Why are your online classes better than others?  

Our students have given us a 95% satisfaction rating and our faculty are carefully selected and trained to teach online. Over 50% of our faculty are from Top 100 universities and our academic counselors and success navigators will be closely monitoring students’ progress and offer support along the way. Check out our current and past students’ testimonials here. San Mateo Colleges of Silicon Valley have close to 100 years of history. We are known to be elite transfer colleges with over 150 universities in our College University Partnership (CUP), which is indicative of our reputation among the US institutions.

 

How will you help me transfer my GOL credits to a 4 year university?

Once you are admitted to our GOL program, your success navigator will help you schedule an appointment with your assigned international academic advisor who will help you build your Student Education Plan (SEP) for your degree at the beginning of the semester. You will have the ability to schedule multiple appointments with your academic advisor throughout the semester to meet you academic/program needs. You both will work together to come up with a SEP to meet with your transfer credit needs depending on the universities you desire to transfer to after you finish your program.

 

Why do you have two separate groups who can apply for GOL?  

We offer two GOL programs to be able to provide the appropriate support services to each group.

• Our GOL Degree-seeking Program is for students who have a high school diploma, a high school equivalency, or will be at least 18 years old at the beginning of the academic semester.
• Our GOL Cohort HS Program is a high school program.  If you are an education consultant/agent, school official, or government official, you can partner with us by filling out this form.

 

What do I need to do if I’m interested in GOL? 

First, make sure you meet the eligibility requirements to become a GOL student. If you do, please apply here.  The application process is fairly simple.

1.     Submit your application. Original documents are not required.

2.     Wait for the admission decision

3.     Attend online orientation

4.     Take an assessment

5.     Attend counseling

6.     Register for classes

Once you complete your semester, you will receive a copy of your transcript.

 

Where can I find the courses you offer? 

Visit our WebSchedule here: https://webschedule.smccd.edu/distance_ed.php  

 

How do I know if I am ready to take online classes from you? 

Use this simple tool to determine if you are ready for both technology and self-discipline: http://www.smccd.edu/degateway/self_assessment.php 

 

What have former GOL students said about their experience? 

Our students love GOL classes and their experiences with us. Read their words of appreciation and success stories here.  

What is the number of units a GOL student can take?  

For GOL Degree-Seeking Program, students can typically enroll in up to 12 units per semester.

For GOL Cohort HS Program students, they are only permitted to take up to 6 units per semester. This is because of their age and the fact that they are taking GOL in addition to their high school curriculum. Regardless, students should consult with our counselors and evaluate his/her real capacity.

 

What time of the day are online classes taught?  

Our online classes have a good balance of both synchronous and asynchronous offerings. Both have specific strengths for students with different learning styles. Asynchronous courses do not need you to follow a specific hour or day schedule. In other words, there is no need to attend our classes in the middle of the night. You may check out WebSchedule to find the exact times and frequencies a class meets during the week.

 

How do I get academic tutoring?

The Learning Center staff are available in virtual tutoring rooms across disciplines for synchronous, video, or chat drop-in tutoring. All tutoring services are free.

 

Can students take classes from several colleges and still receive one transcript?  

Students can take classes among our 3 colleges and still receive one transcript. If students also take classes at other colleges and universities, they will receive separate transcripts. If you are serious about transferring or receiving an associate degree from our colleges, you should take most of your classes from us.

 

Can I just sign up for one class with GOL?  

Yes, you can take one or several classes of your choice, provided they are considered appropriate for you based on our assessment and course availability.

When do you start accepting applications?  

We accept applications year-round with fast turnaround times as short as 2 business days if your application is complete.  Applications are accepted until the first day of the semester. Spring 2021 started on January 19^th and Fall 2021 will start on August 18^th.

 

What are the GOL admission requirements? 

1. Proof of English Language Proficiency (TOEFL iBT 56, IELTS Band 5.5, Duolingo 85, Completion of SVIEP Level 4). For other options, see our full list of Proficiency Requirements.  
2. High School Transcript
3. High School Diploma (for degree-seeking applicants younger than 18 years old)
4. Government Issued Identification Card
5. Access to the internet, including Google, Gmail, YouTube, and online news sites such as the nytimes.com.

 

Can I come to the U.S. to continue with my education in person later? 

Absolutely. Our approach is “Online Now, On Campus Later.”

 

Do you have age requirements/limit for GOL students?  

GOL students must be at least 16 or older at the time when the semester starts. 

What is the tuition for GOL classes?  

The total cost per unit is $355.  A majority of our classes are 3 units, which is $1,065 USD per class.

 

Is the online tuition the same for both online and in-person classes?  

Yes, tuition will be the same for both types of classes since students will continue to receive the full support of staff and faculty. All units will be transferrable as well.  

 

Is it possible for me to get a discount or scholarship for GOL?  

Yes, GOL students should apply for the Global Beca International Student Scholarship during the admission application process. Our tuition is already among the lowest out of all 150+ universities in our CUP.  We are very competitively priced considering it is $1,200/unit at UCs and $1,500/unit at private universities like Stanford. These savings are another form of scholarship.   

 

How do I pay?   

All transactions are conducted online via our online portal, WebSMART.  If your high school is participating in our GOL Cohort HS Program, your high school will collect the payment from your parents.