Orange Coast College
Rolling
Acceptance rate
$12,048
Tuition/yr
27,000
Enrollment
About Orange Coast College
Community college in Costa Mesa, CA (Orange County). Strong transfer and technical programs.
Orange Coast College (OCC) is a public two-year community college founded in 1947 in Costa Mesa, California, part of the Coast Community College District. It sits on a 164-acre campus and enrolls approximately 18,000 credit students per semester, making it one of the larger community colleges in Orange County.
OCC offers more than 130 academic and career programs leading to associate degrees and certificates. The college is nationally recognized for its Waterfront Campus, which houses one of the largest public nautical and seamanship programs in the United States, alongside strong programs in STEM, aviation, culinary arts, radiologic technology, and dental hygiene, several of which carry specialized accreditation.
The college is the top community college in Orange County for combined transfers to University of California and California State University campuses, and also places students at private universities including USC and Pepperdine. Its Transfer Center provides Transfer Agreement Guarantees (TAGs) to UC schools, giving international students a structured two-year pathway into four-year universities.
Campus & Location
CA
Suburban
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
- OCC's position as the #1 transfer college in Orange County for UC and CSU transfers makes it a cost-effective two-year entry point to prestigious California universities, total annual cost for international students is approximately USD 29,459, well below direct four-year university fees.
- OCC has a dedicated AANHPI Student Achievement Program that explicitly includes Nepali students under its South Asian umbrella, providing culturally responsive academic support and advocacy for low-income and first-generation students, a direct resource for Nepali enrollees.
- After completing an associate degree or transfer pathway, students can enroll in a four-year US university and become eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT), including 24-month STEM OPT extensions for qualifying degrees, giving graduates up to three years of US work experience.
- OCC does not offer financial aid to new incoming international students, but continuing students after one semester become eligible for OCC scholarships; the lower tuition compared to four-year institutions makes it one of the more affordable US pathways for Nepali families.
Admission requirements — Nepali equivalents
A rough translation of the published minimums for Nepali applicants:
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