20 Best Colleges & Universities in California for International Students

According to the Institute of International Education's annual Open Doors study, California is the top-ranked destination for international students year after year. In addition, three of the top five colleges in terms of foreign student enrollment (USC, UCLA, and UCI) are in southern California. People come from all over the world to study at California's top schools, colleges, and institutions, but that's not the whole picture. Here are some more reasons to choose universities in California:

• Top QS Ranked: California is home to several QS-ranked universities in the top ten. Stanford University (ranked third) and the California Institute of Technology are two examples (Ranked 6th). Like, there are other universities in California ranked top.

• Top Academic Faculty and Infrastructure: Each university in California carries a top infrastructure that allows better learning opportunities. Moreover, there are top faculties helping students to learn in a practical and theoretical way.

• Scholarships: Students learning in any of the top colleges in California receive scholarships from the university, state, or non-profit. This financial aid can assist students in covering their study costs.

Suggested: Best scholarships for Indian students in USA

We are now going to list down the best universities in California. You will get to know insight about each, along with other information to choose for your higher studies:

• Stanford University
• The University of California, Berkeley
• California Institute of Technology
• University of Southern California
• University of California, San Diego
• Pomona College
• University of California, Santa Cruz
• Orange Coast College
• Claremont Mckenna College
• Harvey Mudd College
• University of California Los Angeles
• University of California Santa Barbara
• University of California Davis
• University of California San Francisco
• University of California Irvine
• San Diego State University
• University of California Riverside
• Santa Clara University
• Loyola Marymount University
• University of San Francisco

1. Stanford University

Stanford University is a private research university established in 1885. Stanford provides graduate courses in 90 different subjects. Engineering is Stanford's most popular graduate program, accounting for about 40% of students. Its current and former academic members include 48 Nobel Laureates.

2. The University of California, Berkeley

The University of California—Berkeley (UC Berkeley) is a public research university founded in 1868 and is one of the greatest state universities in the US. Students can pick from 160 undergraduate programs and over 350 degree programs. Furthermore, the university provides Doctoral Undergraduate programs. The current faculty of UC Berkeley includes four Pulitzer Prize winners and eight Nobel Prize winners. 

3. California Institute Of Technology

The prestigious California Institute of Technology is a private research institute founded in 1891. Caltech, located in Pasadena, is one of the leading technological institutes in the world. Caltech is often regarded as one of the most difficult universities to gain admission to. This institute's noteworthy alumni include Frank Borman, who led the 1968 Apollo 8 mission, and C. Gordon Fullerton, who piloted the third space shuttle mission and orbited the Earth in Skylab.

4. University of Southern California

The USC Marshall School of Business is the business school of the University of Southern California, founded in 1920. Students apply to this school for admission to 95 bachelor's, certificate, Ph.D., and master's degree programs. It has a 16.1 percent acceptance rate. Every year, approximately 46,000 students attend the University, with USC Marshall School of Business International students accounting for 28% of the total.

5. University of California, San Diego

The Institution of California, San Diego, founded in 1903, is an open research university affiliated with AAU. The University of California, San Diego is one of the US Public Ivy universities whose goal is to give students the same quality education as is available at Ivy League private colleges. Some of the university's popular majors include economics, computer science, biochemistry, and molecular biology.

6. Pomona College

Pomona College is a private higher-learning school founded in 1887. The college has around 1,703 undergraduate students. It has 600 courses and 48 majors to choose from with a 9% acceptance rate. Pomona is a member of the Claremont Colleges consortium, which allows its students to take classes at the consortium's other six colleges: Claremont McKenna College, Pitzer College, Scripps College, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont Graduate University, and Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences.

7. University of California, Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz is a California public university, blending the intimacy of a small liberal arts college with the rigour of a big research university. It was founded in 1965 and is one of ten campuses in the University of California system. This university has never failed to create good alumni due to its large campus and attractive setting.

8. Orange Coast College

Orange Coast College (OCC) is a public community college that was founded in 1947 and began operations in 1948. It is among the best colleges in California and is a member of the Coast Community College District. Deserving students receive scholarships based on their academic achievement and financial need. The college also provides four High School Scholarship chances to graduating high school students each year.

9. Claremont Mckenna College

Claremont McKenna College (CMC) is an American private liberal arts college located in California. It was founded in 1946 and provides high-quality education with a focus on finance, international relations, and public affairs. Students get the best infrastructure in the form of sharing libraries, sporting facilities, student health services, and other student amenities.

10. Harvey Mudd College

Harvey Mudd College (HMC) is a private college in Claremont, California established in 1955. It is part of The Claremont Colleges, a prestigious network of universities. It has seven academic departments which include engineering, biology, computer science, social sciences, and physics. 

11. University of California Los Angeles

Established in 1919, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public research university located in Los Angeles, California. UCLA is one of the best public universities for international students as its global ranking has been consistently at the top for quite a few years. It has a wide range of institutes and faculties offering prestigious programs at various levels of study.

12. University of California Santa Barbara

UC Santa Barbara is a public land-grant research university in Santa Barbara, US. It is one of the top-ranked universities in the country. UC Santa Barbara enrolls over 26,000+ students and highly qualified and reputed faculty members. It is a global leader among institutions and has several collaborations with international universities. 

13. University of California Davis

The University of California Davis (UC Davis) was set up in 1908 when the University Farm School was established as the science and research-based unit of UC Berkeley. The school started functioning in 1909 with just 18 students. At present, UC Davis consists of four reputed colleges and seven schools. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

14. University of California San Francisco

The University of California in San Francisco was founded in 1864 in San Francisco, California, and is a leading medical research center in the country. The university has three main locations – the Parnassus, Mission Bay, and Mount Zion campuses. The medical faculties at the University of California, San Francisco campus are highly prestigious. 

15. University of California Irvine

The University of California – Irvine campus was established in 1965 and is known for its excellent academics, public service, and cutting-edge research. The University of California Irvine is fairly competitive with an acceptance rate of 21%. UC Irvine has has some prestigious research facilities like the Blum Center, Sue, and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center. 

16. San Diego State University

San Diego State University is the oldest higher education university in San Diego established in 1897. SDSU has grown to become a leading public research university. It is well reputed in California for its college environment and research programs.

17. University of California Riverside

UC Riverside is a public land-grant research university in Riverside, California. The university is one of the ten campuses of the University of California system. It offers over 80 prestigious undergraduate programs and more than 50 graduate programs through its various schools.

18. Santa Clara University

Established in 1851, Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit university in Santa Clara, California. It offers a wide range of courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels at six academic schools and colleges. Its rigorous academic programs cover subjects ranging from Psychology to Sustainable-Energy Engineering and Business Analytics.

19. Loyola Marymount University

Loyola Marymount University is a private Jesuit University set up in 1865. It is the parent school of Loyola Law School. It offers 55 minor and 60 major bachelors courses across its six schools. The graduate division provides 51 master's degree courses,1 Juris doctoral, 1 education doctoral, and 1 doctorate in juridical science courses. 

20. University of San Francisco

Established in 1855, the University of San Francisco is a highly reputed university in San Francisco, California. Its 55-acre campus houses almost 1500 international students and offers them a welcoming environment. The University of San Francisco is known for its excellent faculties, ethnic diversity, and vibrant campus life.

California has an impressive list of top-ranked and highly prestigious colleges and universities, all boasting an impressive range of study programs. With this list of universities in California for international students, you will have enough options to select and seek admission for the respective course. 

If you are keen to know more about the best universities in California, connect with Yocket professionals who will guide you through every step of your study abroad journey. Schedule a FREE call today!