Welcome! The International Student Center staff would like to ensure our support and guidance throughout your academic journey at PCC.  

The first step is to receive your I-20, the document that you will use to apply for a student visa. After you are admitted to PCC, within 7 work days, you will receive your PCC I-20 via email. This is sent to the email that you used in your application.  

Check your I-20 carefully for any errors! Please email international@pasadena.edu immediately if you notice errors so we can correct it  
→ Remember to sign your I-20 in blue ink once you have verified that it is correct. 

If you are a new student coming from outside of the United States, you must apply for a student F-1 visa. Follow these steps:

  1. Pay the SEVIS/I-901 Fee of $350 to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency at www.fmjfee.com

  2. Sign your Form I-20 in BLUE INK on page 1

  3. Review all the instructions on the Form I-20 on page 3
     
  4. Complete the online Non-immigrant Visa Application - Form DS-160 - at https://ceac.state.gov/ceac. Print the application and bring it to your visa interview 

  5. Schedule your visa interview at your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Please remember to check with the Embassy or Consulate for what additional documents you will need to bring or prepare for your interview by visiting www.usembassy.gov. Documents you may need to bring may include bank statements, letter of admission, English test scores, etc. 
    • Helpful Tip: You may be able to schedule an Emergency Appointment with the consulate to expedite your appointment. Contact your local consulate for more information

  6. Bring your signed and original Form I-20 with you, along with any required documents stated by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate, to your visa interview

If you are currently in the U.S. changing from a visa type into the student F-1 visa, follow these steps:

  1. Pay the SEVIS/I-901 Fee) of $350 to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency at www.fmjfee.com

  2. Sign the enclosed Form I-20 in BLUE INK on page 1

  3. Review all the instructions on the Form I-20 on page 3
     
  4. Visit U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website for detailed instructions and application (use Form I-539) on how to apply for a Change of Status. Search for “Change my Nonimmigrant Status” in the search bar

  5. After you have submitted your application to USCIS and as soon as you receive your "Receipt Notice", scan and email the confirmation to the International Student Center at international@pasadena.edu 

  6. If your Change of Status application is not approved by the first day of classes, please contact the International Student Center at international@pasadena.edu or (626) 585-7808 to discuss your options 

Important Reminders

  • Remember to notify us one week before classes start on the status of your Change of Status application. If you forget, your PCC I-20 and Change of Status application can be cancelled
  • You must maintain your current non-immigrant status until your Change of Status application is approved by USCIS. If you are not sure, consult with the International Student Center
  • Do not travel outside of the United States while your Change of Status application is pending with USCIS. Your Change of Status application will be cancelled by USCIS if you leave the U.S. 
  • If you are changing from a B1/B2 visitor’s visa, do not enroll or begin your studies until USCIS has approved your change of status. If USCIS has not adjudicated, or decided on your change of status at least one week before the first day of the semester (program start date listed on your Form I-20), please contact us at international@pasadena.edu 
  • If you are changing from F2 to F1 status, you can enroll in up to 11.9 units (part-time) at PCC

If you are currently studying in the U.S. with an F-1 visa and are transferring from another college or university, request your current school to transfer your SEVIS (I-20) record to Pasadena City College so we can issue your PCC Transfer-Pending I-20.

  1. Talk to the international student office at your current school to ask about what documents you need to provide to transfer your I-20/SEVIS record to PCC. Provide the following PCC school code: 

    PCC SEVIS CODE: LOS214F00788000

  2. Your current school will transfer, or release, your I-20/SEVIS record by the date you indicate to them. 
    → Make sure your transfer your I-20/SEVIS record before your first day of classes at PCC
    → If you are still taking classes at your current school, do not transfer your I-20/SEVIS record to PCC until you have completed all your classes at your current school

  3. You will receive your PCC Transfer Pending I-20 within 24 to 48 hours of us receiving your record from your school

Important Reminders

  • Transferring your SEVIS record will save you money and waive the $350 SEVIS fee you need to pay to the U.S. government
  • If you are going to travel outside the United States before attending PCC, please plan ahead and determine which school’s I-20 you will use to travel
    • If you are using your current school’s I-20 to travel, DO NOT ask your current school to transfer your I-20 to PCC until you return to the United States
    • If you are using PCC’s transfer-pending I-20 to travel, please plan ahead and request your current school to transfer your I-20 SEVIS record to PCC so that we issue you a PCC transfer-pending I-20 before you leave the U.S. 
  • We recommend that you avoid all unessential travel outside the U.S. until you are fully transferred and registered as a PCC student

1. Activate LancerPoint

After you apply to PCC, you will receive an email with your LancerPoint ID number and link to set up your LancerPoint portal account.

→  You may need to wait up to 72 hours to receive your welcome email. 
→  Set up your LancerPoint immediately to be able to continue with the rest of the steps.
→ Take a picture of your username and security questions.
→ Your LancerPoint Student ID # is listed in your admission letter, admission email, as well as in your I-20.

Go to LancerPoint to Activate your Account

2. Activate your PCC Email

Activate for your @go.pasadena.edu email by logging into www.gmail.com. Use your LancerPoint username and @go.pasadena.edu and password to create and sign in to your account. For example: larrylancer@go.pasadena.edu

Go to Gmail to Set-Up your PCC Email


GUIDES & TUTORIALS TO HELP YOU

Learn more about how to activate your LancerPoint and set up your PCC Email.

Setting Up Your Tools

You must complete your Online Orientation. The online orientation will make you an expert on everything PCC and allow you to complete your Math and ESL/English Self-Guided Placement.

→ To start the Orientation, login with your LancerPoint username and password
→ The Online Orientation takes approximately 45 minutes to complete and includes YouTube videos
→ You can complete the orientation on your smart phone, tablet, laptop or desktop

Complete your Online Orientation

Understand all the benefits of your student visa, as well as responsibilities for maintaining your visa active and in good standing.

Complete Your Visa Benefits and Responsibilities Workshop 

→ A temporary registration hold will be placed on your student account if you do not complete this workshop
→ To remove the registration hold, you must complete this workshop before you register for classes 

New International Students with No University or College Experience

New students with no university/college experience must complete the New International Student Counseling Workshop. Once you are done with the workshop, you will complete an online form that an Academic Counselor will use to help you create your first-semester educational plan. 

Begin New Student Counseling Workshop

You can also speak, virtually or in-person, with an Academic Counselor to plan your classes and discuss your educational goals.

Make an Appointment with a Counselor

Returning Students & Students with University/College Credits 

You can register on or after your registration date without completing this step. If you need assistance selecting classes, speak with a counselor or connect with an online counselor via email to plan your classes and get a transcript review.

Make an Appointment with a Counselor or Submit an Online Counseling Request


GUIDES & TUTORIALS TO HELP YOU

Learn how to schedule an appointment on PCC Connect.

How to Book on PCC Connect

International students must register and attend JAM Orientation, a 3-day in-person welcome where students learn about support services at PCC, connect with new and current students, and learn skills to excel as a student at PCC. JAM Orientation is mandatory for all new PCC international students.

Students who participate in JAM will also earn priority registration. Students with priority registration register on average 2 to 3 weeks before those without priority registration. Take advantage of this great opportunity to register for the classes you want and get the classes you need!

JAM Orientation Dates

Your visa and I-20 will only allow you to enter in time for these two JAM sessions. Please do not register for other JAM Orientation days other than these ones or you risk being turned away at U.S. customs at the airport. 

  • August 12 to 14
  • August 19 to 21

Register for JAM

Connect with other new students by joining the PCC New International Student group on Discord. This group allows you to connect with other students and ask each other questions, such as housing tips, what to do in Pasadena, and more! You also interact with PCC's International Student Ambassadors.

All new students are invited to join this PCC Discord group. If you did not receive an invitation, email international@pasadena.edu or you can also request to join below:

Connect with New PCC Students

To prepare you for registration, we offer Pre-Registration support for you to learn how to select and register for your classes correctly. While not required, this pre-registration workshop is strongly encouraged to help you to understand the registration process and ensure you are prepared to register when your date comes. Select one of the two options: 

Start the Registration Support Workshop Onlineor Sign-up for In-Person Registration Support Workshop

To find out your registration date and time, go to your LancerPoint Account.

→ If you have not yet activated your LancerPoint account, you need to do so immediately to be able to register on time. Learn How
→ If you need help registering on your assigned day and time, please visit one of our help centers if you are on the PCC campus. If you are outside of the U.S., visit our Virtual Support Center during work hours (Monday to Friday, 9AM to 4PM) 

Go to LancerPoint to Register

Helpful Links