Universities in California for International Students: UC, Cal State, Private Universities and Community Colleges — Costs and Fall 2027 Admission

California hosts more international students than any other U.S. state: 139,351 in 2024/25 (IIE Open Doors). Its higher education system has three public segments — the University of California (UC, nine undergraduate campuses), California State University (Cal State, CSU) and 116 community colleges — plus private universities from Stanford and Caltech to USC. For an international student, a year at UC costs on average $90,100 including on-campus housing (UC's estimate for new students in 2027/28); a Cal State campus costs about half that (CSU Long Beach: $47,204); private universities cost $98,622 (Caltech) and $103,162 (USC) for 2026/27. UC accepts fall 2027 applications from October 1 to November 30, 2026, and does not consider SAT or ACT scores at all. To compare California with New York, Boston and other states, see our overview of universities in the USA for international students.

Who California suits

A good fit for computer science, engineering, life sciences, film and media, close to Silicon Valley, Hollywood or San Diego's biotech cluster. UC and Cal State offer dozens of campuses at different levels, and the community college route lets you start for less.

Compare other states if you need need-based aid: California's public universities offer international students almost none, and the private universities with generous aid are extremely selective. High housing costs in the Bay Area and Los Angeles also eat into Cal State savings.

Three public systems and private universities

UC campuses: rankings, selectivity and international enrollment

International enrollment is shown for campuses among the 25 largest U.S. hosts of international students. Admit rates come from the federal College Navigator database; rates for international applicants can differ.

All UC campuses charge nonresidents the same: $57,300 in tuition and $1,900 in campus fees per year, plus $21,700 for on-campus housing and meals and about $3,900 for health insurance (UC's estimate for new students in 2027/28). Under UC's Tuition Stability Plan, tuition stays flat for up to six years for both California residents and nonresidents. There are no discounts for international students: UC states that international students are generally ineligible for student loans and eligible for very few scholarships.

Note for Russian citizens: Russia's Ministry of Justice added UC Berkeley to its list of "undesirable organizations" in March 2026 and Stanford in April 2026. Under Russian law, involvement with such organizations can create legal risk for Russian citizens. This does not affect citizens of other countries, and no other UC campus is listed.

How to apply to the University of California

One application covers several UC campuses; each campus charges its own fee.

Requirements for international first-year applicants:

• 15 year-long academic courses with a GPA of at least 3.4: 2 years of history (your own country's history counts), 4 years of language and literature in your language of instruction, 3 years of math including algebra and geometry, 2 years of lab science (two of biology, chemistry and physics), 2 years of a second language, 1 year of visual or performing arts, and 1 more course from these areas;
• a secondary school certificate that qualifies you for university admission in your home country;
• English proficiency by December of your final school year: IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 80 on the old scale or 4.5 on the scale introduced in January 2026, Duolingo 115, or another option on UC's list;
• answers to 4 of 8 personal insight questions, which replace a traditional essay;
• no letters of recommendation with the UC application (some campuses or majors may request them later in a supplemental review).

SAT and ACT. UC does not consider them for admission or scholarships. Scores can only be used as an alternative way to meet minimum requirements or for course placement after enrollment.

Fall 2027 timeline:

UC says all campuses are open for fall 2027, but some majors are closed to first-year or transfer applicants. Check the major list before applying. For the Los Angeles campus, see our UCLA profile.

Cal State: cheaper and more applied

Cal State is a large system of state universities focused on undergraduate education, engineering, business, teaching and health professions, and it is much cheaper than UC for international students. At CSU Long Beach, tuition and fees are $19,646 a year, living costs $26,332 and insurance $1,900 — $47,204 in total. International applicants use Cal State Apply; Long Beach accepts fall applications from October 1 to April 1, with earlier deadlines for some programs.

Campuses differ widely in selectivity and majors: popular programs at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and San Diego State are harder to get into than smaller regional campuses. San José State sits in Silicon Valley, close to tech employers.

Private universities

Stanford ranks =5th in THE 2026 and admitted 4% of applicants in fall 2024. The 2026/27 budget is $97,545, including $67,731 in tuition. Aid is need-based only; there are no merit scholarships apart from a limited number of athletic awards. For international applicants, an aid request is a factor in admission (need-aware), but Stanford meets full demonstrated need for all admitted students. StudyU does not publish a Stanford admission profile because of its status under Russian law (see the note above).

Caltech is a small science and engineering institute in Pasadena: 7th in THE 2026, about 2,400 students including graduate students, a third of them international. The 2026/27 on-campus budget is $98,622, including $68,574 in tuition. International students who want financial aid must say so on their first-year admission application: they cannot apply for aid in later years, and Caltech offers no aid to international transfer applicants. See our Caltech profile.

USC is a large private university in Los Angeles and the fifth-largest U.S. host of international students (17,884). In 2024 it admitted 10% of 82,027 applicants. The 2026/27 on-campus budget is $103,162 (tuition $75,384, fees $1,952, housing $13,510, food $8,442), plus a one-time $450 new student fee.

Liberal arts colleges and smaller universities include Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and the other Claremont Colleges, Occidental, Santa Clara, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount and Chapman. Gentler admission and merit scholarships are available at California Lutheran, Dominican University of California, University of the Pacific and University of Redlands.

Starting at a community college and transferring to UC

UC says almost a third of its new students each year are transfers, nearly all from California community colleges. Six UC campuses commit to admitting qualified transfer students to the major through the TAG programme; each campus publishes its eligibility rules, including those for nonresidents.

The route is two years at a community college on a course plan agreed with your target UC campus, then transfer into the third year. It is cheaper and gives you time to improve your English, but it takes discipline: college grades decide everything, and courses that do not match the plan will not count. See transferring to a U.S. university.

Annual costs compared

Housing in the Bay Area and Los Angeles is among the most expensive in the U.S., so living off campus does not make the budget cheaper: UC estimates off-campus housing and meals at $20,400 for the academic year. See student housing in the USA and the cost of studying in the USA.

Matching schools to your field

Notes for applicants from Russia and Central Asia

• Four years of grades. UC calculates your GPA across 15 subject courses, so grades before your final year matter. Enter them exactly as they appear on your school records; UC asks you not to convert the scale yourself.
• English by December. IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo results must be earned by December of your final school year.
• Russia's list of undesirable organizations. In California it includes Stanford and UC Berkeley; other UC campuses, Cal State and other private universities are not listed.
• Payments and proof of funds. UC application fees are paid by card; see paying for studies abroad from Russia. Each campus sets the amount for the I-20; plan on the full annual budget, about $90,000 at UC.

Common mistakes

• Taking the SAT for UC. UC ignores it; spend the time on grades, English and your personal insight answers.
• Missing November 30. The UC application closes earlier than Regular Decision at private universities.
• Assuming UC is cheap for international students. Nonresidents pay $57,300 in tuition alone.
• Choosing a campus by ranking only. For engineering, UC Irvine or UC Davis may be more realistic than UCLA with a comparable program.
• Building a transfer plan without course agreements. Non-transferable college courses add time and cost.

FAQ

Sources

• IIE Open Doors — Fast Facts 2025 and leading institutions 2024/25 — checked 24 September 2026
• Times Higher Education — World University Rankings 2026 — checked 24 September 2026
• University of California: cost for nonresidents 2027/28, fall 2027 dates, international requirements, English proficiency, filling out the application, who can get aid, campuses, transfer — checked 24 September 2026
• CSU Long Beach — international costs and deadlines — checked 24 September 2026
• Caltech — 2026/27 costs and aid for international students — checked 24 September 2026
• California Community Colleges — key facts — checked 24 September 2026
• Stanford — 2026/27 budget and international applicants — checked 24 September 2026
• USC — 2026/27 cost of attendance — checked 24 September 2026
• NCES College Navigator — fall 2024 admit rates (UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford, USC) — checked 24 September 2026
• Russian Ministry of Justice — list of undesirable organizations — checked 24 September 2026

All amounts are in U.S. dollars as published by the institutions.

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