International Students
General Information
As a California Community College, we offer 2 year Associate degree programs, 2+2 University Transfer Pathway programs that lead to Bachelor degrees at institutions such as the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) systems, and Certificate programs. Click here for a list of our Degree and Certificate programs.
Las Positas college is authorized under Federal Law to enroll non-immigrant alien students. International students (F-1 Visa) seeking admission to Las Positas College must first complete our standard Application for Admission and submit additional required documents. Please review and mail or fax the completed forms to the International Student Office.
After we have received your completed application including all necessary admission documents and you have met the necessary requirements, we will process your acceptance and send your acceptance documents within 1 week. These are the documents that you will use to apply for the F-1 visa.
College History
Las Positas College, part of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District, is located on 147 acres in Livermore, in the midst of one of California's fastest-growing regions for business, science, and technology.
Las Positas began as an extension center of Chabot College in 1963, offering 24 classes and enrolling 810 students at Livermore High School and two other sites. By 1965, the program had expanded and moved to Granada High School in Livermore; it subsequently grew to include Amador and Dublin High Schools as well. The District purchased the Livermore site that same year, intending to develop a comprehensive community college. However, in 1970 and again in 1972, bond issues to build the rural college failed-despite Tri-Valley voters' overwhelming support-because the District's largest voting population lived outside the service area for the proposed college. Lacking funds to develop a second comprehensive community college, the Board of Trustees voted to develop a small education center at the Livermore site. On March 31, 1975, "Valley Campus" opened as the Livermore Education Center of Chabot College.
Las Positas College has since developed into a fully accredited comprehensive institution. In 1988 the College was designated by the Board of Governors to be an independent college. Las Positas College received full accreditation on January 7, 1991 from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Las Positas College currently enrolls approximately 8,800 day and evening students. The College offers a two-year curriculum for students seeking career preparation, transfer to a four-year college or university, or personal enrichment. Students who come to the College can choose any of 24 Occupational Associate Degrees, 16 Transfer Associate Degrees, and 36 Certificate Programs.
Academic rigor is maintained in a friendly, personal atmosphere. Las Positas faculty and staff are distinguished by their energy, creativity, and commitment to making a difference in the lives of the students they serve.
Mission Statement
The Mission of Las Positas College is to foster growth and success, both in its students and in its community. The College strives to fulfill this Mission by offering high-quality, comprehensive educational programs and services. It augments and strengthens its Mission by partnering with local businesses and organizations to promote the welfare of its students and the economic and social health of its service area.
Las Positas College:
- Enables students to transfer to baccalaureate-granting institutions;
- Prepares students for career entry and advancement;
- Provides basic skills and English as a Second Language instruction;
- Delivers quality, substantive student support services; and
- Fosters student success through committed, exceptional faculty and staff.
Las Positas College offers its students a strong instructional foundation for its students and aims to cultivate in them:
- The ability to think critically;
- An understanding and respect for difference and diversity;
- The ability to make humane, informed, and ethical decisions;
- The willingness to adapt to change in the workplace; and
- The desire to participate in society as responsible citizens.
Values Statement
Las Positas College thrives as a teaching and learning community committed to integrity and excellence. To nourish this environment and the communities served, we:
- promote and celebrate lifelong learning;
- anticipate and meet the needs of the ever-changing workplace;
- demonstrate social and environmental responsibility;
- promote tolerance and mutual respect in a diverse community;
- foster a climate of discovery and creativity; and
- hold firm to the belief that each of us makes an astonishing difference.