The chiropractic profession is now recognized worldwide. Outside the US and Canada, chiropractic is regulated by legislation in many countries, including Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Cyprus, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The profession is also recognized and legal in many other countries. According to The Chiropractic Report, there are about 65,000 chiropractors in the US, 6,000 in Canada and 90,000 in other countries.

WSCC highly encourages international students to apply for admission. Approximately one-fourth of our current student population comes from outside the U.S., primarily from Canada. Our diverse student body includes individuals from India, Korea, Japan, Switzerland, and Iran.

Application Requirements

To be eligible for admission, international students must have completed course work equivalent to that outlined in the section on prerequisites.

In addition, candidates whose education has been completed outside the United States or Canada must meet the following requirements:

• They must have their educational credentials evaluated by an international education evaluation service (such as WES www.wes.org). The application for evaluation of educational documents must include all educational transcripts. Applicants are required to have a course-by-course or subject area distribution analysis made of their university work and the results forwarded directly to the WSCC admissions office.
• They must prove that they are proficient in English. Prospective students for whom English is not their native language must provide proof of adequate language skills for successful completion of the D.C. program. WSCC requires a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based, 213 on the computer-based, or 79-80 on the internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). TOEFL scores may be reported directly to WSCC by using institutional code number 4979. Information regarding the examination may be obtained from any United States Embassy, United States Information Agency, or United States Immigration and Naturalization Service office.

Student Visa/I-20 Document

International students, including Canadian students, must meet U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) guidelines in order to enter the United States under F-1 student status.

International students who have been offered acceptance into our D.C. program must present evidence of financial support equivalent to the cost of one academic year at WSCC. This cost includes tuition, books, fees, housing, and miscellaneous funds.

Proof of financial support is required to be eligible for an I-20 document. The I-20 is an official document required for all international students in order to apply for an F-1 student visa and to enter into the U.S. An I-20 document cannot be issued until full acceptance has been offered by the college and the student has paid the tuition deposit.

All foreign students applying for F-1 status are also required to pay a SEVIS fee of $100. This fee is to be paid directly to the U.S. government, not WSCC. Proof of payment is required before going to the U.S. consulate for a visa interview and is also required when crossing the border into the U.S.

USCIS regulations require that students not enter the U.S. with an I-20 document more than 30 days prior to the first day of classes.

All international students in valid F-1 student status are granted certain privileges and are subject to certain federal requirements and restrictions on their activities. It is the student’s responsibility to understand these regulations and to maintain student status.

For more information on student visas or other questions relating to international students, please contact our International Coordinator at 1-800-641-5641, 503-251-5734, or email admissions@wschiro.edu.