Guidelines for Foreign Students Applying to Southville – Southville International School and Colleges

Southville International School and Colleges

Guidelines for Foreign Students Applying to Southville

Southville International School and Colleges (SISC) is an internationally diverse school that operates under an international-based curriculum for students from Preschool to Graduate School. Some of the services SISC offers to foreign students are the following: 

1. Special Study Permit Application

A requirement for all foreign students staying in the Philippines who hold a Tourist Visa (Sec 9A) and are:

  • Below eighteen (18) years of age
  • Enrolled and admitted in a non-degree course
  • Enrolled and admitted in a short course of less than one (1) year
  • A trainee/intern for purpose of completing a degree course

Requirements:

  • Original Passport
  • Original ACR-ICARD (if applicable)/Proof that the ACR-ICARD is in process
  • Tourist Visa valid for at least 30-60 days upon submission of the requirements
  • Consolidated General Application Form (CGAF)
  • 2 pieces of 2×2 ID Pictures (white background, no eyeglasses/contact lenses, taken within the last 3 months)
  • Special Study Permit Processing Fee 

Validity of Special Study Permit:

  • A special study permit for Basic Education foreign students is valid for one academic year to be renewed annually
  • For short-course/certificate programs, the special study permit shall be co-terminus with the length of the course of study.

2. Student Visa Conversion Application

To qualify for conversion from a Temporary Visitor’s Visa to a Student Visa, the foreign national must establish that:

  • He/She is at least eighteen (18) years of age.
  • He/She has sufficient means for his/her education and support in the Philippines.
  • He/She seeks to enter the country temporarily and solely for the purpose of taking up a course of study higher than high school at a university, seminary, academy, college or school accredited to accept foreign students.
  • He/She does not belong to any class of excludable and deportable foreign nationals under Sections 29 and 37 of the Commonwealth Act No. 613, as amended.
  • He/She and the admitting school have submitted and complied with all the documentary requirements prescribed in the Checklist of Documentary Requirements for Conversion to Student Visa.

Requirements:

  • Original Passport
  • Tourist Visa valid for at least 30-60 days upon submission of the requirements
  • Medical Certificate from Level III Accredited Hospital and Drug Test Result
  • Original ACR-ICARD (if applicable)
  • National Bureau of Investigation Clearance
  • Consolidated General Application Form (CGAF)
  • 4 pieces of 2×2 ID Pictures (white background, no eyeglasses/contact lenses, taken within the last 3 months)
  • Student Visa Conversion Processing Fee of P17,750.00

Visa Validity: 

The foreign student’s authorized period of stay shall be consistent with the length of the course of study to which the student has been admitted by SISC. Upon conversion, the initial validity of the Student Visa is one (1) year from the date of issuance without change of school, extendible by the SVS every one year thereafter until such time that the foreign student completes his/her studies consistent with the length of the course.

3. Student Visa Extension

To qualify for a student visa extension, SISC and the foreign student shall submit and comply with all the applicable documentary requirements prescribed in the Checklist of Documentary Requirements for Extension of Student Visa.

Requirements:

  • Original Passport
  • Student Visa valid for at least 30 days upon submission of the requirements
  • Original ACR-ICARD 
  • Consolidated General Application Form (CGAF)
  • 4 pieces of 2×2 ID Pictures (white background, no eyeglasses/contact lenses, taken within the last 3 months)
  • Student Visa Conversion Processing Fee of P18,250.00
  • Honorable Dismissal and Certification of No Financial Obligation from the previous school (FOR TRANSFEREES ONLY)

4. Student Housing

A Safe and Convenient Dormitory where students live and learn, and where guests experience “home away from home”.

It is the goal of SISC to accommodate students situated from considerable distances away from the school. And to provide facilities within the immediate area of the campus for the residents to enjoy the same convenience of access as other students in the vicinity.

Dorm Amenities

  • Typical rooms for occupants, each with the following: beds, study table, built-in closets, common toilet and bath (except for some rooms with common bath)
  • Common Areas – Living room for socials and receiving guests, Kitchen, Dining Area,
  • Toilet and Bath
  • WIFI access in selected areas.
  • Common room for group study and receiving guests
  • CCTV Cameras in critical areas
  • Storage Room Laundry Area
  • Security Guard duty at night
  • Managed by a Dorm Coordinator
  • With stay-in-housekeepers to perform daily housekeeping services
  • Sufficient water supply from Maynilad
  • With Fire exits and safety measures
  • Walking distance from the school campus
  • Convenient access to service providers such as McDonald’s, Pan de Manila,
  • Montery, 7/11 STORES, South Star drug store, BPI bank, and other nearby stores

Below are some key points to know from the Bureau of Immigration:

  1. What should be submitted if the foreign student has a different type of visa?

A photocopy of the following documents is needed by SISC for record purposes

(Please bring the original for verification.):

  1. When is the deadline for the SSP and Student Visa application?

Qualified foreign students shall, through SISC’s duly authorized representative, file the appropriate applications within fifteen (15) days from the date of issuance of the Certificate of Acceptance/Notice of Admission by the school.

  1. What are the implications of not obtaining/processing a Special Study Permit/Student Visa?

If a foreign student and the school fail to apply for the Special Study Permit and Student Visa, the Bureau of Immigration will penalize both the student and the school. Please see the penalty/fines below:

  • Students – P20,000.00 and subsequent deportation
  • School – P50,000.00 and subject to cancellation/revocation of permit to accept foreign students
  • After due investigation by BI, the foregoing sanctions may likewise be imposed upon any school or foreign national who violates any provision of this Circular.
  1. Who needs to process the Annual Report?

All registered aliens and ACR I-Card holders except Temporary Visitor’s Visa holders or Tourist Visa holders should process the Annual Report.

  1. When is the deadline for filing the Annual Report?

It is best to process the Annual Report from January to February. The deadline for filing is posted on the website of the Bureau of Immigration.

  1. What will be the implications of not being able to process the Annual Report before the deadline?

If a foreign student fails to process the Annual Report before the deadline, he/she will be charged a monthly fine and will not be allowed to apply for a new ACR-ICARD during the student visa extension process unless the Annual Report fee and penalties are settled.

For more details, please visit https://immigration.gov.ph/