California, USA can be termed as one of the most ideal states in the USA to pursue higher education due to a number of reasons. With some of the best universities of USA, California dominates even among the places having the Ivy league institutes and attracts international students every year.
The academic system of California State is one of the largest and most affordable education systems in the world with 23 campuses. The universities in California offer a wide array of programs to choose from- starting from science, art, management to literature and medicine. California is also home to the tech-infused Silicon Valley which makes it one of the best study abroad employment and business.
To get admitted to universities in California, an international student has to take English proficiency tests and standardized tests, based on university requirements. The annual tuition fees range from 15,000 USD to 30,000 USD.
Rankings of universities in California
California is home to some of the most popular and pursued educational institutes in the world. Starting from Caltech to Stanford and UCLA, high quality universities provide a plethora of courses to choose from. The state based and nation based rankings of the top most institutes in California, USA are listed below:
| University | California Ranking | USA Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | 1 | 2 |
| University of California, Berkeley | 2 | 4 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | 5 | 3 |
| University of Southern California | 4 | 14 |
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | 5 | 21 |
| University of California, San Diego | 6 | 27 |
| University of California, Davis | 7 | 34 |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 8 | 43 |
| University of California, Irvine | 9 | 45 |
| University of California, Riverside | 10 | 80 |
| University of California, Santa Cruz | 10 | 80 |
Why should one study at a university in California?
There are several reasons why international students apply for universities in California every year. The reasons are explained below.
- California is one of the most diverse states in the world to pursue education in- with a large number of international students.
- The California state university system is the largest in the country, with about 430,000 students.
- 38 Californian universities are found in this year's QS World University Rankings: USA 2021. Three of these are in the USA top 10.
- A total of 11 institutes in the state have achieved national rankings according to QS Top Universities. Stanford University ranks at number 2 globally, University of California, Berkeley at 27 and University of California, Los Angeles ranks at number 32.
The most popular programs across the most sought out institutes in California and their most popular courses are given below:
| University | Most Popular Courses |
|---|---|
| Stanford University | Computer Science, Engineering, Biology, Economics |
| University of Southern California | Business, Biology, Communications, Computer Science |
| Pomona College | Economics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Neuroscience and Neurobiology |
| Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising- Los Angeles | Fashion and Apparel, Design and Visual Communications |
| Loyola Marymount University | Communications, Psychology, Marketing, Finance, Economics |
| California Institute of Technology | Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering |
| University of California- Los Angeles | Economics, Sociology, Political Science and Government, Psychology, Biology |
| Claremont McKenna College | Economics, Political Science and Government, Research and Experimental Psychology, Liberal Arts and Humanities |
| Harvey Mudd College | Engineering, Computational and Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry |
| University of California- Berkeley | Economics, Computer Science, Cellular Biology, Political Science and Government |
| University of California- Santa Barbara | Sociology, Economics, Research and Experimental Psychology, Communications |
| University of California- Irvine | Biology, Managerial Economics, Social Psychology, Computer Science, Public Health |
Intake at universities in California
There are mainly three intake seasons offered in colleges and universities in the USA. They are Fall, Spring and Summer. The Fall intake is popular among Indian students since the application period is convenient. The Spring session is ideal if one misses the September intake and the Summer intake is the least popular with a limited number of courses. The deadlines are mentioned below:
| Intake Periods | Deadlines |
|---|---|
| Fall intake | From August to December |
| Spring intake | From January to April |
| Summer intake | From May to August |
Admission process at universities in California
An international student planning to apply to universities in California should understand the eligibility criteria, application deadlines and application process in depth. Each institute has its own set of requirements but students should still keep some general instructions in mind before applying.
The general requirements for applying at a university in California are given below.
- Students are required to have a minimum required aggregate in their high school admission/bachelor’s degree.
- A required GPA, ranging from 2 to 4 on a 4.0 scale is necessary in most institutes in California.
- Students planning to enroll in MBA/professional graduate courses are required to have a minimum 2-3 years of work experience.
- International students need to provide proof of English proficiency through any one of these exams: IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo etc. Each university has its own score requirement.
- Standardized test scores like SAT/ACT are optional for students currently, but master’s applicants should provide GMAT/GRE scores in most of the institutes for applying.
There are a number of additional documents which are required for admission into universities in California. They are stated below:
- Valid passport.
- Academic transcripts
- Professional CV/Resume.
- Statement of purpose
- Letters of recommendation from academic teachers.
- Essays.
- Application confirmation copy.
- A student visa.
- Interviews, if required.
Application deadlines for universities in California
The admission deadlines for the most popular institutes in California are given below in a table format:
| University | Application Deadline |
|---|---|
| Stanford University | Fall- January 2 |
| California Institute of technology | Fall- January 3 |
| University of California- Los Angeles | Fall- November 30 |
| University of California- Berkeley | Fall- November 30 |
| University of Southern California | Fall- January 15 |
| University of California- Santa Barbara | Fall- November 30 |
| University of California- San Diego | Fall- November 30 |
| University of California- Irvine | Fall- November 30 |
| Pepperdine University | Fall- January 5 Spring- October 1 |
| Santa Clara University | Fall- January 7 |
| Loyola Marymount University | Fall- January 15 Spring- October 15 |
| University of San Diego | Fall- Beginning February 20 (Rolling) Spring- Beginning November 20 (Rolling) |
Application Requirements for Universities in California
The different universities in California have their own specific set of requirements which must be checked thoroughly before applying. The most popular universities in California and their admission requirements are noted below:
| University | Academic Qualification | English Language Proficiency | SOP/LOR | GRE/GMAT | Work Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | Must have passed class XII with an aggregate of 70% or above. | TOEFL iBT- 100 IELTS- 70 Duolingo- 120 | Both required | Required for MBA and master’s programs | Required for professional programs as well as MBA. |
| University of California- Los Angeles | Must have passed class XII with an aggregate of 70% or above. | TOEFL iBT- 100 IELTS- 70 Duolingo- 120 | Both required | Required in case of MBA and some graduate programs | Required for MBA and professional programs. |
| University of Southern California | Must have passed class XII with an aggregate of 70% or above. | TOEFL iBT- 100 IELTS- 70 Duolingo- 120 PTE- 68 SAT- 650 ACT- 27 | Required in some programs | GRE- Verbal 153, Quantitative- 144 | Required in MBA program. |
| California State University, Los Angeles | Candidates must have passed high school with a grade C or above. | TOEFL iBT- 61 IELTS- 5.5 PTE- 44 Duolingo- 95 | Required in graduate programs | GMAT- 500 GRE- 300 | Required for MBA program |
| Loyola Marymount University | Students must have passed class XII with an aggregate of 60% or above. | TOEFL iBT- 90 IELTS- 6.5 PTE- 53 Duolingo -105 | Required | Required for graduate programs | Required for graduate programs |
Popular universities in California and their tuition fees
The tuition fees for universities in California vary from 15,000 USD to 40,000 USD. The private universities are generally more expensive but there are also publicly funded universities which offer quality education. The most sought out universities in California and their tuition fees are given below.
| University | Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
| Stanford University | 56,169 USD |
| California Institute of Technology | 58,680 USD |
| University of California, Los Angeles | 43,022 USD |
| University of California, Berkeley | 44,115 USD |
| University of Southern California | 60,275 USD |
| University of California- Santa Barbara | 44,196 USD |
| University of California- San Diego | 44,487 USD |
| University of California, Irvine | 43,709 USD |
| University of California, Davis | 44,408 USD |
| Pepperdine University | 59,702 USD |
| Santa Clara University | 55,860 USD |
| Loyola Marymount University | 53,051 USD |
Cost of attendance at universities in California
The cost of attendance in USA depends heavily on the personal expenses and tuition fees of the institute a candidate is attending. However, the general cost of attendance for one year can be broken down as follows.
| Expense | Living on-campus (in USD) | Living off-campus (in USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | 44,310 | 44,310 |
| Campus fees | 1,400 | 1,400 |
| Books and supplies | 1,300 | 1,300 |
| Health insurance | 2,700 | 2,700 |
| Room and board | 17,800 | 14,300 |
| Personal/Transportation | 2,200 | 2,800 |
| Total | 69,710 | 66,810 |
Also check: Best student cities in USA
Scholarships for international students at California universities
Studying in California can be a costly affair, but there are financial aid options especially in the form of scholarships which can ease the tuition and living expenses. There are several scholarships in USA which are awarded to international students and the most popular ones are stated below.
| Name of the Scholarship | Eligibility | Type of funding offered |
|---|---|---|
| Education Future International Scholarship 2022 | Bachelor’s, Master’s | Partial funding |
| The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, 2022 | Bachelor’s, other | Full funding |
| International Presidential Scholarship | Bachelor’s | Partial funding |
| College Christian Leaders Academic Scholarships in US | Bachelor’s | Partial funding |
| Hydrocephalus Scholarships 2022 | Bachelor’s, Master’s | Partial funding |
| The Hubert H Humphrey Fellowships in US 2022-23 | Master’s, phD | Full funding |
| Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation | Master’s, phD | Partial funding |
Also Check: Part time jobs in USA
Universities in California Placements
After graduating from an institute, there are various employment opportunities a student can avail. Based on the subject of study and the popularity of the institute the student graduated from, The most popular institutes in California along with their early career salaries are stated below.
| University | Early career salary (in USD) |
|---|---|
| Harvey Mudd College | 97,700 |
| Stanford University | 87,100 |
| Santa Clara University | 75,800 |
| California Institute of Technology | 93,100 |
| Claremont McKenna College | 75,700 |
| University of California, Berkeley | 77,400 |
Also Check: High paying jobs in USA
Thus, it can be inferred that California has a great potential for shaping an international student’s future owing to the presence of top notch educational institutes, high standard of living, an appreciable economy and rich cultural diversity.
California has one of the most appreciable economic conditions in the world and it promises a very high standard of living. It is rightfully an international epicenter for entertainment, education, industries and technology. Which is why the state is a significant contributor to technical as well as other additional sectors and results in the booming economy.
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