WHAT IS A COMMUNITY COLLEGE?

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Community colleges are 2-year public colleges in the U.S. that allows students to compete the first 2 years of your bachelor's degree at a considerably lower cost compared to most 4-year universities. You can earn an Associate's Degree​ at a community college in 1.5 to 2 years. You then have the option to transfer to universities across the U.S. to complete year 3 and 4 to obtain a bachelor's degree. ​This is commonly known as the University Transfer Programme. 

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WHY COMMUNITY COLLEGES?

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(a) Flexible Entry Requirements

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• International students are eligible to enter U.S. community colleges once you have completed SPM, IGCSE or equivalent. A levels, foundation or other pre-university qualifications are not usually required. 

• The minimum age to be accepted to most community college is 16.

• SAT or ACT is normally not needed as part of community college admission.

• Most community colleges require proof of English proficiency such as IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo. 

 

(b) Easy Transfer to Top U.S. Universities

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Community college students often get easier entry to some top universities in the U.S. Many U.S. universities have Transfer Admission Guarantee agreements (TAG) with community colleges that allow community college students to be automatically admitted into the university once they meet the transfer requirements, such as completing pre-requisite coursework and attaining a satisfactory grade point average. Many universities also offer preferential entry to community college students from the same state. 

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Students will also find it much easier to transfer their credits to U.S. universities from community colleges compared to other programmes such as the American Degree Transfer Programme or diplomas from Malaysia. 

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(c) Affordable Tuition

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The average tuition at a good community college in the U.S. is around USD9,000 to USD11,000 per annum. Tuition fees are usually due when students arrive in the U.S. and register for classes. Tuition are due after the start of each semester, making it very easy for parents to plan their finances. In addition to tuition, parents need to budget a little extra for insurance and books.