Oakton College
Rolling
Acceptance rate
$13,170
Tuition/yr
9,000
Enrollment
13:1
Student:Faculty
About Oakton College
Community college in Illinois (Chicagoland area). Strong transfer and workforce programs.
Oakton College is a public two-year community college established in 1969, serving northeast Cook County through its main 147-acre campus in Des Plaines and a second campus in Skokie. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and serves Cook County Community College District 535, covering 16 North Shore suburbs with a population of around 450,000.
The college offers 60-plus degree and certificate programs with particular strengths in healthcare, business, STEM, and the liberal arts. Class sizes are intentionally small, with a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and the college operates a performing arts center, an automotive technology lab, and the William A. Koehnline Museum of Art on campus.
Both campuses are accessible by public transit and sit near Chicago, giving students access to internship and employment opportunities in one of the largest metro economies in the United States. The college's endowment stood at approximately $9.4 million as of 2025.
Campus & Location
IL
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
- Oakton's international undergraduate tuition is approximately $439 per credit hour (2025-2026), translating to roughly $13,170 per year for a full-time load of 30 credits, significantly lower than most four-year universities, making it a cost-accessible entry point into U.S. higher education.
- After completing one semester, international students become eligible to apply for the American Dream Scholarship sponsored by the Student Government Association, one of the few scholarships explicitly open to F-1 visa holders at this institution.
- The college has an active South Asian Club among its 35-plus language and cultural student organizations, indicating an existing South Asian community that Nepali students can connect with on campus.
- Oakton has structured transfer pathways to four-year universities, allowing Nepali students to complete two years at a lower cost and then transfer to a bachelor's-granting institution, and F-1 students who transfer to an eligible four-year school remain on the same visa status, preserving access to OPT and potential STEM OPT extension upon graduation.
Admission requirements — Nepali equivalents
A rough translation of the published minimums for Nepali applicants:
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