The purpose of International Education in the Los Rios District is to offer a variety of programs and services that will provide students, faculty, and the community at large with the knowledge, skills, and cultural experiences necessary to become well prepared members of a global society. Additionally, the international education programs in the Los Rios Community college District promote and encourage the internationalization of the college by fostering mutual understanding, facilitating preparation for the world of work, and supporting lifelong learning through activities that provide opportunities for participation in the international community.
Los Rios Study Abroad Program
The basic requirements to be accepted into the program are:
- You must be at least 18 years of age or older
- You must be a student in good academic standing with 12 college units completed by the time you go abroad.
You need to have a minimum overall GPA of 2.25 in your college classes. During the thirteen week semester program, all students take 12 units in the Study Abroad program: a three unit Life and Culture class, one other Los Rios class and then two other classes from the list of offerings.
Information Sessions:
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Full semester focus |
Begins with summer focus |
Supporting Global Competence in Education
Study in Florence
Highlights of the program
Florence is an exciting city in which to live and study. On an afternoon stroll through the streets of Florence, which is set amidst the golden hills of Tuscany, you can admire the architecture of Giotto and Baroque sculptures adorning the fountains of the city. You can linger in at the Uffizi Gallery with its vast collection of paintings and sculptures, and view the magnificent Santa Croce, where Galileo, Michelangelo, and Machiavelli are buried. Discuss art with Florentine painters in their studios and explore the bookshops near Via Cavour, and visit one of the most popular spots in Florence, the Ponte Vecchio, a 14th-century bridge spanning the River Arno.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROGRAM
- Open to students age 18 and older who have completed 12 units of college course work with a minimum 2.25 grade point average.
- Optional flight transportation package; accommodations in fully furnished apartments with kitchen in the Historical Center of Florence.
- Take lower division courses that are transferable for Bachelor's degree credit.
- Program includes an orientation program, half-day guided walking tour of Florence, guided day trip to Siena and San Gimignano, and subsidized cultural activities which may include walking tours, cooking classes, wine tasting lectures, ballet, soccer matches, concerts and film nights, and day trips to Pisa and other nearby locations.
- Free wireless Internet access at the Study Center during class hours and in the apartments.
Why choose this program
ACADEMICS:
This program enables students to study abroad while making normal progress toward their degree objectives, and earning fully transferable units in courses taught by community college faculty and guest lecturers. This program is offered in cooperation with three other California community college districts and with the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), which arranges transportation, living accommodations, and a wide range of student and instructional support services. Students need not be currently enrolled at one of the sponsoring colleges in order to participate. Units earned in Florence will appear on transcripts issued by the participating colleges.
PERSONAL:
Study abroad is a life-changing and transformative experience for many students, affecting their social and cultural awareness of the world. Below are 10 reasons to inspire you to study abroad from the Institute of International Education :
-
- Learn more about yourself and become more self-aware
- Boost your self-confidence and independence
- Learn another language
- Learn more about your own country by going to another
- Expand your worldview
- Strengthen adaptability, communications, and team building skills
- Enhance your career opportunities
- Experience another culture firsthand and enhance your cross-cultural competency
- Make new friends from around the world
- Travel
| Program Dates: | |
| Depart US: | Feb 1, 2020 |
| Classes Begin: | Feb 5, 2020 |
| Semester Break: | Mar 14 - Mar 22, 2020 |
| Classes End: | Apr 30, 2020 |
| Depart Italy: | May 1, 2020 |
Program Costs - Financial Aid - Scholarships
Program Fees and What Is Included (PDF)
AIFS REFUND DATES
Refund requests must be done in writing to AIFS. They accept emails and that is generally the easiest way (aifspartnerships@aifs.com). See official AIFS refund policy on your Agreement & Release form on AIFS application. Dates to remember regarding AIFS refunds once you are enrolled in the program:
- November 8, 2019: Last day to request refund of $450 deposit less $150 processing and non-refundable deposit fees. After this date, AIFS will not refund any of the $450 deposit.
- December 6, 2019: Total program fee is due. NO REFUND OF PAYMENTS after this date. Students may also be subject to certain canceled reservation fees from AIFS.
| NCSAC Florence Flyer (PDF) |
NCSAC Florence Brochure (PDF) |
AIFS Student Handbook (PDF) |
AIFS Pre-Departure Info (PDF) |
Apply to this Program |
Proposed Class Offereings
Students are required to enroll in a minimum of 4 classes: Italian Life & Culture class is required, and at least one other class offered through the student's home school. The two others can be any of the classes offered. Individual classes can fill, and students are assigned priority based on their application approval date.
CONTRA COSTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT / Danielle DeFoe
ENGL 123 - Critical Thinking Composition and Literature (prerequisite: ENGL 122 or equivalent)
ENGL 150 - Introduction to Literature
ENGL 222 - Creative Writing (prerequisite: eligibility for ENGL 122 or equivalent)
INTD 100* - Italian Life and Culture
LOS RIOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT / Diane Carlson
SOC 300 - Introductory Sociology
SOC 301 - Social Problems
SOC 350 - Sociology of Popular Culture
ANTH 391* - Italian Life and Culture
SAN MATEO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT / Jessica Marshall
ANTH 125 - Physical Anthropology
ANTH 110 - Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 200 - Ethnographic Film
HUM 650* - Italian Life and Culture
SANTA ROSA JUNIOR COLLEGE / Jeanette Benfarhat
POLS 1 - Intro to US Politics
POLS 25 - Intro to International Relations
HIST 4.1 - History of Western Civilization to 1648 C.E.
INTDIS 90* - Italian Life and Culture
*Student must enroll in the Italian Life and Culture course offered by the campus that processes their program application. Class content is the same for all four schools.
Florence Spring 2020 Application Process
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR LOS RIOS STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM
To apply for the Florence Study Abroad Program, the student must have a cumulative GPA of 2.25 and have completed at least 12 transferable college units at the time the student applies. In addition, the student must be 18 years of age at the time of boarding the airplane. Students who do not meet these minimum qualifications should refer to the information about Provisional Student Enrollment below.
Applications are accepted on a first come, first served basis and because classes have limited enrollment, students are encouraged to apply early in order to reserve a spot in the classes of their choice.
APPLICATION REVIEW APPOINTMENT
Once you have applied online through AIFS and paid your deposit, you will be contacted by Los Rios Study Abroad Office for an appointment to review your application and documents in order to be approved for Study Abroad.
You will need to complete the forms below and bring them with you to your appointment:
1. Student Emergency Contact Information
2. Los Rios Waiver of Risk Form
4. Consent for Release of Student Records (FERPA)
In addition to the forms above you will need to bring:
A. Current passport (or photo ID if this is in process)
B. A copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable).
Study in Barcelona
Highlights of Barcelona
Located on the western shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and second largest city in Spain, with an urban area population of 4.5 million people. Its more than 2,000 years of history as a center of trade and culture have left their mark on the city's architectural, artistic, and cultural heritage. Said to be the most cosmopolitan city in Spain, it's not surprising that Barcelona has become one of Europe's most popular venues for Study Abroad students, with its many café terraces, its 50 museums to choose from (including some that house Picasso and Miró), its narrow medieval streets in the Gothic Quarter, its plazas, theaters and concerts, its beaches, and, perhaps most colorful of all, its whimsical architectural creations of Antoni Gaudí, including his iconic Sagrada Familia.
HIGHLIGHTS OF BARCELONA
- Open to students age 18 and older who have graduated from high school and have completed 12 units of college course work with a minimum 2.25-grade point average.
- Optional flight transportation package; accommodations in either a fully furnished apartment with kitchen or in a homestay.
- Take lower division courses that are transferable for Bachelor's degree credit.
- Program includes an orientation program and half-day guided tour of Barcelona, a travel pass for use on buses and the metro in the central zone, an Articket pass, a day excursion to Figueres and the Dalí Museum, and subsidized cultural activities such as trips to museums, historical and cultural sites, theater and dance, and sporting events.
Dates:
- Saturday, September 7 AIFS flight departs San Francisco for Barcelona.
- Sunday, September 8 Arrive in Barcelona. Transfer to hotel for first night.
- Monday, September 9 - Tuesday, September 10 Orientation.
- Tuesday, September 10 Start of classes.
- Monday - Friday, October 21 - 25 Mid-term break.
- Friday, December 6 End of program. AIFS flight departs Barcelona for San Francisco.
IMPORTANT DATES
- Priority Application Deadline: Friday, April 19, 2019
- General Application Deadline: Friday, May 17, 2019
- Late Applications on Space Available Basis: May be accepted up to June 7, 2019
- Mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation Meeting: Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at Diablo Valley College
AIFS REFUND DATES
Refund requests must be done in writing to AIFS. They accept emails and that is generally the easiest way aifspartnerships@aifs.com See official AIFS refund policy on your Agreement & Release form on AIFS application. Dates to remember regarding AIFS refunds once you are enrolled in the program:
- May 17, 2019: Last day to request refund of $450 deposit less $150 processing & non-refundable deposit fees. After that date, AIFS will not refund any of the $450 deposit.
- July 12, 2019: Total program fee is due. NO REFUND OF PAYMENTS after this date. Students may also be subject to various canceled reservation fees by AIFS after this date.
Why Choose This Program
ACADEMICS:
This program is offered to enable students to study abroad while making normal progress toward their degree objectives and earning fully transferable units in courses taught by community college faculty and guest lecturers. This program is offered in cooperation with several California community colleges and with the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), which arranges transportation, living accommodations, and a wide range of student and instructional support services. Students need not be currently enrolled at one of the sponsoring colleges in order to participate. Units earned in Barcelona will appear on transcripts issued by the participating colleges.
PERSONAL:
Study abroad is a life-changing and transformative experience for many students, affecting their social and cultural awareness of the world. Below are 10 reasons to inspire you to study abroad from the Institute of International Education:
- Learn more about yourself and become more self-aware
- Boost your self-confidence and independence
- Learn another language
- Learn more about your own country by going to another
- Expand your worldview
- Strengthen adaptability, communications, and team building skills
- Enhance your career opportunities
- Experience another culture firsthand and enhance your cross-cultural competency
- Make new friends from around the world
- Travel
Program Costs - Financial Aid - Scholarships
The fee per person is $7,745 in a shared apartment (no meals included) or $8,495 in a shared homestay (breakfast included daily and dinner five nights per week). Fees are guaranteed not to change as a result of fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate.
The above fees exclude airfare, a $250 refundable damage deposit, optional medical insurance upgrade ($65) and optional personal effects coverage ($90), passport or visa fees if applicable, meals other than those listed, personal expenses, any California Community College tuition or administrative fees, textbooks, additional field trips or excursions required by the NCSAC faculty and anything not specified.
Financial Aid
If you are receiving financial aid and would like to apply this towards the Fall 2019 Semester Abroad Program in Barcelona, you MUST complete the 2019-2020 FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov (due in March 2019) AND add the FAFSA school codes for all the community colleges involved in the consortium (Skyline -007713, SRJC -001287, ARC -001233, DVC -001190). A mandatory orientation will be required of all financial aid applicants with the Financial Aid Office at ARC for this program.
Important scholarship deadlines for the Fall Semester Abroad in Barcelona:
- March 5, 2019: Gilman International Scholarship application due
AIFS REFUND DATES
Refund requests must be done in writing to AIFS. They accept emails and that is generally the easiest way aifspartnerships@aifs.com. See official AIFS refund policy on your Agreement & Release form on AIFS application. Dates to remember regarding AIFS refunds once you are enrolled in the program:
- TBD: Last day to request refund of $450 deposit less $150 processing & non-refundable deposit fees.
- After TBD, AIFS will not refund any of the $450 deposit.
- TBD: Total program fee is due. NO REFUND OF PAYMENTS after this date.
Barcelona Fall 2019 Classes
* All students will take at least 4 classes. Everyone is required to take the Spanish Life & Culture class and at least one other class offered through their home school, and then any two others:
CONTRA COSTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT / Anthony Gonzales
ENG 126: Critical Thinking: The Shaping of Meaning in Language
ENG 150: Introduction to Literature
ENG 151: The Short Story
LOS RIOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT / Riad Bahhur
HIST 302: History of Western Civilization
HIST 308: History of World Civilizations, 1500 to Present
International Studies 305: Introduction to Middle East Studies
SAN MATEO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT / Monica Malamud
LING 200: Introduction to Linguistics: A Survey of Language
SPAN 145: Spanish Conversation through Film
SPAN 150: Spanish for Heritage Speakers
SANTA ROSA JUNIOR COLLEGE / Kirsten Swinstrom
BIO 12: Basic Concepts of Ecology
BIO 13: Human Biology
BIO 27: Biology of Marine Mammals
*Student must enroll in the Spanish Life, Culture and Language course offered by the campus that processes their program application. This class is the same class for all four schools.
Barcelona Fall 2019 Application Process
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR LOS RIOS'S STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM
To apply for the Florence Study Abroad Program, the student must have a cumulative GPA of 2.25 and have completed at least 12 transferable college units at the time the student applies. In addition, the student must be 18 years of age at the time of boarding the airplane. Students who do not meet these minimum qualifications should refer to the information about Provisional Student Enrollment below.Applications are accepted on a first come, first served basis and because classes have limited enrollment, students are encouraged to apply early in order to reserve a spot in the classes of their choice.
FORMS TO BRING TO YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH LOS RIOS'S STUDY ABROAD OFFICE
Once you have applied online through AIFS, you will be contacted by Los Rios Study Abroad Office for an appointment. Please fill out the forms below and bring them to your appointment:
1. Student Emergency Contact Information - Coming Soon
2. Los Rios Waiver of Risk Form - Coming Soon
3. Consortium Waiver Form - Coming Soon
4. Course Preference Sheet - Coming Soon!
In addition, you will need to bring your Passport and a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is fine).
Contact Information
Los Rios Study Abroad Office
American River College
Library, 3rd Floor Room 310
916-484-8967
For Faculty Teaching Abroad
This opportunity is open to all full-time Los Rios faculty
(due to load limits contained within California Education code and Title 5 we are unable to offer this opportunity to adjunct faculty).
Study Abroad Program Financial Aid
Financial Aid is available to students participating in the Study Abroad Program. Students who qualify may be eligible for grants, loans, and scholarships.