Foothill-De Anza Community College campus
Cupertino, United States
Photo: Wikipedia (CC-BY-SA)

Foothill-De Anza Community College

Cupertino·community_college

Rolling

Acceptance rate

$10,560

Tuition/yr

24,000

Enrollment

About Foothill-De Anza Community College

Dual community college in Silicon Valley, CA. Strong tech and engineering transfer programs.

De Anza College is a public two-year community college in Cupertino, California, operated by the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. It enrolls approximately 17,400 students and sits on a 112-acre campus at the center of Silicon Valley, close to the headquarters of Apple, Google, and Intel.

The college offers over 84 associate degrees, 119 credit certificates, and one bachelor's degree in Automotive Technology, with particular strengths in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business, and Health Sciences. Its Computer Science and Information Systems division has trained students for Silicon Valley careers since the college's founding in 1967.

De Anza consistently leads Silicon Valley community colleges in transfers to four-year universities, recording 2,307 transfers in 2023-24, the highest count among California community colleges that year. Top transfer destinations include UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego, making it a well-established pathway to the University of California system.

Campus & Location

Province

CA

Campus setting

Suburban

Cost of living: Housing: USD 900–2,500/mo | Food: USD 380–650/mo | Costs vary widely by city.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

All graduates from CRICOS-registered programs qualify for 12-month Optional Practical Training (OPT). STEM-designated programs (CS, Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, Sciences) qualify for a 24-month STEM OPT extension — 36 months total of US work authorisation.

For Nepali students

  • At roughly $10,560 per year in tuition (2025-26 rate), De Anza is one of the most cost-effective ways for a Nepali student to enter the US higher education system before transferring to a UC or CSU university, avoiding the much higher tuition of four-year institutions from the start.
  • Nepali students with +2 completion (GPA 2.0+) and IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL iBT 61 are eligible to apply, lowering the admission bar compared to direct entry at four-year universities while still accessing a strong academic environment.
  • F-1 students are eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) through the International Student Programs office, providing legal pathways to gain US work experience in Silicon Valley during and after studies.
  • De Anza Foundation scholarships are open to international students who have completed at least one term, and the college's proximity to major tech employers means strong internship and part-time on-campus work opportunities for students in STEM and business programs.

Admission requirements — Nepali equivalents

A rough translation of the published minimums for Nepali applicants:

GPA 3.060%+ in NEB +2, B+ average in Cambridge A-levels, or Second Division in a TU bachelor's degree.
GPA 3.370%+ in NEB +2 or First Division in a TU bachelor's degree.
GPA 3.675%+ in NEB +2 or First Division with Distinction in a TU bachelor's degree.
IELTS 6.5The most common graduate minimum — achievable with 2–3 months of focused preparation. IELTS 7.0+ needed for the most competitive programs.

Use our GPA converter to translate your exact score to the 4.0 scale.

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Data last verified: 2026-06-19 · Source: https://www.deanza.edu. Information may change — verify with Foothill-De Anza Community College’s official website before applying.