MTCM MTCM Home About MTCM MTCM Calendar Montessori Method How To Apply Publications Contact Us Elementary Montessori (Next Course June 2010) How To Apply Primary Application Procedures How to Apply for International Students Primary Application Form   Elementary Application Form   Primary Handbook   Tuition and Fees Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to access these documents. Download the free Acrobat Reader.		Coming Events WE'VE MOVED!! We are at our new location: 1611 Ames Ave St. Paul, MN 55106 INFORMATION NIGHT Thursday, November 20 6:00-7:30 pm RSVP 651.298.1120 mtcm@mtcm.org Check back soon for an updated website!!
	International Students With over a third of our students coming from the global community, the Montessori Training Center of Minnesota welcomes international students. It is our goal to serve a community of diverse backgrounds and many cultures, creating an enhanced experience for all students with regard to acknowledging and affirming values of personal integrity, responsibility, trust, acceptance and respect. In this way, a cultural bridge is built between and among the students, the MTCM community and the broader community of the Twin Cities and beyond. The staff at the MTCM is professionally trained to offer advising about immigration concerns, as well as academic counseling to help students understand and deal effectively with the academic program and school requirements. One of the main goals with regard to international students is to assist them in obtaining and maintaining their immigration status. Our office issues immigration documents and files petitions required by the U.S. government for persons obtaining F1 student immigration status. Our office can advise and assist international students on issues relating to non-immigrant status. Requirements for Admission into the Primary Montessori Teacher Training Program In addition to the application form, $50.00 application fee, and transcripts from secondary and/or post-secondary schools, all international students must demonstrate a proficiency in English as determined by the Montessori Training Center of Minnesota. Financial documentation verifying the ability to pay fees and living expenses during the 9-month training course is also required along with the Foreign Student Financial Statement form. The financial documentation should be in the form of a current bank statement and a signed letter from the bank manager stating. See details on the Foreign Student Financial Statement form. Once accepted into the program, and the student verifies in writing and by signing the contract that he or she is accepting admission, the immigration document for an F1 student called the I-20, will be created by our office and sent to the student. This document is required when making application for a visa. Obtaining a Visa International students must obtain an F1 visa at a U.S. consulate or embassy. A personal interview with the consular official is required in most every case. The applicant is to present: A valid passport, if subject to passport requirements Form I-20 The applicant should also be prepared to present: Proof of English language proficiency Verification of financial support to establish that all requirements of nonimmigrant student status are met Evidence that he or she has a residence in a foreign country (not a P.O. address) that he or she has no intention of abandoning A nonimmigrant visa application and fee One or more passport photographs SEVIS FEE SEVIS FEE: Beginning September 2004, most new F-1 students are required to pay a SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee before applying for a U.S. entry visa. In the case of Canadian citizens, they must pay the fee before going to the U.S. port of entry. For information about the requirements and how to pay the fee, please go to www.fmjfee.com Visa procedures may differ from one consulate or embassy to another. Before applying, check with the office where you plan to apply to determine exactly what additional supporting documentation is required. Visit the Department of State website at Http://travel.state.gov to obtain detailed information on the embassy or consulate in your area. If the visa application is approved, a visa stamp will be placed in your passport, noting the period of validity and the name of the school who’s Form I-20 you used to obtain the visa. The Form I-20 will then be returned to you to use in applying for admission to the United States. Please note that for initial attendance, the name of the institution printed on your visa must be the same as the institution on your I-20. We strongly recommend that you wait to receive a Form I-20 before leaving your country and obtain an F1 visa. As stated earlier, it may be very difficult to change your status once here, and you will not be able to begin classes until your status is changed. Essential Documents Please make photocopies of your travel documents and keep the copies in a safe place, separate from the originals. Photocopy the following documents: Passport pages that have your picture and personal information as well as official information. Passport page with the visa on it Both sides of your Form I-94 Both sides of your I-20 ID SEVIS FEE receipt Passport: Your passport is your own government’s permit for you to leave and re-enter your own country. You should keep your passport valid at all times (most passports contain an expiration date). Consult your own consulate or embassy in the U.S. to renew your passport. The consulate officials will tell you what forms and fees, if any, are required. If you are required to supply a letter affirming that you are a student at the Montessori Training Center of Minnesota you can request a letter from our office. Visa: The visa stamp put in your passport by the U.S. consul abroad is required to enter the United States but has no bearing on how long you can stay here. It also indicates the classification status you will have upon admission to the United States. It is necessary to renew your visa if the visa has expired and you are planning on traveling outside the North American continent. You may renew your visa by visiting the U.S. consul in the country to which you are traveling; unfortunately, it is not possible to renew an F-1 visa within the borders of the U.S. Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record: The I-94 shows that you have been admitted to the U.S. The I-94 is usually stapled onto the U.S. Visa page of your passport. It contains an eleven-digit identifying number (called your departure number) that the BCIS uses to keep track of your arrival in and departure from the U.S. The BCIS sometimes refers to the “departure” numbers as the “admission” number. There may be a date written in the upper right-hand corner of your I-94. You must leave the US by that date or apply to extend your stay. If there is no date, but rather the inscription “D/S” (duration of status) you are permitted for the length of your program of study as indicated on your I-20, plus any period of post-completion optional practical training, plus 60 days. Form I-20 ID: The I-20 ID (student) copy is the F-1 student’s copy of the I-20 issued for the program and level of study the student is presently pursuing. The backside of the I-20-ID contains lines for an endorsement by a Designated School Official (DSO) affirming that the information on the front of the I-20-ID is correct. There are spaces for information about the F-1 student’s dependents, and others for employment authorization, curricular practical training, recommendations for post-completion practical training, or notations by a BCIS official.. SEVIS FEE: SEVIS FEE: Beginning September 2004, most new F-1 students are required to pay a SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee before applying for a U.S. entry visa. In the case of Canadian citizens, they must pay the fee before going to the U.S. port of entry. For information about the requirements and how to pay the fee, please go to www.fmjfee.com. Entering the United States When you arrive at the U.S. port of entry, you will present a passport (or travel document), visa, evidence of financial support and a SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) Form I-20 to an immigration official. If you have previously been in the U.S. in F-1 status and have been issued Form I-20, you may be expected to present the previous documents as well. Upon initial entry in F-1 status, the immigration official must be satisfied that you are destined to and intend to attend the school specified on the visa. Upon admitting you to the U.S., the immigration officer will examine your SEVIS I-20 and record your entrance to the U.S. in the SEVIS system. You will receive an I-94 card (Arrival/Departure Record), showing the date and place of entry, your status as an F-1 student, and a unique 11-digit admission number. Your entry should be marked for “Duration of Status” or “D/S”, not a date-specific departure. You may also be asked to show financial documentation of your support during the time of your stay at the Montessori Training Center of Minnesota (such as a bank statement from your bank or that of the person who is supporting you). Following the border immigration inspection, you will then proceed through U.S. customs, after which you may continue to your final destination. Immigration Status: Entering the U.S. with the proper immigration status is very important; once you have arrived, changing your immigration status is extremely difficult. F1 (student in academic or language program) is one of the most common statuses for international students. Please do not enter the U.S. with a B1/B2 visitor visa. You will not be able to enroll in our program unless you obtain a change of status to F1, and this process can take several months. Arrival Date Arrival Date Please Note: You may not enter the U.S. more than 30 days ahead of the start date on your I-20. If you are an F-1 visa holder, you should plan to enter the U.S. no later than the report date indicated on #5 of your I-20. For complete information go to: www.bcis.gov.