International Students

Welcome!

Thank you for considering the International Student Program at Columbia College. Columbia College's dedicated faculty and staff, combined with a small classroom environment, offer students the personalized attention they need to excel in college.

Columbia College is a public California community college where you can complete the first two years of American university education. Our wide variety of courses can be applied toward an associate degree and lower division requirements for four-year colleges and universities.

Columbia College is nestled in Sonora, California in the Sierra Nevada Mountain region, and conveniently located near renowned national parks and major cities.

General Facts About Columbia College

School Type: Two-year community college
School Terms: Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters
Programs: 51 degrees and 44 certificates
Popular Majors: Allied Health, Business Administration, Child Development, Culinary Arts, Fire Technology, Natural Resources, and Psychology
Field trip course opportunities to study California’s wildlife and natural resources

Why Columbia College

We offer the first two years of American higher education at lower tuition rates and in smaller classrooms than a four-year university.
Columbia College is one of the few community colleges in California that offer dorms on-campus.
Columbia College has many employer connections and can connect students with employers in health, IT, STEM, business, education, natural resource, child development, and more! Career Services can help international students find work opportunities in their second year.
Strong student services are available with individualized assistance in academic advising, career exploration, and transferring to a 4-year university.
We offer a flexible education system that prides itself on academic excellence.
Our friendly community is dedicated to our students’ academic, professional, and personal success.
Columbia College coursework can transfer to top California universities including UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, CSU Sacramento, and CSU Cal Poly.
If you enjoy nature and the outdoors, Columbia will offer you an ideal destination for your personal and academic life as an international student. Columbia College is located between Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe.