A copy of the student's passport is required to complete the international application. 

English Proficiency tests are required to complete the international application. We accept the following minimum score test results:

• TOEFL iBT     80 (for incoming 10^th – 11^th grade) | TOEFL Code:  6690
• iTEP SLATE  5.0 (for incoming 6^th – 11^th grade)

A Financial Disclosure Form is required to complete the international application. Families need to show a source of full financial support for all years of attendance.

Immunization Records must be translated into English. 

An application remains incomplete without the submission of the most recent immunization record. Valley follows the California Immunizations requirements for K-12th grade in accordance with the Santa Clara County Health Department.  For students new to Santa Clara County, a current TB risk assessment form or a TB test is required. 

Before students start their first day of Elementary school they must have completed the following Elementary Immunization Requirements:
•    Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP, DTP, Tdap, or Td) — 5 doses 
•    Polio (OPV or IPV) — 4 doses 
•    Hepatitis B — 3 doses 
•    Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) — 2 doses 
•    Varicella (Chickenpox) — 2 doses 

Students entering Junior High must have completed all Elementary immunizations.  Before students begin their first day of 7th grade they must complete the 7th Grade Immunization Requirements:
• Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap) —1 dose 
• Varicella (Chickenpox) — 2 doses 

Students entering High school must have completed all Elementary & 7th grade immunizations before the first day of school.  
 

Submit grades or report cards for the current school year and final transcripts for the previous two years. Quarter grades or report cards for the current year will be accepted for making an admissions decision. However, final official transcripts for the current year must be submitted prior to beginning their first term at VCS. All transcripts and report cards must be in English. International applicants should not take a gap year and remain enrolled in school until the end of the school year.

Upload the most recent Standardized Test available, even if it is over one year old. Common tests include: SSAT or ISEE. This is recommended, but not required. 

Three teacher recommendations are required to complete the application process. All recommendations should come from your student’s current teachers. If the student has one teacher for all subjects, that teacher should complete all three recommendations.

• Math Teacher Recommendation
• Two (2) General Teacher Recommendations (One English Teacher and One Core Academic Subject Teacher))

Please email the subject-specific links from the online application directly to your student’s teachers.  

Note: Please allow 2-3 weeks for the recommendations to be completed by your student’s teachers.  In order to ensure your student’s application is complete, you may want to follow up with the teachers directly to make sure the recommendation was completed.  

The clergy recommendation must be completed by a pastor, priest, current Sunday school teacher or church leader who knows your student well. Please email the link from the online application directly to the clergy member.  

The clergy recommendation, if available, is preferred over the Parent Spiritual Statement. However, if a clergy recommendation is not available, families should complete the Parent Spiritual Statement.  This statement asks you to share the spiritual goals you have for your student and your desire for your student to receive a formal education based on Christian values as found in the Bible and the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. 

Note: Please allow 2-3 weeks for the recommendations to be completed by your clergy member.  In order to ensure your student’s application is complete, you may want to follow up with the clergy member directly to make sure the recommendation was completed.  

As part of our application, your student will need to complete the Student Questionnaire and Student Essays. Please ensure that all questions are answered by your student. This helps us get to know your student and is a sample of their writing style. Once the questionnaire is submitted, changes cannot be made. If we find out the questionnaire and/or essays are completed by someone other than the student, an acceptance may be cancelled even after school begins. 

The Personal Interview is a pleasant experience, during which a member of our Admissions Committee speaks directly with the student and often with a parent/guardian (if possible) for about 30 – 45 minutes. This is done in person at Valley Christian Schools or via Zoom. The interview does not take place until the application is completed.

Following the decision for admission by the Admissions Committee, the acceptance letter and enrollment information is sent directly to the student and parents. Sometimes, when the student arrives in the US, additional testing may be required to place him/her in the right classes and grade level.

International students are not allowed to enter Valley Christian for the 12^th grade only; they must begin in grade 11 or younger. Exceptions to this may be made if the student has attended multiple years of US schooling.

VCS normally gives admissions priority to international students applying for at least one full academic year or longer. It is unusual for VCS to accept a student attending for just one semester. For more information about international student admissions contact, international.admissions@vcs.net, 408.513.2507.

Upon acceptance to Valley Christian High School and after receipt of the International Student Enrollment Contract and Administration Fee, the I-20 will be issued to the student. This document is the basis for receiving an F-1 visa status from the United States Department of Homeland Security.

Within two weeks before starting school, the student is expected to secure medical insurance and make sure all immunizations are up to date. Be advised that dental and vision insurance are usually not included in medical insurance. Check with your medical insurance associate if you would like to add them.

There are specific California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and Central Coast Section (CCS) laws that apply to sports participation for international students that Valley Christian Schools is required to meet. International student applicants should request an athletic eligibility determination before a final decision to seek admission to Valley Christian Schools if school sports team participation is desired.

Valley Christian Schools admits students of any race, color, and national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.