International Students, Keep Your Degree on Track with American Collegiate Live

American Collegiate Live
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By Matt Killorin
Last updated on August 7, 2023

Earn US university credits that easily transfer to top-ranked US universities — and get more engagement with instructors than a typical college classroom — with American Collegiate Live’s digital classroom experience.

A female international student wearing a headscarf looks at a printed spreadsheet in front of a laptop at her kitchen table

As an international student looking to go to university in the US, you have a lot to navigate. You may have questions like will I get my visa? How can I stay on track with my degree if I’m not able to arrive in the US on time? Sometimes, students find it convenient to begin their US university studies from home and start earning course credits that will keep them on track to earn their undergraduate degree. If this sounds appealing to you, American Collegiate Live can help.

What Is American Collegiate Live?

Shorelight is a leading international student services group in US higher education. We teamed up with top-ranked UMass Global to develop American Collegiate Live, an innovative digital classroom experience designed especially for international students. This exclusive program allows first-year students to keep their studies on track and earn recognized credits in foundational undergraduate courses like composition, English, business, and more.

About UMass Global

An affiliate of the University of Massachusetts, UMass Global offers undergraduate, graduate, credential, and certificate programs designed to be relevant to more than 80 career paths. Located in Irvine, California, UMass Global is a pioneer in the online education space, and currently services more than 20,000 students. The university consistently ranks among the Best Online Programs, according to U.S. News & World Report. 

How Does American Collegiate Live Work? How Interactive Is It? I Do Not Want to Feel Disconnected. 

When you enroll with American Collegiate Live, you still get a real, connected, human experience. Interact with UMass Global faculty in real time through the American Collegiate Live platform, asking questions, participating in lessons, and engaging with your fellow classmates, just as if you were together on campus.

“American Collegiate Live was built from the ground up with the classroom learning experience as the model,” says Alex Phillips, managing director of American Collegiate Live. “Every decision we have made, from curriculum development to technical IT decisions, was [to create] a highly interactive, engaging learning environment in which students can get to know one another and the faculty, just like they would in a face-to-face class.”

With this distance learning program, you will:

  • Start your degree in your home country

  • Take live-to-device courses at home

  • Learn in real time

  • Collaborate with classmates in and out of the classroom

  • Earn recognized credits and apply and transfer to a top university in the US

  • Master your coursework with academic support and course guides

  • Participate in virtual campus events and get personalized guidance for your transition to the US

They are great professors. They really know what they are talking about. The exams and projects are hard, but very helpful. I met a lot of friends in the lectures.” —Zhu Jiazheng, China, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Will I Get the Attention I Need with This Distance Education Program? 

Yes — absolutely. You will actually get even more one-on-one attention than large in-person classrooms. Can you picture a large lecture hall with 300 students in it? This is the opposite of that. American Collegiate Live’s interactive classroom size is purposefully limited, so you get the attention you need. 

American Collegiate Live is designed to foster collaboration and interaction in and out of the classroom. “Students can raise their hands at any time, they are invited to ask and answer questions, and also [can use] a ton of other features, like the live, interactive whiteboard, poll questions, and short answers,” says Phillips. “Larger courses have teaching assistants (TAs) who attend class to answer chat questions and help make sure each student has an interactive experience.”

You will also study with fellow students between classes, attend your teacher’s office hours, and take advantage of tutoring support. 

What Technology Do You Use? Is It Just a Pre-Recorded Video?

American Collegiate Live classes are taught in real time, via the award-nominated Shorelight Live interactive platform, by instructors who teach from the USA. This is not “just another online learning program” — there are no pre-recorded video lectures. And of course, professors teach courses at times that are convenient to your time zone.

It is better than [a] traditional classroom. I started in China and the professor was in the US and they respond to me every time, and they are very patient. They are very easy to communicate with. I’m very excited to go to UMass for the second year.”—Wang Li, China, Electrical & Computer Engineering

How Will I Be Supported? I Am Also Worried about Transitioning to the US.

Shorelight has built an award-winning reputation for our international student support services. When you enroll at a Shorelight partner university, we offer a 360-degree set of international student services. We do everything from helping you practice for your visa interview to picking you up at the airport. We help set up your dorm room, give you a campus tour, and conduct a special orientation designed for our global cohorts. 

Once you are settled in on campus, you will also have access to ESL classes, tutoring, internships, and career services. 

How Do I Apply to American Collegiate Live?

It is easy — your personal enrollment advisor works with you step-by-step to complete your application, ready your student visa requirements, and prepare you for your first semester of online classes.

Which Universities Are Participating in American Collegiate Live?

Your bachelor credits earned through American Collegiate Live are recognized at top-ranked destination universities across the USA. After completing American Collegiate Live, many international students have gone on to study for bachelor degrees in business, computer science, economics, engineering, finance, hospitality, liberal arts, STEM, and more.

For example, American Collegiate Live credits are recognized at the following Tier 1 universities in the US:

Among the US universities that American Collegiate students have transferred to are Boston University, Michigan State University, Northeastern University, Ohio State University, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, University of Texas at Arlington, and more. 

“For students who are unable to travel to the US at the moment, you should do everything you can to be engaged in higher education, ideally by taking high-quality courses from excellent institutions,” says Phillips. “We are lucky to live in a time when technological innovation has broken down geographic boundaries.”

Contact an enrollment advisor today to learn more about American Collegiate Live