California emissions are the strictest in the country - if you have a heavily modified car or swap or installed headers and lack a cat - good luck.
If you are coming as a student, you should not have to register your car here unless you plan to claim residency. As a student you may be exempt (I think you have to be under 24 and not working) - I don't know about work-study.
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1...bk/ch12/ch12_5
DMV.CA.gov is the official site - there are a number of imposter sites that may or may not give accurate information with similar URL's.