Universities & Colleges in California, USA – Rankings, Courses, Fees

Why Study in California?

California is arguably the most popular destination in the US among international students, after New York, for mainly two reasons. The presence of world-class universities such as the Stanford, UC Berkeley, Caltech, UCLA and UC San Diego, and for the Silicon Valley, which houses some of the best companies in the world.

Universities and Colleges in California: Highlights

International students can study in California in over 130 universities. Here is a lowdown on universities in California:

Head	Details
Total Number of Colleges and Universities in California	Approx. 130+ Colleges
Fees in California (1st Year Average)	INR 18 Lakhs to INR 1 Crore
Top Specializations	Information Technology, Healthcare, Business and Management, Computer Sciences, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence
Exams Required	IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo, PTE, GRE, GMAT

Best Universities in California

The list of top colleges and universities in California along with their Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings 2026 are given in the table below:

University Name	Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings 2026
Stanford University	#3
California Institute of Technology	#10
University of California - Berkeley Campus	#17
University of California - Los Angeles	#46
University of California - San Diego Campus	#66
University of California, Davis	#114
University of Southern California	#146
University of California Santa Barbara	#179
University of California - Irvine Campus	#293
University of California - Santa Cruz Campus	#458

Top 10 Specialisations in California 

Some of the top 10 specializations offered to international students in California, USA are given as follows:

• Business and Management 
• Computer Sciences 
• Engineering 
• Medicine and Health Sciences 
• Environmental Sciences 
• Finance and Marketing 
• Human Resource Management 
• Entrepreneurship 
• Economics 
• Mathematics 

Top Cities to Study in California 

Some of the cities where international students can prefer in Caifornia are given as follows:

• Stanford
• Berkeley 
• Pasadena 
• Los Angeles 
• San Diego 
• Davis 
• Santa Barbara 
• San Francisco 

Admission Requirements in California 

The general admission requirements for international students in California are given as follows:

• Minimum GPA requirements 
• Academic Record 
• English Language Proficiency scores 
• Standardised Test Scores 
• Additional Academic Requirements

Documents Required

• Original Transcripts
• Minimum GPA 3.0
• English proficiency
• Valid scores in GRE or GMAT
• Proof of Financial Support
• Valid Passport 
• Student Visa 

Cost of studying in USA

The cost of studying in the USA for international students varies by program from one university to another. To study MS in the USA, the average first-year cost is INR 23.5 L and for studying MBA in USA, the average cost is INR 27.8 L for international students.

Tuition Fees for Universities in California 

International students can check below the first-year tuition fees range of California Universities:

First-Year Tuition Fee Range	Count of Universities
Max 10 lakhs	41
Max 20 lakhs	94
Max 30 lakhs	117
Max 40 lakhs	122
INR 40 Lakhs +	45

Cost of Living in USA 

The cost of living in USA for international students is around INR 8.3 L to INR 15 L depending on the city. Students can check the Cost of Living in USA for the different states below:

Big Cities in the USA	Average Monthly Expenses
New York	USD 3,300 or INR 2.7 L
California	USD 4,000 or INR 3.2 L
Boston	USD 3,316 or INR 2.8 L
San Francisco	USD 4,000 or INR 3.2 L
Suburban Cities of the USA	Average monthly expenses in USA
Atlanta	USD 2,200 or INR 1.8 L
New Orleans	USD 2,000 or INR 1.7 L
Philadelphia	USD 1,300 or INR 1.1 L
Seattle	USD 2,500 or INR 1.1 L
Texas	USD 2,000 or INR 1.7 L
Illinois	USD 1,470 or INR 1.2 L

(USD 1 = INR 83.09)

Check the list of 8 Most Affordable Cities for Studying in the US

Student Visa Fees in USA 

There are two fees associated with an F1 student visa for the USA

1. The SEVIS fee is currently USD 350, and US student visa fees in Indian rupees are approximately INR 30,242.
2. The Visa Application Fee (MRV Fee), currently USD 185, is equivalent to INR 15,985.

Scholarships in USA

Studying abroad is indisputably costly. This factor stops many aspirants from applying to universities abroad, especially, in a country like the USA, which is a hub for international students.

There are ideally four types of scholarships offered in USA and they are as follows:

1. Government Funded or Publicly Funded Scholarships in USA
2. US University-Specific Scholarships
3. Merit-Based Scholarships
4. Need-Based Scholarships

Apart from these, there are also externally funded scholarships. These can be funded by one's own country or foundations that help students fund their education. Some of the merit based scholarships offered to international students in USA are given as follows:

Scholarship Name	Funding Offered	Description
AAUW International Fellowships	USD 20,000–USD 50,000	Women only, for graduate/postgraduate study
Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford	Full funding including stipend	All grad programs at Stanford
Obama Foundation Scholars (Columbia)	Full tuition, monthly stipend, travel	For rising leaders from around the world
Joint Japan/World Bank Scholarship	Tuition + living stipend + travel	For students from developing countries
PEO International Peace Scholarship	Up to USD 12,500	Women from outside the US and Canada

Tasneem Hoda10-03-2025 10:41