Admission Policies and Procedures

Lone Star College is an open admissions system. New students can apply directly to Lone Star College through the LSC online application, LoneStar.edu/admissions, or the Texas Common Application, ApplyTexas.org. Returning students who have not been enrolled during the preceding fall and spring semesters must update their general information by signing into their original application account at LoneStar.edu/apply. Students who have not been enrolled for two or more years will be required to submit a new admissions application.

Admissions Criteria for Credit Courses

Applicants are typically admitted within one business day and may attend any LSC campus. Admission to LSC does not guarantee admission to a specific limited-enrollment program. Students may be admitted to the system under any one of the following criteria:

1. Graduate from high school.
2. Transfer from another college or institution.
3. Obtain GED (General Educational Development) certificate by passing the test as certified by a state education agency.
4. Meet international student criteria (F-1 Visa). Additional information relating to academic background, financial support as well as a personal interview may be required for admission. See Admission Procedures for International Students section of this catalog for additional information.
5. Meet exceptional admission criteria. Exceptional admission at LSC is designed for students whose academic needs can best be met by the inclusion of college-level instruction. Students enrolled in high school who do not have a GED certificate or a diploma from high school may qualify for exceptional admission.
6. Obtain individual approval. Students who do not meet any of the above requirements, may be admitted with special individual approval, provided sufficient evidence is presented that the student can do college-level work. Evidence may include, but is not limited to, standardized written exams, other measurement instruments, or a non-written examination for workforce course work. Approvals will be considered upon receipt of supporting documentation, as described above, and an Individual Approval Form. See LoneStar.edu/admissions for details.

Admissions Process: Credit Courses

 Lone Star College’s open-enrollment process follows the steps detailed below:

• Submit an online admissions application at LoneStar.edu/admissions or ApplyTexas.org
• Submit qualifying assessment scores, or complete the Pre-Assessment Activity and take an assessment test. See LoneStar.edu/placement-testing-info for details.
• Submit all official transcripts. See LoneStar.edu/transfer-into-lsc for details.
• Submit meningitis documentation if applicable. See LoneStar.edu/meningitis for details.
• Attend a New Student Orientation and meet with advisor/counselor to discuss academic plans. See LoneStar.edu/orientation for details.
• Register and pay for classes.
• Apply for financial aid if needed. See LoneStar.edu/financial-aid for details.
• Apply for Academic Fresh Start if needed. See LoneStar.edu/admissions for details.

See below regarding some additional details related to admission to Lone Star College:

• Returning students must update their information and complete a new residency oath if they have not enrolled in the preceding fall and spring semester.
• High school graduates who are age 16 or younger should follow the Special Admissions Process to enroll in courses with LSC. See Special Admissions Process below for details.
• All students age 17 or younger must complete and return a Parental Consent and Waiver Form, also available at any LSC campus prior to enrolling at LSC. See LoneStar.edu/admissions for details.

Program Admissions Requirements

Specific programs may have additional admission requirements and limited enrollment. Students should refer to program specific information in the Degrees and Certificates section of this catalog for details.

Special Admissions Process

Students age 16 or younger who have graduated from high school may be eligible for special admission to Lone Star College.  Applicants who are admitted under the special admission process can enroll in college courses at an LSC campus or online. In addition to the regular admission process, students age 16 or younger must:

• Show proof of education indicating graduation from public high school or completed secondary education according to the same general standards as those students who graduated from public high school.
• Once admitted, students age 16 or younger must meet with LSC personnel prior to registering each semester. Students age 16 or younger must also have a parent or legal guardian at the LSC campus, center, or facility at all times to monitor the student’s activities outside of class and to be immediately available in case of an emergency. Failure to do so will cause the student to be removed from each enrolled class.
• All students age 17 or younger must complete and return a Parental Consent and Waiver For Minor Students Form, also available at any LSC campus prior to enrolling at LSC. See LoneStar.edu/admissions for details.

Mandatory First-Time-In-College (FTIC) Student Orientation

Getting off to the best start at the beginning of the semester is important; therefore, all First-Time-In-College (FTIC) students at Lone Star College are required to complete a student orientation prior to registering for classes. Students will be unable to register for classes until this requirement is complete. Please visit LoneStar.edu/orientation for additional details.

Exceptional Admissions: Process

Students can earn college credits while enrolled in high school if they are admitted through the exceptional admissions process.  Exceptional admits are applicants who have not graduated high school and are able to present sufficient evidence of their capability to do college level work. 

College credits earned through the exceptional admissions program will be accepted by most institutions on the same basis as other college credit. There is a possibility, however, that a specific transfer institution may add additional requirements for transfer purposes. Contact the transfer institution’s admissions office, a high school counselor, or an LSC Dual Credit advisor LoneStar.edu/dualcredit for more information.

Participation in the exceptional admissions program may make some students ineligible for University Interscholastic League (UIL) competition in certain academic areas, depending on the courses taken. English and history courses do not affect eligibility. Students should contact their high school advisor for specific UIL requirements.

The following actions must be completed by all exceptional admission students prior to registering:

• In addition to the regular admission process, exceptional admits must provide evidence that required course prerequisites have been satisfied such as high school, home school, or college transcript, and high school graduation plan.
• All students admitted under exceptional admissions must complete the Dual Credit/ Exceptional Admission Course Approval form, which lists the college and high school classes, and is signed by the student, parent/guardian, high school principal, or designee. See LoneStar.edu/dual-credit-admission for more details.
• Students age 16 or younger must also have a parent or legal guardian at the LSC campus, center, or facility at all times to monitor the student’s activities outside of class and to be immediately available in case of an emergency. Failure to do so will cause the student to be removed from each enrolled class.
• All students age 17 or younger must complete and return a Parental Consent and Waiver For Minor Students Form, also available at any LSC campus prior to enrolling at LSC. See LoneStar.edu/admissions for details.

Dual Credit: Definition

Dual credit is part of Lone Star College’s exceptional admissions program. It is especially designed for junior and senior secondary education students who qualify to earn high school and college credit simultaneously while still enrolled in high school. Dual credit students receive a 100 percent discounted tuition rate. All other fees will be assessed at their regular rate. See LoneStar.edu/tuition for details.

LSC colleges have agreements with several high school districts that permit eligible high school students to earn college credit while satisfying high school graduation requirements at the same time. Upon approval by the high school principal, or designee, and college admission through the exceptional admissions program, a student may enroll in college courses taught either at the high school or at LSC.

Dual Credit: Requirements

In order for students to be eligible for dual credit, all of the following must be met:

• The high school has an agreement with Lone Star College.
• The student is currently enrolled in a public, or private, high school or home school.
• The student has a current LSC application on file.
• The student meets the requirements for exceptional admission.
• The student has approval from high school designee, college designee, and parent/guardian.
• The student has demonstrated Texas Success Initiative (TSI) compliance and/or taken an approved assessment test.

Please refer to LoneStar.edu/dualcredit-eligibility for more information.

Dual Credit Registration Deadlines

Registration deadlines for dual credit differ from the regular college registration deadlines.  Refer to LoneStar.edu/registration for details.

Satisfactory Progress in Dual Credit Classes

High school students must complete each college course attempted with a grade of “C” or better in order to continue in the dual credit program. For additional information about dual credit, please LoneStar.edu/dualcredit.

Dual Credit Students on Campus

Lone Star College is a community college that embraces our communities and welcomes residents of all ages. However, in order to provide for the safety of all children, students age 16 or younger must have a parent, legal guardian or authorized responsible adult at the LSC campus, center or facility to monitor the student’s activities outside of class and to be immediately available in case of an emergency.

LSC-Jakarta

Lone Star College and Sampoerna University (SU) located in Jakarta, Indonesia have established the first U.S. associate degree program offered in Indonesia. The LSC/SU dual enrollment International Educational Pathway Program is the only one of its kind in Indonesia. Students electing to participate in the program will receive a U.S. associate degree after completing the first two years of the Lone Star College international academic program curriculum at the SU campus in Pancoran, South Jakarta, Indonesia.

The courses have met the qualifications as required by the LSC United States regional accrediting body, the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS) and are approved by LSC. The courses are taught in English by local faculty in Jakarta. All SU courses are designed to meet industry needs through the oversight of industry advisory boards.

After completing the Lone Star College associate degree, students have a number of options for completing their bachelor’s degree in Jakarta, Indonesia or in the U.S.

LSC-Jakarta students enrolled in the International Educational Pathway Program are also co-enrolled in the Sampoerna School of Business and the Sampoerna School of Education.

For more information, go to LoneStar.edu/Jakarta or call: +62 O85857418425 (Indonesia) +1 832.217.0176 (USA)

Admissions Procedures for International Students

LSC is authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enroll non-immigrant students carrying valid F-1 (student) visas for degree-seeking programs. Currently there are about 3,000 international students from 100 different countries on various visa types enrolled at Lone Star College. LSC adheres to the DHS Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) guidelines. It is the responsibility of the student to have knowledge of DHS regulations pertaining to their visa type.

F-1 Student Enrollment

Enrollment involves five processes: (1) admission as an F-1 student, (2) visa/status approval by the U.S. government, (3) advisement, (4) orientation, and (5) course registration.

The procedures outlined below are required for the Lone Star College F-1 student admissions process and issuance of the Form I-20. The student will receive an I-20 and acceptance letter from the International Advisor/DSO if all of the admission requirements have been met. After being admitted by Lone Star College, the student is solely responsible for applying for F-1 visa or status with the U.S. Consulate, or transferring their SEVIS record if already an F-1 student. Please refer to studyinthestates.dhs.gov/ for guidelines for each type of applicant.

Please note, certain programs of study such as healthcare programs have additional admission requirements. Please check with the particular academic program for more information. See LoneStar.edu/f1admissions for additional F-1 Visa Student Admissions Requirements.

F-1 Student Admissions Procedures

Admissions Application Period:

• For Applicants from outside of the United States:
  • Fall Semester: April 1 - July 1, immediately prior to desired semester of enrollment
  • Spring Semester: September 15 - November 1 immediately prior to desired semester of enrollment
• Transfer students:
  • Fall Semester: April 1 - August 1, immediately prior to desired semester
  • Spring Semester: September 15- December 1 immediately prior to desired semester
• Change of Status Applicants: No less than 60 days from current visa status expiration as determined by expiration date on I-94 Admission Card/Record or no less than 60 days before the 21st birthday for dependents on certain visa types.

F-1 Students Authorizing a Representative

In order to have an authorized representative communicate with LSC about your application or to pick up your I-20:

• New applicants: Send an email to the International Student Advisor/Designated School Official at your campus from your myLoneStar account once you have completed the online application. Your email should list the authorized representative’s name, ID number/passport number and the permission you are giving him or her.
• Current LSC Student: Complete the Authorization to Release Educational Records Form located at LoneStar.edu/Forms. In the Other field list “F-1 Admissions”, “Form I-20”, or both and select any other types of information you would like to release to that person. Include the person’s ID number/passport number. The form must be notarized in the U.S.

Required for All Applicants Requesting an LSC Form I-20

Transfer F-1 visa students and applicants seeking to change their visa status to F-1 while within the U.S., please see the following pages for additional required documents. F-1 students with an I-20 from another institution (concurrently enrolled) do not have to submit the documents outlined in this section, but must submit different documents as outlined in the section “F-1 Students with Form I-20 from another Institution (Concurrent Enrollment)” below.

• Choose the LSC campus you would like to attend before beginning the admissions process: Visit LoneStar.edu/maps for a listing of all LSC locations.
• Complete the New Student Online Application: LoneStar.edu/admissions-application. In the application, select the LSC campus to which you are applying. You can only select one location.
  • When completing your online application, make sure to select that you are applying for an F-1 visa if you do not already have a student visa. If you are an F-1 transfer student or an F-1 student with an I-20 from another school seeking to take some classes at LSC, select F-1 as your visa type.
  • Please Note: After completing the online application and logging in to your student account, you will see a hold for F-1 Insurance Requirement. You do not have to fulfill the insurance requirement to be admitted. Please do not take action until you have been admitted and approved for a visa. F-1 students on a LSC Form I-20 will need to fulfill the requirement after visa approval and prior to class registration. Concurrently enrolled F-1 students will need to provide proof of exemption before they will be allowed to register. Please read the information in the hold for more information.

• Prepare and email all of the documents below as PDF or JPG attachments in one complete packet to the International Student Advisor/Designated School Official at the LSC campus you chose in your New Student Online Application by the specific deadline. If you send your documents to a campus other than the one you indicated, your application may be delayed or denied. The required forms are available from LoneStar.edu/international-student-forms. Original documents may be required at any time.
  • International Student Application for F-1 visa (form): LoneStar.edu/international-student-forms.
  • Evidence of high school completion or college-level work and a certified translation if the primary document is not in English. If you are submitting evidence of college-level work from outside of the United States, the document must establish that high school completion was required for admission into the college. See LoneStar.edu/international-transcripts if seeking to transfer college/university credits from abroad.

• Proof of sufficient English proficiency by submitting one of the following:
  • Official transcripts from an accredited U.S. college or university showing successful completion of coursework including a college-level writing course (not ESOL).
  • Official records from a foreign high school or higher education institution where English is the primary language of instruction may indicate English proficiency.
  • TOEFL paper 530; TOEFL IBT 71; TOEIC 700; or IELTS 6.0 or COMPASS/ESL 99 allow students to take the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) test for admission into college-transfer courses. Scores are valid for two years. Refer to LoneStar.edu/English-Proficiency-Requirement for more information.
  • Students who do not meet one of the above requirements for English proficiency, must take the ESOL Program’s placement test for admission into the ESOL Program. Minimum scores on approved ESOL tests for admission into the Lone Star College ESOL Program are: TOEFL 347; TOEFL IBT 19, IELTS 2, TOEIC 255, COMPASS/ESL  42.
• A completed and signed Financial Responsibility Statement (form) showing that adequate funding is available to pay for the applicant’s educational and estimated living expenses for at least one year. A copy of the sponsor’s picture identification and sponsor’s signature on the form is required. Form is available at LoneStar.edu/international-student-forms.
• Provide 2 of the following 3 financial documents showing, at minimum, the amount listed on LoneStar.edu/international-tuition. If documents are not in English, please include an official translation. The type of currency must be clearly listed. Additional supporting documents may be required.
  • A letter from the employer on official letterhead of each sponsor with 1) the name of the employee 2) the employee’s position/title 3) the annual salary 4) the dates of employment
  • Bank letter on official bank letterhead with 1) account holder name 2) date account opened 3) current balance and 4) average yearly balance. Letter cannot be more than 1-month old
  • Official savings or checking bank statements for the last 3 months

• Copy of passport for applicant and for spouse or children who will be an eligible visa dependent valid for at least 6 months at the time of application
• Maintaining Your F-1 Status (form) located at LoneStar.edu/international-student-forms

Transfer Students on an F-1 Student Visa

An F-1 student seeking to transfer from another U.S. college/university must complete the following steps and submit the documents to the International Student Advisor/Designated School Official at the LSC campus where they wish to enroll:

• Complete the requirements in the section titled “Required for All Applicants Requesting an LSC Form I-20”
• Provide copies of the following documents:
  • International Student Transfer-In Information Form completed by an international student advisor from the student’s current institution located at LoneStar.edu/international-student-forms. Applicant must be in status to be eligible for transfer.
  • Copy of U.S. admission stamp in passport for applicant and for any eligible dependent spouse or children (F-2). The validity date must list “D/S” (Duration of Status).
  • Copy of I-94 card (if arrived by land) or print out of electronic I-94 record (if arrived by air) from https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/ for applicant and for any eligible dependent spouse or children (F-2). The validity date must list “D/S” (Duration of Status).
  • Copy of F-1 visa for applicant and for any eligible dependent spouse or children (F-2)
  • Copy of I-20s from current and any previous schools for applicant and any eligible dependent (F-2)

Applicants on another Visa Seeking to Study on an F-1 Visa (Change of Status)

Change of Status Applicants Please Note: If you meet the admission requirements, Lone Star College will issue the Form I-20 for the semester you request in your International Student Application if classes are available for your language abilities. However, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has special rules about the expiration of your current status and when your F-1 program should start. This may negatively impact the decision they give you. It is your responsibility to make sure you meet their requirements. We advise you to seek the assistance of an experienced immigration attorney. Lone Star College cannot be responsible for a denial by USCIS. Please see the Instructions for Form I-539 section on the USCIS website for more information: www.uscis.gov/i-539.

Applicants seeking to change their visa status from another visa type to an F-1 visa must complete the following steps and submit the documents to the International Student Advisor/Designated School Official at the LSC campus where they wish to enroll:

• Complete the requirements listed in the section titled “Required for All Applicants Requesting an LSC Form I-20”
• Provide copies of the following documents:
  • Copy of U.S. admission stamp in passport for applicant and for any eligible dependent spouse or children (F-2). The validity date cannot be expired.
  • Copy of I-94 card (if arrived by land) or print out of electronic I-94 record (if arrived by air) from https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/ for applicant and for any eligible dependent spouse or children (F-2). The validity date cannot be expired.
  • Copy of visa for applicant and for any eligible dependent spouse or children
  • Completed Form I-539. Download form: www.uscis.gov/i-539

F-1 Students with Form I-20 from another Institution (Concurrent Enrollment)

F-1 visa students whose SEVIS record will remain at another institution but would like to take some classes at LSC will need to provide the following to the International Student Advisor/Designated School Official at the LSC campus where they wish to enroll:

• Copy of current Form I-20.
• Letter from their International Student Advisor/Designated School Official at their current institution. The letter must indicate good immigration standing and number of credits the students is allowed to take at LSC for the current semester.
• Please note: An official transcript from the current institution must be submitted to the Lone Star College Registrar’s Office at the campus where the applicant will enroll per general college admission requirements.      

Accepted F-1 Students

Once accepted for admission into a college, the student will receive a welcome packet containing an I-20 form which is used to apply for an F-1 visa.

All new F-1 international students must attend a mandatory international student orientation session before the start of their first semester in addition to any orientations required by the LSC campus where they enroll. The International Student Advisor/Designated School Official at the college will provide date, time, and location information. The mandatory orientation provides important information about campus resources, SEVIS F-1 visa rules, and the LSC mandatory Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).

F-1 visa regulations require students on an F-1 visa to enroll in and maintain enrollment in a minimum of 12 credit hours each fall and spring semester. At least 9 of these credit hours must be in face-to-face classes each semester. Other rules pertaining to the F-1 visa program apply as outlined in the Maintaining Your F-1 Status form in addition to college policies and procedures that apply to all students.

F-1 visa international students, with an LSC-issued I-20 form, must maintain health insurance coverage as a condition of enrollment.  In order to fulfill this requirement, an F-1 visa international student may either: 1) purchase the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) from the LSC-approved SHIP Administrator, or 2) obtain an approved waiver if the student has an alternative health insurance plan that meets the Lone Star College waiver criteria.  Purchase of the LSC SHIP, waiver approval, or exemption must be verified each semester by the International Student Advisor/SEVIS Designated School Official before an F-1 student will be allowed to register for classes. Please see the http://www.lonestar.edu/23662.htm website for eligibility requirements and instructions on satisfying the requirement.