Students under 18 years of age: An F-1 international student under the age of 18 who wishes to gain admission to CBS-HOUSTON must provide documentation to prove that he/she has achieved the equivalency of a U.S. high school diploma in his/her country by submitting a transcript evaluation along with their application.

Students planning to attend CBS-HOUSTON on F-1 status must submit/upload a complete application to the Admissions Office by the application deadlines July 15^th for Fall semester or December 15^th for Spring semester

Note: If you are an international student planning to attend CBS-HOUSTON on a status different than F-1 (DACA, refugee, L visa, H visa, etc.), please visit  and follow the instructions. If you are an F-1 student applicant, please proceed to the steps below.

Using an Agency

IMPORTANT: Students do not need to secure a third-party agency to gain admission to CBS-HOUSTON. CBS-HOUSTON staff is available at no cost to students to assist with the admissions and registration process. If a student chooses to utilize the services of a third-party agency, the student should be aware that they assume full responsibility for all actions conducted by the third-party agent acting on the student’s behalf. Although rare, there have been incidents of third-party agencies submitting fraudulent admissions documentation on behalf of a student. If fraudulent activity is committed by an agency representative acting on behalf of a student, the student is fully responsible and may be subject to disciplinary action. Given that third-party agencies often require personally identifiable information from students to act on their behalf, it is also possible for an agent to gain access to a student’s online student account and make changes without the student’s consent.

International Services and Programs (ISP)

Contacting International Student Services and Programs

Individuals seeking to enroll at CBS-HOUSTON as F-1 students should contact International Services and Programs at 832-252-0707, Prospective students may also learn more at www.CBSHouston.edu/international.

F-1 International Students

College of Biblical Studies-Houston and Indianapolis Campuses (CBS-HOUSTON) considers students holding a non-immigrant visa to be an international student. Prospective students maintaining any other type of visa status, except F-2 and B (visiting) visas, may enroll at CBS-HOUSTON as permitted by U.S. federal law. The student should contact the Primary Designated School Officials for admission instructions and meet the published application deadline.

International students who want to study in the U.S. with an F-1 status must obtain a Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Certificate of Eligibility, also referred to as a SEVIS Form I-20, from CBS-HOUSTON. CBS-HOUSTON has been approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue SEVIS Form I-20s required to obtain F-1 student status. The individual must then use the SEVIS Form I-20 to apply for an F-1 student visa (if outside the U.S.) or a change of non-immigrant classification to F-1 (if inside the U.S.). U.S. federal regulations require all applicants to provide certain documentation and information to the college issuing the SEVIS Form I-20 before it can be issued to a student. To apply for a SEVIS Form I-20, please refer to the “International Students” section of the CBS-HOUSTON website (see link below) and follow the outlined application guidelines.

An international student under the age of eighteen who wishes to gain admission to CBS-HOUSTON must provide documentation proving that he/she has achieved the equivalency of a U.S. high school diploma in his/her/their country by completing a transcript evaluation with an approved evaluation agency. F-1 students must maintain full-time status, which is defined as being enrolled in a minimum of twelve semester credit hours for the spring and fall semesters or a minimum of nine semester credit hours for the summer term, provided in that case that summer is the initial semester of enrollment at CBS-HOUSTON.

International Student Advisors/Designated School Officials (ISA/DSO) report all changes in enrollment status pertaining to F-1 internationals (both students and alumni) to DHS as required by U.S. federal law.

F-1 international students must adhere to the U.S. federal regulations governing their nonimmigrant status while studying in the U.S. Non-compliance could jeopardize an F-1 international student’s ability to remain in the U.S and complete his/her/their studies at CBS-HOUSTON. Students with questions may schedule an appointment with PDSO/DSO to discuss their options.

Full-Time Enrollment Requirements for International Students

To maintain their visa status students must comply with requirements set by CBS-HOUSTON and/or the federal government. Effective Fall 2023, F-1 international students must earn letter grades (A, B, C, D or F). A grade of a “W” (withdrawn) or “FW” (failing due to non-attendance) will not count towards the full-time enrollment requirement. “W” or “FW” is not considered a valid letter grade and demonstrates the student is not maintaining F-1 immigration status.

F-1 students must maintain at least twelve credit hours during the fall and spring semesters (nine credit hours during the summer, provided this is their first semester of attendance at CBS-HOUSTON). In a manner consistent with federal requirements, international students holding an F-1 visa are limited to no more than the equivalent of one class or three credit hours of distance education (online class) per semester that will count towards the full-time status.

Summer International Transient Students

Students who are attending another college or university and wish to take summer classes at CBS-HOUSTON must provide a letter from the ISA/DSO at their parent institution that indicates they are maintaining their F-1 status and have been given permission to enroll at CBS-HOUSTON.

English Proficiency and Course Placement

International students looking to obtain an F-1 visa and planning to enroll in academic programs must demonstrate English language proficiency. This can be accomplished by taking one of the following exams: TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, ACCUPLACER (ESL), or an approved Texas Success Initiative (TSI) test.

International Transfer Students

A transfer student is any student who has previous college work and plans to pursue a certificate or degree at CBS-HOUSTON. CBS-HOUSTON admits transfer students who already have established F-1 status while attending other colleges and universities.

A transfer student may be admitted to an academic program. Students planning to transfer to CBS-HOUSTON must submit a complete application to the Admission Office.

Transfer Credit from Foreign Institutions

Students petitioning to receive transfer credit from foreign institutions must first have their transcripts evaluated by an approved evaluation agency.

Check-in and Orientation for International Students

F-1 students new to the U.S. are required to report to the PDSO or DSO office for further instructions upon arriving in the country. Each semester, all incoming students (new, transfer, change-of-status, and reinstatement) are required to attend mandatory student orientation to learn more about adjusting to life in Houston and at CBS-HOUSTON.

F-1 Student Health Insurance

F-1 students at CBS-HOUSTON are required to have health insurance and must show proof of insurance.