Fullerton College campus
Fullerton, United States
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Fullerton College

Fullerton·community_college

Rolling

Acceptance rate

$8,928

Tuition/yr

24,000

Enrollment

About Fullerton College

Community college in Fullerton, CA (Orange County). Strong transfer and vocational programs.

Fullerton College is a public two-year community college located in Fullerton, California, founded in 1913, making it the oldest community college in continuous operation in California. It enrolls over 26,000 students and is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). The college also holds Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designation.

The college offers 129 associate degrees, 37 Transfer Associate Degrees, and 179 career education certificates across a broad range of disciplines. It has 287 full-time and 642 part-time faculty. Fullerton College is particularly well-regarded for its transfer pipeline to four-year universities in California.

The campus is situated at 321 E. Chapman Ave. in Fullerton, a city in Orange County about 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Its transfer statistics are strong: in Fall 2025, students had an 89% acceptance rate to California State University campuses and a 76% acceptance rate to University of California campuses, with students commonly transferring to UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Berkeley, and Cal State Fullerton.

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 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

  • Fullerton College is a cost-effective entry point into the US higher education system: annual international tuition is approximately $8,928 (based on 24 units at $372/unit), far below the cost of a four-year US university, making it one of the most affordable F-1 visa pathways available.
  • International students on an F-1 visa who maintain a 3.0 GPA and complete at least 12 units are eligible for the ISC Transfer Scholarship, which awards $500–$2,000 to students transferring to a four-year university, one of the few merit scholarships available to international community college students.
  • The college's strong transfer articulation agreements with UC and CSU campuses mean a Nepali student can complete two years here, then transfer to a well-ranked California university such as UCLA or UC Irvine, effectively earning a US bachelor's degree at a fraction of the four-year cost.
  • International students are eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT) after transferring and completing a bachelor's degree, providing up to 12 months of US work authorization (36 months for STEM fields), a practical post-study pathway for Nepali graduates seeking US work experience.

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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Uses published minimum requirements. Final decisions are always at the university's discretion. Use our GPA converter to get your score on the 4.0 scale.

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