getting settled at sfai

Life outside the classroom is an essential component of your life as an international student. No doubt you will face many challenges, and will learn how to navigate through a new academic system, city, country, and culture. When planning out your academic and personal career, consider factors like cultural adjustment, your financial situation, and how to make sure you are healthy both mentally and physically. This section offers useful tips on adjusting to life and navigating San Francisco successfully. 

There will be times when you find yourself overwhelmed with your new home and life in San Francisco. Our hope is that you will take advantage of the many resources the Global Programs Office and the campus provide. Please check out the resources below for more information and contact the Global Programs Office directly with any questions. 

Getting to Know San Francisco and the Bay Area

San Francisco is at the tip of a peninsula bordered on the north and east by the San Francisco Bay and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. It is a very compact city, only seven by seven miles. San Francisco itself has a relatively small population of about 815,000 people, but the surrounding Bay Area is quite large, with a population of almost seven million people. Bay Area is an all-encompassing term you will commonly hear. It refers to several areas:

• Peninsula: The area south of San Francisco that includes San Francisco International Airport, San Mateo, and Palo Alto.
• East Bay:  The area across the bay from San Francisco that includes Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond, and Hayward.
• South Bay:  The area south of the Peninsula and the East Bay that includes San Jose, Cupertino, and Gilroy. Also known as Silicon Valley (southern parts of the Peninsula are also considered part of Silicon Valley.)
• North Bay:  The area across the Golden Gate Bridge including all of Marin Country with cities such as Sausalito, Tiburon, and San Rafael, and parts of Sonoma, Napa, and Solano counties.
• Wine Country:  Home of the world-famous California vineyards north and northeast of Marin County including Napa and Sonoma. 

The weather in San Francisco is mild year-round. The summers tend to be cold and foggy.  Winters are mild with rain often falling from November through April.  The warmest months are usually September and October. Since San Francisco is geographically located between the ocean and the bay, it is often significantly cooler than the rest of the Bay Area, with variance of up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Many visitors are surprised at how cool San Francisco weather is year-round.