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L A N O TI E D A N IT R V LY TE I N O IN T S P L G N IN D E CA IT I S S T U TO
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction to Cal Poly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Colleges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Why Choose Cal Poly? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Learn By Doing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 International Student Testimonials . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Why Choose the V.I.S.I.T. Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Steps to Apply for V.I.S.I.T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10–11 Housing and Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The Central Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
For more than 100 years, Cal Poly has combined a theoretical approach to its curriculum with practical, professional, and experiential learning opportunities to offer a Learn by Doing education. Here, classroom and community are one. Marine biology students can wade into the nearby ocean, viticulture students can stroll San Luis Obispo County’s vineyards and MBA students can tap into the expertise of our Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
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Cal Poly’s main campus is located within a beautiful, natural landscape, surrounded by rolling hills. Cal Poly students enjoy one of the largest university facilities in
San Francisco
California, consisting of a 6,000 acre main campus, an oceanographic research facility in Avila Beach, and a 3,000 acre field laboratory north of Santa Cruz, California. Los Angeles
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College of Architecture & Environmental Design caed.calpoly.edu
College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences cafes.calpoly.edu
Orfalea College of Business ocob.calpoly.edu
L AU R A “My time in the V.I.S.I.T. program was a wonderful experience. I
CAL POLY’S 6 COLLEGES
loved being able to take the classes I needed for my educa%
tional goals and discovered new interests at Cal Poly’s labs. Who knew I had a secret love for anatomy and physiology! In addition
College of Engineering engineering.calpoly.edu
to the educational opportunities,
College of Science & Mathematics
San Luis Obispo is a beautiful
cosam.calpoly.edu
place with plenty of things to do where I was able to make great friends. After just one year I can
College of Liberal Arts cla.calpoly.edu
say I will definitely miss SLO.”
WHY CHOOSE CAL POLY? Learn by Doing: hands-on educational approach
Beautiful 6,000 acre main campus
19:1 student to faculty ratio
Surrounded by hills and just minutes from beaches
Ranked among the best schools in the nation for return on investment –Payscale.com
Located in the idyllic city of San Luis Obispo, the “happiest city in America” –Dan Buettner, National Geographic
Listed among the best colleges in the country for six straight years –Forbes Magazine
Ranked the Best in the West, Public-Master’s University, 25th consecutive year. –U.S. News & World Report
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LEARN BY DOING
Cal Poly’s guiding philosophy is Learn by Doing. Boasting a 19:1 student to faculty ratio, Cal Poly emphasizes the importance of hands-on learning opportunities. Students at Cal Poly are prepared to be: well-rounded professionals critical thinkers problem solvers leaders who can adapt, evolve, inspire, and succeed
Those familiar with our nationally recognized university most assuredly mention Learn by Doing as the key approach that distinguishes Cal Poly from other institutions of higher education. Here, the phrase Learn by Doing isn’t just a motto; it’s our reality. We are leaders in innovative teaching, learning, and living practices that impact students, faculty, and staff not just while at Cal Poly, but for a lifetime.
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Following the Learn by Doing philosophy, our programs are a great opportunity for international students to study alongside American students while immersing themselves in the language and culture of the United States.
A STUDENT EXPERIENCE
MARC Did Cal Poly’s “Learn By Doing” approach enrich your academic experience here?
I am not much of a memorization person and I find it easier to learn and understand things by actually applying them. The various projects I have worked on during my time at Cal Poly have for sure prepared me for the real working world, especially as most of the work I will be doing once I graduate will be rather projectbased than just filling out a scantron or writing down the content of a book you had to read. Cal Poly’s “Learn By Doing” approach is also a nice change to the often rather dry and purely
What will you miss most about Cal Poly?
Anything else you’d like to share
Most out of all, I will miss the people I have met here. What started as just being classmates or project partners turned into extremely close friendships. From the first day I have felt welcomed and had no problems to fit in which was one my biggest fears about going to a place far away from home. To me, college is not just about sitting in a class room and reading books, but also about forming valuable and important connections to other students from various different backgrounds.
about your experience?
Besides that, the Rec Center, the beaches, the constantly awesome weather, all those beautiful hikes as well as farmers market (just to name a few) will be greatly missed as well!
theoretical lectures at most German Universities.
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Looking back to my time at Cal Poly, there is nothing I regret about coming to SLO. I think the fact that I extended my 11 week study-abroad into an one and a half year long stay says it all. Especially the aspect that as an international student you are fully included into the student body and are not treated differently, which a lot of my friends have experienced at other schools, makes it extremely easy to get the full and authentic experience at an American university and to feel like a real Mustang instead of just a temporary visitor. I have had an unbelievable experience… I am going to miss this place and will look back to my time at Cal Poly with a smile on my face for the rest of my life! And it will for sure not be the that last time that I will visit SLO!
V.I.S.I.T. Cal Poly is an excellent way for international students to experience the academic life and culture in the United States. Unlike exchange programs which require a formal agreement between your current university and Cal Poly, this program is based on a shortterm stay. While at Cal Poly, international students can experience a unique academic environment. Cal Poly offers a distinctive learning community to academically focused students. Our hands-on educational approach is designed to prepare students for today’s scientific
and technical world. At Cal Poly, students and faculty are partners in discovery. The University fosters teaching, scholarship, and service in a unique Learn By Doing environment. Your academic choices will be made from a list of hundreds of classes taught during the quarter you choose to study at Cal Poly. You can view potential course options by reviewing the Cal Poly Course Catalog. The official list of classes will be available through Cal Poly’s Plan a Student Schedule (PASS) system, several weeks prior to registration.
STEPS TO APPLY FOR V.I.S.I.T.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS You must be at least 18 years old to enroll in the V.I.S.I.T. Program. This program is highly selective; students are required to submit a tentative course of study including a list of eight courses of interest. Courses with prerequisites will be met by evidence provided by the students from their home university. This is not an English as a Second Language (ESL) program. International students from non-English speaking countries must present a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) taken within the last 2 years. For additional information regarding this requirement, please visit the Cal Poly Admissions Office website at: admissions. calpoly.edu/applicants/international/toefl_ielts.html. Please note: In order to maintain student visa status, international students must enroll in 12 units for undergraduates, or 8 units for graduate students.
HOW TO APPLY To apply for the V.I.S.I.T. Program you must submit an online application and pay a $200 application fee. Stepby-step instructions for applying online are available at: visit.calpoly.edu/apply/application.html. After you have submitted an online application you will be contacted by the V.I.S.I.T. Program coordinator with instructions on the next steps in the application process. If you have any questions about the program or application process, please email visit@calpoly.edu. We would be happy to help you through the process.
WHEN TO APPLY
HOW TO PREPARE
It is best to apply 14-18 weeks before the program start date. Please allow 2 weeks for us to review and process your application and to allow yourself ample time to make your visa and travel arrangements. Keep in mind that June, July, and August are the busiest months in most consular sections, and interview appointments are difficult to get during that period. It is important to apply for your visa several months before your travel departure date. Visit Visa Wait Times by Region (http:// travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/general/wait-times.html/) to see how long you will wait for an F-1 visa interviews in your area.
You must submit a copy of your home university transcript and a copy of your TOEFL or IELTS with your V.I.S.I.T. application. Please note: Additional requirements apply for enrollment in Architecture courses, see visit.calpoly.edu.
While choosing which quarter you would like to study at Cal Poly, keep in mind that the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters are each ten weeks long while the Summer quarter offers five, eight and ten week options. For information on the quarter start and end dates, please visit Cal Poly’s Office of the Registrar at: registrar.calpoly.edu/content/acad_cal/index.
Review potential course options. The descriptions for Cal Poly courses are located in the Cal Poly catalog, http://catalog. calpoly.edu/coursesaz/. Discuss your potential course options with your university advisor to determine which courses are transferrable to your home university. Select a tentative list of eight courses that you would like to enroll in during the V.I.S.I.T. program at Cal Poly. Not all courses may be available, so it is important to have several course options.
MA XIMILIAN “I really recommend everybody choose Cal Poly... It was probably one of the best decisions I made in life. Many people here do internships with Twitter, Google, Yahoo—for us Europeans that’s more special… You can feel that it’s more practical orientated than it is at a usual university. I really like that we did case projects, many often, we had presentations, we talked about real business stuff not only about textbook examples. I really liked the approach—that’s why I chose Cal Poly.”
HOUSING
FEES
As a V.I.S.I.T. student, you have the option to live on-campus in the Cerro Vista Apartment Complex or Poly Canyon Village, pictured on the left. On-campus housing accommodations are made on a first-come-first served basis so it’s important to reserve your housing early.
Fees for V.I.S.I.T. Cal Poly allow for customization of the program to fit your individual needs and preferences. Base fees include Program and Application fees, Student Services fee, and Tuition fees for classes. Program costs do not include miscellaneous fees, the cost of textbooks or other personal and/or travel expenses.
Located on a hillside, the Cerro Vista Apartments offer a welcoming home base to V.I.S.I.T. students as they integrate into Cal Poly campus life. Cerro Vista has beautiful panoramic views of the Cal Poly Campus and surrounding San Luis Obispo landscape. Each apartment has a living room furnished with a sofa, chairs, table, and lamps; a kitchen furnished with a refrigerator, microwave, stove, and an eating area; 2 bathrooms; and 4 private bedrooms each furnished with a bed, desk, chair, dresser, and armoire.
The V.I.S.I.T. application is available through the Cal Poly Extended Education online registration portal.
FALL/WINTER/SPRING
Poly Canyon Village spans approximately 30 acres and is located at the northeast corner of Cal Poly at the base of picturesque Poly Canyon. Furnished apartments are nestled around a large plaza, bustling with student activities, dining, and retail vendors. The central retail plaza includes Einstein Bros. Bagels, Jamba Juice, and the Village Market. This state-of-the-art complex includes a community center, swimming pool, study rooms, knowledge center, and conference room. Throughout the Poly Canyon Village Apartment complex there are 4 floor plans, housing 4 to 6 students in private and shared bedrooms.
DUE DATE
Application Fee
$200
At time of application
Student Services Fee (one-time)
$250
Approx. 3 weeks prior to start of term
Program Fee (per quarter)
$1250
Approx. 3 weeks prior to start of term
Mandatory Health Insurance
Depends on quarter of attendance.*
Posted at time of enrollment, due within 3 calendar days
$3816/quarter
Posted at time of enrollment, due within 3 calendar days
$2792/quarter
Posted at time of enrollment, due within 3 calendar days
Course Fee for Undergraduate Classes $318/unit, 12 units minimum Course Fee for Graduate Classes $349/unit, 8 units minimum
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COST
*see Health Insurance Information at visit.calpoly.edu All fees subject to change, pending Campus fee approval.
JENIFER “I plan to become a product development and ingredients scientist specializing in dairy products technology. I have found selfless people at Cal Poly who have extended themselves in helping me. I have had access to dairy professionals on a day to day basis. My Cal Poly experiences will contribute towards progress in dairy in a developing country like India. San Luis Obispo is a mood enhancer city with natural beauty and wonderful weather.�
CENTRAL COAST
Central Coast Beaches
Wine Country
Rolling Hills
You’ll find some of the most pristine, unspoiled beaches in California along the Central Coast with small, welcoming beach towns and a low key atmosphere.
There are more than 300 wineries in San Luis Obispo County. Cal Poly operates a 100 acre state of the art commercial vineyard. The wine industry is the
The Central Coast is the perfect destination for those who want to explore its natural beauty. Whether you enjoy hiking, kayaking, surfing, or sailing,
Driving north on Highway 1 from Cal Poly you can visit Morro Bay, Cayucos, and Hearst Castle, while driving south takes you to Avila Beach, Pismo Beach, and the famous Oceano dunes.
second largest agribusiness in California, accounting for well over two billion dollars in annual sales.
endless outdoor adventures await.
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CONTACT Visiting International Students (VISIT) Program Cal Poly, Extended Education San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 805.756.2053 visit@calpoly.edu visit.calpoly.edu