Institute of International Education



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2 Year Community Colleges

Community Colleges in the U.S.

Community colleges are also known as junior colleges or two-year colleges. They are community based, and mostly funded by state or local governments. They offer two-year associate degree programs, as well as a variety of technical and vocational programs. Most of them are located in cities, but some are in suburban and rural areas, with large or small campus. International students in recent years are increasingly choosing to study at community colleges, with many of them enrolling in academic transfer programs that lead to Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degrees. After completion of the 2-year transfer program at a community college, students can apply for admission to the 3rd year of a traditional 4-year university and complete a bachelor’s degree after two more years. During their two-year studies, students primarily take courses in a broad range of subjects, but may also take courses in their chosen field of study.

The reasons why international students select a U.S. community college include:

-	Opportunity to transfer to 4-year universities upon receiving the Associate Degree
-	Significant savings in tuition fees
-	Small class sizes
-	Lower TOEFL requirement, and most do not require SAT
-	Latest technology for use in instruction and assessment
-	Focus on student learning
-	Special international student support office
-	ESL classes on campus to help students upgrade their English skills

Community college alumni include notable persons such as George Lucas (producer/director); Tom Hanks and Clint Eastwood (actors); Walk Disney; Calvin Klein (Designer), Craig Ventnor (Genome Scientist).

Community colleges also create strategic partnerships with corporations such as Microsoft, Disney, Coca-Cola, Hewlett Packard, SunGard SCT, Inc.

Admission Requirements

-	Minimum Form 5 graduate
-	High school transcripts and academic records
-	TOEFL