International Students

Annual Cost Estimate

Annual tuition and fees, based on 12 units per semester, is about one half the cost of California State Universities, and one third the cost of the Universities of California. Estimated living expenses, including personal expenses, vary based on student preferences. The total annual cost estimate, including tuition, fees, housing, medical and food is very reasonable.

Program Size

Sierra’s International program averages around 200 international students from many countries. There are about 22,000 students at Sierra College, which provides an excellent opportunity for international students to be in an English speaking environment.

Orientation Program

Upon arrival, our new international students are warmly greeted. Once comfortably settled in their new homes, our orientation helps them understand education in America, learn about the many Sierra College support services and how to make a smooth transition to American culture.

Student Life

Our students have plenty of activities to choose from: they can join student clubs and athletic teams, enjoy field trips, take fitness classes, and serve on the student government. Clubs are organized to involve students in specialized fields of interest aligned with your academic major, personal interest in a particular activity, or special service to the college or community.

Student Support Services

The international program staff are available to answer any questions that may arise, issues involving cultural or social interactions, questions about living in America, and their F-1 visa status issues. 

Student support services also include:

• Academic Counseling
• Learning Resource Center
• Free one to one tutoring
• Computer Lab

Achievement

International students at Sierra College do very well, with a typical grade point average of 3.18, on a 4.0 scale. Transfer rates are exceptionally high and Sierra College international students have successfully transferred to UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Davis, CSU Sacramento and San Francisco State, to name a few.

Each student receives personalized academic advising from an experienced counselor to help students get ready to graduate from Sierra College or to transfer to a four-year university. Once a student is proficient at English, they begin their college courses. So, two years of college courses at Sierra College + two years at a university = Bachelor’s Degree.

English as a Second Language (E.S.L)

Sierra College offers a multi-level program which offers beginning, intermediate and advanced classes to improve speaking, reading, and writing skills in English. Between the ESL coursework and exposure to the English language, international students quickly increase their English skills.

Students take placement tests which determine the level and length of ESL study. Enrollment in our ESL program provides an opportunity to be admitted to Sierra with TOEFL scores of less than 450 (paper) or 133 (CBT) or 45 (iBT).

A Dream Location

Sierra College is located in the foothills of the beautiful Sierra Mountains of California, 160 km east of San Francisco. In spring, the abundant trees burst into bloom, in the fall a multitude of colorful falling leaves.

Our main campus is located in Rocklin very close to Sacramento, the State Capitol of California. The campus itself is full of wide open park-like landscaping surrounded by campus buildings and offices.

Sierra College is located in an area that offers something for everyone. For those wishing a break from urban life, the area offers some of the most beautiful scenic nature areas in the United States. Within a 10 km radius of the campus there are many recreational opportunities with nearby golf courses, rivers and lakes. In one hour by car, you can be in the beautiful Lake Tahoe region that offers skiing, snowboarding, hiking, horseback riding and boating. Or you can choose to go site-seeing in San Francisco, the Napa Valley, or the Northern California coast.

Shopping, restaurants and coffee shops are available within walking distance of campus and by a 15 minute bus trip, students may visit the very large Galleria regional shopping mall with hundreds of shops, and restaurants.

Climate

The temperature remains moderate year round in Rocklin, but with four distinct seasons. Spring and Fall average in the low to mid 70°s (20-23° Celsius), while Summer is warm with low humidity and several hot days; Winter days typically are in the mid 50°s (12° Celsius). The rainy season in Placer County occurs between November and April, but heavy rainfall and damaging windstorms are rare.

The area is noted for its ground stability. Unlike high level seismic activity areas such as the San Francisco Bay and the Los Angeles Areas, Placer County ranks among the lowest in the state for the probability of a major earthquake.

Rocklin, the Gate to the Foothills

Software, high technology, and manufacturing and service firms chose the City of Rocklin for its quality of life in a foothill environment. Beautiful residential communities, excellent schools, preserved natural open spaces and extensive park system have made the City of Rocklin into one of the areas most attractive locations.

Safe Community

Crime statistics for Rocklin, dating back to 1992 until the present day, show an extremely low crime rate. The City has made a commitment to public safety and today Rocklin is one of the safest in the region.