HOW DO I APPLY?

International student application to College of the Desert and the Intensive English Academy is easy and the response time is fast!  Just complete these simple steps and you can begin your studies in beautiful Palm Springs, California!

STEP 1:                Download the International Student Application:  2008-2009 application
                                     (Requires Abode Acrobat Reader).

                            If you cannot download the application, you can request the International Student Application 
                            by sending an email to cdelgado@collegeofthedesert.edu or by clicking on this link:   
                            Request Additional Information.

STEP 2:               Submit the following documents to:  College of the Desert, International Student Program, 43-500
                           Monterey Avenue, Palm Desert, CA  92260, USA by the listed deadline:

- International Student Application
- $25.00 Application Fee
- Proof of high school / secondary school completion
- Verification of financial sponsorship of the required amount
  Click on Cost Estimates 08-09 for tuition and living expense estimates for all other COD and IEA 
  programs
- TOEFL/IELTS or EIKEN score (see below for specific requirements; the TOEFL is not required for the Intensive English Academy)
- 2 Passport photographs
- Housing Application

STEP 3:                Upon receipt of acceptance documents and the I-20, contact the US Embassy in your home
                            country to apply for the F-1 visa

TOEFL or IELTS REQUIREMENT:

Direct admission to College of the Desert requires a TOEFL, IELTS or STEP Eiken Test Score as listed below.  Students will be placed into academic and credit-ESL courses based on college assessment tests.

Our TOEFL requirements are as follows:                     iBT TOEFL:   32     or         Paper TOEFL:  400

Students scoring between 400-450 (paper) or 32-45 (iBT) can expect to take primarily ESL courses during their first semester as a part of our bridge program.  For more information about the TOEFL test including test locations, registration procedures and practice materials, please visit the TOEFL website at www.ets.org/toefl.

Our IELTS requirement is as follows:                           IELTS:   3.5

For more information about IELTS, please visit www.ielts.org.  (IELTS is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP:  IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examination).

Our STEP Eiken test requirement is as follows:            Eiken test:      Pre-2 Grade

Students scoring at this level will take primarily ESL courses during their first semester as a part of our bridge program.  For more information about STEP Eiken, please visit the following website:  http://www.eiken-ryugaku.com/.

INTENSIVE ENGLISH ACADEMY:                                    

The TOEFL test is NOT required for admission into the Intensive English Academy. Visit the Intensive English Academy page for more information.

 APPLICATION DEADLINES:

College of the Desert Application deadlines:

• Fall semester - July 15
• Spring semester - December 15

View our program start dates by downloading our Academic Calendar.

TRANSFER STUDENTS:

Students who are currently studying in the United States and would like to transfer to College of the Desert or the Intensive English Academy must submit the International Student Application and the Transfer Form.  The Transfer Form must be completed by your current Advisor in order to have your SEVIS record transferred to our institution.  Please download our Transfer Form.

Application deadlines for transfer students are on a rolling admission basis.

Please contact cdelgado@collegeofthedesert.edu if you have any questions
about our programs and application procedures.

We hope to see you at College of the Desert!