Visiting Student Program

The Visiting Student Program is designed to allow international students who meet the required standards in English proficiency to experience one or more quarters of undergraduate study at Cal State East Bay. This program is ideal for:

• Students in their "gap" year between high school and university
• Students who want to take a break from their studies at a university in their home country
• Students who want to take university courses for the cultural experience and the practice in using English.

Students in the program work with their advisor by email before they arrive and in person in the first weeks of the quarter to pick courses that interest them or are required for further study with a view to counting that credit at a university back in their home country or applying it to a degree in the United States. They will meet regularly admitted undergraduate students in all their classes and can use all the facilities of the university as regularly admitted students.

A TOEFL score of 525 or equivalent is required. Consult with the ALP Visiting Student Advisor if you are in doubt as to whether your English level is sufficient.

There are two tracks for admission:

1. Students are not enrolled in an overseas university. These students usually register for three regular undergraduate classes (3 x 4 units) in each quarter through the Open University system. In this system, they can enter any class they are academically qualified to take and has space in the first week of the quarter. The fee for this program is $2,300 per quarter.
2. Students are already enrolled in an overseas university in their sophomore or junior year and have leave of absence to take a program at Cal State East Bay. These students are assigned a code before they enter the program that allows them to pre-register for three regular undergraduate classes each quarter. They can enter any class they are academically qualified to take. The fee for this program is the regular undergraduate international student rate, currently at about $3,200 per quarter.

More information about the Open University program is available on the Open University Web page (link opens in a new window).