International Student Admission

Applications for international student enrollment at Central Piedmont are available

F-1 Visa students

Applicants intending to apply for an F-1 Visa should follow the application and enrollment steps for international students.

This includes transfer-in students currently on active F-1 status and other visa holders in the United States wishing to change their status to F-1.

Permanent Resident Aliens or Other Visa Holders

Alien registration cardholders and others holding certain valid work visas are admitted to the College in the same manner as native citizens of the United States. Individual visa holders are not eligible to begin any course of study until they can obtain a visa that permits academic study. (Restrictions may apply to some visa types regarding residence classification for tuition purposes.)

Undocumented Immigrants

The North Carolina Community College System advised in Memorandum CC10-026 (effective June 10, 2010) that community colleges should admit or enroll undocumented or illegal immigrants only as follows:

Enrollment in Non-College Level Courses: Undocumented immigrants may enroll in non-college level courses or programs, including high school equivalency preparation courses, Foundational Skills, Adult High School, English as a Second Language, and other continuing education courses less than college level.

Enrollment in College-Level Courses:  Undocumented immigrants who are high school students may enroll in college-level courses consistent with the Career and College Promise policy. Participation in this program is based on attendance in a North Carolina high school. These courses are open to all high school students attending high school (public, private, or home school) located in the state who meet the eligibility criteria.

Undocumented immigrants must have attended and graduated from a United States public high school, private high school, or home school that operates in compliance with state and local law. Undocumented immigrants with a High School Equivalency diploma are not considered to “graduated from a United States public high school, private high school, or home school” and therefore are not eligible to be admitted.

Undocumented or battered illegal immigrants who meet one of the qualifying conditions in Federal Law, 8 USC Section 1641, are eligible for college-level courses. It is the applicant’s responsibility to produce sufficient written documentation to satisfy the College that the applicant is eligible for post-secondary education benefits.

Out-of-State Tuition Required: Undocumented immigrants who are registered into a class must pay the out-of-state tuition rate. The College shall not enroll undocumented students into a class or program of study for which there are waiting lists or register undocumented students for classes until the conclusion of the last published (i.e., late) registration period.

Contact information for international students:

F-1 Visa Admissions: 704.330.6838; International Programs & Services
Other Visas and Statuses: 704.330.2722; navigate@cpcc.edu, en español ayuda@cpcc.edu, and Central Piedmont Welcome Centers
Limited English Proficiency/Testing for free Adult ESL: 704.330.2722; navigate@cpcc.edu, en español ayuda@cpcc.edu, and Central Piedmont Welcome Centers
Academic ESL Program: 704.330.4263; Foreign Languages & Academic ESL Division, Room 4109-4112, North Building-Central Campus