Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) is a publicly supported two-year educational
institution serving the Des Moines metropolitan area and surrounding counties. The
College is a multi-campus institution with the main campus located in Ankeny, Iowa,
approximately 16 km north of Des Moines, Iowa's capital city, which has a population
of over 200,000. Other campuses are located near downtown Des Moines (Urban Campus),
in Boone (near Ames, the site of Iowa State University), Carroll, Newton, and West
Des Moines.
Iowa Climate
Temperatures range from -26C to 37C. Fall months of September, October, and November
are fairly cool and Winter (December, January, and February) is a very cold time.
Spring (March, April, and May) brings warmer temperatures and Summer (June, July,
and August) is the hottest period.
Because of this variety of weather conditions, be prepared to dress for rain, snow,
or sunshine. Clothing adequate to protect against severe weather may be purchased
at reasonable cost after your arrival.
Visit The Weather Channel for more information on Iowa climate.
Sister States
Iowa has established a public-private, non-profit organization called Iowa Sister
States to promote cultural and economic partnerships. DMACC recognizes this formal
relationship by allowing individuals from the following "states" to be eligible for
resident tuition fees:
- Hebei Province, China
- Kosovo (nation)
- Veneto Region, Italy
- Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
- Terengganu, Malaysia
- Yucatan, Mexico
- Stavropol Krai, Russia
- Taiwan (the entire country/state)
- Cherkasy Oblast, Ukraine
International Student Admission Requirements
Submit the following application items to the International Student Office at the
address below. Please see the deadlines page for important dates regarding the submission of your application materials. Use this
page as a checklist to keep track of the items you've sent to us. Sending all required
items together ensures that your application will be processed in a timely manner.
New Full-Time International Student Applicants
New full-time international students need to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility form
I-20 to receive a student visa through the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country.
The I-20 indicates that all admission requirements have been met to enter the College.
This document is issued through SEVIS, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information
System. The U.S. Embassy or Consulate make the final decision regarding whether students
will be allowed to enter the United States to study. All International Students must
report to DMACC on or before the date stated on the I-20 form. Late-arriving students
will not be allowed to register for class. International students requesting admission
and issuance of an I-20 must provide:
- A completed and signed DMACC International Application for Admission.
- A completed International Student Information Form.
- a) A Financial Resource Statement verifying the ability of the student or the student's financial sponsor to meet all
educational and living expenses for one year while attending DMACC. This must be signed and sealed by a notary public by the student or the student's financial sponsor and
b) A letter or bank statement dated within six months of the application. The letter
or bank statement needs to show at least $20,000 (USD).
- An official transcript that provides evidence of graduation from a secondary school
and transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended. Photocopies may be accepted
if they are properly notarized as true copies. Transcripts must be translated into
English.
- Page 1 of passport
The college issues an I-20 Certificate of Eligibility form after students complete
the steps above (1-5) and qualify for admission. The following items must be provided
upon the student's arrival at DMACC to complete the admission process:
- Official evidence of English proficiency. All full-time and part-time students whose
native language is NOT English are required to take and pass the ELL Test in ACCUPLACER® Next Generation as a requirement for admission. This test is available at the assessment
centers located on each DMACC campus. This requirement may be waived by providing
any of the following.
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 173 on the computer test, 500
on the paper test, or 61 on the iBT internet-based version (45 if speaking not completed)
in order to enroll in credit courses. The TOEFL code for DMACC is 6177.
- Official transcripts from an accredited United States college or university showing
successful completion ('C' or better grade) of a college-level writing course and
6 hours of college-level academic course work requiring reading.
- ACT score of 19 or higher in Reading and Writing. The ACT code for DMACC is 1272.
- IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 5.0 or higher.
- Duolingo English Test: The Duolingo English Test (DET) is an online English proficiency
test that can be taken online, on demand, in under an hour for only $49. The test
is taken online via a computer with a webcam and microphone. The test includes a proficiency
score, video interview and writing sample which are shared with DMACC when you send
your results. Certified results are available within 48 hours of the test session.
DET tests taken on or after July 15, 2019, require a score of 90 or higher. Take your test today.
- A refundable deposit of $4,000 (USD). This deposit is required for new or transfer
F-1 students at DMACC and must be paid before course registration takes place. When
the student completes their studies at DMACC, any remaining amount of the deposit,
less any outstanding tuition or fees, will be refunded to the student.
International Transfer Student Applicants
International Students who apply to DMACC as a transfer student from a college or
university within the United States must provide the same items as new students listed
as 1-7 above. In addition, transfer students must submit:
- A completed DMACC International Student Inquiry Form, completed by the current school's International Student Advisor.
- Copies of passport including the VISA pages, I-94 forms and all previously issued
I-20 forms.
International Guest Student Applicants
Students who are enrolled full-time at another college or university within the United
States and wish to enroll as an international guest student at DMACC, need to provide
items 1, 6 and 9 from the list above. International guest students should designate
"Liberal Arts" as their program of study.
Note: Adobe Acrobat is needed to view and print the forms.
Mail completed information to the address below or scan and email as PDF files to intlstudentoffice@dmacc.edu. Thank you.
DMACC
International Student Office
2006 South Ankeny Boulevard - Building 5, Room 1120A
Ankeny, Iowa 50023
USA
Enrollment and Registration
Registration begins approximately six to seven weeks before the start of classes each
semester, and continues until the beginning of classes. It is strongly recommended
that international students plan on arriving at least three weeks before the first
day of classes. International Student Orientation will occur within the fall and spring
semesters.
Before a student may register for credit classes, he or she must complete the academic
assessment process. The ELLTest in ACCUPLACER® Next Generation is given on all campuses,
and the scores are used to help in course selection and schedule planning to meet
individual needs and goals. No appointment is necessary to take this test on the Ankeny
campus; appointments are necessary on the other DMACC campuses. Students may take
the tests during International Student Orientation.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires full-time enrollment for F-1 student
visa holders in the fall and spring semesters. A course load of 12 credit hours is
considered full-time. Regulations do not require F-1 students to be enrolled in classes
for the summer term, but 8 credits are considered full-time for that 10-week session
if a student wishes to attend. Part-time enrollment is allowed during the summer only.
More information.
A Financial Resource Statement is required that verifies the ability of the student or the student's sponsor to meet
all educational and living expenses for one year while attending DMACC. This must
be signed and sealed by a notary public and accompanied by a letter or bank statement
from the student or the student's financial sponsor, dated within six months of the
application. The letter or bank statement need to show at least $20,000 (USD).
A refundable deposit of $4,000 (USD) is also required. This deposit is required for new or transfer F-1
students at DMACC and must be paid before course registration takes place. It may
not be used to pay educational expenses. When the student completes their studies
at DMACC, any remaining amount of the deposit, less any outstanding tuition or fees,
will be refunded to the student.
Listed below are the estimated costs for one year. Careful planning will help to make
a successful college experience.
Work permits for off-campus employment are only granted with the permission of the
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service (BCIS). International Students are eligible
to work on campus and are encouraged to apply for on campus job openings.
Though not eligible for federal, state or other institutional financial aid programs
international students may apply and be considered for DMACC Foundation Scholarships.
Both new and current students may apply during one of two open application periods.
For the 2024-2025 academic year the first application period will begin on December
1, 2023 and close March 1, 2024. A second application period will be open from May
1, 2024 through July 15, 2024.
Students will be notified by DMACC email if they have been selected for one of the
competitive scholarships following the application periods with further directions
on how to accept the scholarship. Please note that funding is limited and not all
eligible applicants will receive an award. You can learn more about the individual
scholarships at the DMACC Foundation Scholarship webpage and use these step-by-step instructions to complete the application process.
In addition, for further financial assistance it may be possible to use private scholarships
through personal research.
Educational Costs
The following costs for admission fees, tuition, fees, and books are approximate,
and are subject to change each year. There may be additional supply/equipment/lab
expenses for students enrolled in certain programs or courses. International students
must pay the non-resident rate for tuition and fees, which is double the resident
rate per credit hour.
Please Note: Cost figures are subject to change without notice.
Credit Hour Costs
|
Fall Semester (12 hours) |
approximately $4,272 |
Spring Semester (12 Hours) |
approximately $4,272 |
Summer Term (8 hours) |
approximately $2,256 |
Total Credit Hour Costs |
$10,800 |
Other Costs*
|
Health Insurance (mandatory) |
(annually) $1,700 |
Living Expenses (room, board, personal expenses) |
$7,500 |
Total Other Costs |
$9,200 |
*(This amount will vary, depending on individual needs. The cost of transportation
is not included.)
Total Costs
|
TOTAL COST FOR ONE YEAR |
$20,000 |
Refundable Deposit |
$4,000 |
GRAND TOTAL |
$24,000 |
DMACC International Student Resources
Other Helpful Resources