De Anza College

Established in 1967, De Anza College is one of California's top public community colleges. In its six decades of history, it has built a strong reputation for academic excellence and high employability prospects.

Today, the college offers 77 associate degrees, 103 academic certificates and more than 1,800 courses across a broad range of fields. De Anza is known for the success of its university transfer programs, and consistently records one of the highest rates in the state of California for student transfers to the University of California and California State University. De Anza has a 62 percent completion rate within four years, and has previously ranked fifth among all public two-year colleges in the country, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

The De Anza campus is located on a 112-acre site in the heart of Silicon Valley, a hotbed of tech, commerce, and innovation around 45 miles south of San Francisco. Its diverse student body numbering around 24,000 welcomes a significant international community who benefit from top quality tuition, superb prospects, state-of-the-art facilities, and a vibrant student life, supported by excellent student services.

De Anza is one of the top community colleges in the state of California, and consistently places number one for students who transfer to four-year degree courses at the University of California and California State University.

Key to the college's success is its team of highly educated teaching staff. Most hold either master's or doctorate degrees, and have a combined wealth of experience in both academic and professional environments which they can impart to their students. Staff are expert communicators, many having lived and worked overseas, and will support and inspire their students to achieve their academic goals.

Perhaps most important of all, they are enthusiastic and encouraging, and always ready to help a student in need. From extra contact hours after class to referrals to additional academic support networks, tutors are passionate about the success of their students and willing to go the extra mile.

De Anza College offers an impressive portfolio of courses, spanning a wide range of subjects areas, which are delivered through its eleven academic divisions:

• Biological, Health and Environmental Sciences
• Business, Computer Science and Applied Technologies
• Career Technical Education and Workforce Development
• Creative Arts
• Equity and Engagement
• Intercultural/International Studies
• Online Education and Learning Resources
• Language Arts
• Physical Education and Athletics
• Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering
• Social Sciences and Humanities

The college offers a number of programs including transfer opportunities, career training, online education, and community education. However, the two types of program for which is it best known are its associate degrees and certificate programs.

Associate degrees carry a minimum of 90 quarter units which may sometimes also fulfil lower division requirements for university transfer. De Anza's Associate Degrees for Transfer (A.A.-T. and A.S.-T.) is designed to help state college students gain entry to courses at California State University (CSU) schools.

Certificate programs have a more skills-oriented curriculum which is focused on a particular area of study, providing superb preparation for employment, or advanced vocational training.

De Anza College welcomes students from all around the world and encourages applications from anyone with the desire to gain a top-rate education in one of California's most innovative and exciting regions.

Applicants must provide one of the following:

• High school diploma
• High school equivalency certificate (GED)
• Proficiency certificate
• Evidence of being at least 18 and able to benefit from instruction offered by De Anza

Additionally, to qualify for in-state tuition, applicants must have been physically present in California for one year and one day prior to the term of enrolment, or demonstrate the intention to permanently reside in California. In all other cases, students are subject to out-of-state tuition fees and rates. Provided the above conditions are met, admission is open to anyone. Application generally opens at the start of October each year.

The De Anza College campus features more than 100 acres of landscaped space and academic infrastructure. It is a self-contained learning environment, providing everything its students need to reach their study goals while developing themselves personally.

The college's wide selection of teaching spaces and lecture halls range in size from compact classrooms settings to large forums that can host up to 400 people. All of these spaces are furnished with the latest in teaching technology and digital resources, from HD projectors and high-speed internet to interactive whiteboards and integrated microphone systems.

The campus features a versatile outdoor space known as the Sunken Garden, which can be used for a diversity of events and activities.

The college also has a superb standard of sports facilities to ensure that students have plenty of opportunities for exercise and recreation, not to mention the social aspect of team sports, available at both recreational and competitive levels. The campus is home to football, soccer, and baseball fields, a stadium running track, tennis courts, dance studio, multiple gyms and even an Olympic sized swimming pool.

De Anza College is dedicated to the success of its students, providing a wide platform of funding opportunities offered for both merit and needs based criteria.

There are awards for academic performance, leadership, community services, and for showing initiative and promise in particular subject areas. The college also offers a range of hardship awards, aimed to ensure that all students have the resources and support to complete their course in confidence.

The college has an online platform called AcademicWorks, which allows students to browse its list of award schemes and submit an application. Everything is organised online, and there is no limit to how many different scholarships can be applied for. Students are encouraged to visit the website to check their eligibility, as well as familiarize themselves with any key dates and deadlines.

The De Anza financial services department can also help students to seek and apply for external funding schemes.

De Anza College has recently launched a new MESA (Math, Engineering and Science Achievement) program to provide new opportunities for underrepresented student groups who want to transfer in STEM majors.

The MESA program is financed by USD 1.55 million in state funding, which will be used to develop and run the project, using strategies which have previously been very effective in De Anza's Math Performance Success program.

MESA is a joint-effort scheme, incorporating four De Anza academic divisions, including Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering; Biological, Health and Environmental Sciences; Business, Computer Science and Applied Technologies; and Equity and Engagement.

Students will benefit from dedicated counselors, peer tutors and additional support to enhance student performance in Math - especially for Latinx and Black students.

The MESA scheme began with an enrolment of around 70 students for the first year, with later cohorts increasing in number. The long-term aim is to develop two parallel cohorts in computer science and biological sciences, using a core mathematics program with additional specialized courses which branch out into these areas.