About Richland College

Founded in 1972, Richland College is the largest college in the Dallas County Community College District. Every semester, it enrolls more than 20,000 students out of which close to 1,000 students are international students from more than 100 different countries. Richland College is the first community college ever to receive the coveted Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. This award, presented jointly by the President of the United States and the Secretary of Commerce, is considered the nation's highest honor for performance excellence.

At Richland College, you will find an educational community of individuals who are focused on teaching, learning and community building. Richland College will help you gain knowledge, push boundaries, raise standards, and lift spirits so you will be empowered to live your life successfully in an ever-changing global environment.

Richland College is located on 243 acres in North Dallas. The campus consists of a spring fed creek, two picturesque lakes, a performance hall, a planetarium, a labyrinth, and an athletic complex which includes an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness center.

Academic Programs

International Students may obtain an Associate in Arts/Sciences degree at Richland College and then transfer to a university to obtain a Bachelor's degree. Richland College offers:

• Career Programs
• Academic Enrichment
• Science & Technology
• University Transfer Agreements

A complete list of degree programs is available upon request.

English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs

The American English and Culture Institute (AECI) is a full time-intensive English program for international students. The program is designed to meet the needs of international students preparing to study in American colleges and universities or planning to work in fields where English is the primary language. The program teaches reading, writing, grammar and oral communication. The program also arranges field trips and teaches American culture, therefore giving international students the complete experience of living abroad. Once students have completed the final level of the program, students may go directly into college level classes at Richland College without taking the TOEFL.

Classroom hours: five hours a day, five days a week (Monday to Friday)
Sessions: three sessions a year with start dates in January, May, and August
Program length: There are four levels on instruction, and each level takes one semester to complete. Students are assessed upon arrival to determine appropriate placement.

Transfer Opportunities

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating board has ranked Richland College in the top five two-year higher education institutions in Texas whose students transfer to four-year colleges and universities and successfully complete baccalaureate degrees. Richland College guarantees to its Associate in Arts and Associate in Sciences graduates the transferability of course credit to Texas public colleges and universities. Richland College graduates most often transfer to:

• The University of Texas at Dallas
• The University of Texas at Arlington
• The University of North Texas
• Texas A&M University
• Southern Methodist University

For more information on transfer agreements, visit www.richlandcollege.edu/transfer.

The Multicultural Center

The Multicultural Center of Richland College consists of a diverse group of individuals who have a great respect and appreciation for the international students. Together, the entire staff provides international students with a myriad of services that begins when the students seek admissions and continues even beyond the students' graduations.

Multicultural Center services include:

• Assisting and ensuring F-1 international students maintain their status
• Conducting workshops on topics ranging from employment to tax preparation
• Disseminating information regarding the admissions process
• Providing individual counseling on academic and/or personal issues
• Coordinating international events/activities on campus

Admission

Richland College has an "open door" policy for admissions, which means that as long the student provides the college with all the required documentation for admissions, the student will be given admissions into the college. When an international student is admitted, the student will receive an I-20 and a letter of acceptance which can be taken to the embassy to apply for the F-1 student visa.

To be admitted into college-level classes, the student has to provide a minimum TOEFL score of 530 (paper based), 197 (computer based) or 71 (internet based). TOEFL is not required for the intensive English program of the American English and Culture Institute of Richland College but the student must provide either a minimum TOEFL score of 430 (paper based), 117 (computer based), 39 (internet based), or evidence showing that the student has some minimum English proficiency.

All applications for international students will be processed at the Multicultural Center of Richland College. Application must be mailed to the Multicultural Center and must be received prior to the deadlines.

Deadlines:
Spring semester (Jan-May) - November 1
Summer (June-July) - April 1
Fall (August-December) - July 1