Student Resources
PRE-ARRIVAL & ORIENTATION
Please review the Before You Arrive page for more information.
Summer 2023 | |
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Campus Arrival Day: Jun 20 | Orientation Week: Jun 20-23 |
Fall 2023 | |
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Campus Arrival Day: Sep 18 | Orientation Week: Sep 18-22 |
Winter 2024 | |
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Campus Arrival Day: Jan 2 | Orientation Week: Jan 2-5 |
Summer 2024 | |
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Campus Arrival Day: Jun 17 | Orientation Week: Jun 17-21 |
Spring 2024 | |
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Campus Arrival Day: Mar 25 | Orientation Week: Mar 25-29 |
We’ve partnered with campusSIMS to help connect you with mobile phone service. Get your US phone number in your home country and have service that’s ready to use as soon as you land. Click here to get your free SIM card.
campusSIMS helps international students get connected with mobile phone service in the US. Through campusSIMS’ exclusive partner Mint Mobile, students can sign up and get their US phone number while in their home country, and have mobile phone service ready to use as soon as they land.
Students can get low-cost, reliable mobile phone service starting at as low as $15 per month that includes:
- A free SIM card
- Unlimited talk and text
- High speed data
- Nationwide coverage on the fastest, most advanced network
For more information, visit campussims.com
Frequently Asked Questions
ACADEMICS
Summer 2023 | Fall 2023 | Winter 2024 | |
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Move-In | April 23, 2023 | July 30, 2023 | November 05, 2023 |
Orientation | April 24, 2023 | July 31, 2023 | November 06, 2023 |
Classes Begin | June 26, 2023 | September 25, 2023 | January 08, 2024 |
Last Day of Quarter | September 17, 2023 | December 17, 2023 | March 24, 2024 |
You will need to meet with your Advisor throughout your journey with American Collegiate, LA. It is recommended that you meet one-on-one with your advisor a minimum of 3 sessions each quarter. Group advising sessions will also be made available via open office hours. Office hours for each term will be announced during week 1 of classes.
Schedule an appointment with your American Collegiate, LA Advisor here.
Students will be pre-enrolled in all academic courses for their first term. Beginning term 2 and beyond, students will meet with their ACLA Advisor to selective 1-2 elective courses, depending on their study plan.
Do you need to improve your writing skills or study habits? Do you need help preparing for an exam or presentation? Maybe you just have a question and don’t know who to ask? Our friendly online tutors and counselors are here to support you! Schedule a free Zoom session with one of our Academic Skills or Subject Area Tutors (see options below) and gain the confidence and skills to succeed in your undergraduate and graduate classes. Email CAS@shorelight.com for more information.
Meet your Tutors
Click below to watch a video introduction of each other tutors.
Academic Skills Tutors

Alicia Coe
I am Alicia Coe. I have been teaching English for academic purposes and critical writing at several universities in Europe and the United States for 17 years. Apart from teaching, I work as a curriculum developer, a writing consultant for undergraduate and graduate students, a copyeditor, and a Cambridge examiner. I am experienced in teaching international students; therefore, I can provide different learning approaches depending on the cultural background of each student.

Amanda Wilcox
I am Amanda Wilcox. Originally, I hail from Macon, Georgia, where I studied Biology and Spanish at Mercer University. After teaching foreign language for about 5 years, I began a master’s degree at Auburn University. Upon graduating, I continued to teach Spanish at the university and eventually began teaching in the ESL Department, where I found my calling. I have been involved in teaching, tutoring, and curriculum writing for international students learning English ever since. In total, I have nearly 20 years of experience teaching all ages from young children to adults in an academic setting.

Bianca Coria
I am Bianca Coria. I have eight years of experience teaching English at various levels in Asia and the United States. I currently work as an English instructor and course developer, and I hold certifications in TESOL, TEFL, and TEYL. I have experience working with students of all ages, from toddlers to adults from various backgrounds. In addition to enjoying my career, I also enjoy meeting new people, visiting new places, tasting new foods, and spending time with my family. I love working with students, and I strive to create a positive and enjoyable environment. I look forward to working with you.
Math/Computer Science Tutor

Dipen Bhuva
I am Dipen Bhuva. I am a PhD student in Computer Science at the Cleveland State University and have a Masters graduate from Northeastern University in Information Security. I am also a certified Network+ by Comptia, Certified Ethical Hacker, RH-11 Expert Hacker, RedHat Server Certified Engineering and am Amazon Web Service (Cloud) certified. For my “extraordinary dedication and teaching,” I was granted an “excellent achievement for Graduate Assistantship” from CSU. I will be happy to help with any problems and solutions related to computer science: Programming, Networking, Server engineering, Cloud, Statistic, Advanced Mathematics and Cyber Security.
Watch CAS Webinars On-Demand
CAS Social Skills: How to Make American Friends
CAS Academic Skills: Boosting Academic Vocabulary in Your Writing
CAS Academic Skills: How to Write a Great Thesis in Four Simple Steps
CAS Computer Science Skills: Introduction to Python
CAS Social Skills: Culture Shock and Mental Health
CAS Academic Skills: How to Create Coherence & Cohesion in Your Paragraphs
CAS Social Skills: Financial Matters in Your University Studies
CAS Social Skills: Communicating with Professors
CAS Career Skills: Understanding CPT and OPT
CAS Academic Skills: How to Give an Engaging Presentation
CAS Academic Skills: Paraphrasing Made Easy
CAS Computer Science Skills: Python Lesson 2: Variables & Data Types
CAS Academic Skills: Time Management
Skills covered in the Academic skills tutoring sessions
- Academic writing – generating ideas, organizing, summarizing, paraphrasing, revising/editing
- Research skills: Finding credible sources and academic articles
- Understanding academic integrity; avoiding plagiarism
- MLA & APA citations and format
- Academic presentation preparation and practice
- Time management – weekly planning, semester-long planning
- Reading strategies
- Note-taking skills
- Test preparation strategies
- Class and groupwork participation strategies
- Discussion skills
- Grammar rules and practice
- Academic communication etiquette – emails, office hours, requesting letters of recommendation
- Business writing – emails, reports, meeting summaries
- Career development – resume and cover letter writing
Skills covered in the Math/Computer Science skills tutoring sessions
- Building math confidence for students who struggle with math
- General and Foundational Math help at any level
- Calculus including Calc 1 and Calc 2
- Algebra and Linear Algebra
- Topology
- Category Theory
- Algorithms
- Differential Equations
- Programming, Networking, and Server Engineering
- Cloud, Statistics, and Cyber Security
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Each transfer destination will ultimately determine which of your academic credit-bearing courses will transfer to their institution. Your advisors will work with you to ensure you are enrolling in courses with the most likelihood of transferring to your desired transfer destination so that you can make steady progress in your degree requirements.
You will be pre-enrolled in all academic courses your first term with ACLA. All academic courses during the first term are required and cannot be changed. Beginning with your second term, you will meet with your ACLA advisor to select 1-2 elective courses, depending on your program track and progress. Each term will have at least 1-2 required courses for your study plan.
ACLA students enroll in a wide range of first-year foundational courses that span the humanities and sciences. Most often these courses will meet prerequisite, general education, and/or elective requirements.
All ACLA students are required to complete the ALEKS math placement exam upon full acceptance to the program. You will have three opportunities to complete the ALEKS math placemnent exam, and it is highly recommended that you complete the first attempt prior to your Pre-Arrival Advising Session with your ACLA Advisor. The ALEKS math placement exam will inform the ACLA Team which course is the right fit for you based on your current skill level, and your ACLA Advisor will provide guidance on the sequence of math courses based on your score and program track.
Students without an ALEKS math placement score will be enrolled in Introduction to Statistical Reasoning (STATS XL 10) their first term. Moving forward, if you do not complete the ALEKS math placement exam (or do not score sufficiently to qualify for advanced math courses), you will not be able to enroll in any additional math courses.
You can learn more about UCLA Extension course here.
Please note that course offerings can change each term. For this reason, you will work closely with your ACLA Advisor to determine which electives are right for you.
HEALTH & COVID-19
Visit https://covid-19.ucla.edu/ for the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 on campus.
Individuals with F-1 student visa status are required to show proof of COVID vaccination in order to enter the US. Vaccinations must align with the US’s approved list of COVID-19 vaccines. Only two exceptions apply:
- Student is from a country with limited COVID-19 vaccine availability (see list here ).
- Student is under 18 at the time of travel.
Effective December 06, 2021 – all international travelers (regardless of vaccination status) must show results of a negative coronavirus test taken one day prior to their flight’s departure from a foreign country traveling to the United States.
If neither vaccine exceptions apply to you and you remain unvaccinated, you may not be able to enter the US on the date of your scheduled travel.
For those passengers traveling under one of the above exceptions they must complete and present the Combined Covered Attestation Form to the airline at the time of departure. Passengers must be prepared to answer questions regarding Section 4 of the form and should have a clear understanding of their school's COVID policies.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
To participate in any in-person orientation sessions, you must provide proof that you are fully vaccinated with a CDC-approved or WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccine and/or provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours from arrival to LAX.
Please use the zip code 90024 to find a local COVID-19 testing center or vaccination cite close to Westwood Village.
IMMIGRATION
Immigration and enrollment policies
All students are required to be enrolled full-time under their respective ACLA program track. Failure to remain enrolled full-time will result in the termination of the student's SEVIS record (i.e. I-20) and will the student will be dismissed from the ACLA program. Learn more about maintaining F-1 visa status here.
Immigration advising
UCLA Extension’s International Student Office (ISO) will help students keep track of their student status while studying at UCLA Extension. Click here for more information about UCLA Extension's ISO.
Students arriving to campus will need to clearly scan the below listed documents and combine them into one PDF. This combined PDF of documents will then be emailed to the ACLA Team at studentservices.LA@americancollegiate.com. This combined PDF of documents must be received no later than ACLA Orientation Day 1.
- Copy of Passport
- Copy of Visa
- Copy of Signed I-20
- Copy of I-94 (Find your I-94 here)
- Offer Letter
- Completed Health & Immunization form, including any required supporting documents.
- Paper FERPA Form, if under the age of 18 at the time of program start date.
JOB & CAREER SERVICES
American Collegiate, LA students have the opportunity to earn a UCLA Extension General Studies Certificate, exclusively offered to ACLA student only. Upon successful completion, students gain the following benefits:
- UCLA Alumni Association Membership
- Access to UCLA Career Center's online job board, "Handshake", featuring thousands of jobs and internship postings
- Access to UCLA Extension's Career Resources, including online career coaching, workshops, and networking events
The Career Accelerator Program (CAP) at American Collegiate, LA allows for students to build their skills and confidence to enter their desired professional field following graduation. Students will have a dedicated CAP Advisor with whom they can connect directly via Pronto and email. Be sure to check your Pronto for the latest events and opportunities available to students!
PARKING & TRANSPORT
- Required city permits to park in residential neighborhoods
- Street cleaning (often once a week with 2-hour window for no parking)
- Metered or timed parking
- Loading zones or Curb-side pickup only
- Reserved parking for business-specific employees and/or customers
- Anti-Gridlock Tow-Away Zones