for students who need to improve their English and\/or mathematics skills. When planning your financial needs, it is advised that applicants estimate financial need to be between two and three years.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>How\/where do I have my transcripts translated and evaluated?<\/div>
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There are many outside agencies that translate and evaluate international transcripts. You may obtain help from the embassy\/consulate or you may find a list of agencies on the internet at naces.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>What happens if I do not complete my degree before my I-20 expires?<\/div>
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GCC can file for an extension to your I-20 form so you may complete your degree.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>What if I am applying to a particular program (Nursing, Paramedic, etc.)?<\/div>
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You must meet the criteria for those programs as well as the minimum admission requirements. You may request more information about a particular program by emailing admission@gcc.mass.edu<\/a>. Please be aware that admission to the GCC\u00a0does not guarantee admission to <\/strong>these programs<\/strong>. Additional coursework may be required before you may apply to some programs.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>What is the F-1 visa?<\/div>
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The F-1 visa is a student visa issued to persons who will be full-time students seeking a degree or certificate at an approved institution. Your F-1 visa is issued by a US embassy or consulate in or near your country and is on one of the pages of your passport with your picture, personal information, and name of the school on it. It is like a ticket to enter the United States.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>What is the I-94?<\/div>
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Form I-94 is the DHS Arrival\/Departure Record issued to foreign travelers who are admitted to the US. Foreign visitors to the US arriving via air or sea no longer need to complete paper Customs and Border Protection Form I-94 or I-94W. You can access their CBP arrival\/departure record information online.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>What is the SEVIS I-20 form?<\/div>
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The I-20 form is your \u201ccertificate of eligibility\u201d issued by the Greenfield Community College indicating you are attending (or planning to attend) Greenfield Community College. It is like a pass to stay in the United States while studying. You need your I-20 to obtain your F-1 visa.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>When do I make an appointment with the embassy?<\/div>
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We recommend you schedule your appointment only upon receipt of your I-20.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>When will I get my I-20 form?<\/div>
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Once we have received all required documentation, your file will be evaluated by the International Admission officer. If you meet the admission requirements, you will be issued your I-20. Please note the I-20 cannot be issued more than 120 days prior to the start of your academic program.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>Who can I get to sponsor me? Does it have to be someone in the US?<\/div>
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You will need to obtain your own sponsors. The sponsors do not need to be in the US. Our only requirement is that the sponsor(s) have sufficient funds to meet your financial responsibilities.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":92,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-561","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-15 15:46:01","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"pp_notify_user","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gcc.mass.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gcc.mass.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gcc.mass.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gcc.mass.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gcc.mass.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=561"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.gcc.mass.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/561\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3191,"href":"https:\/\/www.gcc.mass.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/561\/revisions\/3191"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gcc.mass.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/92"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gcc.mass.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}