California Baptist University opened in 1950 and has grown quickly since, on a campus in Riverside, about an hour east of Los Angeles. It's a Christian university in the Southern Baptist tradition, and nursing, engineering, kinesiology and business are among its biggest programmes. The Lancers compete in NCAA Division I. Downtown Riverside and the Mission Inn are a short drive away.
Riverside, California, United States
Official website: calbaptist.edu
1950
Private Christian university
NCAA Division I
Riverside, Inland Empire
$40,000 – $44,000
Undergraduate tuition before scholarships
$16,000 – $20,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on calbaptist.edu before you apply.
BS Nursing
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Mechanical Engineering
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
BS Kinesiology
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
BS Business Administration
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
12-24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
An engineering college with ABET-accredited programmes.
Nursing with placements in Inland Empire hospitals.
Division I athletics at a Christian university.
Nursing graduates join hospitals across the Inland Empire and Southern California.
Engineering graduates work for manufacturers, utilities and aerospace firms in the region.
STEM graduates can apply for up to three years of OPT.
Undergrad
Main intake
Postgrad
Most programmes
Undergrad
Open
Postgrad
Selected programmes
Riverside is a big inland city with hot, dry summers and a citrus-growing past. The Mission Inn, a sprawling hotel of towers and courtyards, anchors downtown.
Rent is lower than in Los Angeles or Orange County. Metrolink trains run from downtown Riverside to Los Angeles Union Station, but a car makes life easier.
Form I-20 issued by California Baptist University
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
CBU reviews applications on a rolling basis, with priority dates for scholarships. International students should apply by spring for August and by autumn for January.
Most programmes start in August, and many also admit in January.
It's the F-1 student visa. Get your I-20 from California Baptist University first (they need your deposit and bank documents), then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and attend the visa interview. Book the interview early in peak season.
Nursing, engineering, kinesiology, business and the MBA are popular. Undergraduates need school results and TOEFL 71 or IELTS 6.0, with higher scores for nursing. Graduate programmes need a bachelor's degree.
CBU gives academic merit scholarships to undergraduates, international students included. Graduate students may qualify for smaller awards.
