Arrival and First Day in San Diego

Your Arrival in San Diego

Airport Transfer

EC, upon request, will organise transfers for students arriving at San Diego Airport (SAN) for a cost of $100 one-way. Transfers are to be requested 7 days prior to arrival. Students must inform EC of the arrival time, flight numbers, airline and domestic point of origin.

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Meeting Point

Students will be met by a taxi driver in the baggage reclaim section after going through passport checks. The taxi driver will be holding a sign with the student’s name on it. Airport transfer fees include a maximum of 1 hour waiting time: in the event of delays exceeding 1 hour, students will be charged the additional fee at the school.

If you choose not to use an EC transfer, you can find prices and times for public transportation to and from San Diego International Airport here.

Your First day at EC San Diego

Arrival, Placement Test & Orientation

Students are expected to arrive at school by 8:30am on their first morning. On the first day, students should bring I-20 forms (F-1student visa), proof of health insurance for the entire length of programme, passport, pen and paper. They will then be escorted to the test room where they will sit a one hour placement test. After that, they go on an orientation walk around La Jolla. They will be shown banks, the post office, library, restaurants, supermarket and mobile phone shop. They will also be given a welcome talk about the school, visa issues, accommodation and transport. A Welcome Lunch is also held on the first day.

First Lesson

Students arriving at the school on Monday for orientation, have their first lesson on Tuesday.

Transportation

Students can travel to and from EC San Diego by bus. Buses generally run every half an hour. The Downtown area is also served by the San Diego Trolley. Travel passes, which cover use of both, cost $72 dollars a month ($38/month for 18 and under) and can be bought at supermarkets.

EC San Diego has a car park if you have rented a car. A permit to use this car park costs $100 a month.