General Information

(but NOT Continuing Students) must file an application for admission in order to receive an enrollment date and time. Students who applied for a previous term but did not enroll will need to reapply.

You may enroll in online, and hybrid courses on or after your enrollment appointment date and time by web at smc.edu/cc.

If you enroll in any winter session course at SMC, you must attend and actively participate in all online classes during the first week of the course or risk being dropped by the instructor.

Monday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday & Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Hours subject to change without notice. Please go to smc.edu/admissions for updates.

Monday – Sunday: 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Web (Corsair Connect): smc.edu/cc

You may enroll at Santa Monica College if you:

• Have graduated from high school, or
• Are 18 years of age or older, or
• Are 16 years of age or older and submit an official “Student Score Report” for passing the California High School Proficiency Examination, or
• Are a qualifying younger student who is at least 13 years of age, has completed 8th grade, and is participating in SMC’s Concurrent Enrollment program (see smc.edu/hsce for details), and
• You meet the residency requirements, and can profit from the program.

Please Note:

All official communication from Santa Monica College will be sent to students at their SMC student email address (last name_first name@student.smc.edu). You can check your student email account by logging into Corsair Connect and clicking on the SMC Mail icon. Be sure to check your SMC student email often!

Continuing students do NOT have to reapply for admission. If you have never attended Santa Monica College (new student), or have been away for two or more consecutive semesters (returning student), or applied to SMC but did not actually enroll in a class, you must first:

• File an application for admission online (go to smc.edu/apply and click on ‘Apply Now’ to get started);
• At least four weeks before the start of the session, arrange for transcripts of previous college work (or high school work, if no college work was completed) to be sent directly to the Admissions Office. Copies issued to a student (even if in a sealed envelope) will NOT be accepted.

You will be emailed an admission letter. Please review it for information on resident status for tuition/fee purposes, any outstanding admission issues, orientation, placement, education planning/counseling, and enrollment.

All regularly admitted first-time SMC students are required to complete the math and English placement process (or the ESL placement process), complete the online college orientation, and prepare an education plan (see smc.edu/myedplan for details). Once done, you will be able to enroll for classes through Corsair Connect on the date and time of your enrollment.

Santa Monica College defines an “international student” as a student attending the College while in F-1 or F-2 visa status. The international student application is available online (go to smc.edu/iapp). Please visit smc.edu/international for additional information about the application process and deadline dates, tuition and fees, and support services for F-1 and F-2 students. For the winter 2021 session, applications for out-of-country applicants must be submitted by October 15, 2020; and applications for in-country applicants who already have an F-1 or F-2 visa must be submitted by November 15, 2020.

• If you have F-1 status from another school, you may enroll at SMC on a limited basis. Please consult with the International Education Center.
• If you have another type of visa status (not F-1 or F-2), you may enroll through the Admissions Office. However, if you are currently on a B visa, you cannot enroll until you change status to a visa with education privileges. Please contact the International Education Center for details.

Santa Monica College is approved as an institution for higher learning for veterans and veterans’ dependents entitled to education assistance from the Veterans Administration (VA). SMC cooperates with the VA in helping veterans, and offers academic, career, and transfer counseling, as well as priority enrollment, tutoring, and other services to support veterans in achieving their education goals.

If you wish to attend SMC under one of the veterans’ assistance bills, please see the information and instructions at smc.edu/vet or consult a counselor in the Veterans Success Center.

If you wish to use the special counseling services provided through the Center for Students with Disabilities, call 310-434-4265.

Printed SMC materials are available in alternate media upon request. To request publications in alternate formats for disability accommodation, send email to DSCcontact@smc.edu or call 310-434-4265.

If you were disqualified from a previous college, OR were disqualified from Santa Monica College AND have been away from SMC for two consecutive semesters (one year) or longer, you are required take certain steps to qualify for readmission. Go to smc.edu/apply and click on the “Petition for Reinstatement” link for details.

If you have been disqualified from SMC more than once, you will be required to take a break from attending SMC for up to a maximum of one year.

For further information, please see an SMC counselor.

Assembly Bill 705 requires Santa Monica College and other California community colleges to help students enroll in and complete transfer-level coursework in English and math within one year. You will be placed in English and math based on either your prior work or a guided self-placement, depending on when and where you completed your prior work, as shown below.

If you have completed the 12th grade or graduated high school in the U.S. in the last 10 years:

• You will be placed using multiple measures that include your high school GPA, courses, and grades reported on your CCCApply admission application.
• You may check your placement once you have activated your Corsair Connect. Just log in, click the “Placement” tab, and review your placement. If you do not see courses listed, your SMC admission application is missing some necessary information. Follow the instructions on the screen, enter the information requested. Once done, you will see your placement.

If you graduated high school in the U.S. more than 10 years ago or graduated high school in another country:

• You will be placed using “guided self-placement,” a set of online tools that help evaluate how prepared you are with the skills you are expected to have before starting a particular English or math class. To be guided to the best class for your needs, it is important that you read everything presented to you carefully, and that you answer honestly.
• To access the guided self-placement tools, activate your Corsair Connect. Then log in, click the “Placement” tab, and follow the instructions on the screen.
• Plan on completing your English and math placements together. You may take each guided self-placement only one time.
• Please note: The math self-placement presents six options based on your academic and career path (major) or the course you are interested in taking. If you are not sure which option to choose, check with a counselor. You may take any of the math guided self-placements only one time.

For English, depending on your placement, you will start in one of two ways: (a) directly in English 1, a transfer-level course; or (b) directly in English 1 paired with English 28, a supporting course. In some instances, you may also be encouraged to take another reading or grammar supporting course.

For math, depending on your placement, you will start in one of three ways: (a) directly in a transfer-level math course; (b) directly in a transfer level math course paired with one supporting course; or (c) one semester of a math course that provides an accelerated path to transfer level math, and then followed by one semester of transfer level math, either as a standalone course or paired with a supporting course.

Santa Monica College will continue to offer limited assessment services for ESL, the Chemistry 10 challenge exam, and math proficiency for graduation. You must have already applied for SMC admission, and must present a valid government-issued photo identification (e.g., driver license, passport, military ID). Test preparation materials are available online at smc.edu/successcenter.

The Success & Engagement Center (formerly the Assessment Center) is located in Student Services Center S145. The Center offers limited testing services on a walk-in, first-arrival basis. Please check our website (smc.edu/successcenter) or call 310-434-8040 for up-to-date information on office and testing hours.

Completing the placement process in English or ESL and in math is mandatory if you are:

• A first-time college student enrolling in more than six units during your first semester at SMC; or
• A continuing student who has not completed the placement process; or
• Enrolling in an English, ESL, or math course for the first time (even if not a first-time college student); or
• Enrolling in courses with required English or math preparation (prerequisites).

Based upon your placement results, you will receive an English, ESL, or math placement recommendation.

You may be exempt from the placement requirement if you meet certain qualifications. You may also be granted placement and prerequisite waivers — as well as credit — for selected English, ESL, math, and chemistry courses under specific circumstances. Please see our webpage (smc.edu/waivers) for an overview, then consult with a counselor in General Counseling & Transfer Services for details.

Please note: Although you may be exempt from the placement process, you still must successfully complete — or receive waivers for — any prerequisite courses that are required for classes in English (or ESL), math, Anatomy 1, Biology 21/22/23, Chemistry 11/12/21/22/24, Film 31/32, Microbiology 1, Nursing 17, Physics 7/9/22/23/24, and Physiology 3 (among other courses). For further information, please consult with a counselor in General Counseling & Transfer Services.

Many students use Santa Monica College as the freshman and sophomore years of a four-year college plan. SMC is a leader in transferring students to their junior year at four-year colleges and universities, including the UC and CSU systems. Each of these institutions has a list of courses that must be completed to:

• satisfy general education requirements,
• satisfy lower-division pre-major requirements, and
• satisfy elective requirements.

How credit for an SMC course transfers to your future school depends on how that school will accept the course, and how clearly defined your transfer goal is.

To make things easier for SMC students to transfer successfully, Santa Monica College has worked out transfer agreements — called articulation agreements — with most local colleges and universities on how your units of credit transfer or meet graduation or other requirements. You can look up transfer information yourself (go to assist.org for details), but you will find it much easier to talk to a counselor in the Counseling Department. To schedule an appointment with a counselor, please call 310-434-4210.

Student-Athletes Please Note: If you plan to transfer with an athletic scholarship, please see an athletic counselor for a list of requirements and to arrange for continuous counseling while enrolled at SMC.

To the best of our knowledge, SMC does not schedule courses in inaccessible locations. However, some locations may not be accessible to students with specific disability-related access needs. SMC will relocate classes to accommodate individual students. To initiate this process, please contact the Center for Students with Disabilities at 310-434-4265 (voice) or 310-434-4272 (fax).

The path of travel from the public bus stops on Centinela to the Bundy and Airport Arts campuses is a steep grade that may be inaccessible for some with mobility limitations. However, the Sunset Ride — an accessible public bus line — which transfers from Big Blue Bus Line #14, stops inside the Bundy Campus.

In addition, the following rooms have access restrictions:

ESL and Art buildings: Accessible restrooms require an access key.*

Access keys are required for elevators when classes are not in session in the Business, Art, and Student Activities buildings, as well as for the Gym basement elevator.

*For restroom access-key copies, go to the Center for Students with Disabilities (Student Services Center S155) or call 310-434-4265.

You may enroll by web on or after the enrollment date and time listed for you. You can enroll from any computer in the Admissions Office lobby. You may also enroll from home if you have Internet access.

1. Go to smc.edu/cc
2. Enter your Student ID number and your password;
3. Follow the instructions provided.

To confirm that the classes you selected have been added, click on “Transaction Receipt” in the menu on the left. If the receipt is correct, print out a copy. You must have this printout to contest any discrepancies.

You may also add or drop classes by web. If you decide NOT to attend a course you have enrolled in, it is YOUR responsibility to officially withdraw from it.

For payment information, see the PAYMENT POLICY section.

You are STRONGLY encouraged to enroll as close to your assigned date and time as possible, since students who come after you in priority will quickly fill the classes you need if you wait too long.

State and local regulations, combined with other factors, determine the order in which your enrollment date and time are assigned. It is important complete the SMC assessment process, online orientation, and education plan requirements as soon as possible — especially if you are pursuing a degree, certificate, or transfer, or you are a first-time college student — because the sooner you do so, the sooner you will receive your enrollment appointment.

You may lose your priority enrollment status if you do not complete SMC’s online orientation placement process (go to smc.edu/cc and click the “Placement” tab), or an abbreviated education plan if you are a new or first-time-in-college student, or a comprehensive education plan if you are a student who will have either earned 15 degree-applicable units by the end of the term or will have completed a third semester (whichever comes first; see the information at smc.edu/myedplan). You will also lose priority enrollment if you are on academic or progress probation for two consecutive semesters/terms, or you accumulate excessive units, or you are found responsible for violating provisions of the SMC Rules for Student Conduct, such as holding or selling seats in a class. For more information, please refer to smc.edu/admissions (click on “Enrollment Priority” under the Policies section).

If you wish to take a course, but the section you want is already closed, you may sign up for an Open Seat Notification list up to two weeks before the term starts. You will receive a notification if a seat becomes available. A notification does NOT mean you are enrolled in the course. When you receive a notification, it is YOUR responsibility to go to Corsair Connect and enroll in the class. You may also unsubscribe from the Open Seat Notification list up to two weeks before the term starts.

You may be given the opportunity to join a waitlist for a class section, starting two weeks before the term begins. You will be able to track your status on the waitlist through Corsair Connect at smc.edu/cc. The waitlist is provided to faculty, who can add students to the class if there are seats available once the class starts. If you are on a waitlist, you will receive a notice by email if a seat has become available, and may enroll in the course on a first-come, first-served basis. Please visit smc.edu/enroll for more details about the waitlist process.

To obtain your SMC Student I.D. card, go to the Cashier’s Office/Student ID at Student Services Center S181. Your SMC Student I.D. provides a convenient way to check out materials from the Library and access the campus tutoring labs and learning resource centers. When combined with A.S. Activities and swipe-activated, your SMC Student I.D. allows you to ride free on all Big Blue Bus routes, and to purchase discount tickets for selected student events or activities.

All students — resident and nonresident — in graded credit courses must pay an enrollment fee of $46 per unit.

In ADDITION TO the per-unit enrollment fee of $46, all students — resident and nonresident — enrolled in graded upper-division credit courses for the Bachelor of Science degree in Interaction Design must pay an upper-division coursework fee of $84 per unit. This fee is NOT covered by the California College Promise Grant (CCPG). For nonresident students pursuing the degree, this fee is IN ADDITION to the nonresident tuition fee.

In ADDITION TO the per-unit enrollment fee of $46, all nonresident students must pay tuition of $329 per semester unit (for a total of $375 per semester unit), or $305 per semester unit (for a total of $351 per semester unit) if eligible for AB 947 exemption. For residency information, visit the SMC website, or call the residence clerk in the Admissions Office at 310-434-4461 or 310-434-4595.

The mandatory health services fee of $18 during the winter session includes free basic health services, information, and referrals by full-time RN; emergency first aid treatment; and free or reduced-cost immunizations.

The cost of the SMC student photo I.D. card is covered by the optional $13 fee. The SMC student I.D. card offers enhanced access features for the SMC Library and the campus tutoring and course-related labs and learning resource centers, and improved campus security. If you wish to use the Big Blue Bus “Any Line, Any Time” service, you will need to “activate” the I.D. card AND have a current Associated Students sticker. If you would like to opt out of paying the SMC student ID fee, email your request to cashier@smc.edu. Include your SMC student ID number and your full name. Go to smc.edu/transportation for details.

The optional Associated Students activities fee of $19.50 supports SMC’s many student clubs, scholarships, the “Any Line, Any Time” program, and other activities that foster academic achievement, social interaction, and community involvement. For details, see the A.S. webpage or stop by the Student Life Office (Room 202 of the Cayton Associated Students Center). Buy your A.S. Activities sticker at the Cashier’s Office. If you would like to opt-out of paying the Associated Students activities fee, email your request to cashier@smc.edu. Include your SMC student ID number and your full name.

The optional Student Representation fee of $2, mandated by Assembly Bill (AB) 1504, provides support for student government representatives who may be presenting positions and viewpoints to representatives, offices, and agencies of local, district, and state governments. The fee is divided, with $1 going to the Associated Students, and $1 for use by the Student Senate of the California Community Colleges (SSCCC). You may opt out of paying the Student Representation fee through Corsair Connect (click on the “Enrollment” tab, select the relevant term/semester, then “Fee Assessment”).

Some classes require additional fees for materials and supplies. Consult the class listings in this schedule to determine whether any such fees are required. Please note that these fees are NOT refundable.

A virtual on-campus parking permit does NOT guarantee you a parking space. What a virtual parking permit does is entitle you to use on-campus student parking areas on a space-available, first-arrival basis. NOTE: Your virtual parking permit is for on-campus parking only — it is not a residential (street) parking permit.

For parking at SMC’s main campus, SMC Performing Arts Center, or the SMC Center for Media and Design, you MUST purchase a virtual parking permit for $49.50 for the winter session. The permit price includes the City of Santa Monica 10% parking facilities tax. The virtual parking permit provides access to parking lots at ALL SMC campuses. You may purchase virtual parking permits online through Corsair Connect. If you have been awarded a California College Promise Grant for the academic year, you may purchase a virtual parking permit for $30 at the Cashier’s Office.

Parking at SMC Airport Arts and Bundy campuses is free, but requires a virtual parking permit. Satellite campus virtual parking permits may be requested online through Corsair Connect. See smc.edu/transportation for details.

Parking at the SMC Bundy Lot is free for ALL SMC students, but requires a virtual parking permit. Please see SMC’s transportation webpage for the latest details.

PLEASE NOTE: Student virtual parking permits are NOT valid for faculty/staff parking areas.

Inter-campus shuttle service is free (SMC I.D. required) when campuses are open for classes. Please consult SMC’s parking webpage for routes and operating hours.

Accessible Parking: The display of a DMV accessible placard AND registration for an SMC virtual parking permit entitles you to park in any accessible, student, or staff parking space.

An important caution: Car alarms are disruptive to other students and our neighbors. Cars with activated alarms in the SMC parking areas will be towed immediately at your expense.

SMC students with a current SMC Student I.D. can ride any Big Blue Bus any time — for FREE! — if they have paid the Associated Students Activities fee AND have swipe-activated their SMC Student I.D. Special thanks go to the SMC Associated Students for funding this major expansion of SMC’s transportation initiative — launched in 2007 in partnership with the Big Blue Bus — aimed at improving access to SMC and reducing traffic, noise, and air pollution in the community. See smc.edu/transportation for details.

Withdrawal refund deadlines appear next to each enrolled class listed in your Corsair Connect account.

Please Note: You may be eligible to receive some form of financial aid. Call the Financial Aid Office at 310-434-4343 as soon as possible. Work Study funds and the California College Promise Grant (CCPG) are available for the winter session (go to smc.edu/financialaid for details). Please note: The California College Promise Grant and SMC Promise Program do NOT cover upper-division coursework fees.

You can pay your fees by using a MasterCard, Visa, or Discover credit card at the same site where you enroll. For other payment options, see the “How to Pay” information.

Payments of enrollment and related fees for courses you enroll in are due by the deadline dates published on the fees webpage and in your Corsair Connect account. Please see smc.edu/fees for payment deadline dates and other related information. It is YOUR responsibility to drop any courses you do not wish to continue. If you do not drop the courses by the refund deadline — even if you never went to class — you will be responsible for paying the fees and will not be able to enroll in future terms until all fees are paid. A hold will also be placed on your records, which prevents you from receiving enrollment verification, diplomas, etc. See smc.edu/fees for the latest details.

SMC offers students several payment options.

• You may pay fees in cash or by check, money order, cashier’s check, Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. You may also pay with American Express, but in person ONLY.
• Nonresident tuition may be paid in cash or by money order, cashier’s check, or a personal check drawn on a California bank, in person, at the Cashier’s Office.

You may pay:

• In person at the Cashier’s Office (located in Student Services Center S181);
• By web using a MasterCard, Visa, or Discover card ONLY (web enrollment takes place on a certified secured site, and all data transactions are encrypted; to pay fees online, log onto Corsair Connect and make sure the correct “school semester” is selected, then select “Pay Fees Online” from the menu on the left);
• By mailing your check, money order, or cashier’s check (no cash) to Santa Monica College, Cashier’s Office, 1900 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405.

If you have any credit for any prior transaction(s), the amount will be applied to any owed balance.

Financial aid is used to pay for mandatory fees, books, transportation, room and board, and other education-related costs. Before starting enrollment procedures, contact the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office is open Monday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hours are subject to change without notice. For additional information, please see smc.edu/financialaid or call 310-434-4343.

SMC offers various types of financial aid:

• Grants (Pell Grant, SEOG, Cal Grant B, C, ACG): Need-based assistance that does not need to be repaid.
• California College Promise Grant (CCPG): Need-based enrollment fee waivers for eligible California residents.
• Santa Monica College Promise: Free enrollment and fee waivers for high school students who graduate in 2020 and go directly to SMC as full-time students (see smc.edu/freetuition for details).
• Federal Work-Study (FWS) funds: Federally funded program that provides wages to eligible students for employment.
• Loans: Federally administered, low-interest funds that must be repaid.
• Scholarships: Awards from foundations and private endowments or individuals.

FAFSA application available October 1

FAFSA and Cal Grant priority deadline March 2

Extended Cal Grant deadline September 2

1. You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
2. Possess a Social Security Number (SSN)
3. Demonstrate financial need (except for SMC Promise and many scholarships)
4. Have a high school diploma, GED, California High School Proficiency Certificate, or demonstrate an ability to benefit from post-secondary education
5. Comply with Selective Service registration (if required)

You can apply as early as October 1, and you do not need to wait to be admitted to SMC to apply. To be given full consideration, you must apply by March 2.

1. Create your FSA ID username and password at fsaid.ed.gov. To expedite the financial aid process, have your parent create one also.
2. Once you receive your PIN, go to fafsa.ed.gov to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Santa Monica College’s Federal School Code is 001286.
3. When the FAFSA is sent to the Federal Processor, this information is put through the eligibility-determining formula and an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is calculated. A Student Aid Report (SAR) on financial aid eligibility will be mailed to you.

• Adelante Program
• Black Collegians Program
• CalWORKs
• CARE (Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education)
• Career Technical Education (CTE)
• Center for Environmental and Urban Studies (CEUS)
• Center for Students with Disabilities (DSPS)
• Corsair Intercollegiate Athletics
• Distance Education/Online Classes
• DREAM Program
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• EOPS (Extended Opportunity Program and Services)
• Guardian Scholars Program (GSP)
• High School Programs
• International Education Center
• Internship Program
• Latino Center
• Mentor Program in the Arts
• Noncredit Program
• Online Program
• Pico Partnership Program
• Santa Monica College Promise Program
• Scholars Program
• SMC Outreach and Recruitment
• STEM Program
• Student Employment Program
• Study Abroad Programs
• Supplemental Instruction Program
• Teacher Academy at SMC
• Undocumented Ally Program
• Veterans Success Center

• Athletics Counseling
• Campus Police and Student/Staff Escort Service
• Campus Store (formerly SMC Bookstore)
• Career Services Center
• Center for Wellness & Wellbeing
• Child Care Services
• Computer Labs and Services
• Corsair Newspaper
• Counseling & Transfer Services
• Education and Early Childhood Counseling
• Financial Aid and Scholarships
• Food Services
• Health Sciences Counseling
• Health Services Center
• Library
• Office of Student Life and
• the Associated Students (A.S.)
• Ombudsperson
• SMC John Drescher Planetarium
• SMC Pete and Susan Barrett Art Gallery
• SMC Photography Gallery
• Tutoring Services
• Welcome Center

Free noncredit courses and student support services for students seeking opportunities for career development, college preparation, and lifelong learning.

• English as a second language (ESL)
• Short-term vocational and workforce preparation courses and certificates
• Programs and activities for older adults at SMC Emeritus
• Flexible open entry/open exit course offerings

Visit smc.edu/noncredit or call 310-434-3399 for details.

• More than 450 low-cost classes, seminars, and workshops each semester
• Classes in everything from watercolor techniques to culinary arts to yoga
• Professional certificate and continuing education programs

See commed.smc.edu or call 310-434-3400 for information.

Free noncredit adult education courses specifically designed to meet the interests of older adults.

Check smc.edu/emeritus or call 310-434-4306 for program information.

SMC’s Workforce and Economic Development Office (W&ED) helps develop the skilled workforce the region needs to compete successfully in today’s global market.

• Customized training programs and services
• Pre-employment training in basic and job-specific skills
• Post-employment training to upgrade employee skill levels
• Concurrent employment training to update and expand employee professional and managerial skills

For more information, see smc.edu/workforcedevelopment or call 310-434-4199.