Before You Arrive
Welcome to American Collegiate, Los Angeles!
Ready to prepare for your move to Los Angeles? Before you arrive, please complete the steps below to avoid delays and common issues.
Contact Your Advisor
We have a team of dedicated personal advisors to answer your questions and ensure a smooth transition.
Before you start the following steps, contact your advisor by selecting your region/country and sending them a message. We look forward to meeting you very soon!
Africa
China
Latin America
Middle East/North Africa
North America
North Asia
Russia/Central Asia/Eastern Europe
South Asia
Southeast Asia
UK and Western Europe
Tiffany Chan (North Asia excluding Korea)
Phone number:+886 903006063WhatsApp:+852 9222 3579LINE:tiffany-cccEmail TiffanyChau Luu (Vietnam)
Phone number:+84 962 442 193Whatsapp:+84 962 442 193Skype:live:chau.luuquynhEmail ChauCOMPLETE YOUR PRE-ARRIVAL CHECKLIST
- Schedule a free visa information and preparation session with your personal Enrollment Advisor.
- Verify all details on your I-20 (including your date of birth), and make sure your name is the same as it appears on your passport.
- Prepare the required documents for your visa interview at the US embassy.
- Complete your visa application.
- Pay your I-901 (SEVIS) fee.
- Visit usembassy.gov to schedule your visa appointment, to review what documentation you will need to take with you, and to understand what to expect when you arrive.
- Notify your Enrollment Advisor of the date and embassy of your visa appointment.
- Watch the videos below to help you apply for your visa and prepare for your interview:
When purchasing your ticket, plan to arrive on or before your scheduled move-in day.
Once you book your flight, visit americancollegiate.com/la/arrival to enter your travel itinerary and confirm your free airport pick-up if required. Pick-ups are offered from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This will help the campus team prepare for your arrival and make your big day go as smoothly as possible.
Discounted Flights
Book your flights through StudentUniverse and benefit from exclusive discounts for students! Get the best deals when you need them and benefit from 24-hour risk-free cancellation.‡
StudentUniverse has exclusive deals to get you the lowest possible airfare. Use this page to search for the best deals: https://www.studentuniverse.com/travel-services/Shorelight/affiliate/flights
For discounted international travel, click here
Making your payment in full two weeks before you arrive will help avoid delays with enrollment.
• Flywire by peer transfer: Please visit American Collegiate, Los Angeles flywire portal to complete the transfer process. Please note that you cannot use a US credit card or US bank account.
• Please be aware that if you do not pay your balance as indicated on your statement of fees by the payment deadline, the following may occur:
– Late payment fees may be charged.
– You may have your scholarship and/or waivers rescinded. In such cases, you will be responsible for the full cost of your program.
– You may encounter delays or other issues enrolling and registering for classes.
For student loan information, contact
Please submit the following forms before your arrival on campus and bring copies with you to campus.
- Immunization requirement: Mandatory health and immunization form.
- FERPA Disclosure Form (Acknowledgment of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
If under the age of 18, students will need to submit the following:
If you did not provide with your application, copies of final secondary school transcripts and diploma completion certificate are required.
- Current passport
- Visa
- I-20
- I-94 (Can be printed from I-94 Website)
- Offer letter
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For 5-10 transfer applications and NOT admissions, at least five copies of original, certified, individually sealed (if possible) high school transcripts and post-secondary transcripts (if any) in both English and local language
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Official copy of TOEFL/IELTS/other proof English proficiency exam
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Completed Health & Immunization form
Incoming American Collegiate, LA students are required to take a math placement exam before they arrive to campus. Here are the instructions on how to take the exam.
- Click here to take your ALEKS Math Placement.
- Enter the Class Code found in the Next Steps letter that was emailed to you, then click continue and follow the next steps.
Your academic path begins with deciding not just where to study, but what to study while at university. By completing the Major Matcher Assessment, you will solidify your major selection based on your academic interests and personal skillset.
- Click here to take the Major Matcher Assessment.
Trained by U.S. News Global Education, your American Collegiate, LA advisor provides personalized one-on-one sessions to ensure you are ready to begin your transfer journey. This session will include:
- A welcome and overview of the American Collegiate, LA program outlining what to expect over the following quarters.
- Discussion of your academic goals, including your intended major and course interests.
This is an opportunity to have your questions about the program and city answered as you prepare to live and learn in Los Angeles. Click here to sign up for your advising session.
There are many things to consider when preparing for university, let alone moving to a new country! To make your transition to the US easier, we’ve put together a list of everyday necessities.
Set up a US Bank Account
In collaboration with Shorelight, Ellis helps international students apply for a US bank account and international Visa debit card. With a US bank account already set up, you won’t have to worry about paying foreign transaction fees, carrying cash with you or delaying the purchase of important items. Plus, it only takes 5 mins to sign up!
Ellis Debit Cards Offer:
- No monthly fees
- No SSN required
- Withdraw money with no fees at 60,000+ in-network Allpoint ATMs
- Compatible with Apple Pay and Google Pay
- No foreign transaction fees
- Bank-grade encryption account protection, all transactions verified through Visa’s fraud algorithm
- FDIC-insured accounts up to $250,000
Sign up here and get everything you need, all in one place.
Get a US SIM Card – Before you Leave Home
Sign up for a US phone plan before leaving your home country. This means that you will be able to use your cell phone the minute you land in the USA – no wi-fi or high daily rates required. Plus, it only takes 5 mins to sign up!
Ellis SIM Cards Offer:
- Ultra-fast 5G
- Pause anytime you want
- Only pay for data you use
- Low monthly prices with different sign-up options
Sign up here and get everything you need, all in one place.
Get Student Loans
Mpower Financing and Prodigy Finance, in collaboration with Shorelight, provide flexible student loan plans for international students pursuing degrees at eligible US colleges and universities without the requirements of a cosigner, collateral, or US credit history. They also offer fixed-rate loans up to $100,000 with 1.5% in interest rate discounts.
Easy Flight Bookings and Travel Discounts
StudentUniverse in collaboration with Shorelight, provides exclusive student-only discounts on flights around the world. StudentUniverse has exclusive deals with airlines to get the lowest-possible airfare for international students. If your travel plans change, don’t worry – all purchases have 24-hour risk-free cancellation.
StudentUniverse can be used to book not only your flight to campus, but also provides the best deals for Spring break and other travel. Use it to explore new cities like San Francisco or NYC, or book through them to go hiking in Yosemite National Park, or even when you fly home to visit family.
Career Premium
Career Premium helps international students apply for remote internships and gain real-life work experience to boost their resumes.
- Certificates and training: Attend online professional bootcamps before your virtual internship starts. Gain hands-on experience once you officially begin by contributing to projects alongside industry experts. If you are interested in certifications, Career Premium now offers unlimited access to training courses that lead to certification in Amazon Web Services, Java, Microsoft Azure, and Python, among many other in-demand skills.
- Coaching and mentorship: Receive direct guidance from career coaches and industry experts on career exploration, skill training, and professional development.
- Applying: Work on real-life projects for leading employers and build your portfolio. We work with more than 12,000 multinational companies that have unique projects for you to leverage your new skills, experience, and professional network to land your dream job.
“The tutors are resourceful, and they really helped me while I was applying for internships. I certainly believe I will find a job after graduation.”—Shelley, hired at Tesla