Thank you for your interest in The Wellington School. Below is a detailed outline for international students interested in making application to The Wellington School. Before beginning the admissions process, please know that international students who will attend Wellington must reside in the Columbus area with family members over the age of 30, or with close family friends. In addition, the student must be able to speak and comprehend the English language and be able to communicate with minimal assistance. Wellington provides ESL instruction for an annual fee of $3500. International students must take ESL unless faculty determines it is unneeded. Outside tutoring is often needed, and arranged and paid for by the student’s family. The admissions process can be very time-consuming, and it is recommended that the family initiate the process as soon as possible.
Wellington’s admissions process must be completed in its entirety before Wellington will issue the form I-20.
International Student Admissions Process:
A) Complete the Wellington Application form and submit it along with the $150 nonrefundable international application fee.
B) Submit a recent Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Secondary Level English Proficiency Test (SLEP) will be accepted if the student has already taken the SLEP test.
C) Submit a complete copy of the student’s immunization records.
D) Submit the parent interview form and student interview form in English. The student must complete the interview form unassisted. A professional translation organization can be used for the parent interview form, and must be signed by the translator. In addition to the translator’s signature, please provide the organization’s official seal.
E) The student’s family will provide a recommendation form to the student’s current English, math and a third teacher of the student’s choice. Teachers will fax or email their recommendation forms directly to the Wellington Admissions Office. It is preferred that the recommendation form be written in English. If that option is not available, the current school’s English teacher or a professional translation organization may be used to translate the teacher recommendation forms. All translations must be signed by the translator. In addition to the translator’s signature, please provide the organization’s official seal if using a professional translation organization.
F) The student’s parents will sign the Authorization Form which allows Wellington to contact the school or to request other important sources of information
G) A copy of the student’s most recent report card should be included when submitting the Wellington application form. The report card must be translated in English.
H) The student’s family will initiate contact with an English-speaking teacher in the student’s current school to make arrangements with the teacher to administer the Wellington written admissions exam. The English-speaking teacher will be asked to contact the Wellington Admissions Office via email to receive the testing materials and instructions.
I) Upon review of the information submitted, the school will contact the host family or student family to arrange a student interview during a visit, or if the student will not be in the United States, via Skype.
J) The host family will schedule a time to meet with the Wellington Admissions staff. This meeting must be in person. The host family cannot be changed prior to or during the student’s stay without previous approval from the Admissions Office. Changes made without prior approval can result in the revocation of the I-20 visa.
K) For students entering grades ten through twelve, a course synopsis is required for each English, Science, History and Math class the student has taken beginning in grade 9. The synopsis of each class must be written in the English language.
After steps A-K are completed, the student’s admissions file will be reviewed by Wellington’s Admissions Committee. If the committee approves the student’s admission into Wellington, an official letter of acceptance and enrollment contract will be sent to the student’s host family. The host family will forward the letter and contract to the student’s family in their home country.
If the student’s parents accept the contract, the following steps are required before Wellington will issue the Form I-20, the document from Wellington that is used to obtain the F-1 student visa:
A) The student’s parents must sign the enrollment contract and return it to Wellington’s admissions office. Signed contracts may be faxed or e-mailed as attachments.
B) The student’s family will make a deposit of 70% of the total tuition. The deposit can be sent by wire transfer from a bank in the home country to Wellington’s bank in the United States.
C) The student’s bank must also forward a statement indicating that the family has sufficient funds to support the student’s school and living expenses in Columbus for the upcoming school year.
D) If the student is denied a visa from the student’s home country, Wellington will release the contract and the 70% deposit will be returned in full to the family. Students who are denied must present written documentation to the Wellington Admissions Office.
After the above steps are completed, the Wellington Admissions Office will initiate the process for the student to obtain Form I-20. The Form I-20 is the form necessary for the student to secure a visa from the student’s home country. Form I-20 is only a part of the process, and the issuance of this document does not confer an immigration status on the student, rather U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services must declare immigration status.
Wellington requires that families consult a Columbus immigration attorney to support the entire admissions process and recommends making contact with an attorney before beginning Wellington’s application process. Families may choose any Columbus area immigration attorney. |