Cuesta College
Rolling
Acceptance rate
$10,488
Tuition/yr
11,019
Enrollment
About Cuesta College
Cuesta College is a public community college in San Luis Obispo County, California.
Cuesta College is a public two-year community college established in 1963 in San Luis Obispo, California, on the state's central coast. It is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and enrolls approximately 11,000 students across its main campus in San Luis Obispo and a North County campus in Paso Robles.
The college offers 84 associate degree programs and 128 certificate programs spanning healthcare, technology, agriculture, aviation maintenance, and liberal arts transfer pathways. Its nursing program ranked as the top-scoring program across all of California on the 2023 NCLEX licensing exam. A strong transfer pipeline to the California State University and University of California systems, including nearby Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, is one of the college's primary draws.
San Luis Obispo is a mid-sized city on California's central coast, roughly equidistant between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The area is known for a relatively mild climate and a lower cost of living than major California metro areas, though housing must be arranged privately as Cuesta does not provide on-campus residential facilities.
Campus & Location
CA
Suburban
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
All graduates qualify for 12-month OPT. STEM-designated programs (CS, Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, Sciences) qualify for 24-month STEM OPT extension — 36 months total work authorisation.
For Nepali students
- Cuesta College's non-resident tuition and fees for international F-1 students total approximately USD 10,488 per academic year (enrollment plus non-resident fees for 12 units per semester), making it one of the most affordable U.S. pathways, the college estimates a full annual cost of attendance of around USD 31,910 when living expenses and health insurance are included.
- The college's articulation agreements with Cal Poly SLO and other UC/CSU campuses mean a Nepali student can complete two years at Cuesta and transfer into a four-year bachelor's degree program, significantly reducing total degree cost compared to entering a university directly.
- F-1 students are eligible for on-campus employment of up to 20 hours per week after their first academic year, providing a legal income source to offset living costs during study. After completing a U.S. bachelor's or higher degree obtained via transfer, graduates become eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT), including the 24-month STEM OPT extension for qualifying fields.
- No institutional financial aid is available to international students at Cuesta, so applicants must demonstrate sufficient funds upfront; however, the comparatively low tuition makes this a practical entry point for Nepali students planning a U.S. transfer-track education.
Admission requirements — Nepali equivalents
A rough translation of the published minimums for Nepali applicants:
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