Now that You Have Been Accepted to Contra Costa College (CCC)
We hope that the following information will help you during your arrival at the Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) and in your move to the San Francisco Bay Area.
Things to Consider
You should bring a copy of transcripts from high schools, colleges or universities previously attended. If you are planning to transfer your units from other institutions to CCCCD, or challenge a course prerequisite, you will need to show proof of your transcript in English. Course descriptions or outlines are also required.
Financial Resources for Housing, Tuition, Fees and Other Living Expenses
It is not a good idea to carry a large amount of cash. Plan your budget very carefully and bring enough cash to cover your initial expenses. You may want to keep in mind the following start-up expenses:
¨ Tuition and fees for the semester you plan to attend (you will be required to pay this amount at the time you enroll in your classes)
¨ Books and supplies (estimate between $400 - $600 for each semester)
¨ Medical insurance fees
¨ Transportation
¨ Housing deposit and rent (damage deposit and first and last month’s rent are generally required up front)
¨ Utilities, if applicable (telephone, electricity, gas, etc.)
¨ Food
¨ Recreation
¨ Appropriate clothing for the weather
Arrival Plan (before you leave home)
¨ Arrange transportation from the airport to your hotel or apartment (see Transportation)
¨ Bring proof of hotel reservation or copy of apartment rental agreement (see Housing Options)
¨ Transportation to and from school (see Transportation)
Things to Bring with You
¨ Passport
¨ I-20
¨ Birth Certificate
¨ Picture Identification Card
¨ Driver’s License from your home country
¨ Admission letter from CCC
¨ Financial Statement (a copy of the documentation submitted with International Student Application)
¨ Supply of prescription medications
¨ Personal address book, listing important phone numbers and addresses
¨ Credit cards, if any
¨ Electrical adapters, if necessary. American household current is 110 volts, AC 60 cycles. Foreign appliances without adapters will not work here.
Weather
The climate in northern California is mild; however, temperatures change rapidly depending on which part of the Bay Area you are in. Dressing in layers is preferred—the morning might start out cold and foggy, and then change into a warm or very hot afternoon. For your convenience, you can check www.weatheronline.com to get an idea of the weather forecast at our colleges.
International Student Admissions and Services
Contra Costa Community College District
Aleksandar Ilich, Director, International Education
Phone: (510) 235-7800, ext. 2563
FAX: (925) 691-9503
E-Mail: ailich@4cd.net
Contra Costa College
Main Contact:
Sui-Fen Liao, Coordinator, International Education
Phone: (510) 235-7800, ext. 4469
FAX: (510) 412-0769
E-mail: sliao@contracosta.edu
Monday – Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Previous Coursework/Credential Evaluation Agency
Academic & Professional International Evaluations, Inc.
P.O.Box 5787, Los Alamitos, CA 90721-5787
Phone: (562) 594-6498 Fax: (562) 594-8498
E-mail Address: apie@msn.com
Web Address: www.apie.org
Download APIE Application Form
General Information about CCC
Admissions and Records Offices
The following list of phone numbers and office hours at each campus is provided for you to refer to when you have general questions regarding admissions:
For Admissons & Records Office hours and more information click here.
Associated Students and Student Clubs
Organized and run by students, Associated Students promotes the intellectual, social and cultural welfare of students through the effective use of self-government. Various campus clubs, along with the International Student Club, exist for students with special interests in areas such as scholarship, science, sports, creative arts, business and industry, service and recreation. Club activities include business meetings, field trips, concerts, lectures, forums and social events. Through these activities, you may broaden your understanding of the college and the community it serves. Transfer schools highly recommend student involvement in campus student activities and student government.
SA Building, behind Recreation Center
To find out more information about ASU, please visit their page.
Bookstore
In addition to new and used books (which may also be purchased online), you may purchase catalogs, school supplies, stamps, computers and computer software. Visa, MasterCard and ATM are accepted.
Located in the Associated Students Building.
For more information please click here.
Campus Police
Campus police at each of the three campuses has officers on duty 24 hours a day. The “Lost and Found” is also located in Police Services. Campus police also provide first aid services. Regular office hours are 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday and Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Evening escorts are available in helping students get to and from their classrooms and/or cars on campus after dark.
Phone:(510) 235-7800, ext. 4207, 4431,
EMERGENCIES (510) 235-7800, ext. 4333 or 9-911
Childcare
Childcare services are available for students who have children. You must contact the on-campus daycare center to sign your child up for services. You should contact each individual center to find out about costs.
Please click here to visit their website.
Library
Each campus has a library. The library provides books, magazines, electronic resources, microfilm, pamphlets, maps and other resources for students. Reference librarians are available to answer questions and describe the services of the library. There are classes available to familiarize you with library materials, services and basic bibliographic techniques.
For Library hours and more information, please click here.
Tutoring
Our tutoring services are decentralized and offered at various locations, such as within departments, in ongoing labs and through the Learning Centers. Tutoring can help students succeed in specific courses when they are having difficulty.
ESL Tutoring: Drop-in and regular tutoring are available to help students build the skills needed for success. Other services include college success workshops, short-term classes, and computer-assisted instruction in study skills, reading and writing.
Math Lab: Drop-in tutoring for all math courses is available. An instructor and student tutors are there to help with math problems. Lab time is required for some math courses.
Computer Center: The centers are equipped with IBM compatible and Mac computers. Students from many departments use the center to do lab work for their computer science classes.
Media Center: The Media Center’s collection contains films, video tapes, foreign language tapes, slide programs and videodiscs. All materials may be viewed by students in the Media Lab for use in their own research or to make up for a missed viewing in the classroom. Equipment is available for general listening and viewing or other course projects.
Working on Campus
Students are allowed to work on campus as student assistants. The only requirement is that the student is in F-1 status. F-1 students can only work at the campus they are attending and they must have a form filled out by the Designated School Official (DSO) indicating they are in-status before they can begin employment. Students must also have a Social Security number, with the correct spelling of your name (please refer to the following section on Social Security Cards).
Student jobs are limited in availability, and there is no way to apply in advance. The jobs are very popular among our international students, as this is the only type of work for which they are eligible. Of the jobs available each semester, the hours that are assigned to each student cannot exceed a maximum of twenty hours per week. Students are eligible, however, to work up to forty hours per week during the summer. The current hourly pay is $8.00. Some job classifications will pay a higher hourly salary. As jobs become available, they are posted at the respective Job Placement Center on each campus.
Click here to find about office hours and more information.
Social Security Cards
F-1 Students Only
F-1 students are only eligible to receive a Social Security Card when they have been hired as a Student Assistant at one of our three campuses. The following are documents that you must present at the Social Security Office:
¨ Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card
¨ At least two documents that show your age and identity including a passport and one additional document establishing identity
¨ Form I-94
¨ SEVIS Form I-20
¨ For on-campus employment, you will need a letter from the DSO stating that you are enrolled in a full course of study and are authorized to work
An original letter from the Job Placement Center or campus employer stating that you have been hired as a Student Assistant
You may also be required to bring other forms of identification. Please check with the DSO before going to the Social Security office. Below is a list of the Social Security offices near each of our three campuses. The office hours and telephone number are the same for each office. They are: Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., telephone 1-800-772-1213.
Social Security Administration
2045 Allston Way
Berkeley, CA 94704