English as a Second Language (ESL) Classes
Academic English skills are an essential part of success in college, and if your native language is not English, you will need to demonstrate your language proficiency.
When you apply to Snow College for direct entry into mainstream college classes, we require one of the following scores from an English language placement test:
If your academic English skills need improvement, Snow College has an excellent English as a Second Language Program (ESL) to help you succeed.
Created in 1976, Snow College has one of the best English language programs in the western United States. With its small classes (12 students on average), convenient campus, and excellent teachers, Snow College offers some real advantages over larger schools.
How does the ESL program work?
Is there more help available?
There is! We also run a regular schedule of Conversation Classes, which help you practice English with native speakers in a more relaxed, natural setting. There’s no set curriculum or homework – just turn up and talk! It’s a great way to meet new people, work on your speaking skills or accent, and improve your listening skills.
If you’re interested in receiving extra academic or linguistic support, get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to explain some more options.
In-person and online tutoring
At Snow College, we have many ways to support your academic journey. For example, our Academic Advising Center has a wealth of online resources and it's easy to make an appointment with them any time. In addition, our Math Lab and Writing Lab give you daily access to professors and student-tutors and we even offer free online tutoring through Tutor.com which is available on-demand, 24 hours a day. Learn more about our Tutoring Services.
The cost of medical services in the United States can be quite expensive, especially when treating major issues or emergencies. For this reason, all international students attending Snow College are required to purchase a health insurance policy through LewerMark, our current health insurance partner. If you are an exchange student, government-sponsored student, or a US passport holder, we can waive this requirement.
The coverage offered through the Snow College LewerMark policy is better than most U.S. citizens have with their own policies. For example, the policy offers 500,000 USD coverage per illness or accident. It also has evacuation and repatriation benefits.
Snow College will assist students in knowing how to go about purchasing a policy. You will automatically be registered for insurance once you register for classes.
For more details on the policy we offer, see LewerMark.com
Obtaining a Utah Driver’s License is possible for international students. If you have a license in your home country, you will need to take a written and driving test and pay a fee. If you don’t have a license in your country you will need to take a driving license course before you can take the written and driving test. For more information, see http://dld.utah.gov/. You must have an appointment in order to apply for a license. Click here to schedule your appointment. You can also fill out your application online here.
Students with a current foreign driver’s license will need to bring the following information to the DMV:
Students without a current foreign driver’s license will need to bring the following information to the DMV:
Social Security numbers are generally assigned to people who are authorized to work in the United States. Social Security numbers are used to report your earnings and wages to the government. More details can be found here: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10181.pdf.
If you have a job offer (on-campus or off-campus), you will need to apply in person at the closest Social Security office located in Provo, Utah. Please work with the Center for Global Engagement to find out when the next Social Security trip will take place. You will need to gather the following documents:
If you need a “denial” letter in order to apply for a driver license, please bring the following items to the Center for Global Engagement for help applying:
For more information please contact Nobue Swenson:
ude.wons@nosnews.eubon
International students going to school in the United States should file an IRS form 8843 whether you have to file a tax return or not. Forms and tax returns typically must be filed before April 15th each year. Snow College cannot provide you specific tax advice so you should carefully consider your own situation and determine what tax form to file.
The US taxing agency known as "IRS" provides information for Foreign Students and Scholars at: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/foreign-students-and-scholars and a publication every year called Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens which can be found here: http://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-519.
There are a variety of situations for international students that can initiate the need to file with the IRS, such as:
Sprintax is an online company that can help you file your taxes for a fee. We have referred students to them for many years, as they provide a very comprehensive service with intuitive software and helpful instructions. You can refer to the Sprintax Instruction Document for more information and help, in addition to the videos.
InternationalStudent.com also has a helpful site which you can refer to for tax questions.