At Seattle Central, diversity is real, and so are its benefits.

• Location: Seattle Central is the only community college located in downtown Seattle, Washington
• Seattle Central: A national reputation for excellence
• Seattle Central has a quality program for everyone:
  • Institute of English (ESL) / College Bridge Program (ESL + College)
  • College Transfer Program (Associate's Degree)
  • High School Completion Program
  • Professional / Technical Programs
  • Short-Term Certificates
  • American Internship Experience (AIE)
• Scholarships available at Seattle Central Community College
• Information in languages other than English is available
• Email one of our current students!

Seattle Central Community College is the only community college located in downtown Seattle: SCCC is located on Capitol Hill, a five-minute walk to the central downtown area. Its Broadway neighborhood is one of the city's liveliest, with more than 60 ethnic and regional restaurants and shops, three movie theatres and lots of night life.

Seattle boasts a reputation for cultural diversity in a beautiful environment: Mountains, lakes and sea are only 20 to 30 minutes away! There are many outdoor activities within easy reach of the city, such as skiing / snowboarding, hiking, boating, and bicycling. It is no wonder that Seattle has been recognized for being one of the most livable cities in the United States. In addition, Seattle is home to many international companies such as Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon, Nintendo, Costco, and Boeing. The city is also a leader in the number of health and medical research institutions.

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Seattle Central Community College is known nationally for its innovative educational programs and the quality of its student services. Our College was elected College of the Year by TIME Magazine in a one-time survey of 1,200 community colleges nationwide and, more recently, profiled by the New York Times as a model for community colleges. The college's award-winning Mathematics and Science program was cited by the National Science Foundation for its excellence and innovation. The state's largest English as a Second Language Program is housed at Seattle Central. Seattle Central offers 37 two-year professional and technical programs and numerous opportunities for internships.

Seattle Central enrolls 10,000 students, including approximately 800 international students from more than 50 countries, and is Washington's most diverse community college in age, ethnicity, and cultural background. Our programs are of the highest quality and designed to satisfy a wide range of students, from those seeking to enhance their English proficiency to those interested in a short-term certificate, professional / technical degree, internship experience, or pursuing a university degree.

The Seattle Central Institute of English: SCIE is a dynamic school in an urban setting. All SCIE courses are taught by faculty with many years of experience and advanced degrees in Teaching English as a Second Language or a related field. The Institute of English provides a variety of services, including free tutoring for SCIE students, free conversation groups, on-site quarterly exams, and many International Student Activities. SCIE serves approximately 300 students from all over the world offering over 25 courses in its different programs.

SCIE offers six levels of ESL: Students enrolled in levels 1, 2 and 3 (Intensive English) study reading, writing, speaking, listening, and grammar for 20 hours per week. Students enrolled in levels 4, 5 and 6 (Advanced English) can study TOEFL preparation, pronunciation, advanced conversation, and vocabulary. No TOEFL score is required for admission to the program.

Tuition for the Seattle Central Institute of English is US$ 2,400 per quarter (three months).

College Bridge Program: College Bridge is an academic preparation program that allows advanced ESL students to continue to develop their English skills while earning at least 13 college credits. Students take a placement test before classes begin, and then register for the appropriate level.

Classes available include TOEFL preparation, pronunciation, advanced conversation, and vocabulary as well as a wide selection of college-level classes: Introduction to American Culture, Intercultural Communication, Introduction to Arts, Introduction to World Music, Introduction to Geography, Introduction to Business, General Psychology, Survey of Sociology, Survey of Anthropology, and Professional Development.

Tuition for the College Bridge Program is US$ 2,600 per quarter (three months).

After graduating from the Seattle Central Institute of English, students can enroll full-time at Seattle Central Community College without a TOEFL score or further testing. Students must apply for admission and be accepted to the College to study in the College Bridge program.

For more information, please visit http://seattlecentral.edu/international/english.shtml or email one of our advisors at iepsccc@sccd.ctc.edu

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College Transfer Program (Associate's Degree): International students planning to earn a Bachelor's degree should consider beginning their college studies at Seattle Central Community College. Students appreciate our lower tuition and small classes. Community college tuition is less expensive than four-year colleges and universities, particularly if the four-year institution is private. International students who study at SCCC for the first two years can save thousands of dollars.

Many college transfer majors are available, including Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Music and other programs in the Arts and Sciences. In the College Transfer Program, students earn an Associate of Arts degree or an Associate of Science degree.

An Associate's degree takes two years, or 90 credits, and is transferable to a four-year college or university. After students complete their Associate's degree, they can transfer to a four-year institution and complete a bachelor's degree by taking two more years of study in their major. Our students have transferred to institutions all over the country such as Boston University, University of California at Berkeley, University of Arizona, UCLA, Michigan State University, Dartmouth, Columbia University, University of Oregon, and, of course, the University of Washington.

Students enrolling at Seattle Central can also request a Transfer Admission Guarantee. Under this program, students receive conditional admission from the partner university of their choice at the time of application to Seattle Central. Our five partner institutions are: Eastern Washington University, Hawaii Pacific University, San Francisco State University, University of Oregon, or Purdue School of Engineering and Technology. After graduating from Seattle Central with an Associate's degree, students will complete the remaining two years of their Bachelor degree at the university of their choice.

Tuition for the College Transfer Program is US$ 2,600 per quarter (three months).

For more information, please visit http://seattlecentral.edu/international/ctguide.shtml or email one of our advisors at iepsccc@sccd.ctc.edu

High School Completion: International students at Seattle Central who did not finish secondary school now have the opportunity to receive a Washington State (U.S.) High School Diploma while earning transferable college level credits. Through this program, students may choose to earn only their high school diploma, or to study for both the Associate of Arts (or Science) degree and the high school diploma at the same time. The program is available to students 16 years of age or older. Admission to the program depends on the English level of the participants.

Tuition for the High School Completion Program is US$ 2,600 per quarter (three months).

For more information, please visit http://seattlecentral.edu/international/highschool.shtml or email one of our advisors at iepsccc@sccd.ctc.edu

Professional / Technical Programs are available in Arts and Design, Health / Medical, Wood Construction, Business and Technology, Hospitality and Culinary Arts. More than 32 different programs at the College provide students with practical career training in professional / technical fields. Depending on the chosen program, students work toward a certificate (approximately one year) or an Associate of Applied Science Degree (normally two years).

Since many of these programs are terminal and not transferable to four-year universities and colleges, students who wish to enroll in a certificate program rather than a degree program will have to apply for an M-1 visa. Please note that there are restrictions on the M-1 visa in length of stay, transferring programs, employment eligibility, practical training, and other areas.

For more information, please visit http://seattlecentral.edu/international/proftechnical.shtml or email one of our advisors at iepsccc@sccd.ctc.edu

Short-Term Certificates: Seattle Central offers short-term certificates ranging from two months to twelve months in a wide variety of fields. Certificate program participants enroll in college classes with American students, and earn between 12 and 90 college credits in fields such as business, computing, the arts, modern communication, global studies and more. A part-time internship can be arranged as part of these certificate programs.

For more information, please visit http://seattlecentral.edu/international/certificates.shtml or email one of our advisors at iepsccc@sccd.ctc.edu

The American Internship Experience Program (AIE) is an opportunity provided to Seattle Central students free of charge. Students enrolled in College Bridge or any college program, and who are planning to spend at least six months at Seattle Central may take part in AIE. While completing the requirements for your selected program of study, you will also attend workshops and take courses critical to preparing you to enter the global work force. In addition, you will successfully complete an internship or service learning experience in a U.S. organization or company. The program is an excellent opportunity for students to directly apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired at Seattle Central in a real-life work setting in the Seattle area.

For more information, please visit http://seattlecentral.edu/international/internships.shtml or email one of our advisors at iepsccc@sccd.ctc.edu

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Scholarships: Despite its low tuition, Seattle Central offers approximately US$ 100,000 per year for scholarships to both new and current international students. Scholarship awards range from US$250 to US$4,000. Scholarships are also awarded in the form of Campus Work Experience, which allows students an opportunity to earn approximately US$5,800 per academic year working up to 17 hours per week in on-campus jobs for three quarters. Campus Work Experience positions are tailor-made for each student, depending on individual skills, interests, and desired field of study.

Applicants to SCCC may submit applications for scholarships as soon as they have a completed admission application on file with SCCC. Completed scholarship applications must be received by the following deadlines:

For more information, please visit http://seattlecentral.edu/international/adminscholarships.shtml or email Johan François at jafrancois@sccd.ctc.edu

Translated Information: Information about our school and programs is now available in languages other than English, including Japanese, Indonesian, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. Please visit http://seattlecentral.edu/international/translations.shtml

Want to learn more? Click here to select your academic program, and inquire directly to SCCC.

Ask a Student: If you are wondering what it is like to study at Seattle Central, or how it feels to live in Seattle, simply ask one of our current students! Email us at askastudent@sccd.ctc.edu

(Note: if your question relates to admission, study programs, immigration, I-20s, or other areas that are best addressed by a staff member, send your message to iepsccc@sccd.ctc.edu. Students do not reply to questions related to these areas, but forward the email messages to staff advisors.)

We look forward to welcoming you to Seattle Central Community College! To learn more, review all of our programs and select the ones that interest you. Then complete the inquiry form, and we will respond to you directly.