Cothm - Information For New International Students

General information for countries where student's visa is issued by the embassy/consulate of Cyprus.

Dear applicant,

irst of all we would like to thank you for expressing your interest in the College of Tourism and Hotel Management. Choosing the right study opportunity abroad is an important decision, which will affect your career aspirations, and enrich your future life. Choosing the College of Tourism and Hotel Management establishes a commitment in high quality education on our behalf. We strongly advise you to visit our web site at www.cothm.ac.cy where you will find the latest news about the college, information on the programs of study offered, as well as on admission procedures and financial matters.
The College of Tourism and Hotel Management is an international college with the majority of its student population coming from overseas.
There are three intake periods each year: February, June (Intensive English summer course only) and September.
APPLICATION PROCESS.

Admission to the college and to all its programs is open to all persons who meet the admission requirements and qualifications of the college. International students are requested to submit their application at least three months before the scheduled commencement of their classes.

Step 1a. Candidates for the undergraduate programs should submit to the college the following:

1. Application for admission duly completed.

2. € 70 application fees (cash, Western Union, Money Gram, this is a non refundable amount).

3. Four passport size photos.

4. Officially attested photocopies of the senior/high school leaving certificates with their grade reports, as issued by the school. Attestations must be made by the principal of the school, from which the students have graduated, and by a notary public. If these are issued in a language other than English, translation in English must accompany the school certificate and the grade reports. The translation must be attached to the photocopies of the original certificates, and the documents must be attested. The translator's name and address must be clearly mentioned on the documents. Additionally, provisional school leaving certificates are acceptable for maximum period of two years after graduation.

Step 1b. Candidates for the postgraduate programs should submit to the college the following:

1, 2, 3. as stated in the above paragraph (Step 1a).

4. Officially attested photocopies of their bachelor/masters degrees with their grade reports, as issued by their institution. Attestations must be made as explained in the upper paragraph for the candidates of the undergraduate programs.

Step 2. As soon as we receive your application for admission and all supporting documents the admissions director will inform you whether you qualify for admission. You will receive a letter of admissions or a letter of eligibility confirming the terms and conditions on which you will be admitted to the college. If the candidate's previous academic performance is poor or is judged unsatisfactory by the director of admissions he/she will not be eligible for admission.

Step 3. As soon as we receive your complete set of documents, the office of admissions will apply to the ministry of education for the approval of your academic records.

Step 4. Provided that you are approved, the college will apply for your visa to the migration department.

Step 5. Pay full tuition and other fees via bank transfer to the College of Tourism and Hotel Management prior to your visa appointment in the embassy/consulate of Cyprus in your country of residence.

The bank transfer is the only form of payment, which will be accepted by the College.

The bank transfer slip is the only valid proof of payment, which will be accepted by the visa interviewers and immigration authorities. No banker's drafts, travellers checks or cash money will be accepted by them as a proof for the students' payment of tuition and other fees.

The college bank account is the following:

COLLEGE OF TOURISM AND HOTEL MANAGEMENT,

POPULAR BANK, HILTON AREA, NICOSIA,

EURO ACCOUNT #: 116-33-019185

IBN: CY 7900 300 116 00000 116 33 019 185,

SWIFT: LIKI CY2N

Step 6. All students must appear for an interview at the embassy/consulate of Cyprus in their country in order to be issued an entry permit (visa). The interview dates will be communicated to you either directly or through our local representatives. The following documents must be presented to the embassy/consulate of Cyprus during the interview:

1. Two photographs.

2. Original passport.

3a. Applicable only for the candidates of the undergraduate programs.
Original senior/high school leaving certificates with their grade reports. Two sets of attested copies of the original school documents must be also attached.

3b. Applicable only for the candidates of the postgraduate programs.
Original bachelor/masters degrees with their grade reports, as issued by their institution. Two sets of attested copies of the original school documents must be also attached.

4. Original bank letter (certificate) stating that the student's sponsor has sufficient funds to finance the student's stay and studies in Cyprus. The letter must be dated, signed and stamped by an official bank officer. The student's name, the sponsor's name and their relationship should appear clearly in this letter.
The sponsor could be the father, mother, or the officially appointed guardian.

5. Original police character certificate (no criminal record). It must be issued no more than six (6) months prior to the date classes commence of the semester applied for. The police certificate must be signed and stamped by an official police officer.

6. Original or fax/scanned copy receipt issued by the college regarding prepayment of the student's tuition and other fees for one year.

7. Original receipt issued by the bank regarding prepayment via bank transfer. The college's name and account number must be clearly stated on the receipt. The student's name and application number should be also stated in this bank transfer receipt.

8. Original admissions letter.

The interviewers will check the original documents and the attested copies and at the end of the interview will stamp the original police character certificate, bank letter and the attested copies of the school/institution documents. None of these documents should be covered/protected by any sort of plastic/other material.

The successful visa applicants will be granted with an entry permit (visa) for Cyprus in their passports.

Step 7. Book your flights for Cyprus and inform your educational consultant/college regarding the flight details (airlines, flight number and arrival time at Larnaka airport). This is important for us in order to arrange your transportation from the Larnaka airport to Nicosia.

Step 8. Upon arrival in Cyprus you will be required to present to the airport immigration authorities:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. All documents mentioned in Step 6.

9. An open dated return ticket to your country.

10. The equivalent of at least €1600 for living expenses for the first months in one or more of the following forms: Cash money or/and Travelers cheques.

No students will be permitted to enter Cyprus unless they have fully paid their fees in advance!!!!!!

REGISTRATION AT C.O.T.H.M. AND APPLICATION FOR TEMPORARY RESIDENCE PERMIT (PINK SLIP)

All students upon registration in the college will have to apply for extension of their visa.

In this regard, they will be obliged to submit all the above documents to the Migration department of Cyprus when they apply for their temporary residence permit (pink slip).

REFUND POLICY

In case of withdrawal any money paid to the college is not refundable. Money paid to the college is refundable only if the student is refused to be granted a visa and provided that there is an official document to support the above mentioned refusal.

MIGRATION REGULATIONS

Students are required by the migration regulations to attend their classes regularly. Students who do not attend their classes regularly are reported to the Cyprus migration department.

All students must maintain an adequate balance of money in their bank account at all times, minimum amount £500. They also need to keep their money transfer receipts from the bank, western union, money gram and should present transactions of their account.

ENTRANCE EXAM

All students should take the college entrance exams in order for them to be accepted and allowed to register as full time students. Please be informed, that all students are allowed to take the college entrance exam only once! In case the student fails the college entrance exam, he/she should register for the English foundation program offered at the college. Students who have proficiency in English such as TOEFL 213 computer-based and above, IELTS 6.0 and above or other equivalent qualifications are not obliged to take the entrance exam. However, they must first submit to the admissions or academic affairs office a copy of the certificate and then the original upon arrival to Cyprus.

FINANCIAL AID

New international students are eligible for financial assistance on the basis of their average grade at their school-leaving certificate of their post secondary diploma or degree as follows:

Students from all countries with GPA over 80% are granted a discount of 10%.

The ACE scholarships are available to all students after their first semester at the college and consist of tuition fees reduction for the following semester. The percentage reduction will be a function of their academic performance as follows:

Cumulative percentage grade average (GPA)	Fees reduction
96% - 100%	100%
92% - 95,99%	50%
89% - 91,99%	20%
85% - 88,99%	10%

Brothers/sisters and married couples studying at the same time at the college and provided they provide evidence of their relationship, each receive 10% discount on their tuition fees.

We look forward to welcoming you to Cyprus.

ADMISSIONS OFFICE

College of Tourism and Hotel Management

Larnaka Road, Aglangia

P.O.Box 20281,

2150 Nicosia, Cyprus

Tel: +357-22-462846 (ext.212)

Fax: +357-22-336295

E-mail: admissions@cothm.ac.cy

Web page: www.cothm.ac.cy