Study in Riverside, The United States

About Riverside

Riverside is a city in Southern California, in the state of California on the West Coast of the United States. It is a large city: the U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population at 323,757 in 2024. According to California Baptist University, it is about an hour from Los Angeles, and beaches and mountain resorts are a short drive away.

Students choose Riverside for private Christian universities with a campus community, close to Los Angeles but away from the coast, and for a warm, dry climate.

Studying in Riverside

Our directory lists two universities in Riverside. Both are private, not-for-profit Christian universities, and teaching is in English.

• California Baptist University (CBU) was founded in 1950 by the Los Angeles Southern Baptist Association and is affiliated with the California Southern Baptist Convention. Its 162-acre campus is in the historic Magnolia Avenue district. The university gives an enrolment of 12,613, with more than 300 international students from 70 countries and a student-faculty ratio of 20 to 1. It offers associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, including 106 bachelor's and 44 master's programmes. Its civil, electrical and computer, and mechanical engineering degrees are accredited by ABET. CBU also runs an Intensive English Program on campus.
• La Sierra University was established in 1922 by the Seventh-day Adventist Church on land that was once part of the Rancho La Sierra Mexican land grant. It offers more than 120 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. College Navigator counts 1,574 students and a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1 (the university itself gives about 2,300 students). Its English as a Second Language (ESL) programme takes students from beginner level upwards, and it has an office for international students.

Admission and student visa

International students usually need an F student visa to study at an accredited college or university. After admission, the university's international student office sends a Form I-20 (or a DS-2019 for J exchange programmes), which you present when you apply for the visa. According to EducationUSA, the academic year typically runs from September to May, and international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year. Students whose English is not yet strong enough can start with CBU's Intensive English Program or La Sierra's ESL courses.

Cost of living for students

College Navigator gives these 2024-25 figures for first-year undergraduates. As private universities, both charge the same tuition whatever state or country a student comes from.

• California Baptist University: $41,228 in tuition and fees, plus $12,140 for food and housing on campus; estimated total on campus $58,878
• La Sierra University: $37,710 in tuition and fees, plus $13,431 for food and housing on campus; estimated total on campus $56,649

Prices change every year, so check each university's current cost of attendance and scholarships. Local bus travel costs students at both universities nothing (see below); the general base fare is $1.75 and a 30-day pass costs $60.

Getting around and daily life

The Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) runs the local buses. Through its Go-Pass and U-Pass programmes, students at California Baptist University and La Sierra University, as well as at UC Riverside and Riverside City College, ride all RTA routes for free with a student pass in the GoMobile app. Riverside is spread out, so the bus pass matters for students without a car.

The climate is warm and dry. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Riverside Municipal Airport give an average temperature of 55.6 °F (about 13 °C) in January and 78.6 °F (about 26 °C) in July, when the average daily high is 93.3 °F (about 34 °C).

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Riverside, California?

Our directory lists California Baptist University and La Sierra University, both private Christian universities.

How far is Riverside from Los Angeles?

About an hour, according to California Baptist University. Beaches and mountain resorts are also within a short drive.

Do students pay for the bus in Riverside?

No. Students at California Baptist University and La Sierra University ride Riverside Transit Agency buses for free through the Go-Pass and U-Pass programmes.

Can I learn English before starting a degree in Riverside?

Yes. California Baptist University has an Intensive English Program on campus and La Sierra University has an ESL programme.