Chemeketa Community College is an exciting and diverse place to learn and grow. Students from all age groups and experiences with a wide variety of educational goals attend. Each year we serve about 10,000 students, 120 of whom are international students from a variety of cultures, ethnicity and countries. At Chemeketa, you can obtain a two-year professional/technical degree to begin a career, or earn a transfer degree to a four-year university. Among the most popular transfer programs include business, social sciences, and engineering. Some of our outstanding two-year degree programs include computer electronics, graphic design, hospitality management, nursing, and viticulture, among many others. Chemeketa is fully-accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Chemeketa Community College is our community's resource for quality education in a changing world, delivering opportunities for adult literacy, opening the door to all levels of college, and creating centers of excellence in technical training, workforce development, and business support.

Salem is a small city with a rich local history, a mild climate, and a low crime rate. More than 153,000 people call Salem home and enjoy its tree-lined streets, riverfront park, and convenience to downtown shopping. Every year, Salem hosts the World Beat Festival organized by our diverse cultural community and featuring food, music, and dances from around the world. Salem and its surrounding communities have Latino, Asian, European, Pacific Island, and many other populations that bring a wealth of perspectives to the city.

Salem is surrounded by the vineyards and orchards of the fertile Willamette Valley. Temperatures average about 10 degrees Celsius in the winter to 50 degrees in the summer. Most of the rainfall occurs from November through March. The summer months are generally dry. Although Oregon is best known for its temperate climate and rain, it is also good to plan for summer heat and occasional winter snow.

Salem is located one hour from the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains in each direction, offering opportunities for outdoor activities. Portland is just a one-hour drive to the north and offers a wide variety of cultural activities, sporting events, and entertainment; and Portland International Airport is easily accessible from Salem.

Chemeketa is on the quarter system. Fall term begins late September and ends mid-December; winter term begins early January and ends mid-March; spring term begins late March and ends mid-June; and summer term begins late June and ends mid-August. Chemeketa offers classes during the day, evening, and weekend. For specific term dates and program hours, contact us or visit our web site.

Our academic programs give you solid preparation for either transfer to a university or immediate employment. You can begin your studies at Chemeketa and transfer to a university within one year or complete your first two years at Chemeketa and finish your final two years at a university. We also offer two-year degrees and one-year certificates in many different occupational and vocational fields that prepare you for direct entry into a profession.

If you are not quite ready for college-level coursework, Chemeketa offers an intensive English program. Our Language and Culture Institute offers English classes at your level, with other students from many different countries of the world.

Class size at Chemeketa ranges from 15 to a maximum of 40, with an average class size of 20-25 students. Classes in our intensive English program are small so the students receive more attention from their instructors.

At Chemeketa our faculty care greatly about our students. We focus on preparing students for their careers and life roles by teaching important concepts and skills, using methodologies that engage students in significant learning, and continuously assessing and improving our effectiveness in teaching and learning.

Chemeketa has more than 200 full-time faculty members. In general, faculty who teach college transfer courses have at least a master's degree; some have doctorates. Faculty in professional-technical programs generally have a diverse background which combines education with practical, on-the-job experience. In addition, we employ an average of 600 part-time faculty each year. Many of them teach evening classes on subjects directly related to their full-time jobs in the community.

If you are planning to pursue a Bachelors Degree or higher, begin at Chemeketa in almost any area of study. Then, transfer to a university after one or two years. If you are preparing for immediate employment, Chemeketa offers certificates or associate degrees in the following occupational fields:

• Accounting^A
  
• Aquarium Science^A,C
  
• Automotive^A,C
  
• Building Inspection^A,C
  
• Business Technology^A,C
  
• Civil Engineering Technology^A,C
  
• Computer Programming^A
  
• Criminal Justice^A
  
• Dental Assisting^C
  
• Drafting^A,C
  
• Early Childhood Education^A,C
  
• Education Assistant^C
  
• Electronics^A
  
• EMT-Paramedic^A
  
• Fire Science^A
  
• Health Services^A,C
  
• Hospitality and Tourism^A,C
  
• Human Services^A,C
  
• Management^A
  
• Network Technology^A
  
• Nursing^A,C
  
• Vineyard Management^A,C
  
• Visual Communications (Graphic Design)^A
  
• Welding^A,C
  
• Winemaking^A,C
  
  _{A=Associate
  C=Certificate}

Many of our international students live in one of several apartment complexes very close to the college. Most of these students walk, ride bikes, or take a bus from the apartments to the campus. Some students drive, which can make transportation more convenient, but it is not a necessity. We also have a Homestay Program and may be able to place you in a local home. This program is very popular and requires you to plan ahead.

Our International Student Services offers the following support programs:

• Arrival assistance
  
• Career planning and college transfer assistance
  
• Intercultural Awareness class
  
• Conversation Partners
  
• Emergency assistance
  
• Employment opportunites
  
• Information about Salem-area resources
  
• Orientation programs
  

The following are estimated living and educational expenses for 2006-07. Costs do not inlcude the three-month break.

College Major
Housing and Food ... $ 4,500.00 (9 months)
Transportation ... $ 450.00 (9 months)
Personal (clothing, recreation, etc.) ... $ 1,500.00 (9 months)
Tuition ... $ 8,460.00* (9 months)
Books and supplies ... $ 1,011.00 (9 months)
Student Fees ... $ 1,029.00 (9 months)
Chemeketa Accident/IllnessInsurance ... $ 828.00 (12 months)
Total ... $ 17,778.00


* based on 12 credits per term, $235.00 per credit; 1 term equals 3 months

Language Institute
Housing and Food ... $ 4,500.00 (9 months)
Transportation ... $ 450.00 (9 months)
Personal (clothing, recreation, etc.) ... $ 1,500.00 (9 months)
Tuition ... $ 5,832.00 (9 months)
Books and supplies ... $ 600.00 (9 months)
Student Fees ... $ 1,011.00 (9 months)
Chemeketa Accident/IllnessInsurance ... $ 828.00 (12 months)
Total ... $ 14,721.00

To be admitted to Chemeketa Community College as an international student, you must be 18 years of age or older and you must be a high school graduate. In addition, you will need to complete an Admission Application before the due date. Visit our web site to download an application and to check dates.

For a college major, all applicants must be proficient in the English language with a score of at least 450 or greater on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper version, or a score of 133 on the computerized version; or successful completion of the Language and Culture Institute program.