Grossmont College campus
El Cajon, United States
Photo: Wikipedia (CC-BY-SA)

Grossmont College

El Cajon·community_college

Rolling

Acceptance rate

$10,200

Tuition/yr

16,000

Enrollment

24:1

Student:Faculty

About Grossmont College

Community college in El Cajon, CA (San Diego area). Strong transfer and healthcare programs.

Grossmont College is a public community college established in 1961 in El Cajon, California, part of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. It is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and its courses are fully accepted for transfer by the University of California and California State University systems.

The college enrolls approximately 14,440 students and offers associate degrees, certificates, and transfer-focused pathways across a wide range of disciplines. In 2025, Grossmont ranked 9th out of 113 California community colleges for Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) completions to CSU campuses, and it consistently ranks among the top San Diego-area transfer feeders to San Diego State University and UC San Diego.

The campus sits on 135 acres in El Cajon, roughly 15 miles east of downtown San Diego in San Diego County. International students from approximately 60 countries are enrolled, and the International Student Club is among the largest campus organizations with over 150 members.

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

  • Grossmont offers a cost-effective pathway to a US bachelor's degree: annual tuition for international students runs approximately $10,200, far below the $25,000–$60,000 range at four-year universities, allowing Nepali students to complete their first two years at a fraction of the cost before transferring to SDSU, UCSD, or UC Berkeley.
  • The college's strong ADT transfer partnerships with California State Universities and UC campuses give students a structured, guaranteed-priority transfer route, a concrete advantage for Nepali students planning a full US bachelor's degree.
  • English proficiency requirements are moderate (IELTS 4.5 / TOEFL iBT 45), making Grossmont accessible to students transitioning from Nepali secondary education who may not yet meet the thresholds of four-year universities.
  • On an F-1 visa, graduates who transfer and complete a bachelor's or higher degree at a US university become eligible for 12-month OPT (and up to 36 months for STEM fields), giving Nepali students a viable path to US work experience after completing a degree begun at Grossmont.

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.grossmont.edu. Information may change — verify with Grossmont College’s official website before applying.