Scattergood has a long history of accepting international students. In the past ten years, we have enrolled students from different countries, which comprise every continent in the world except for Australia. Currently, Scattergood has students from South Korea, Rwanda, Mexico, Brazil, China and Japan. For the 2007-2008 school year, we have 16 international students on campus. Represented this year are South Korea, China, Rwanda, Mexico and Ethiopia. We feel that diversity of culture and background are very important to our community and the learning experience of our students. International students come to Scattergood to experience life in a culture different from their own, but soon find out that they are also learning about people from cultures outside the United States. Since we have such a small student population, students from all over the world get to know each other well and learn about experiences and life in other countries. See our admissions process.

International Student Post-Graduate Year:  At times, Scattergood will admit an international student who has recently completed the equivalent of high school in their homeland.  This year is commonly referred to as post-graduate study.  For the most part, these students have the same academic and community expectations placed on them as our other matriculating students.  However, these international students do not expect a diploma from Scattergood.  Often, families send students to Scattergood for an extra year because it affords the student an opportunity to acclimate to the US in a caring environment while possibly preparing the student for college placement in an American college or university.  Additionally the post-graduate year allows international students an opportunity to improve their English language skills.  Most importantly, perhaps, it helps them to better prepare for college, both academically and socially.  They have the chance to live independently and experience dormitory living.

Scattergood is authorized by the Immigration and Naturalization Services of the United States to accept international students under the new SEVIS system.

The Admissions Process

Scattergood takes a three-tiered approach to our international student admissions process. We understand that our international students come to Scattergood for a variety of reasons. We also take into account that our students are at different levels with their knowledge of the English language. The Admissions Committee and the ESL department at Scattergood have come up with these three tiers to assist us in determining how to best serve each international student.

Tier 1

Any students who do not wish to receive a diploma from Scattergood will fall under this tier. These students want to attend Scattergood to better their English skills and learn more about Scattergood culture. Classes for a student in this tier will be determined on an individual basis upon arrival to Scattergood. Students are expected to complete homework and fully participate in all classes they attend. An aptitude test on the English language may be administered to determine placement in classes. While these students will not receive a diploma from Scattergood, they do earn a Certificate of Attendance at the end of the year. Post-graduate students will fall into this tier.

Tier 2

This tier is for applicants who expect to earn a diploma from Scattergood, but may not be able to achieve this in four years. An extra semester or year may be required to fulfill their requirements. These students will begin by taking ESL classes in language, social studies and literature to assist them in their English skills. Students in this tier may also require extra help from outside the school, which will be paid for by the parents. Scattergood does not require TOFEL scores during the application process from students wishing to enter this tier. Instead, Scattergood will test these students for placement purposes upon their arrival to the school.

Tier 3

Students in this tier are expected to graduate from Scattergood within four years. They will earn a diploma at the end of their senior year and are subject to all of Scattergood's graduation requirements. They will take classes with the other members of their grade. The exception to this will be an ESL class, which will be considered their foreign language requirement. This is a class to assist them in reading, writing and vocabulary. Any applicants wanting to enter Scattergood on this tier are expected to take a TOFEL test and submit their scores to Scattergood during the application process.Scattergood does understand that language abilities can grow dramatically while immersed in a culture. For this reason, the ESL department will re-evaluate all international students at the end of every year. Students may be able to move to another tier at the beginning of the next year. If you have any questions regarding this process, please call or email our Admissions Office.

Student Visas

Scattergood Friends School is authorized by the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Department to accept and enroll international students. Scattergood does provide our accepted international students with I-20's from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS database) and must comply with all government regulations regarding the entry of international students into the database. The I-20 is issued to the international student after acceptance and once the tuition amount is determined for the student. The I-20 must be taken to the studentÍs interview to obtain their F-1 student visa. If you have further questions regarding I-20's or student visas, please feel free to email the Admissions Office.

Information for International Students and Their Families

Scattergood Friends School has a long tradition of international student enrollment. Since its founding in 1890, the Scattergood learning community has enthusiastically invited students from different lands to participate in our unique school environment. Scattergood's program is comprehensive and innovative, placing strong emphasis on academic development, while at the same time working toward building a cohesive community.

We respect and appreciate the contributions that students from other countries bring to our school. We also recognize that it is our responsibility to serve our international students as best we can. We would like to begin by pointing out several fundamental elements within our program and characteristics of our community that may seem unusual when compared with many people's lifestyles.  

Informality at Scattergood: Quakers consider certain values very important. Because the Society of Friends (Quakers) founded the school, this influence can be seen throughout the community. Some Quaker values are honesty, equality, simplicity, and nonviolence. The most obvious manifestation of one of those values-equality- is reflected in the use of first names between teachers and students. This does not indicate a lack of respect, but is rather a reflection of the Quaker belief that all deserve respect.

The Crew Program: At Scattergood, we do not hire janitors to do the daily cleaning of the school. All community members- students and staff- participate in the crew program. This can be compared to daily chores that students may do at home. Some include cleaning and mopping the main lobby, helping to prepare food for a meal, cleaning up after the meal, working in the library, working on the farm, or cleaning the bathrooms in the dormitory. A crew takes about forty-five minutes a day, and the crew assignment changes every four weeks.

Rural Surroundings: Scattergood is located in rural Iowa. We are in a part of the United States commonly referred to as the Heartland, a rich, agricultural resource area. The school is surrounded by farmland, and several family farms can be seen from the campus. There is also a major interstate highway located near the campus. We are only a 15-minute drive from Iowa City, a town of approximately 90, 000 and home of the University of Iowa. We are also two miles from West Branch, a small town of approximately 2000. When the weather permits, students often walk or ride bicycles into West Branch, where there is a grocery store, causal restaurants, and an ice-cream shop. We also provide opportunities to go into Iowa City on a regular basis. Iowa City offers many opportunities for entertainment and educational and cultural enrichment.

Scattergood as a school community: While our primary mission at Scattergood is to prepare students for college study, we also place a great deal of emphasis on community life. There are many school activities and events that are non-academic. These are intended to foster and develop a sense of community among students and staff. Since we learn and live together, community building is a very important part of our program.