2026–2027 International Admission Procedures
Grace Christian School (GCS) has been authorized under United States Federal law to enroll non-immigrant students since 2009. Students who wish to attend GCS on an F-1 Student Visa will be required to receive an “I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant Student Status” (I-20). I-20 students then must apply for and receive an F-1 Visa.
STEP #1: Submit the following forms to pmccreedy@gcsvt.org:
- Application (Student and Family Information and Student Questionnaire)
- Transcript (three most recent school years)
- Copy of Passport
- Two Recommendation Letters (one from an English teacher and one from the school principal or counselor)
- English Proficiency Exam score for non-native English speakers grades 7–12*
- Proof of Funds**
*ACCEPTABLE ENGLISH PROFICIENCY EXAMS, SCORES, AND RECOMMENDED GRADE LEVELS:
- TOEFL Junior Standard Test (grades 7-10) Min. score of 730
- iTEP SLATE (grades 7+) Min. score of 4.0
- Duolingo English Test (grades 7+) Min. score of 80
- TOEFL iBT (grades 11+) Min. score of 60
- IELTS (grades 11+) Band Score of 5
All other tests must be approved by Grace Christian School prior to acceptance.
**PROOF OF FUNDS: This must be a document (e.g., bank statement) indicating that the student has enough funds to cover one full year at GCS (tuition and living expenses), regardless of the semester the student is admitted. Many visa officers will want to see a higher-than-minimum amount of funds on the bank statement. Because of this, we recommend having a bank statement of at least 40,000 USD.
STEP #2: Zoom Interview
Upon receiving and reviewing your application materials, you will be contacted to set up your Zoom video interview. A Zoom interview lasts 25–30 minutes.
STEP #3: Acceptance
If accepted, GCS will email you an Acceptance Letter and the International Student Enrollment Packet. Expect to receive an admission decision within 5–8 business days following the interview.
STEP #4: Deposit and Enrollment
When you receive your Acceptance Letter, please submit your non-refundable*** $2,500 Enrollment Deposit and your completed International Student Enrollment Packet to secure your place in the class. When GCS receives your Enrollment Deposit and International Student Enrollment Packet, we will email you your official Form I-20.
***Students who fail their F-1 visa interview twice may send their rejection letters to Mr. Paul McCreedy at pmccreedy@gcsvt.org to receive a $2,000 refund.
Come to Grace and find a place to belong! You are more than a number here, you will be truly known and cared for by your host family, dorm parent, fellow students, teachers, and staff. Our goal is to give you a great American experience, and for you to make relationships that will last a lifetime. International students have told us that they have felt the kindness of the Grace community, you can too!
History
Grace Christian School is pleased to extend an invitation to International students to apply for enrollment. The International student program at GCS began in 2010 with 2 students who attended Grace through an exchange program. These 2 students had such a positive experience that they requested to return and stay through 12th grade! Since then, Grace Christian School has hosted students from 27 different countries.
Academics
At GCS one of our main goals is academic excellence in order to equip and inspire our International students. Our Alumni, have been able to move on to a college of their choice in the United States and around the world.
Community
All international students live with a host family who is committed to providing a safe and comfortable home. Many GCS families and International students have made lifelong friendships through this program. In today’s global world, it has been a blessing for our school to foster cultural understanding, and to develop these relationships.
Download our International Viewbook and share with friends and family. The application forms below also show the process to become a GCS student!