INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

additional considerations for international students

San Francisco Ballet School is authorized under Federal law to enroll non-immigrant alien students. SF Ballet School welcomes international students each year to attend our summer and school year programs. There are extra considerations for international students when enrolling in SF Ballet School. Below are a few items for students to discuss with the family prior to enrolling.

ADMISSIONS

For Summer Programs, San Francisco Ballet School invites any student, age 13–18, who lives outside of the United States, to audition by online video submission. Please see the Online Video Audition tab for more details. Students will primarily be considered for Session 2; however, select students may be invited to Session 1.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FEE

All international students pay an annual $75 international student fee to cover additional administrative expenses.

TRAVEL VISAS

San Francisco Ballet School is authorized under Federal law to enroll non-immigrant alien students. International students who are invited to enroll in the school year program will be required to obtain an M-1 student visa in order to attend. The Ballet School’s administrative staff will provide the student with the I-20 form and guidance on how to apply for the visa. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain an M-1 visa. If the student arrives at the beginning of the school year without the proper M-1 Visa, they will be sent home immediately. Each year, students must apply for a new M-1 Visa.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Health insurance in the United States is very different from most other countries. Before arriving, international students must purchase health insurance for the duration of their stay.  In many cases, insurance companies will require pre-approval before seeing a doctor for non-emergencies and may require the student to pay costs upfront and then submit the receipts for reimbursement. Some doctors will not accept insurance from companies outside the United States. There are many companies that provide international student health insurance or short-term study abroad insurance.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Students are highly encouraged to learn some English before their arrival. School forms and paperwork will not be provided in other languages and translators will not necessarily be available on a regular basis. Multilingual students are often called upon to help with translation when they are available.

TRAVEL

Students must make all of their own travel arrangements. The Ballet School will not provide transportation between the airport and student housing. Students should be comfortable traveling independently, otherwise, we recommend that a parent travels with the student to and from San Francisco. Prior to purchasing a ticket, contact the airline to confirm their rules regarding minors flying independently.