The Top US University Program provides a clear path for Chinese students to graduate from a top university in America. We guarantee admission to a top US university for any student who completes our program. Students who enroll in our program have to work hard, but we support them with personal one-to-one tutoring and advising to make sure they can succeed.
After two years of study at one of our partner institutions, students will then be able to spend two more years at a top US university and receive exactly the same degree as any other student who was admitted to that prestigious university as a freshman.
Our program is based on a unique feature of American higher education: In China, once you have started studying at a particular university, that is where you stay. In America, students can transfer from one university to another after one, two or even three years. At the University of California (UC), which includes such famous institutions as UC Berkeley, UC Los Angeles and UC Davis, more than 40% of all students who graduate did not start there, but first enrolled at a different institution.
California law requires that the prestigious UC system must admit any student from one of the feeder institutions who satisfies certain basic requirements, based on their GPA and the courses they have taken. In addition, all of the approved courses they have taken during their first two years count for credit in the UC system: No time is wasted. Students can smoothly transition to their major, and graduate in two years. Many other top American universities also accept transfer students, and our students can be admitted to these as well. But what makes UC unique is the fact that they have to, by law, admit students who do well enough in their first two years elsewhere.
So, the way to get into a place like Berkeley or UC Los Angeles is clear.: Enroll at one of the feeder schools, take the right courses, achieve a good GPA, and then transfer to and graduate from a prestigious university.
But, of course, not every student who chooses this path succeeds, just as not every student who is accepted as a freshman by a top university actually graduates. Many drop out or fail for various reasons. International students, for example, often experience difficulties adapting to an entirely new environment and educational system.
That is where we come in. Our founders have decades of experience in helping Chinese students succeed in America. We understand the problems they face, and we know how to overcome these obstacles. The key is personal attention. Every one of our students has a personal advisor and mentor who guides them along every step of the journey. We make sure students take the right courses that will transfer to their dream university. We help them choose the best instructors. Sometimes we just spend time listening to their concerns and help them make the right life choices.
Academically, the cornerstone of our program is personal, one-on-one tutoring in all subjects. For each subject a student takes, we provide a personal tutor who meets with the student each week: about 240 hours of individual instruction over the course of 4 semesters. The tutors explain whatever it is the student did not understand in class, make sure that all assignments are done on time, and provide special preparation for all examinations. Our tutors are all experienced teachers: They are experts in their subjects, and they know how to make students understand and master the material. The advisors and mentors provide us with weekly reports, so we can keep track of each student and take appropriate action if someone is not making satisfactory progress.
Any student who completes our program is guaranteed admission to a top university in America, where they will be able to graduate in just two more years.
Who Should Take This Program?
The Top US University Program is open to any student who has completed high school, and even to students who have not finished high school, but who will be 18 years old by the time they enroll in America. There are several kinds of students for whom this program would be suitable.
- Academically good students who have been accepted by US universities outside the top 100, and who are not satisfied graduating from a mediocre institution.
- Students who do not want to waste a year taking test preparation courses so that they can achieve the very high TOEFL and SAT scores that are needed for admission as freshmen to top US universities.
- Students who have done poorly in high school, and whose prospects of being admitted even to a less prestigious American university are not very high.
- Students who do not have a high school diploma, but who will be 18 years old by the time they arrive in America.
- Students who were planning to attend a top Chinese university, but whose Gaokao results were too low to gain admission to a Tier 1 university in China.
Why Take This Program
There are many reasons to take this program, as you will discover when you explore this web site. Here are just a few:
- No SAT score requirements.
- TOEFL or IELTS optional, with accelerated English classes and guaranteed admission for students who have low or no TOEFL or IELTS scores.
- A signed guarantee that students will be admitted to a Top US University.
- Academic advising, personal counseling, and one-on-one tutoring.
- Regular reports to parents on student progress.
- Hotline for parents and students to quickly resolve problems.
- Price of less than $57,000 per year includes tuition, 12 months accommodation, and all services. This is much less than the cost of tuition alone at many private and public US universities.
- Three intakes per year: students can enroll in February, June or August.
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area
California is a state in the Pacific Region of the United States. With 39.6 million residents across a total area of about 423,970 square kilometers, California is the most populous U.S. state and the third-largest by area.
California’s $3.0 trillion economy is larger than that of any other state. If it were a country, California would be the fifth-largest economy in the world (larger than the United Kingdom, France, or India). California is considered a global trend-setter in popular culture, innovation, politics and environmentalism.
As a result of the state’s diversity and migration, California integrates foods, languages, and traditions from other areas across the country and around the globe. California has a very diverse economy: 58% of the state’s economy is centered on finance, government, real estate services, technology, and professional, scientific, and technical business services.
Most important, California is home to the famous University of California systems, which includes famous institutions such as UC Berkeley and UC Los Angeles (UCLA).
Issues for International Students
Some parents are under the illusion that being accepted by a top US university is all that matters. This is a serious mistake.
Even the very best students who gain admission to American universities face numerous difficulties once they arrive.
Some of these are simple, practical problems: How to get from the airport to the campus. How to commute to the university. How to open bank accounts, purchase a telephone, shop for necessities, obtain student health insurance or buy textbooks.
Then there is deciding which courses to choose in any semester, and how to make sure that all academic requirements are met. Especially in the first few months, many students struggle with the new, foreign educational environment. They might not understand the lectures because the professors speak too fast, or students do not know how to tackle assignments such as essays.
Some students don’t know how to handle the new freedom they suddenly have: no parents to make sure they work hard, eat well, make good friends and develop good habits.
And all of them face a struggle to adapt to an entirely new cultural environment with different expectations and social conventions.
They do not know who to call when they need help.
Parents who live 10,000 km away are often unaware of these difficulties. Many believe they can ensure their children’s well-being just by providing enough material support. They are surprised to discover that American universities will not send them regular reports about their children’s progress, and they are deeply disappointed when the children fail or drop out.
We Have the Solution
We have developed a comprehensive system that supports students at every step of their educational journey. We start with an orientation before they leave China. We meet them at the airport and help them settle in. A personal academic advisor creates a detailed educational plan, and constantly monitors progress. We provide more than 240 hours of one-on-one tutoring. Perhaps most important, we create a nurturing and supportive atmosphere so that no student feels lost, but always has someone to turn to in an emergency. Through regular meetings and extra-curricular activities, we teach students how to thrive in their new environment, deal with personal and academic problems, and develop healthy habits of living, so that they can all grow into their full potential as human beings.
Our Services
We provide a comprehensive orientation, make sure that housing is arranged, and that students have all the documents (such as immunization records) they need.
For each class you take, you have a personal expert in the subject who will meet with you to review the class lectures with you, and to make sure you understand the material, and are prepared for tests and exams. The tutor will not do your homework for you, but will make sure you understand what is required and are able to complete these assignments on time.
We meet you at the airport and help you take care of all the many little practical details needed to prepare for your great adventure that lies ahead.
We develop a complete study plan for each student based on their goals and the University from which they wish to graduate. We advise on which courses to take, to ensure that credits transfer and that transfer requirements will be met. We advise on which instructors to take in order to maximize performance. The plan is updated each semester.
We monitor student progress on a weekly basis to ensure that they stay on track to enter a Top US University, and we keep parents informed by sending them regular progress reports.
We provide ways for students and parents to communicated with us in the event of an emergency, so that we can take quick action to solve the problem.
We provide housing for 12 months of the year at no additional cost. Students can choose between home-stay and furnished apartments.
Our Team
Our Pricing
The tuition for our program is $38,888 to $75,888 per year. This includes up to 30 of university credits per year, 120 hours per year of personalized one-on-one tutoring, pre-departure and arrival services. academic advising, progress monitoring and reporting, and urgent support for students and parents.
The cost of housing and health insurance for 12 months is $17,377 per year.
The only other expenses students can expect to incur are: books, currently estimated at approximately $2,000 per year; food (students in home stay receive two meals per day at no additional cost); and transportation and personal spending, which will vary from student to student.
Tuition and Fees
Up to 30 Credits per Year
12 Months Housing and Health Insurance
Personalized Tutoring
Hours of one-on-one tutoring per year
Pre-departure Orientation
Provide a comprehensive orientation, make sure that housing is arranged, and that students have all the documents (such as immunization records) they need.
Arrival Service
Airport pickup and housing check-in; familiarization with local environment; help with opening a bank account, buying a cell phone and choosing a telecommunications provider; arrange a necessities shopping trip for school items and personal items; assist with purchasing books and other supplies; help with obtaining student health insurance.
Urgent Support
24-Hour telephone numbers for students and parents to call in case of an emergency
Academic Advising
Complete course enrollment plan updated each semester; Place the students in optimal classes with the strongest instructors; Help students to communicate effectively with their teachers. Consulting hours per year:
Progress Monitoring and Reports
Continual monitoring of student's progress with regular reports to parents. Number of reports per year:
Harvard Summer Program
Including tuition, accommodation and transportation:
Frequently Asked Questions
Our admission requirements are described in full here.
Yes. If you do not have a TOEFL or IELTS score, or if your score is too low (lower than 61 for TOEFL or less than 5.5 for IELTS), you can still enroll in the program, but you might have to take some English courses before you enroll in classes for academic credit.
Torus Education promotes collaboration between universities around the world and helps students who wish to study outside their home country.
