New Student Arrival Information:

Health Clearance Requirement

Orientation Information

Traveling to Palm Desert

Housing

Confirmation of Enrollment:

Once you have received the F-1 visa, please submit the Confirmation of Enrollment form that you received in your acceptance packet.  You may also download this form by clicking on the following link: Confirmation of Enrollment.  This form can be faxed to 001-760-862-1361. 

It is important that we receive this form as soon as possible as submission of the form allows us to finalize your housing assignment.  Even if you will not require housing assistance, please submit this form to us so that we can prepare for your arrival.

 

Health Clearance Requirement:

Students who have been admitted to College of the Desert or the Intensive English Academy are required to submit a completed Health Clearance Form upon arrival.  This will be required before the student is allowed to register for classes.

Students must bring the completed Health Clearance Form with them to the orientation program.  College of the Desert does not have facilities on campus to provide these tests.  Students will have to arrange for testing which can cost $200 or more if tests are not completed before arrival in the USA.  Students will not be able to register until these tests are completed which can adversely affect your ability to register for classes that you want.

Please make sure to complete this requirement BEFORE you arrive in the United States.

Please click here to download the Health Clearance Form.

 

Orientation:

Students at the Intensive English Academy and College of the Desert should plan to attend our International Student Orientation Program.

 

College of the Desert students:  3 day orientation offered 2 weeks before the first day of class.  

Spring 2010 Orientation Dates:  January 19-21, 2010.  Students must arrive in Palm Desert before January 18 in order to be eligible to attend Spring 2010 classes. 

The orientation schedule is listed here:  Spring 2010 Orientation Schedule 

 

Intensive English Academy students:  2 day orientation offered 1 week before the first day of class. 

Spring 2010 IEA Orientation Dates:  January 25-26, 2010.  Students must arrive in Palm Desert before January 24.

The IEA orientation schedule is listed here:  IEA Spring 2010 Orientation Schedule

During this orientation, you will learn important information about class registration, American education, American life and US immigration law.  Students will also take the math and English tests that are required for course placement.

Please click on the following links for detailed information on our upcoming orientations:

 

Traveling to Palm Desert:

AIRPORT PICK-UP:

We are happy to offer FREE airport pick-up service from the Palm Springs Airport.  The Palm Springs Airport is located only a short drive from our campus.  Students can transfer to a domestic flight from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Denver and other international airports in the US.  Airlines that fly into Palm Springs Airport include:  United Express, American Airlines, Delta, Alaska Airlines, Continental, and America West.

In order to reserve our airport pick-up service, we ask that students request this service at least 1 week prior to arrival.  This can be done by faxing the Airport Pick-Up Reservation form to our office at  001-760-862-1361 .  You can also email this information to jferrer@collegeofthedesert.edu.  Please make sure that you include your complete flight itinerary (airline name, flight number, time of departure and time of arrival) - from your home country to the Palm Springs Airport.

Please note:  College of the Desert hours are Monday – Friday 8am- 5pm.  We are closed on Fridays during the Summer.  College of the Desert is not open on the weekends.  If your arrival is on the weekend, after hours, and airport pick- up service has not been confirmed by our office, please take a taxi to the Fairfield Inn.  Please do not come to College of the Desert when the campus is closed.

We recommend the Fairfield Inn as it is close to the College of the Desert campus.   Taxis are available directly outside the baggage claim area at Palm Springs Airport.  Please ask the taxi driver to take you to the hotel listed below:

Fairfield Inn by Marriott
72322 Hwy 111
Palm   Desert
(760) 341- 9100
Please let the hotel staff know that you are a student at
College of the Desert when you check- in.

IF YOU ARRANGE YOUR OWN TRANSPORTATION:

From Los Angeles Airport, take the 405 Freeway North. Change to the 10 Freeway East towards San Bernardino.  Continue for about 2 hours until you reach the Palm Springs area.  Exit at Monterey Avenue and turn right on Monterey.  The entrance to the College of the Desert campus is on the left side of Monterey Avenue.  The International Student Office is located in the Hilb Student Center which is the 2-story building that you will see when you enter the campus.

 
Housing:

We are happy to provide our international students with assistance in finding either a host family or off-campus apartment.  Our Housing Coordinator, Ms. Josielind Ferrer, will assist you with placement into either option.  Please contact her directly at jferrer@collegeofthedesert.edu for assistance.

For detailed information about our Host Family Program, please visit the Housing Information page.  You can also download our Housing Options pamphlet to learn more about your housing options.

 

We look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful desert oasis!