Study at CCSF to Earn a Degree and/or Transfer
Is your goal to earn a college certificate, college degree, or transfer to a 4-year college or university? Then the Credit (Academic) Program is right for you.
Certificate programs usually require completion of fewer than 60 semester-units, generally between 12 to 30 semester-units, which may take 0.5 to 1.5 years to complete.
Additionally, the College offers roughly 45 degrees and 30 certificate programs on the semiprofessional level - these provide specialized college-level training designed to qualify students for employment in various fields. Semiprofessional preparation is provided in both degree and certificate curricula.
Per current F-1 student regulations from the U.S. government, Credit (Academic) Program students under F-1 status must take at least 12 units every semester to maintain their F-1 status. Of these 12 units, at least 9 units must be in-person or hybrid. Classes are currently offered in-person, hybrid, online, or remote. This information may change at any time.
Eligibility
Proof of English Language Proficiency - In addition to submitting all other required documents for admission, you will be asked to submit an official score report of at least a minimum score or better on one of the following accepted English proficiency exams:
- TOEFL (IBT-internet based) score: 56 or better
- TOEFL (ITP-paper-based) score: 483 or better
- IELTS score: 5.5 or better
- or Duolingo score: 85 or better
Eligible score report may not have a test date that is older than 2 years.
Need to improve your English skills? If you are unable to obtain one of the above mentioned scores or better, you may still choose to apply for the Conditional Admission Program, which means that you will begin in the Intensive English Program (IEP) to improve your English skills and prepare to take the in-house official Institutional TOEFL exam. Upon passing the Institutional TOEFL exam with at least a minimum qualifying score, you will be admitted into the Credit (Academic) Program the following semester.
Deadline to Apply
The Spring 2025 application period has ended and we will no longer accept new application for F-1 status international student.
The Fall 2025 application period will start on February 1, 2025, and the application portal will open starting that day.
- New Student Applicant Deadline: The Fall 2025 deadline to submit your application, payment, and documents is May 1, 2025 (for new students applying for the F-1 visa in their home country).
- Transfer-in Student Applicant Deadline: The Fall 2025 deadline to submit your application, payment, and documents is June 1, 2025 (for transfer-in students who are already in the U.S. with an active I-20 and F-1 status).
- Change-of-Status Applicant Deadline: The Fall 2025 deadline to submit your application, payment, and documents is June 1, 2025 (for applicants who are already in the U.S. with an active non F-1 status and want to change to F-1 status).
- Admitted change-of-status students holding J-1 visas (or any other U.S. nonimmigrant status enabling enrollment) must maintain valid and active status throughout the entire semester to be eligible for enrollment.
- Information about the USCIS Change-of-Status process can be found on the USCIS website at:
- It is the student's responsibility to apply for and request a change-of-status with USCIS after receiving their CCSF acceptance letter and Form I-20. Our office is unable to advise, assist directly, or recommend legal services regarding this process due to liability. For questions and complex matters, it is the student's responsibility to seek legal counsel or services from an immigration lawyer.
- CCSF Active OPT Returning Student Applicant Deadline: The Fall 2025 deadline to submit your application, payment, and documents is June 1, 2025 (for previously graduated CCSF students on active OPT status who wish to return for additional education to help achieve their career goals.).
Overview of International Student Life Cycle (F-1)
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To see a brief overview of what it looks like to study in the U.S. as an F-1 international student, please click on the following link from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)/Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) website, Study in the States:
Steps to Apply
Step 1:
Submit an online international application via OpenCCC starting of February 1, 2025 (click here).
(Spring 2025 admission period has ended. We will no longer accept new application for Spring 205 semester. Fall 2025 semester admission will start on February 1, 2025.)
You will then receive an automated "Welcome to City College of San Francisco" email including your CCSF Student ID number, instructions to pay the $50 application fee, and a link to upload the required documents online.
Note: Make sure to check your junk/spam email inbox as it can get filtered into there. You will also receive a separate email with instructions to set up your CCSF email address.
Note: You will also receive an email about holds in your account. Please disregard this email. The holds are there until you have completed the admission process and orientation procedure, if you are accepted to CCSF as a future F-1 status student. The holds will be removed once you have completed all the process.
Step 2
Pay the non-refundable $50 application fee online from your CCSF myRAM portal as stated in the "Welcome to City College of San Francisco" email. You will initiate the payment directly from your student portal, and will have the options to use a U.S. debit/credit card, or Flywire for international payments. Please allow 2 - 3 hours before you create/log-in your myRAM portal for the first time after you received the Welcome email for our system to update your information. Birthday should only be 6-digits (MMDDYY, M = month, D = day, Y = year).
Step 3
Submit all required documents online using the link provided in the "Welcome to City College of San Francisco" email by the deadline. (see "Required Documents" section below).
Step 4
Wait up to 3 weeks for our office to review your application, payment and documents. We will email you once our review is complete. You may be required to submit additional information and/or documents if needed.
If you are admitted, you will be required to go through the enrollment steps for new students (online orientation, English/Math assessment, counseling, and purchasing of the F-1 health insurance). This information will be shared with you through emails.
Required Documents
You must use the link provided in the "Welcome to City College of San Francisco" email to upload your documents in PDF format. Please do not email your documents to our office.
Below is a checklist of documents you will be required to submit using the link. Make sure to have a clear PDF version for each document:
- Copy of your valid Passport (biographic page only)
- Official TOEFL or IELTS or Duolingo score report with the following minimum scores:
- Financial Support Form
- Completed and signed OIP's Financial Support Form (click here to download the form). Please note that the name(s) provided on this form must match exactly the name(s) of the account holder(s) as they appear on the bank statement or bank letter submitted.
- Official Bank Statement or Bank Letter with a minimum balance of $32,000 USD or equivalent in other currencies
- Bank Statement or Bank Letters must clearly show full name(s) of account holder(s)
- Must be dated within the last 6 months
- For accounts outside of the United States, the bank statement/letter must be signed or stamped by a bank official
- Must list at least $32,000 US Dollars in cash (liquid assets), or equivalent to this amount in other currency (currency must be listed)
- Must be in English or officially translated into English by a certified translation company with legal interpreter’s stamp (you must then submit a copy of both the original language version AND the English translation of it)
- Please do not submit multiple pages of transactions. A simple 1-2 page bank statement or bank letter is fine.
- Screenshots of documents will not be accepted.
- Note: The account holder name(s) on the bank statement or bank letter submitted must match the name(s) provided on the Financial Support Form.
- Official High School or College/University Transcript
- Transcripts must clearly list or show what classes the applicant took and what grades/marks the applicant received in those classes.
- Transcript must be in English or officially translated into English by a certified translation company with a legal interpreter’s stamp. You must then submit a copy of both transcripts in the original language AND the English translations.
- In your initial application, please only submit the transcript for the highest level that you have completed. For example, if you went to a university, please only submit your university transcript and do not submit your high school transcript.
- Note: Copies of diplomas will not be accepted in place of official transcripts.
- Additional documents for certain applicants:
- Transfer-in applicants: F-1 visa copy, most recent I-94, and copies of all previous I-20 Forms
- Change-of-status applicants: Copy of current U.S. visa page and most recent I-94. Applicants currently under a J-1 visa must also submit a copy of their valid Form DS-2019.
(Note: Students holding J-1 visas (or any other U.S. non-immigrant status enabling enrollment) must maintain valid and active status throughout the entire semester to be eligible for enrollment)- Information about the USCIS Change-of-Status process can be found on the USCIS website at:
- It is the student's responsibility to apply for and request a change-of-status with USCIS after receiving their CCSF acceptance letter and Form I-20. Our office is unable to advise, assist directly, or recommend legal services regarding this process due to liability. For questions and complex matters, it is the student's responsibility to seek legal counsel or services from an immigration lawyer.
- Students under the age of 18: Copy of high school diploma, a completed Legal Guardian Consent Form (click here to download the form), a copy of photo I.D. of the legal guardian
- Legal Guardian must be 21 years or older, live in the San Francisco, and must be a U.S. Citizen or a Green card holder.
- Students who already obtained a degree in the U.S.: Personal statement (1-2 pages), explaining why you would like to study at CCSF and your academic goals at City College of San Francisco.
More information about these documents and fees is available at the bottom of this page under "Additional Information about Application Documents and Fees"
Tuition and Fees
The fee schedule below is payable by international students at the time of registration (12 units/credits are mandatory, and 18 units/credits maximum per semester (fees are subject to change without notice). Amounts calculated below are for 12 units:
- International Student Tuition Fee: $406 per unit x 12 = $4,872
- Regular Enrollment Tuition Fee: $46 per unit x 12 = $552
- Capital Outlay Fee: $0 per unit x 12 = $0
- Health Service Fee: $20 per semester (Spring/Fall) = $20 ($16 for Summer semester)
- TOTAL Estimate Tuition and Fees per Spring/Fall Semester (12 units minimum): $4,872 + $552 + $0 + $20 = $5,444
Mandatory F-1 Health Insurance Fee (in addition to the total listed above): $1,500 for 6-month coverage.
Tuition and Fee Payments
Payment of tuition and fees is due at the time the student registers for their courses. However, payment plans are offered through Nelnet Business Solutions, which the student can enroll in through their myCCSF student portal account.
Health insurance fee can only be paid online directly through the insurance provider's webpage (LewerMark Student Insurance). Instructions on how to pay for this fee will be emailed by our office to students after they are admitted, before the beginning of each semester. Our offices at CCSF do not process these insurance payments.
Non-payment of fees will result in a HOLD being placed on their account. This HOLD may result in not receiving college services or being able to register for future courses, which may negatively affect a student's F-1 status.
F-1 international students are not eligible for the Free City program or federal financial aid.
Students are responsible for all tuition and fees of courses not dropped by the College's drop deadlines.
Academic Counseling
Academic counseling is available to assist already admitted CCSF students with academic planning and course selection. CCSF is noted for its Student Counseling which provides personalized options and opportunities customized to its students. There are over 75 fields of study in both certificate and degree programs at City College of San Francisco. CCSF specializes in providing the first two years of the baccalaureate (four-year) degree and excels at allowing our students to transfer to top-quality public and private universities.