Riverside was recently voted “Most Intelligent City in the World! With museums, a symphony orchestra, and theater companies, the region is filled with culture, and popular areas to visit. Hollywood, China Town, Beverly Hills, Newport and Laguna Beaches, the San Bernardino Mountains, the Palm Springs desert resort region, Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm are within an hour’s drive. The city of Riverside maintains a Mediterranean climate characterized by warm to hot, dry summers and mild to cool, wet winters.

Education

The District, which has three colleges, enrolls approximately 32,000 students. Part of the California Community College system, RCCD offers the first two years of a four-year education in preparation for transfer to four-year universities. More than 2,000 classes are offered each semester in more than seventy majors. In addition to courses that prepare students for transfer, the Associate degree is awarded after two years (or 60 units) of study. Certificate programs in many occupational fields are also available.

Campus Life

With more than 300 young people from fifty countries attending each semester, RCCD employs excellent staff in our Center for International Students and Programs. Assisting students in becoming acquainted with American college life, meeting other students and faculty on campus, touring Riverside and Southern California points of interest, and receiving academic tutoring when needed is our top priority. We have an International Club you will want to join, and Friday nights are spent at the homes of friends, learning about different cultures, and going on trips to the beach and the Grand Canyon!

For International Students

RCCD Center for International Students and Programs is happy to assist students with admissions, registration, advising on academic and career goals, immigration, and transfer to universities to complete bachelor's degrees. An Internet based TOEFL Test score of 45+, or an IELTS score of 4.5+ is required for students to benefit from instruction at the college level. Students on an F-1 Visa must present evidence of financial resources to meet all costs for tuition, books, insurance, and personal living expenses. Health and accident insurance is required. Students must purchase insurance through the College. Applications should be submitted as early as possible. The RCCD Center for International Students and Programs is located on the Riverside campus, but students may take classes in Moreno Valley or Norco. Housing is not provided. However, the Center keeps lists of possible home-stay families and apartment houses as well as lists of students who are seeking someone to share an apartment.