International Students
Jefferson College is authorized under federal law to enroll international students. Admissions inquiries should be directed to international@jeffco.edu. The international student application and all supporting documentation must be received by the deadline in order for a student to be accepted for admission to Jefferson College and issued a Form I-20.
Admission Deadlines
Admission Deadline: November 21, 2025
Classes Begin: January 12, 2026
Admission Deadline: April 17, 2026
Classes Begin: June 8, 2026
Admission Deadline: June 18, 2026
Classes Begin: August 24, 2026
Admission Requirements for International Students
Before an international student will be accepted to Jefferson College and issued a Form I-20, the student must complete the following application steps. All supporting documentation should be emailed to international@jeffco.edu. All submitted documents become property of Jefferson College.
The online international student application must be submitted.
Please note, Section 199.290 of the Missouri Revised Statute requires that all institutions of higher education in Missouri implement a targeted tuberculosis (TB) testing program for all students. Staff will follow up with students who answer "yes" to any of the TB screening questions on the admissions application with regards to their next steps, which includes completion of a health assessment within the student's first semester of attendance. Additional information regarding the College's TB screening requirement is available here.
Applicants must provide a current copy of the identification page of their passport.
Applicants must provide proof of English proficiency. English proficiency can be met by any of the following:
- Duolingo English score of 85 or higher within the last two years
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
- Score of 500 or higher (paper-based) within the last two years
- Score of 61 or higher (internet-based) within the last two years
- IELTS (International English Language Testing System) minimum band score of 6 or higher within the last two years
- ACT English score of 18 or higher within the last two years (or equivalent SAT scores)
- ACCUPLACER English as a Second Language Level III score (in all three areas) within the last two years
- ESL Language score of 71 or higher
- ESL Listening score of 81 or higher
- ESL Reading score of 76 or higher
- Diploma from a high school (secondary school) in an English speaking country (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, or New Zealand)
Students must have completed high school (secondary school) before being admitted to Jefferson College. Applicants must submit original final transcripts from high school (secondary school) and transcripts must include a graduation date to be considered final. In addition, high school (secondary school) transcripts from outside the United States must be evaluated by an approved transcript evaluation service. Applicants planning to play sports at Jefferson College are strongly encouraged to use InCred International Credential Evaluations, the official partner of the NJCAA. The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is the governing association of community college athletics in the United States.
Transcript services recognized by Jefferson College include:
- InCred International Credential Evaluations
- SpanTran/TEC
- Foreign Credentials Service of America
- World Education Services
- International Education Research Foundation
- Education Evaluators International
Students interested in using a transcript evaluation service other than one of the recognized options provided should contact international@jeffco.edu for approval before requesting the evaluation.
Please note, admitted students must also submit official college transcripts from any previously attended institutions of higher education. Transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to the Office of Admissions at Jefferson College. Transcripts can be emailed to international@jeffco.edu or mailed to:
Office of Admissions
Jefferson College
1000 Viking Drive
Hillsboro, MO 63050
Applicants must submit a completed International Student Financial Support Form to provide evidence of sufficient funding to cover the cost of attendance without the need for local financial assistance or employment. Additionally, all applicants must provide documentation from a banking institution as certification of finances for all listed sponsors. This documentation must be in English, must be official (include an official signature or seal), and must be no older than six months.
If a student will be receiving an athletic scholarship from Jefferson College, the Letter of Intent from Jefferson College's Director of Athletics must be provided to show what expenses are being covered for the student. The student must still provide proof of financial support for any remaining expenses not covered by the scholarship.
The international student cost of attendance for one academic year can be found below. This cost of attendance was updated on 8/15/2025. Tuition and fees are subject to change without notice.
| TUITION | 9,120 |
| BOOKS/SUPPLIES | 1,220 |
| HOUSING | 4,860 |
| FOOD | 2,640 |
| PERSONAL ALLOWANCE | 4,215 |
| HEALTH INSURANCE* | 1,500 |
| TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE | $23,555 USD |
*The listed cost for health insurance reflects what it costs for a student to be insured utilizing Jefferson College's insurance plan for one year. Students can opt to obtain private health insurance instead of the Jefferson College plan.
International students transferring to Jefferson College from another college or university in the United States must submit the International Student Transfer Verification Form. To be eligible for admission, international transfer students must meet all admission requirements for new students, have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA and be in good standing at their current institution, and have been enrolled as a full-time student at their current institution. Transfer students will also be required to provide a copy of their most recent Form I-94.
Applicants who have earned 45 or more credit hours from another college or university may be denied admission.
If a student is currently attending another college or university in the United States on a student visa and wishes to enroll at Jefferson College part-time, the applicant will follow the same transfer student steps but will not be required to submit evidence of financial support or supporting bank documentation.
Once all admission requirements are met, the student will be sent an acceptance letter to Jefferson College and the Form I-20 will be issued.
Additional Requirements
All international students must hold health insurance while enrolled at Jefferson College. Students can either enroll in a group health insurance plan through Jefferson College or can be insured through a private agency. Students that opt to obtain insurance through another agency must provide proof of the insurance, including the dates of active coverage, upon arrival at Jefferson College. Students opting to enroll in the group plan through Jefferson College will have premium payments charged to their student account, and payment will be due at the time of enrollment.
Once admitted to Jefferson College, international students will take a virtual placement test for the purpose of placement into appropriate courses. Students must meet minimum reading proficiency requirements (a score of at least 232 on the ACCUPLACER Reading test) to enroll in college-level coursework. Students who do not meet the minimum reading proficiency level are not guaranteed full-time enrollment, which could impact their ability to attend Jefferson College.
Next Steps (After Receiving the Form I-20)
After an international student is issued a Form I-20, the student is required to pay a SEVIS I-901 fee. SEVIS, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, is the database used by the United States government to collect and maintain information about students and visitors with visas. The I-901 fee must be paid by the student, not by Jefferson College, and it can be paid online with a credit card. For information about the SEVIS I-901 fee, visit the SEVIS website. To pay the fee online, visit the Department of Homeland Security I-901 Fee page.
Once the fee is paid, a receipt will be generated. The receipt is used as evidence of the fee payment when applying for a visa at a US Consulate, entering the United States, or making an application to the USCIS, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Visit the United States Department of State U.S. Visa webpage to find a United States Embassy or Consulate and make an appointment to interview for a visa. Bring the receipt for payment of the I-901 fee and the Declaration and Certification of Finances Form to the interview.
Students attending Jefferson College on a student visa are required to take face-to-face classes and therefore must live within the vicinity of Jefferson College. On-campus housing is available on the Jefferson College campus, and housing applications are processed in the order they are received. Housing spots are limited, so students must often be added to a waiting list. Therefore, on-campus housing cannot be guaranteed, and all applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible. To apply, students must already be accepted to Jefferson College and must be logged into their MyJeffco account.
All international students are advised by the Coordinator of International and Veteran Services and will be sent a link to schedule an appointment once placement testing is complete. New student advising appointments are conducted virtually before students arrive at Jefferson College.
Notify Jefferson College staff of travel arrangements.
Jefferson College staff must certify international student attendance, so students must check in with staff upon arrival. Have all relevant documents (passport, visa, signed Form I-20, and proof of health insurance) when checking in. Staff will obtain the Form I-94 online at the time of check in.
Additional Information for International Students
Tuition must be paid in full at the time of enrollment or students must enroll in a payment plan each semester.
Falsification of any required information or documentation will cause the application for admission to be denied or may result in immediate dismissal and termination of the Form I-20 if the student is already enrolled in courses.
To retain F-1 student status, international students must enroll in a full course of study (12 or more face-to-face credit hours) each semester, maintain a cumulative GPA (grade point average) of 2.0 or higher, and complete a certificate or degree program within six semesters.
Visiting students on visas are not eligible for federal financial assistance programs. International students interested in Jefferson College scholarships are invited to complete the application, though not all scholarships are open to international students.
International students may be eligible to work on campus to help pay college expenses. Available positions are listed on the Jefferson College employment webpage.
International students are expected to be on campus for the entire duration of each semester, including finals week. Travel plans should be coordinated so students do not miss any classes or final exams.
Some athletic teams require students to arrive prior to the beginning of semester classes for pre-season play.
Questions/Contact Information
Please email international@jeffco.edu or contact us at the information below.
| DSO (Designated School Official) for International Students | Torri Thomas | Coordinator of International and Veteran Services | tthoma15@jeffco.edu | 1-636-481-3272 |
| PDSO (Primary Designated School Official) for International Students | Jaclyn Birks | Director of Admissions | jbirks@jeffco.edu | 1-636-481-3216 |
Jefferson College’s Annual Security & Fire Safety Report is available online at www.jeffco.edu/clery-asfsr/. The report contains campus crime statistics as well as information regarding campus safety and security for the Jefferson College Hillsboro campus and Arnold location, including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (timely warnings and emergency notifications); programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking; the procedures the College will follow when one of these crimes is reported; crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years, and other matters of importance related to campus safety. The report also contains fire safety policies and procedures as well as fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility on the Hillsboro campus. A paper copy of the report will be provided upon request. To request a paper copy, visit the Jefferson College Police Department Office (Hillsboro Campus) at 800 Mel Carnahan Drive, Hillsboro, MO 63050, call 636-481-3500 or email dparchim@jeffco.edu.
Jefferson College fully supports and complies with the Stop Campus Hazing Act (Public Law No. 118-1730) and Missouri Revised Statute §578.365, which promote transparency, accountability, and the implementation of awareness and prevention education programs for students and employees to prevent hazing at institutions of higher education. In accordance with federal law, Jefferson College publishes a biannual Hazing Transparency Report detailing any reported hazing incidents and their outcomes. This report can be found on the student conduct webpage: https://www.jeffco.edu/student-conduct/
Jefferson College does not condone hazing in any manner. All members of the Jefferson College community are encouraged to report hazing incidents. Reports can be made to the Jefferson College Police Department (JCPD), to a designated Campus Security Authority (CSA), or through the online Maxient Reporting Portal found on the Jefferson College website. Reports may be submitted anonymously or confidentially; however, College officials will evaluate any potential threats to campus safety before determining whether to withhold specific details.
