International students from around the world are welcome to join us at Riverside City College! Application and admissions is easy and quick. 

RCC offers top quality accredited programs. These include highly in demand certificate, associate degree, and transfer programs. Please browse our programs of study. You can also find more information about our programs and courses (including course descriptions) in our Catalog.

The RCC Academic Calendar provides helpful information about exam periods, semester start and end dates, as well as holidays.


RCC has only two international student admissions requirement:

  1. High school diploma or equivalent OR over the age of 18 (minors may be considered for special admission)
  2. TOEFL iBT 45 or equivalent (See other accepted scores below)
  1. Complete online application
  2. Send copies of the following to internationalcenter@rcc.edu​:
    1. Passport
    2. Proof of Funding Form 
    3. Proof of English language proficiency (see accepted scores​)
    4. High school diploma with certified English translation (not required if the applicant is over the age of 18)
    5. Optional: College transcript with certified English translation if applicant attended college before
  3. Pay $100 non-refundable application fee (Online payment is available through student account in Web Portal 72 hours after the online application is submitted OR submit a check or money order payable to Riverside Community College District)
Fall Semester Application Begin: October 1
Application Deadline*: July 1
New Student Orientation: Mid August
Classes Begin: Late August
Classes End: Mid December
Spring Semester Application Begin: July 1
Application Deadline*: December 1
New Student Orientation: Early February
Classes Begin: Mid-February
Classes End: Mid-June
Summer Semester Application Begin: October 1
Application Deadline*: May 1
New Student Orientation: Early June
Classes Begin: Mid-June
Classes End: Late July

* Applications submitted after the deadline are considered on a case by case basis.  


If the applicant is:

  • already in the US, submit a copy of F-1 student visa and all prior I-20 forms;  
  • Transferring from another school in the US, submit Transfer ​Form, and
  • ​Under the age of 18 years, submit Permission to Permission to Treat Minor Form

F2 students can study part-time at RCC. They need to follow the steps to submit an application , as above,  but instead of proof of funding, they must submit a letter from the current F-1 visa holder’s DSO verifying that the F-1 holder is in status.

International students at other colleges/universities in the US can enroll at RCC concurrently. These students are not required to submit proof of funding or English language proficiency. Instead, they must submit a permission letter from a DSO at their current college/university allowing concurrent part-time enrollment. These students must also submit I-20, visa, I-94 and passport copies.  

All documents submitted for admission become the property of Riverside City College.  

Students who apply to RCC after they took classes at a college or university in the United States, must submit their official transcripts

Students applying to RCC after taking classes at an American college must submit their official transcripts. If you took classes outside of the United States, you will be required to submit those official transcripts (in English) evaluated by one of the following organizations:   

International Education Research Foundation, IERF 

American Educational Research Corporation, AERC 

World Education Services, WES

Hard copies must be sent to:  
Center for International Students & Programs 
Riverside City College 
4800 Magnolia Ave. 
Riverside, CA 92506, USA 

Services Scholarships HOUSING

Cost and Tuition 

International students’ tuition, living and other costs are estimated at $21,193 per academic year.Tuition, Fees, Payments At-a-Glance 

Item         Amount 
Tuition  (24 units at $353 per unit)                           $8,472   
Books, health insurance and other fees                  $2,721 
Housing & other living expenses      $10,000 
Total (Minimum required for I-20)      $21,193  

Learn More About Tuition and Fees 

All college fees are subject to change, and RCCD reserves the right to increase or modify fees without notice.

Credit cards must be authorized to be used in the United States, applicant assumes responsibility for payment, unsuccessful tuition payments will be denied.

Accepted Scores as Proof of English Language Proficiency

For admission to Riverside City College, international students must demonstrate English language skills through one of the following test scores/certificates.

No Test Minimum Required
1 AEC Level 6
2 CSUSB ELP Level 4
3 Duolingo​​ 75
4 EIKEN 2, 2A, Pre-1, or 1
5 ELS Level 109
6 Gaokao​ 90
7 IELTS 4.5
8 iTEP 3.0
9 LASC English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
10 OCFL TOEFL iTP 450
11 Pearson PTE 30
12 TOEFL iBT 45
13 TOEFL PBT 450
14 UCR Extension Level 600
15 VUS (Vietnam) EAP, English for Adults Intermediate, or English for Teens YP1

The following international students are exempt from the language proficiency requirement:

  • ​Students coming from countries where English is a first or an official language
  • Students with a high school diploma from the USA
  • Students with International Baccalaureate
  • Students who had studied at an English teaching institution for over 2 years
  • Students with grade C or above in college level English from a regionally accredited college or university in the USA
  • Students who successfully complete specific ESL levels at a regionally accredited university in the USA
  • Other international students who submit a TOEFL Waiver Form​, and are approved by the Center for International Students & Programs.

International Student Stories

International students describe RCC as a top college choice in the USA because of its high quality programs, reasonable fees, safe campus, and excellent location in the city of Riverside in beautiful Southern California!
Costa Rician Students

A Great Option

 
Meet Julia from Germany

Meet Julia from Germany

 
Student Athletes

International Athletes