How to Apply | Pima Community College, Tucson, Arizona

You have to meet certain requirements in order to study at Pima Community College as a full-time, F-1 student. Please follow these steps to complete your application. Once admitted, a Form I-20 will be issued to you.

Application deadlines:

Fall Semester: July 10
Spring Semester: November 10

All admission requirements must be satisfied by the deadlines. Please allow adequate time for obtaining your F-1 visa at a US Embassy or Consulate. If you are not able to arrive with your student visa before the program starts, your application must be deferred or canceled. You can check the estimated visa appointment wait time here: Visa Appointment Wait Times

Academic Programs

Step 1: Complete the online application: Apply to Pima.
- To be considered for an I-20 form, you must choose a specific program of study on your application. You are not allowed to choose "Undecided" or "Undeclared."
- F-1 students must take at least 9 face-to-face credits per semester on campus. If the program you select cannot offer enough on-campus credits, you may have to take additional classes outside your program of study or change your program of study to meet the requirements.
- If you plan to transfer to a 4-year university in the future, please choose one of the following three transfer degrees:
Step 2: Provide a copy of your current passport.
Step 3: Fill out the Affidavit of Support form. The affidavit must be submitted with official bank statement copies, including the information of the account owner's name, bank name/logo, account type, statement date, currency, and account balance.
Step 4: Proof of English Proficiency is only required for students interested in an Academic/Degree-Seeking program.
Step 5: Provide copies of high school records and transcripts, properly translated into English. Do not have these records? Don't worry! Please email us and we will discuss your situation with you.

ESL Training (English as a Second Language)

If you don't have English proficiency for an academic program yet, you can start with our ESL courses. Once you finish the ESL training, you can transition to an academic program directly.

Step 1: Complete the online application: Apply to Pima
Step 2: Provide a copy of your current passport.
Step 3: Fill out the Affidavit of Support form. The affidavit must be submitted with official bank statement copies, including the information of the account owner's name, bank name/logo, account type, statement date, currency, and account balance.
Step 4: English Competency (please choose one below to prove that you have enough English knowledge to take our ESL courses. )
- Duolingo English Test with a minimum score of 35
- College ESL Placement Test Level 060 (You can take this placement test after you submit all the other required documents)

Only available to Sonora residents

You have to meet certain requirements in order to study at Pima Community College as an F-1 Border Commuter student. Please follow these steps to complete your application. Once admitted, a Form I-20 will be issued to you.

Border commuter student eligibility:

Must enroll in a minimum of 6 credits each semester.
Must be a resident of Mexico.
Maintain residence in Mexico while studying with this visa type.
Seek admission to the United States at a land border port-of-entry and depart by the end of each day.

Application deadlines:

Fall Semester: July 10
Spring Semester: November 10

All admission requirements must be satisfied by the deadlines. Please allow adequate time for obtaining your F-1 visa at a US Embassy or Consulate. If you are not able to arrive with your student visa before the program starts, your application must be deferred or canceled. You can check the estimated visa appointment wait time here: Visa Appointment Wait Times

Academic Programs:

Step 1: Complete the online application: Apply to Pima.
- To be considered for an I-20 form, you must choose a specific program of study on your application. You are not allowed to choose "Undecided" or "Undeclared."
- Border commuter students must take at least 6 face-to-face credits per semester on campus. If the program you select cannot offer enough on-campus credits, you may have to take additional classes outside your program of study or change your program of study to meet the requirements.
- If you plan to transfer to a 4-year university in the future, please choose one of the following three transfer degrees:
Step 2: Provide a copy of your current passport.
Step 3: Fill out the Affidavit of Support form. The affidavit must be submitted with a copy of the official bank statement or be verified with a bank seal and a signature.
Step 4: Proof of English Proficiency is only required for students interested in an Academic/Degree-Seeking program.
Step 5: Provide copies of high school records and transcripts, properly translated into English. Do not have these records? Don't worry! Please email us and we will discuss your situation with you.

If you are an F1 student and want to transfer to Pima Community College, you can apply to transfer your SEVIS record to Pima.

If your current institution has completed or terminated your SEVIS record, you are no longer eligible for transfer and must apply as a new F-1 student.
All admission requirements must be satisfied by the deadlines.
Your SEVIS record must be transferred to Pima at least three days before the program start date, or your admission will be canceled or deferred to the next available semester.

Academic Programs
Application Deadlines: Fall Semester: July 20; Spring Semester: December 20

Step 1: Complete the online application: Apply to Pima.
- To be considered for an I-20 form, you must choose a specific program of study on your application. You are not allowed to choose "Undecided" or "Undeclared."
- F-1 students must take at least 9 face-to-face credits per semester on campus. If the program you select cannot offer enough on-campus credits, you may have to take additional classes outside your program of study or change your program of study to meet the requirements.
- If you plan to transfer to a 4-year university in the future, please choose one of the following three transfer degrees:
Step 2: Provide a copy of your current passport.
Step 3: Fill out the Affidavit of Support form. The affidavit must be submitted with official bank statement copies, including the information of the account owner's name, bank name/logo, account type, statement date, currency, and account balance.
Step 4: Provide a copy of your current F-1 student visa
Step 5: Provide copies of all your I-20 form(s)
Step 6: Provide a copy of your previous and current unofficial transcript(s)
Step 7: Proof of English Proficiency is required.

ESL Training (English as a Second Language)
If you don't have English proficiency for an academic program yet, you can start with our ESL courses. Once you finish the ESL training, you can directly transition to an academic program.

Application Deadlines: Fall Semester: August 20; Spring Semester: January 20

Step 1: Complete the online application: Apply to Pima
Step 2: Provide a copy of your current passport.
Step 3: Fill out the Affidavit of Support form. The affidavit must be submitted with official bank statement copies, including the information of the account owner's name, bank name/logo, account type, statement date, currency, and account balance.
Step 4: Provide a copy of your current F-1 student visa
Step 5: Provide copies of all your I-20 form(s)
Step 6: Provide a copy of your previous and current unofficial transcript(s)
Step 7: English Competency (Please choose one below to prove that you have enough English knowledge to take our ESL courses.)
- Duolingo English Test with a minimum score of 35
- College ESL Placement Test Level 060 (You can take this placement test after you submit all the other required documents)

Step 1: Receive DSO approval if applicable
- If you are an F-1 international student enrolled at the University of Arizona (UA) and want to take classes concurrently at Pima, you must first obtain approval from UA's International Student Services office (ISSO). To apply for approval, please visit the University of Arizona's website and search for "Concurrent Enrollment." Once your application is approved, the UA ISSO will notify PCC's International Center. If you would like more details, please contact the UA ISSO directly. It's important to note that this authorization is granted on a per-semester basis, so you must request it through your UA ISSO every semester before enrolling in classes at Pima.
- If you are an F-1 international student at a university/college other than the University of Arizona, your home institution may require you to receive authorization before you can take a class at Pima. Please contact your DSO to confirm before you take a class at Pima.
Step 2: Complete the online application: Apply to Pima
Step 3: Provide a copy of your current passport
Step 4: Provide a copy of your current F-1 student visa
Step 5: Provide a copy of your current I-20 Form
Step 6: Provide a copy of your most recent unofficial transcript

Other than F-1 status, some non-immigrants with certain visa statuses may attend school either full-time or part-time. Please visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Guidance for more information on which visas are allowed for study. If you plan to take classes at Pima under an eligible non-immigrant status other than F-1, please follow the steps below to complete your application.

Step 1: Complete the online application: Apply to Pima
Step 2: Provide a copy of your current passport.
Step 3: Provide a copy of your current visa.

Step 1: Complete the online application: Apply to Pima
Step 2: Provide a copy of your current passport.
Step 3: Proof of English Proficiency is required for students interested in an Academic/Degree-Seeking program.

International Students - How to Apply