To be considered for admission to the English Language Institute or as an undergraduate or graduate student at Gallaudet, you must submit a copy of your alien registration card--also known as a U.S. Permanent Resident Card (green card), front and back, and include your resident alien ID number and the date the ID number was issued.

The term "international student" means an individual who:

  • Is not a citizen or national of, or lawfully admitted for permanent residence in, the United States.
  • Does not provide evidence from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services that he or she is in the United States for other than temporary purposes with the intention of becoming a citizen of, or lawfully admitted for permanent residence in, the United States.
  • Is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence in American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands.
  • According to the United States Government, "lawful permanent residency" refers to the individual's immigration status, stating that the individual has obtained authorization to live and work in the United States of America on a permanent basis. Please be aware that permanent residence is not the same thing as U.S. citizenship. A U.S. Permanent Resident Card--green card--is a plastic card with the individual's biographic information, photo, fingerprint, and expiration date issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

If you have applied for U.S. permanent residency, please note that you will be considered an international student and be charged international student tuition rates, until you submit a copy of your green card to International Affairs (IA).

If you are a lawful permanent resident of the United States, and provide a copy of your green card to IA, you will be considered a domestic student and charged tuition accordingly. If you fail to submit a copy of your green card, you will be considered an international student and charged tuition according to those rates. If you have lost your green card, you must request a replacement card and provide IA a copy upon its arrival. IA cannot accept an alien registration number (A number); until proof has been provided you will be charged international tuition rates.

Without proof of this identification document you will be blocked from registering for courses and proceeding with business registration, which is required prior to the start of each semester.

*NOTE: IA staff members are not authorized to offer any legal advice or guidance to anyone wishing to become a permanent U.S. resident. For more information about permanent residency in general, we recommend consultation with a qualified immigration attorney. For more information, visit http://www.uscis.gov/greencard.