International Students are students who are not United States citizens or permanent residents and are citizens of another country.

International applicants with acceptable scholastic records and proven English proficiency will be considered for admission as freshmen or as transfer students. 

Freshman applicants must be graduates of recognized secondary schools comparable in level to the American high school. Transfer applicants are considered on the basis of secondary school records and records of postsecondary study (college or technical school).

Factors considered in making the admission decision are grades earned, subjects to be taken, ability to carry a full course of study, satisfactory scores on the East Central Community College (ECCC) placement tests, proof of financial responsibility, and proof of health insurance and tuberculosis screening. ECCC is authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant students.

For all freshmen and transfer student applicants, the following materials must be in the Office of Admissions and Records at least 60 days before the beginning of the semester in which admission is desired:

International Applicant Document Submission Requirements:

  • An Application for Admission filled out in full and signed by the student,
  • An official score on the ACT or SAT,
  • Official documentation indicating the receipt of a regular high school diploma from an approved* high school including the date of graduation and appropriate signature(s). A certified copy of all high school and/or college transcripts documenting previous credits earned must be evaluated by a credential evaluation service located in the United States and the results sent to the Office of Admissions at ECCC;
  • Information, including but not limited to a letter from a bank, showing sufficient financial support;
  • Proof of health insurance; and
  • Results of an Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) (a blood assay for Mycobacterium tuberculosis: (i.e., QuantiFERON TB Gold® or T-Spot®) and a chest x-ray performed within two months prior to beginning class. The blood assay and x-ray must be performed in the United States. (Students with signs or symptoms of TB or an abnormal x-ray will not be allowed to attend class without clearance from the Health Department.) Students are responsible for all costs associated with the tuberculosis screenings.Once all requested materials listed above are received by the Office of Admissions and Records, the Admissions Office in conjunction with the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) will issue the student a Form I-20. The student must then sign and return the Form I-20 along with the appropriate Visa (F-1 Visa or M-1 Visa) before he/she can register for classes at the College.

*NOTE: If the high school transcript indicating the receipt of a regular high school diploma is from a school that is not approved by the College, the prospective student must present an official state or locally approved high school equivalency exam transcript with satisfactory scores or submit an ACT composite of 14 or better to be admitted into an academic or technical program at the College.

In addition to the regular tuition and fees paid by in-state students, international students will be assessed out-of-state fees payable at registration. Dormitory facilities will be available each semester only after in district and in-state students have been housed.

Certified mail is preferred for submission of documents, but official PDF documents sent by email attachment to admissions@eccc.edu may also be acceptable.

Documents provided by email must be scanned images; photos and screenshots are not acceptable. ECCC may still request physical copies of emailed documents to be mailed if needed for closer evaluation.

Please direct all mailed document submissions to:

East Central Community College
ATTN: ECCC International Admissions
Smith Student Union – 2nd Floor
PO Box 129
Decatur, MS 39327

International applicants who:

  • have already achieved a passing grade of 2.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale in two English writing/composition courses from a regionally accredited institution within the United States as evidenced by an official transcript from that institution; or
  • have already completed at least 15 credits, including at least one English writing/composition course from a regionally accredited institution within the United States as evidenced by an official transcript from that institution, and who have earned a cumulative grade-point average of 2.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale, and a grade of 2.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale on the English writing/composition course; or
  • have completed two years minimum of high school education at, and graduated from, an accredited high school in the U.S. and must, however, comply with the admission standards for admissions for academic and technical applicants as stated in the catalog; or
  • are citizens of one of a group of countries listed on the English Language Test Requirement exemption list which is maintained by the Office of Admissions and Records may be admitted to the College without an official English language proficiency exam providing qualifying test scores.

International applicants whose primary language is not English and/or who have completed their secondary or postsecondary education either primarily outside of the United States or from a non-regionally accredited institution within the United States must submit official scores from the acceptable tests listed below.

English language proficiency requirements may be met by an official English language proficiency exam providing qualifying test scores. To be considered official, test scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to the ECCC and be less than two years old.

Scores to be considered for admission to ECCC must be as follows:

1. Duolingo English Test: 95 or higher
2. TOEFL Internet Based Test (iBT): 69 or higher
3. TOEFL Paper Based Test (PBT): 523 or higher
4. IELTS: 6.00 overall band score or higher

Based on our mission statement, East Central Community College reserves the right to limit the number of international students admitted. ECCC will admit a limited number of international scholarship athletes, fine arts and other performance-based scholarship recipients, and applicants who can prove such ties to the College’s five-county district such as having a family member/sponsor in-district or being a foreign exchange student in an in-district high school.

East Central Community College is a multi-site college with our main campus located in Decatur. All buildings on the main campus are accessible by walking and by vehicle, with widely available parking. Most international students will not have their own vehicle and make their way around the campus via our paved and lit sidewalks, from the dorms and dining areas to administrative buildings and classroom areas. Also accessible on foot are our Warrior Wellness Center, Burton Library and Success Center, as well as sports facilities. 

The city of Decatur, Mississippi does not feature public transportation and offers limited pedestrian transportation. You should be prepared to research and explore the feasibility of alternate transportation options to get around town, including taxi and ride-hailing services, or getting rides with friends and classmates.

Transportation for sports and sports-related activities off campus for international student athletes is arranged by the sports team’s coach.

If admitted, research and carefully plan your transportation arrangements to reach ECCC's campus from the airport once you arrive in the United States.

ECCC does not provide transportation and students are responsible for making certain they arrive on campus at the appropriate time, as well as planning transportation for admissions-related activities and personal affairs such as health screenings, medical appointments, and off-campus activities.