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 liens on an H-4 status in the US are barred from working in the US, they can, however, enroll for certain study programs without applying for change of visa status. Most community colleges and local training institutes in he US offer a variety of short- term courses which H-4 visa holders can apply for.
Community colleges are two-year post-secondary instituitions that offer certificate programs, Associate of Arts degree, Associate of Sciences degrees, and a host of other programs. Most community colleges have their own set of admission requirements for each course. To gain more information candidates must visit the particular college’s web site. In order to decide on the course, which is best suited for you, it would be better to call the respective community college and speak and fix an appointment with the student counselor. Unlike India, student counselors in the US are professionally trained and can often help in aiding the student in deciding the right course fit.
Once the student decides on the course and is found eligible, the admission process is fairy simple. All that an academically eligible candidate needs to do is file an application with the necessary certificates. These may include:
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Necessary transcriptions/certificates
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Some colleges insist on the Toefl exam (Test of English as a Foreign Language). It measures the ability to understand, write and read English.
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For more information check out Toefl website (www.toefl.org).
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Some institutes don't ask for Toefl certificate, but they need at least 16 years of English medium education.
Tuition fee is usually charged according to the number of credit hours for which a student is enrolled and the student's place of legal residence. The fee is high for students who do not reside in the State in which the college is located. Certain colleges expect students to pay the entire tuition fee at the time of registration but many offer installment schemes. Aliens on H-4 status need to consider another factor. The fee charged by community colleges depends on the duration of an alien’s stay in that particular US State. If an alien enlists for a course in the first year of his or her stay on an H-4 visa in the US, the tuition fee charge will be three to ten times more than the resident students fee. One is eligible for same fee that a resident pays after one year of stay in that State.
Courses offered by the community college are recognised and there is a possibility that the candidate may be absorbed by a US organisation, if he or she opts for a vocational course. However, remember you cannot work without changing your status to H-1B.
Apart from community colleges, there is a number of local training institutes. These institutes provide training and certificates on various courses, but the courses are not recognised and might not prove helpful if the H-4holder pursues them with the motive of acquiring a job.
Technically, an H-4 visa holder can also apply for admission to a full-time course in a US university. The university may also agree to admit the student if he or she is eligible for admission. The tuition fee will however be prohibitively high and the student will not be entitled to any financial aid from the university even if eligible. Therefore, it is advisable that H-4 holders transfer their status to F-1 visa prior to joining a three-year university course.
Useful links:
www.utexas.edu/world/comcol/state/
www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/cc/
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